I am trying to look at the selection posers for Warren Gatland from a Springboks perspective to see how the makeup of the team will suit the plans of the Boks. This is what I believe the Boks want when Gatland names his team.
- Smaller, faster loose forwards
The Lions have been playing at a tremendous pace which is a credit to the coaches getting them ready for the tour as they have blown away most people with their incredible tempo. The tried and tested way to beat the Boks is to match the forwards and gain parity whilst using skill, kicking and trickery to get around the rush defense they use. By selecting a small faster loose trio including the likes Tom Curry, Hamish Watson and Tobe Faletau is exactly what the Boks want. Yes they put pressure at the breakdown but our game plan doesn’t involve us making contact very far from the fly half channel so the bigger Boks can clear them our fairly easily. The Lions thinking would be to tire the bigger slower Boks out but if they play a 6-2 forwards to backs bench they can just replace the big tired guys with new big guys. It also negates the lineout options without a Courtney Lawes at 6 which makes it easier to attack for the Boks.
- Dan Biggar at fly half
Yes he is most likely the form player on paper as a fly half but the Boks will be quite happy with Dan in the 10 channel as he is about as brave my Rhodesian ridgeback hearing a noise outside. He is an accurate kicker but that doesn’t put much fear into the Boks who know he won’t challenge the line on attack or hit people back on defense. As much as Owen Farrell was average last week he poses a much different challenge guarding the channel that the Boks want to attack. Both are great place kickers but as physical threats you cannot compare the two.
- Speed and size over experience in the back three
The Boks will be most worried about experience and ability under the high ball in the back three rather than blistering speed and size which our scramble defense can handle. Louis-Rees Zammit is very quick but he wouldn’t get many chances to show it because the Boks will be peppering him with high balls till the cows come home. The Boks attacking game is off turnover ball then striking at a disorganized defense and wining contestable kicks is perfect for their needs. Cooler heads will be able to handle the pressure and the onslaught of contestable kicks but a young gun might struggle.
- Crashers over playmakers
In the style of rugby the Lions are playing the centre has a central role in decision making to deceive the defense and the Boks will be wary of talented ball players over crashers. The Boks proved they can handle the bulkier Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw but would be nervous of Eliot Daly or Chris Harris who have the skill to shift the ball quickly when needed to get on the outside of the rush defense. The All Blacks have always had such skill in the midfield that they are able to negate the suffocating Bok rush defense. This will be a real fear for the Boks as they haven’t had enough games together to get the rush defense in sync which could prove costly.
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