South Africa 17
Lions 22
IT WAS MORE brutal than beautiful but the Lions have landed a massive blow against the Springboks by winning the brilliant first Test of their series in South Africa.
Warren Gatland’s men had to overcome a 12-3 half-time deficit and a worrying first-half performance to eke out this victory, only taking the lead for the first time in the game in the 63rd minute.
The Boks, so shy of Test rugby, faded after their dominant performance in the opening 40 minutes as the Lions got on top and squeezed the life out of them.
There was controversy, as was always likely to the case after South African TMO Marius Jonker was appointed as a late replacement for this Test series, with two possible Boks’ tries ruled out in the second half. More jarring was referee Nic Berry’s decision not to yellow card Lions sub back row Hamish Watson for a dangerous tackle.
But the Lions deserve major credit for the manner in which they imposed a Boks-esque game plan on the hosts. They applied huge pressure with their kicking, won key penalties through their maul, and backed themselves to go to the corner just after half time to produce their only try of the game.
England’s Courtney Lawes was a sensation in the back row, Maro Itoje was inspirational in the second row, while scrum-half Ali Price fully justified his selection with a mature performance at scrum-half. Captain Alun Wyn Jones delivered an 80-minute outing despite his recent lack of game time, while Irishmen Tadhg Furlong and Jack Conan were muscular up front.
The Lions’ bench had the far greater impact, with Mako Vunipola excellent after only being included in the 23 at a late stage when Wyn Jones had to withdraw from the starting XV through injury.
History tells us that the victors of the first Test usually go on to seal the series and the Lions have given themselves a massive opportunity ahead of next weekend’s second Test in Cape Town. That said, there will surely be a stinging Boks backlash.
The brutal opening minutes included a huge hit by Lukhnayo Am on opposite number Elliot Daly and a big counter-ruck turnover from Itoje. Both teams brought ferocity to the breakdown and a strong focus on kicking to build pressure.
Tom Curry had a frustrating opening 18 minutes for the Lions, giving up three penalties for offside, a late tackle on de Klerk, and not rolling away – the second of which Pollard kicked off the tee for a 3-0 Boks lead.
The hosts were able to double the lead four minutes later, soon after a massive turnover tackle by Etzebeth and du Toit on Itoje, with Curry’s third penalty concession allowing Pollard to strike his second successful shot at goal.
The Lions got a moment of respite heading into the second quarter when the Boks were offside in midfield and Biggar kicked a penalty from 40 metres out.
Gatland’s men soon needed two crucial Itoje breakdown steals to prevent further damage, the second of which came just five metres out from the Lions’ tryline after Kolisi had broken clear from a Boks maul to very nearly surge over for a try.
The Lions’ poor discipline continued, however, as Daly gave up two soft penalties in quick succession to allow Pollard to push the lead out to six points, while their lineout was showing worrying signs too as Etzebeth lead the Boks’ onslaught there.
Outstanding defence from the South Africans led to their next three points when du Toit made a superb read and tackle on Robbie Henshaw, allowing Trevor Nyakane to win the breakdown turnover. Pollard was on target for 12-3.
The Lions really should have closed the gap before the break but the last five minutes of the half were a tale of missed chances as Biggar was wide with a very kickable penalty, Daly’s 55-metre effort dropped short, then a rare Lions linebreak ended in error.
On that occasion, sharp Lions handling freed Henshaw for a scything linebreak down the right and up into the Boks 22, but the retreating Wille le Roux cleverly dislodged the ball as the Ireland centre carried it in one hand.
The Boks finished the half with a scrum penalty to highlight another area in which they just about had the first-half edge.
The Lions had a dream start to the second half as they caused confusion in the Boks backfield with a hanging Price kick, Kwagga Smith getting penalised for not releasing the ball on the ground after he fielded it.
The Lions kicked down into the Boks’ 22 and won another penalty for Etzebeth’s high tackle on Henshaw. With an easy three points on offer, Lions captain Jones instead opted to go into the corner and the decision paid off to the tune of seven points as the tourists’ pack marched over for a Luke Cowan-Dickie maul try converted by Biggar.
