British and Irish Lions chances still unclear
Roar Guru By James Mortimer, 5 Jun 2009 James Mortimer is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Brian O’Driscoll, british and irish lions, Eugene Eloff, Golden Lions, International Rugby, Rugby Union
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A record 74-10 romp over the Golden Lions gave the fabled tourists their second win of their tour, eclipsing the score line over the same team on the 1955 Lions visit.
While Robin Thompson’s British and Irish Lions played Transvaal (as the Golden Lions used to be named), the Irish born captain’s team would eventually draw the Test series 2-2 against a very strong Springbok team in what was considered one of the better Lions units.
While the 64 point winning score line was impressive against the Golden Lions, and the Brian O’Driscoll led side looked many notches above the average performance put in against a Royal XV, it is hard to draw too much from it.
The Royal XV were said to be the weakest side that the British and Irish Lions would face on tour. In theory, this was somewhat untrue. Largely made up of the Vodacom Cup winning Griquas, they put in a fabulous performance.
Good enough to record a historic upset, but the tourists finished hard and fast to save themselves any embarrassment in a display that would have had most rugby purists putting their mortgages on a Springbok Test series whitewash.
They then turn it around and tear apart their South African Super 14 namesakes in a performance that had both coach Ian McGeechan and O’Driscoll gushing superlatives. But it is necessary for the visitors to put this in perspective.
Getting excited about a result like this will do them no favours against what will be a very good Springbok Test team.
The SA Lions, before and during the match, were a rabble.
Head coach Eugene Eloff was dumped as head coach just days before the match, in a display of horrific timing by Golden Lions CEO Manie Reyneke.
This was done after Jake White’s company Winning Ways did an audit on the team and found the Eloff was, in a sense, the root of all the issues.
The Golden Lions released a statement saying “It immediately became apparent that in order for the GLRU to move forward, they would have to make immediate changes to allow for a proper build up for the British & Irish Lions versus Lions game and the Currie Cup.”
A proper build up?
Surely an analyst of White’s capabilities would have known of the disruptive effect it would have on the team.
We were then treated to a woeful display of rugby and inept tactical nous from a team bereft of its most attacking players, and even with former test player Andre Pretorius at the helm, were overrun by a British and Irish Lions team with a point to prove.
The review and fate of the former Transvaal side, a rugby province with so much great rugby history, will hopefully occur with more efficiency for their long suffering supporters.
Meanwhile, for the illustrious visitors, while not many more questions were answered, at least we have seen what the team can do when combining well.
We have now seen enough from key players to know that if the right team is selected, this side could cause issues for the World Champions.
Lee Byrne and Rob Kearney both appear to be of Test class; while Ugo Monye and Tommy Bowe looked the goods, and on that form looked to be good enough to be the starting wing three quarters.
O’Driscoll will be starting centre, and it appears Jamie Roberts’ early tour form may kill off any challenge at second five eighth from Riki Flutey.
Stephen Jones and Ronan O’Gara seem to be evenly poised, with perhaps the Welsh standoff having the edge due to a greater combination with the men inside and outside of him.
Mike Phillips should be starting scrum half, if for anything, the increased physicality he brings to the table.
In the backrow, Tom Croft put his hand up and showed the insanity with his early non selection. But who his partners will be to combat a terrifying Springbok loose forward trio is still a difficult question to answer.
Paul O’Connell will be one lock, but should take note from the efficiency of how Nathan Hines and Alun-Wyn Jones went about their work, especially in the loose.
And in the frontrow, there seems to be numerous options, with the quality of the British and Lions scrum work looking of genuine world class stock. The question will be how much they will rely on their tight forwards to get through a high level of work around open play.
Will McGeechan look for just scrummaging qualities from his frontrow or some skill with the ball in hand?
Recommend this story.
June 5th 2009 @ 2:21pm
Viscount Crouchback said | June 5th 2009 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
Does every rugger thread have to be spoiled by KO making ignorant jibes at the main article, to be followed by his boyfriend pothale rushing in to defend him?
June 5th 2009 @ 2:24pm
Viscount Crouchback said | June 5th 2009 @ 2:24pm | Report comment
Pothale,
I’d be amazed if Wyn Jones and Croft played in the Tests. Neither has the size or physicality to cope with the Boks. O’Connell apparently let slip in an interview that AWJ wouldn’t appear in the same Test team as him (which, given POC’s almost certain inclusion, suggests AWJ won’t be a Test starter) and Croft was left out of the tour originally for good reason.
Croft looked good on Wednesday, but I’m sure Gatland noted him being tossed around like a rag doll by Rocky Elsom in the HC Final.
