- The tour was almost over before it began? FACT
Yes I believe that we came very close to seeing the tour end before it even really began due to the Covid cases in the Bok camp. It was all about timing and with the congested nature of the tour there is no room for error. If the Boks camp outbreak came later down the track the 17 days required for players to sit out could have rendered the team toothless the first two Tests. One cannot ignore the financial considerations here with SA Rugby teetering on the brink of closing up shop. The tour is pivotal to them rebounding from the lack of a sellable product. Should one or both camps have a resurgence of cases in Cape Town it might spell the end of what should be some intriguing matches.
- The Sharks 2.0 were much better than Sharks 1.0 Vs Lion FICTION
Yes the Sharks showed some renewed intensity that was lacking in the first match they played at Ellis Park it was down to the Lions being uncharacteristically sloppy that resulted in the score being closer in the first half. Four of the Sharks tries came from Lions mistakes and yes you could say that the increased line speed and venom in the tackles played a part but not enough to see a pretty careless effort from the Lions. One cannot ignore the effects of the roller-coaster of news off the field filtering onto the field. The Sharks had some individuals show some real grit and determination that will stand them in good stead going forward ala Werner Kok and Phepsi Buthelezi.
- The Lions have the edge on the Boks. FICTION
Yes the Lions have played more rugby but playing a high tempo globetrotter type style against lesser opposition is not going to win them Test matches. The one area that they cannot ignore is scrum time where they have not even been remotely dominant against front rows that are very low on experience. All of the dummy passes and switches look great but if the pack is going backwards Lukhanyo Am and the rush defense shuts that down 20 metres behind the gain line. We haven’t seen enough of the Lions under pressure to make a fair assessment of where they are which this week might give us. They are incredibly fit but if they have to walk back to their own 22m line for the tenth time because of a scrum penalty it is meaningless.
- The Lions have settled on a starting XV for the first test. FICTION
This squad has some positional battles that are too close to call at the moment and I believe it will come to the last minute who they select in some positions. The loose trio and the back three is up in the air at this stage with some memorable performances from players who might have been thought to just fill the tour bus when the squad was announced. The team they will select will be very much to counter the team that the Boks will bring out come the 24th. Someone like Duhan van der Merwe might get a look in due to superior size and strength over some lighter speedsters. Same with the loose trio, size over speed might win the day unless Warren Gatland is bold enough to continue on the Warrentrotters tour to wear out the lungs of the Boks with tempo.
- This will be one of the most memorable Lions tour ever? FACT
It is sometimes easy to overlook the enormity of what this tour is trying to achieve in what will (hopefully) be a once in a generation global pandemic. Yes things have gone wrong but showing agility in planning has shown World Rugby a thing or two about what can be achieved if there is a collective goal worth achieving. Sport in South Africa has a long history as being a unifier in difficult times and in the depths of a third wave and social unrest it is needed more than ever. Players and viewers will remember this in years to come as something that was looked forward to when hope is lost. It is very easy to get sucked into negative thoughts during hard times but this serves to give us some happiness punctuating what has been a harsh year.
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