The Boks nearly produced an instant response as Damian de Allende gathered a loose ball underneath another kick and offload to Am along the left touchline. Am nudged the ball ahead for le Roux to seemingly score but referee Berry went to South Africa TMO Marius Jonker to review.
Berry’s on-field decision was a try but Jonker felt there was enough evidence to say that le Roux had just been ahead of Am as he kicked the ball. No try.
But the Boks were undeterred by that disappointment and they instead created another try that needed a TMO check. It started with a wild loose pass from Pollard that du Toit had to retreat downfield to gather before he threw a lovely dummy, broke, and passed to wing Makazole Mapimpi, who chipped in behind.
Du Toit stopped to collect the bouncing ball but couldn’t quite gather it this time as it rebounded down off his leg and fell for the hard-working Faf de Klerk to scoop up and score. Jonker had another big TMO review but was happy this time and the try stood.
Pollard was wide with the conversion, however, and the Lions narrowed the Boks’ lead to four points soon after as Biggar slotted another penalty in the 53rd minute.
The Lions’ attack was growing more effective by the minute and a big break from Lawes eventually led on to another penalty for offside from the Boks, allowing Biggar to make it a one-point game at 17-16.
With Price’s box-kicking a weapon, the Lions suddenly had hold of the momentum and they finally had the lead of the game in the 63rd minute as Biggar nailed a penalty shot following a maul penalty against the Boks.
The Lions appeared to have a lucky escape when replacement openside Hamish Watson tipped le Roux above the horizontal in an aggressive tackle, Berry deciding it was a penalty only and then Pollard missing his shot at goal.
The Lions lost Biggar to a head injury assessment with 13 minutes left to play but they instantly produced a massive scrum penalty through sub front row Mako Vunipola, Ken Owens, and Kyle Sinckler to allow them to lift pressure in their own half.
TMO Jonker was called back into action in the 72nd minute as the Boks pounced on yet another loose ball under a kick and thought they had scored after the Lions juggled it under pressure, but the review was clear this time – Cheslin Kolbe had knocked on as he contested de Klerk’s kick.
Replacement Farrell was soon able to give the Lions a but more breathing room as he slotted a penalty after more superb Lions maul work and Gatland’s men saw it out from there.
South Africa scorers:
Tries: Faf de Klerk
Conversions: Handré Pollard [0 from 1]
Penalties: Handré Pollard [4 from 5]
Lions scorers:
Tries: Luke Cowan-Dickie
Conversions: Dan Biggar [1 from 1]
Penalties: Dan Biggar [4 from 5], Elliot Daly [0 from 1], Owen Farrell [1 from 1]
SOUTH AFRICA: Willie le Roux (Damian Willemse ’67); Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Handré Pollard (Elton Jantjies ’71), Faf de Klerk (Herschel Jantjies ’73) ; Ox Nché (Steven Kitshoff ’40), Bongi Mbonambi (Malcolm Marx ’40), Trevor Nyakane (Frans Malherbe ’40); Eben Etzebeth , Franco Mostert (Lood de Jager ’64); Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kwagga Smith (Rynhardt Elstadt ’64).
LIONS: Stuart Hogg; Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly (Owen Farrell ’66), Robbie Henshaw, Duhan van der Merwe (Liam Williams ’70); Dan Biggar (HIA ’67), Elliot Daly, Ali Price (Conor Murray ’64); Rory Sutherland (Mako Vunipola ’56), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Ken Owens ’56), Tadhg Furlong (Kyle Sinckler ’66); Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones (captain); Courtney Lawes (Tadhg Beirne ’73), Tom Curry (Hamish Watson ’56), Jack Conan.
Referee: Nic Berry [Rugby Australia].
