Roles reversed
After the Boks won the first half of the First Test and faded badly in the second half it was the Lions turn to look out on their feet in the second stanza of the Second Test. Not only did the Lions look exhausted but also looked devoid of ideas on attack which was the carbon copy of the Boks sloppy display a week earlier. The kicking game has been a talking point throughout this tour and whoever handles the pressure of the up and unders seems to gain the momentum for their respective teams. Equally on the 50/50 referring decisions favouring the Lions in the First Test it was the Boks turn to get the rub of the green. We will never know if the unorthodox Rassie video was the difference maker in Ben O’Keefe’s calls but the Cheslin Kolbe yellow could easily have been a red card and the wording on Robbie Henshaw’s try was the difference between a try not being scored.
Boks high stakes tactical poker
After coming unstruck with what seemed to be a one dimension game plan based on the traditional strengths of set piece and brute force they leaned into the game plan even further with a 6-2 bench and forward orientated plan. To the relief of the Boks brains trust it worked to a tee and with hindsight they didn’t really have any other options as an expansive game required difference players they simply don’t have. The Boks style comes under fire for being boring, even putting NZ coach Ian Foster to sleep, but it is very difficult to stop when it is firing on all cylinders. The players who disappointed last week were the heroes this week and as is said often a wounded Bok is a dangerous one. Jacques Nienaber will want more of the same this week and it will be all about getting into the right headspace to lift the intensity one last time.
Lions under pressure
The swings and roundabouts in this tour has been incredible and it seems like a lifetime ago when the Lions were on top of the world and Rassie hadn’t released his infamous video analysis. The pressure is no squarely on the shoulders of the Lions squad and how they handle that pressure this week with most likely determine how they play this weekend. The end of a long tour away from home is always difficult with the ‘one leg on the plane’ mentality often producing ordinary performances but this is no normal tour and the word legacy will be used to get them up for the fight. The pressure on the Lions is twofold as they showed very little ambition to play with the ball on Saturday and paid dearly for it in the second half. Calls have been coming from all corners to freshen up the team with new players capable of creating some magic rather than plugging the dam wall of Bok’s aggression. This will have to be weighed up with the Boks rush defense that has been stifling for any backline moves and how they feel they can beat the Boks. Gatland has to somehow diffuse some of the pressure on the squad and I expect some tasty press this week to change the narrative.
Nasty off the ball incidents
Kyle Sinckler not only would be hurting after getting taken to the cleaners by Trevor Nyakane in the scrums but also being cited for biting Franco Mostert in the 64th minute. Maybe he was confused with Franco’s nickname ‘Sous’ and thought he was a tasty kebab but he has put his team in deep trouble. Not only does it make hard to portray the Boks at the bully boys in the eyes of the referees but also means they could have a tight head prop in Zander Fagerson who is underprepared for what will come his way this weekend. I was surprised that their wasn’t more citing incidents from the commissioner with Cheslin Kolbe, Stuart Hogg and Maro Itoje all looking like they had a case to answer to. It was an ill-tempered match and it looked like a fight was never far away but credit to Ben O’Keefe who was on top of it from the first whistle and gave them all ample warnings.
Great entertainment
This tour has been criticized from all angles from losing the values of the tour with no crowds and the contests being very one sided against the weaker local teams but it has been very entertaining to say the least. Sport is in the entertainment business and anyone who denies that hasn’t been looking at the bigger picture of what happens in the US. From the Rassie video to the heart in your mouth tense Test matches with high stakes chess tactics all over the show it has made for enthralling entertainment. Yes it would have been different with crowds but for what has happened in the world over the last 18 months this has been a massive success regardless of the outcome on Saturday. Rugby is competing in a highly competitive market and getting eyeballs on the product is vital. This tour has surely done that with roller-coaster ride each week not knowing what will happen next.
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