Well, that was a toughie. Edge-of-the-seat rugby from start to finish with luck probably, the defining factor.
But it shouldn’t have been like that. I believe that the Lions could have and should have been better.
Makes me wonder what they’ve been doing in between the travelling and the practice matches against downsized local lads.
Breakdown
As expected, Australia put in a class performance at the breakdown. The Lions didn’t.
Yes, the Lions won a lot of ruck ball, but that was mostly the easy stuff. When it looked like there might be an opportunity for turnover to the Wallabies, though, there was.
The referee set his stall out early. He explained how he was going to be interpreting scavenging for the ball, at the ruck in particular.
I don’t think he was doing anything differently to what he normally would do.
I’ve seen him referee before, If the Lions haven’t – and analysed it down to the minutia – then one has to wonder what on earth they are doing.
Most of his calls were entirely expected.
Calls which weren’t were probably because I had the benefit of seeing things from a TV angle.
Even as the game wen’t on, no one in red seemed to be getting the message. Turnover after turnover, penalty after penalty.
The feedback loop never kicked in. The Lions clearly weren’t paying attention.
To do: better homework on the referee. Don’t be contentious with the ref’s interpretation. Pay more attention during the game
Scrum
Surprisingly, for me anyway, the Lions domination of this set-piece just didn’t materialise. Solid enough to start with and building up towards control, yes.
But when it mattered – a 5m scrum, near the end of the game – it all went wrong.
What could have been a pushover try for the Lions, or a penalty try for fouling on a potential pushover try, evaporated in the heat of Australian resistance.
What should have been an opportunity to wind the clock down and win the game – a scrum on the halfway line, with the put in – disintegrated in a clumsy turnover.
The Lions took these things for granted, but the Wallabies took their chances.
Graham Rowntree is the highly respected forwards coach with the Lions. Really, Rowntree, they should be doing better. The much-vaunted Lions pack couldn’t cut it when the going got rough.
Despite the fact they were “freshened” after 60 minutes with a whole new front row, there was not enough co-hesion, nous or power available to the Lions to produce what was expected of them.
To do: get tighter in the bind and shove. Pay attention, especially if there’s a wheel on. Don’t take it for granted, shove.
Tackle
Yeah, the Lions had some good ones. And you can’t expect to hit them all.
But, around the breakdowns the Lions have to hit a bit stronger. It looked way too easy for Australia to gain metres on their pick-n-go.
And somebody has to get a bit closer to Israel Folau and his dancing feet. Was that Warburton that was handed off with ease on try #2?
Folau looked like he could have sidestepped his way back up to his own 22 and then again upfield under the Lions posts if he’d wanted.
The midfield looked good, mostly, but still creaked in places. Notably when Beale spung threw near the end.
To do: line up your man and tackle him.
Get under the fend. And if you can’t get in a tackle, then get in the way.
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