That’s some performance and result. Didn’t think the lions had it in them beforehand but Shur what do I know? All the Irish lads stood up and played their hearts out. Thought Conan was brilliant and Furlong emptied himself. Lawes at 6 was unreal, did exactly what he was put in there to do. The lions bench was the winning of it I thought. Real quality coming onto the park and no drop in intensity. Alan Wyn Jones is an absolute machine to put in 80 minutes like that after being out injured. Superb stuff
@Jim Demps: well said Jim. Sutherland and Daly were the only players who I’d swap out based on their respective performances.
@Jim Demps: SA ran out of steam… Rassie changed the front row way too soon I thought.. Price and Iron duh played well, Lawes MoTM… AWJ is a Cyborg… Lions replacement front row was outstanding.. also having Murray and faz jr closing out the lead is some luxury…
@Cian Nolan: I’d start Murray,
@Danger: Lots of potential changes and Murray starting is certainly one of them. However, I thought Price did enough to hold onto the starting spot. Murray is a great man to close out a game.
@Cian Nolan: I don’t think there’ll be any changes unless injury forced. They have the systems in place to deal with the boks and the result to boot.
@Jim Demps: thought Lawes was quiet enough first 40 or so. Then I mentioned it and he was a beast after that.
Price was grand, didnt see a lot of the quickness to the ruck some said he was there for. Murray should probably start next day but as someone said above hes a great man to come in and close out the game.
Think Daly makes way. I like him but wasnt his best game.
AWJ just a pure dog.
@Jim Demps: I can’t believe that Warburton seemed to intimate that there could be a conversation about Falateu coming in next week because he’s “better in the wide channels”. I thought Conan was superb at the back of the scrum, most carries and his footwork was unreal. Furlong was impressive, thought the first couple of scrums went unfairly against the Lions. Itoje was unbelievable, deserves motm, Lawes had a big second half as did Henshaw. I would start Murray next week, I thought he gave Faf way too much room. I’d bring in Vunipola on the bench and possibly have a look at the centre partnership.
@Dan Finlay: I wouldn’t be making wholesale changes to a winning team. I’d bring Owens or George at Hooker. Faf was given too much room but nothing with it. Murray to close out the game is smart. It’s a 23 man gameplan
@Dave O Keeffe: yeah I absolutely agree, I was more writing in reference to Sam Warburtons claim about Conan. I think if we’ve seen anything it’s that South Africa are a better) dangerous team with their backs against the wall, Wellington 2019 v New Zealand x 2. I didn’t think Daly produced what he was put into the team to do, but hopefully he can next week. All together I think the centres on tour are a tad bit underwhelming. The only change I would make is Wyn Jones starting with Vunipola on the bench.
@Dan Finlay: yeah, I think Vunipola was immense off the nech but I don’t think he can do it for 60 minutes at this stage. Daly had a few errors and didn’t deliver but they’re work on rather than wrote off issues. Could be completely wrong. I think if Biggar doesn’t go well with the return to play protocols it’ll be an interesting decision to see who gets the 10 shirt. Farrell? Hogg? Smith? I think it’d be Hogg or Smith with Farrell at 12 and Henshaw at 13. Might be a touch early for Smith but he went well last time out and he’s on the tour for a reason.
@Dave O Keeffe: my oh my. You think hogg might start at 10 if bigger is out. There is more chance of me starting at 10 for the lions
@Jim Demps: can’t agree with you on this Jim. Think we got the rub of the green on a few occasions today. S.A could and probably should have win that game. That was a least a yellow for h Watson possibly a red.
I’d be starting Murray and either aki or Harris in the centre for daly. Hook van der merwe and start daly or williams on the wing. Other then that I think much the same with possibly wyn Jones to come in.
@whoowhat?: I literally just listed the players in the squad capable of playing 10. Sorry, I must have overlooked you.
@Cian Nolan: agree… Tom curry also needs to be more disciplined.. they wil no doubt have a look at his selection
@Jim Demps: Jeez Jim you couldn’t keep Daly on the pitch surely…
Maro Itoje was absolutely incredible. What a unit.
@Theportobello: unit? What’s wrong with player or man?
