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.
cymru8
Guest
I have to say while it is a well written article i completely disagree with its content 1. the lions won 14 turnovers to the aussies 3, and linked into point about referee's interpretation, a recent q and a session with warbs showed how they changed their tactic at ruck time from attempting to jackal the ball to simply counter rucking. While the lions should have done more homework on pollock they certainly adapted their gameplan. 2. The scrum, vunipola is a very young prop whoe only burst onto the scene this season, and while his loose play is very good his scrummaging is an obvious weakness. Changing the front row (well mainly vunipola for corbs, and to a certain extent jones for cole, who simply hasnt been in good form this tour) was a mistake from gatland so early on. In terms of looseheads, it has to be remembered the first and second choice looseheads in healy and jenkins (who yes while being kept out of the toulon team by sheridan is down to their power strategy rather than jenkins ability) 3. Tackles were generally good for the lions. Around the tight, the lions could improve this with lydiate being moved from bench to six in place of croft who is not highly regarded for his tackling in the tight. however in this case i do agree that folau needs to marked carefully, he is a dangerman for the aussies and the tackles attempt to stop him were poor, however luckily for us he wasnt utilised as much as he should have. Overall i believe that the lions can improve significantly especially with the return tommy bowe and dr roberts, tuilagi and the selection debate for the backrow where there are numerous of potentially superb combinations
welshy824
Guest
I have to say while it is a well written article i completely disagree with its content 1. the lions won 14 turnovers to the aussies 3, and linked into point about referee's interpretation, a recent q and a session with warbs showed how they changed their tactic at ruck time from attempting to jackal the ball to simply counter rucking. While the lions should have done more homework on pollock they certainly adapted their gameplan. 2. The scrum, vunipola is a very young prop whoe only burst onto the scene this season, and while his loose play is very good his scrummaging is an obvious weakness. Changing the front row (well mainly vunipola for corbs, and to a certain extent jones for cole, who simply hasnt been in good form this tour) was a mistake from gatland so early on. In terms of looseheads, it has to be remembered the first and second choice looseheads in healy and jenkins (who yes while being kept out of the toulon team by sheridan is down to their power strategy rather than jenkins ability) 3. Tackles were generally good for the lions. Around the tight, the lions could improve this with lydiate being moved from bench to six in place of croft who is not highly regarded for his tackling in the tight. however in this case i do agree that folau needs to marked carefully, he is a dangerman for the aussies and the tackles attempt to stop him were poor, however luckily for us he wasnt utilised as much as he should have. Overall i believe that the lions can improve significantly especially with the return tommy bowe and dr roberts, tuilagi and the selection debate for the backrow where there are numerous of potentially superb combinations
Jon from Scotland
Guest
Harsh. Some - not most. It is telling though that a player who wasn't in the original selection made it into the first test side. Ryan Grant, another latecomer, has been very good for us but doesn't seem to be performing for the lions. Is the pool of props really that thin in these islands?
Gavin Melville
Roar Pro
Ooops - just listening to the Rebels game: there's Cole getting injured & Grant give away a penalty in the scrum .....
Gavin Melville
Roar Pro
Slainte, Jon. "it is very refreshing to come to a forum where the conversations are all about rugby, aren’t one-eyed, and the author takes part in the conversation thread." that's what I thought when I tripped over this blog. Mind you, further to what we've just said above, wouldn't Johnny Wilkinson have been a better prop than most of those selected?
Gavin Melville
Roar Pro
I didn't think the Lions scrum was so dominant in the first half. Didn't lose anything, but were out-nudged on the put in and gave away the odd free-kick. In the 2nd half, especially at the "lost scrums" it was Vunipola's loose side going backwards, not Cole's. Cole looks OK. The ball squirmed out the side rather abruptly, but 1) why wasn't the ball taken out (by Youngs) under control when the scrum started to creak under pressure 2) why did the Lions not get a penalty at the half-way line for much the same thing as the Wallabies seconds later 3) POC's arm was broken - that wouldn't help his binding 4) whoever, presumably Warburton, called the pushover option when near the Wallabies posts should have asked Halfpenny to have a kick for points Granted Corbisiero looks good and Sheridan is a man-mountain. I haven't seen too much of him recently, since he moved to France, but perhaps he didn't want to tour. Also, hasn't Gethin Jenkins been injured for a large chunk of last season? Adam Jones has been in great nik and had a good season & tour so far. Regardless of whether Corbisiero or Jones remain fit, I would be happy to match any amount of money you care to wager on on Green and Gold, at better prices than you'ld get down the bookies.