June 5th 2009 @ 8:12pm
Knives Out said | June 5th 2009 @ 8:12pm | Report comment
You’re so polytechnic, Viscount.
‘by KO making ignorant jibes’
Care to explain? I would think that it was completely disingenuous, not to mention ignorant, to make a claim that the Lions were ‘gushing superlatives’. Perhaps you’re not a fan of semantics. Here’s a clue.. look up superlatives in the dictionary. I’m sure you can find an online one.
‘Croft was left out of the tour originally for good reason.’
Good reason that you fail to highlight. I wonder why… Croft was left out of the tour because Quinlan played like an extra 7 and the breakdown was always the main target coming into the tour, hence Gatland’s comment that Croft played well, close to the ball, and not too loosely. And as for your suggestion that Croft or AWJ not being physical enough – that is simply childish. Are you one of these schoolboys who presumes that nobody can match SA physically? Do you really believe they have the greatest genes? I suggest you look up some player profiles on Sarfu because Juan Smith isn’t exactly a powerhouse in the Andre Venter mould. Do go and dig up some more opinions from the newspapers, you’re stale.
June 5th 2009 @ 8:16pm
pothale said | June 5th 2009 @ 8:16pm | Report comment
Viscount – do I complain that you make comments that I sometimes disagree with? Or that you write material that is just painful to read with its yawn-inducing colonial overtone and rhetoric which tries feebly to be ironic?
No – I let you at it. If that’s what you get your jollies from on here and in your blog, more power to your ass.
On the other hand, sometimes you make sense. Like the above point which was outlined in a UK paper about Alun-Wyn Jones being too similar to O’Connell and PO’C said it was either him or AWJ. Ergo, More likely that Hines might fit the bill, I think the article said. I’d agree with the article – and by extension, yourself.
I would actually pick Ferris over Croft at 6 – he has by far the hardest tackle in the squad, but I ain’t do the picking – Croft’s athleticism and speed may be more appealing to Geech, Gatland and Edwards. Unless they look to do something completely different and put AWJ in there given his form – he’s played the position before for Wales.
I’ll promise not to jump in to KO’s defence in future if you’re not happy. Though I don’t believe his comment at the beginning of this article is an ‘ignorant jibe’ as you put it. He put an alternate point of view and supported it with some evidence. It wasn’t haranguing or overblown criticism. Methinks maybe you’re a bit sensitive to his criticism of yourself and your writing.
We’re all big boys here – for the most part. Trading of a few verbals every now and then is part of the medium.
Spiro used a clever phrase to describe his writing podium recently – the bully pulpit – he recognizes the privileged position from which he writes and therefore, likely welcomes receiving the wrath and ire of readers as well as the bouquets and paeans of praise from his acolytes. If it was only the latter, it wouldn’t be half as much fun.
Finally, VC, there’s always the off button if it becomes too much for you. Which I hope it wouldn’t.
Cheer up, there’s another Lions game tomorrow.
June 5th 2009 @ 8:28pm
Knives Out said | June 5th 2009 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
Do not dare challenge European nobility, Pothale. It isn’t the done thing. Maybe a baron, but definitely not a Viscount.
Anyhow, you make a separate point to Viscount, that AWJ is too similar to POC. In a very one-dimensional comment he simply states that AWJ is not physical or big enough to play against the Springboks. If you follow that line of logic then one could argue that neither is O’Connell big enough or physical enough to play against the Springboks.
June 5th 2009 @ 10:08pm
van der Merwe said | June 5th 2009 @ 10:08pm | Report comment
“I suggest you look up some player profiles on Sarfu because Juan Smith isn’t exactly a powerhouse in the Andre Venter mould”
Smith: 1.96m, 108kg, Venter: 1.95m, 103.4kg
June 5th 2009 @ 10:11pm
Knives Out said | June 5th 2009 @ 10:11pm | Report comment
Tom Croft
1.98m
104 kg
Is Smith a powerhouse in the Andre Venter mould? No. Does he play with the same kamikaze intent? No. That was the point of Viscount. Regardless, Croft clearly does have the size and he doesn’t need to match Smith’s ‘physicality’ simply because that is not how Smith plays.
June 5th 2009 @ 11:11pm
Greg Smith said | June 5th 2009 @ 11:11pm | Report comment
Tom Croft – ‘a former member of the West Berkshire Youth Dance Group in which he studied contemporary, modern and street dancing’ ?
Doughnut City dance boy, oh yeah I can see Juan Smith packing away his Winchester Magnum hunting rifle for a .22 from here !
June 6th 2009 @ 12:27am
Knives Out said | June 6th 2009 @ 12:27am | Report comment
Everyone needs a hobby.