I just recently watched this game again on the RugbyPass YouTube channel. I would have to agree to most of the pundits that this was one of the best test I have watched in a while. With the Lions getting of to a great start and the Boks being able to just hold on and the at the end that 54m goal kick by the home hero to give the Boks the game and series win.
The build up to the game:
The Lions have won all their games leading up to the first test and have improved game by game growing as a team and establishing the right combinations then they started the first test and they got outplayed for the first 60 minutes. They did however found their spirit and outplayed the Springboks in the last 20 of that first match. That last 20 Showed that they do have what it takes to outplay the Boks they just need the right combinations on the field. The Lions made a few key changes to their team that went down to the Boks in the first test. They strengthen up their forward pack to challenge the Boks at scrum time and they gave their best player on the day a start. The Boks were on a high after winning the first test and pretty much only made one change to the starting 15. They were under pressure to perform and even tough they were the favorites still had to win the series and take down a very strong Lions team.
The Changes:
British and Irish Lions:
- 2 Rees in for Mears;
- 3 A. Jones in for Vickery;
- 4 Shaw in for A.W. Jones;
- 11 FitzGeranld in for Monye;
- 15 Kearney in for Byme.
Springboks:
- 6 Burger in for Brussouw.
The Game:
First Half:
The game was held at Loftus Pretoria and if I did not know that I would have thought that it was held at Cardiff looking at the crowd. It was a see of red greeting the Lions and, I believe that fired them up even more. Just after the kickoff Burger (playing his 50th cap) cleaned out a lions player and afterwards stuck his finger in the Lions players eye. He got a yellow very early on in the match and I believe that if that if that was in the second half and not so yearly in the match the Referee would have given him a red. I thought this was a huge moment in the game because not only did the Lions now have 15 against 14 but that incident made them angry and that must have fired up their team with a “hate” for the Green and Gold. S. Jones kicked for the corner where they got another penalty for offside and he converted the 3 points making it 3 – 0. after just 2:30 min. It was just past the 3 min mark and the Boks kicked their first up and under which Kearney dealt with beautifully under pressure. (This would turn out to be the trend for the rest of the game). From that catch he started a counter attack that almost got the Lions their first try of the match, if it wasn’t for the pass going astray. Just after the whistle had gone the first of the “inspiring moments” from Brain O’Driscoll took place. After a push in the back from Matfield he retaliated and stood up to the big man with a push of his own. That led to a bit of a tussle between the teams and O’Driscoll walked away with a grin on his face knowing that he started getting into the heads of the Boks. The boks got there second big scare just moments later after Pinaar failed to find touch. F. Stein was charged down and the lions regatherd the ball J. Smit tackled the halfback to dislodge the ball from his hand that gave the South-Africans time to recover the ball and kick it clear. (That was the second time in the first five minutes where the Lions threatened to score). The Lions retained the ball well for there first try giving it to big forwards who ran it up and got them advancing over the gain line. Then a piece of magic by S. Jones who got the offload away to Kearney . He still had a lot of work to do and did it really well he made F. Steyn hesitate and took that gap to finish the Lions’ first try of the game putting them up 10 – 0 and still having the man advantage. The Lions making South – Africa defend the whole time. Every time the Boks got their hand on the ball in the First half they kicked it and it was the wrong day for that tactic because Kearney defused every bomb thrown at him and he made it look easy. The Boks first try came against the run of play with Bismark getting a penalty and from the attacking line out running a set play that was designed to exploit the gap between the forwards and backs of the Lions. De Preez holding the ball up just long enough to fix the forwards and giving it to JP Pietersen running the perfect line in between the backs and forwards. (This try came from what happened the previous test where the Boks malled most of the time they had an attacking line out. This kept all the Lions forwards close to the line out looking to defend a mall which made the split between the backs and forwards). Pienaar being a nine is under immense pressure and miss the easy conversion keeping the score at 10 – 5. The Lions got another penalty in front and Jones kicked it over and took the lead out to 13 – 5. The first scrum of the game something all South – Africans were looking forward to after the first test it held up well and was an even contest that led to a magnificent cross kick from Du Preez and let to a Boks scrum on the Lions 5m. (every springbok fan expecting a try with the way we out muscled them in the first test). The Lions came up with a huge scrum and got a penalty with their defensive scrum that set the tone for the rest of the match. Just before the minute mark came one of the big moments of the game the boks got a penalty that Steyn nearly converted but in the build up to that Jenkins got injured with a cut above the eye which would turn out to be very good for the Boks later on. At this stage the Lions was winning the physicality battle turning the ball over at ruck time and winning the scrum battle as well. The Lions broke through the defence of the Boks again and again was just one good pass away from a try but back comes Spies to make a try saving tackle on O’Driscoll. After that break the Lions was building well and making meters with every carry Then out of nowhere they went for the drop goal which got them points but it also gave the Boks confidence that the Lions cant break their defensive line again. The confidence showed when Habana made one of the best tackles you will ever see by a winger and that lit the fire under the belly of the Boks even more. The last play of the half the Lions gave away a soft penalty on the other side of half way but with Steyn in your team the are kickable chances and he converted the three points. Half time score Lions 16 – 8 Boks. The player of the first half : Rob Kearney he defused every bomb and never even looked under pressure at the back.