@sean o’dhubhghaill: what’s wrong with unit? Unit refers to someone that is cool, tall, muscular and strong. I’m not understanding the issue.
@Dave O Keeffe: Unit depersonalises. Imagine an employer calling his employees ‘units’? Imagine a teachers calling his students ‘units’? He is a person and a player.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: I’d say a few people are thinking of very despersonalising words for you, and none of them complimentary like “unit”.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: what an absolute wet wipe you are.
In this instance it is a highly complimentary term for a player of immense physical stature and power. Players can be described as beasts too – that also depersonalises?
Stop looking for outrage where there is none.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: go home to bed Sean, under your bridge
@sean o’dhubhghaill: Lolz.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: I’m a bit innocent so i ask are you joking or trolling? I hope 1 or the other cause I can’t fathom you being serious. Genuinely.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: You must be great craic
“He’s absolutely hoofed that into the sheriff of Carmarthens nose” You can always rely on Greenwood for the one liners.
Some very close calls but once the Lions cut out the cheap penalties I thought they were the better of the two
Warren Gatland is some boy! Leave him there for the next also! If he gets the lions a win here I’d say he’d go down as one of the best coaches ever.
@Kevin O’brien: He’s a legend either way, but yeah should they win this series he will definitely go down in history as the greatest coach ever.
@The Firestarter: that second half alone has put him up there.
What a test !☘️❤️
OMG SWEET WIN!!!!!!
Absolutely brilliant test match. Game of two halves and Lions superior fitness and game time preparation showed. Sets up nicely for next Saturday. Henshaw, Furlong and Conan were immense and to be fair Murray controlled the game when he came on. Proud day to be Irish. MOM Lawes.
@Brendan O’ Gorman: Ireland have beaten South Africa in 6 of their last 10 encounters. Not quite sure how it’s a proud day to be Irish when a British Isles combined team manage to sneak a win over a team who haven’t played together in nearly 2 years.
That South African waterboy looked really familiar
What a test !☘️❤️
Not good enough. Very very lucky but at the time relieved that both the TMO and the Ref stuck two fingers up at the disintegration of the sport caused by multiple sending offs for anything and everything. The game HASN’T gone soft in South Africa!
Please God they listen to James Haskell’s (for once!) advice about taking the ball lower into Etzebeth.
Gatland MUST pick his best players. No experiments.
@Mick O’Shea: fair play. You should go tell Steve Thompson and the others suffering from early on set dementia that there just soft and should toughen up. What’s really important here is your entertainment and not the safety of the players.
@whoowhat?: they could have got early on set dementia anyway from any source. I am surprised you are able to go out of your own front door every morning, you seem so afraid to actually live life.
Was it really that good a game? Everyone must work on sky sports here, reading the comments
Should Courtney Lawes have been penalised at the final ruck for playing the ball while on the ground? Genuine question…
@James Thompson: itoje?
@James Thompson: no
@James Thompson: I don’t think he was on the pitch for the final ruck so would be a bit harsh
@James Thompson: Itoje.
@James Thompson: if he ran on from the reserve bench…. Absolutely!!
@James Thompson: bit racist
@Sam Murray: hardly
Lions rode their luck a bit woth that one. The lack of fitness and all of the positive covid cases amongst the SA squad seemed to come to the fore in the second half when they fell away. The Boks will be far better for that 80 mins next week. Lawes was good for 25 mins of that second half but still think I’d go with Beirne from the off next week. I’d bring in Watson for Curry too, he was awful. Leave Conan in there too, he went very well. Bizarre that Warburton callled for Faletau to come in and not a word about Curry’s poor performance. Hopefully Wyn Jones is fit. Daly will drop out too, I’d bring in Farrell and move Henshaw out one. Nicely setup for the rest of the series.
@Carmine Lorenzo: agree with every bit of that!!
Brilliant?? I don’t think so.
Solid performance with a little luck. Daly was not good enough today. The massive hit on him shook him up, seemed intimidated.
Some win some second halve
Those anybody really care
@Rknox: *does