What have we learned after this past weekend’s matches?

• Race to 24^th July

Both the British and Irish Lions and the Springboks are in a race to get ready for the first test. The plans have been laid and the teams mostly picked but whoever has the most match ready outfit will win. The keys players in the Bok team who are short on playing time through injury or lack of playing at the top level will need every physical and mental rep to get ready. The composition of the locks look as clear as mud with Etzebeth carrying a rib injury, RG Snyman almost certainly ruled out after his ill-fated bonfire and Lood de Jager pencilled in for the SA ‘A’ game. Outside of that it is anyone’s guess who joins last man standing Franco Mostert but we should get some clarity this Friday against the Georgians. The Lions look like they have been practicing slick passing moves for the whole of lockdown but need to run into something tougher than a weak Sigma Lion shoulder. Gatland will be hoping the Sharks, Stormers and Bulls can put their defence until some scrutiny as they will surely be tested by the Boks. Factor in some inevitable Covid positive cases and it makes this a mad dash to the starting line. 

• Island farce

What an embarrassment for World Rugby watching the All Blacks put 102 – 0 past the poor underprepared Tongans. For all the talk about growing the game amongst the smaller nations this was the complete opposite, throwing the Tongans to the wolves for the benefit for the All Blacks. For all the defending by Coach Ian Foster someone needs to be held accountable for this terrible idea. The irony is that for all of New Zealand’s arrogance that they can go it alone with the South African money it injects in TV rights they are desperately in need of strong opposition. Let’s hope the Fijian game doesn’t end up with a cricket score but I suspect it will.

• How far have the Sigma Lions fallen

After watching the Sigma Lions putting up a feeble effort against the British and Irish Lions it is hard to believe that not so long ago they were SA’s best team by a country mile and made the Super Rugby final twice in a row. It has been a series of missteps in recruiting after Johan Ackerman and Swys de Bruin left that has left the cupboard very barren. Ivan van Rooyen has worked his way through the system as a fitness coach and looks out of his depth at this level. He needs a few more years being an assistant to a skilled operator to learn the tricks of the trade. He has inherited a young talented side which is far harder to coach than battle hardened veterans who know the system and how to implement it. If the disappointing results continue I expect much of the young talent will slip away and it will be a ground up rebuild.

• Can the Sharks put up a fight?

I tend to believe that they can put pressure on the British and Irish Lions with a far more common tense approach to playing rugby in the right areas of the field. The Shark biggest weakness is their scrum and the Lions don’t seem that intent on pushing very hard in the Republic which could play into the Sharks hands. If the Sharks can play a smart territorial game they have some exciting players to challenge the very stingy Lions defence. I am looking forward to Thembelani Bholi and JJ van der Mescht knocking Lions backwards and Phepsi Buthelezi breaking through the backs ala Sam Simmonds. It should be a fun game to watch with some new faces on the Lions team eager to stake their claim.