Second Half:
Just after half time there was a lot of kicking from both sides and not much rugby was played and it was there that O’Driscoll came up with another huge hit on Habana to fire up his side again but that worked out the other way with him injuring his prop Jenkins again and he the had to leave the field. There was no stop in pley but for me the critical point in the game came when Botha cleaned out Jones with a monster clean and injured the Lions tighthead.( That meant that both the Lions props were injured and that the scrums had to become uncontested which helped the Boks forwards in this case and they where able to reserve some energy). I believe that Sheridan was sent on with one mision and it was to get in the head of Botha and make him get a card. (from the moment he came on the second half him and Botha was going at each other non stop and that is why I believe that De villiers the Coach of the Boks made a great decision to take bakies f and put on bekker). 8 Minutes into the second half Pienaar got a chance to reduce the lead to 16 – 11 but he missed the conversion and the score stays at 16 – 8 it was here that the coach of the Boks should have bade a change but he kept Pienaar on the field. on the 52 minute mark Pienaar got another chance straight in front and missed again that is 8 points he missed by know which Morne would have converted but still The coach kept him on the field. J. Fourie came on in the 55 min and that would turn out to be a great change. On the 60 min mark S. Jones makes the Boks pay for not taking their chances and slots another one between the uprights extending the lead to 19 – 8. Finally after that conversion M. Steyn comes on to the field replacing Pienaar. Then came two huge moments in the game Spies ran the ball up very hard and hit Roberts backwards injuring him. The very next movement O’Driscoll tackled Danie Russow and concussed the big man. I Think that that had less of an effect on the game than the bump on Roberts because South Africa still had Brussow on the bench The Lions did not really have a replacement for Roberts. The game restarted with a lineout for the Lions. The trow went skew and the Boks got a scrum. Spies picked up of the back of the scrum fixing the Lions loose forwards. He then passed to du Preez that fixed the 10 Fourie ran a duummie line to fix the inside centre and O’Driscol shot up to stop the play from going out wide, making the perfect gap in the defensive line for Habana to run through. He Scored close to the uprights and with Steyn on the conversion would be taken care of taking the score to Lions 19 – 15 Boks. Then O’Driscoll got replaced with a wing and with Roberts also injured that left the backline of the Lions completely out of shape. The Boks got a penalty on the 65 min and for some reason Bismark took it quickly and the ball got turned over. (Another 3 points gone begging). Brussow Showed his strength and forced a penalty right in front 40 meters out. Morne Steyn showing us how its done and converting the penalty as it is just another training session making the score Lions 19 – 18 Boks. O’Gara came on for Roberts and that only made their backline struggle in defense even more. With 10 to go the Lons got an easy shot at goal and took it extending their lead again Lions 22 – 18 Boks. Shaw then made a high tackle on the Beast and South Africa trailing by just 4 Must go for points but for some bizarre reason they go for touch and Morne finds a great touch taking the Boks into the 22 of the Lions. They almost lost the lineout but managed to hold on to posesion Then comes one of the bet finishes you will ever see Fourie got the ball about 15m out and with a lot of work to do first he ran over O’Gara then with two players holding onto him he dived over the line and for the first time in the match the Boks take the lead with only 6 and a bit minutes remaining. With the lead only one the conversion from the touchline was critical to make sure the Lions can’t win the game with one penalty or drop goal and Steyn calm as a cucumber slots it over and takes the Boks to a lead of Lions 22 – 25 Boks. Bekker gave away a soft penalty for a high tackle and the Lions had a chance to level the scores from out wide and the ever steady Jones slots this one over aswell tying up the score at 25 all with only 3 min to go. 1 Minute to go and Morne goes for the drop goal ,but does not get the contact he wanted and he gives the ball back to the Lions who only has to hold on for one minute to draw the game. With 30sec left O’Gara gets the ball and shows he wants to kick an up and under he realises he made a mistake and in his attempt to get the ball back he takes du Preez out of the air and concedes a penalty just past half way. Morne with all the pressure of winning a Lions series on his back calmly converts another penalty and give the Boks one of their most Famous victories ever. Man of the match: Rob Kearney (although he was on the losing side he played a magnificent game and was the stand out on the field).
Wrap up:
Great test over all for me but i thing the Boks got luck. I believe as a South African that if it wasn’t for all the injuries the lions would have won the test because they were the better team for most of the game.
Rugby dissect 
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