Jon from Scotland
Guest
Got to agree with the above opinions on the lions scrum. it just isn't performing as it should. And I don't really think the rucking game is either. On the plus side, the line out and the running have been pretty spot on. On another note, it is very refreshing to come to a forum where the conversations are all about rugby, aren't one-eyed, and the author takes part in the conversation thread.
Ajax
Guest
Insightful article.. all I can say is that maybe some of the NH press didnt pay much attention to what happned scrum wise at Twickenham last November... this Aussie front row aint pushovers ;-) Looking forward to a cracking second game... luck paid a big part for both sides in their tries.. will Israel Folau be able to produce another jack in the box performance.. will another aimless Aussie kick end up as a try againt the run of play.. will Brian ODriscoll take out another Aussie defender for the Lions to score (ok.. that was a bit cheeky).. I cannot wait for Saturday... it will be a war of attrition amongst the forwards.. both sides will be nervous and play it tight I suspect... the Lions wont want to make a mistake and lose... the Wallabies wont want to do something stupid and throw away the series... In the end.. one man will do something special and win it.. lets hope it aint the ref!!!
Degsy
Guest
If you are going to analyse the scrum, please take note of who was on the field and for how long; the reduction in effectiveness of the Lions scrum was down to the too early substituion of Adam Jones and Corbisiero - the issues with Vunipola were predicted, but Dan COle's form has taken a dive over the last year. On the LH side, they should have brought Sheridan over as he has been keeping Gethin Jenkins out of the Toulon team all season and they will be in trouble if Corberisero isn't passed fit. The Wallabies front row is pretty decent these days, but they were in trouble against the first choice front row. If the Lions loose either Adam or Corbisiero over the next two tests, I would put some money on Green and Gold.
Gavin Melville
Roar Pro
Cuthbert is f. enormous. Especially for a winger. He's a hard man to get hold of, Digby. Have the Feds caught up with him yet?
jeznez
Roar Guru
If you are Alex Cuthbert it doesn't take two or three, it just takes one and he doesn't just hold you upright - he holds you off the ground (or at least he does if your name is Digby)
jeznez
Roar Guru
Not a bad call RK, I wouldn't trust Slipper against Corbisiero but could roll the dice against Vunipola.
Gavin Melville
Roar Pro
I reckon Grant is a top scrummager. Hopefully, he's settled in now. So I reckon he'll be OK as the LH-Prop. He got a cracker of a black-eye vs the Brumbies. And I didn't think Vunipola was doing so badly in the run up to the test. I don't know that getting pinged for that late penalty (the first one missed) when he was the tackler will have done his confidence much good. O'Connell is a tough one to replace. There's been plenty good jumping in the lineouts for the Lions. And plenty good calling the lineout. And plenty aggression around the loose. But POC has been doing it all! A one-man wrecking machine. They could get Parling in to jump. Alan Wyn Jones to call the lineout. Sean O'Brien in for his intensity. Warburton to step up his leadership another notch. But it's a major rejig. Well spotted, WNM, that the IRish-style "Choke" tackle is so effective against the upright "options-open" runner. The Irish cracked this a while back and it's become a more & more popular tactic in the 6-Nations. Two or three blokes hold the tackled guy up. He can't offload or go to ground. The Maul forms. The non-ball-carrying side get the put in when the ball doesn't come out. It's a great technique to perfect in defence.
Red Kev
Guest
Corbisiero still being assessed, POC is gone though - just came through the official Lions twitter feed. If the Lions have to start Vunipola at 1, I would be very tempted to start Slipper at no.3.
Who Needs Melon
Roar Guru
Agree with those three areas. The reported injury to Corbisiero doesn't bode well for the scrum though. And the reported injury to O'Connell doesn't bode well for the breakdown! In an article I've just submitted I commented on the tactic Ireland used so well against the Wallabies last year which was holding our players up in the tackle. When the Lions did this on the weekend it worked well for them and I think that's an area they should concentrate more on. Many of the Wallabies run very upright. I believe this is due to their continually looking to keep the ball alive, the speed of the game up and offload.