And so to the second Test of the series, with the Lions in pole position at 1-0 up, having won both the rugby and reffing in round one. Rassie’s upped the ante this week and lurched uncontrollably into orbit, giving the tourists the moral high ground too. Is Rassie trying a Mourinho by taking all the focus off the players and onto his mighty shoulders, or has he simply blown a fuse and doesn’t know how to stop? I have no idea, haven’t watched the interviews and don’t really care for social media, evil that it is, he writes for a blog. To the rugby.
Wags is clearly expecting the Boks to not only throw the kitchen sink at his side this week, but possibly also the bath (whether or not there’s water or a baby in it), the TV (not ones looted in Durban) and the canape tray emptied in a single mouthful by Frans Malherbe. He’s beefed up his pack with Mako Vunipola starting, and Faletau on the bench, to the surprise of some although he’ll know what his Welsh blokes can do against the Boks better than anyone. In the backs, Connor Murray is there is to out box-kick the Boks and give McDuhan and Co lots to chase, whilst Harris is in to provide more steel in the midfield. It’s a side picked to keep parity early and ease away later.
The Boks have gone for a couple of changes too, with Ox Nche out injured, but surprisingly starting with Malherbe who looked anything but the cornerstone of the scrum last week. Looked a bit more like a Krispy Kreme donut to be honest. So the ‘Bomb Squad’ props start the match, Jasper Wiese comes in at number 8 to add more ballast to the scrum and aerial power for the restarts where Kwagga Smith was found wanting last week, as well as grunt going forward. It’s not a mobile pack by any stretch, but one designed for a single purpose: Searching, seek and destroy! With Metallica’s backing, what could go wrong?
The bench offers more mobility with Smith now on the pine and Marco van Staden in for the overhyped Elstadt and includes Big Trev, who looked good last week, Vincent Koch who knows his stuff and Marx, still a great poacher, defender and ballcarrier. The starting backs remain the same, with the only change being Elton Jantjies out of the 23 in favour of the extra forward. Willemse thus covers everything outside of 9 off the pine.
Gatland has picked a side to combat this, whilst Nienaber has picked a side to combat Gats’ combat and do what the Boks did well in the first 40 last week, but for longer this week or to get even further ahead in the first 40. It’s Combat Rock, kids! You’ll have to Know your Rights, or go Straight to Hell.
Simple plan. But there is still a disjointed feeling about the Boks. The blocks (and Boks) are not quite in place, the kicking game is metronomic, predictable and limited and requires absolute accuracy to be effective over 80 minutes. There was no real dominance up front last week and as the match wore on, the Boks were on the back foot. Having picked a pack to pulverise as his opening gambit, it’s highly unlikely Kolbe and Mapimpi will see any ball down the line in the first half at least. Hell, de Allende and Am will be lucky to see anything other than turnover ball or kick returns. So, who’ll win? If the Boks get that first half ascendancy and a big enough lead, or are able to use a more mobile pack in the second half to stop the Lions getting good momentum, they can turn the tables and sneak a tight win of their own this week. If The Lions start better than last week and have parity or thereabouts at the change – or even lead the match – they’ll be difficult to stop and will seal the series. Either way, one set of players will be heroes come tomorrow evening, keeping the series alive or winning it with two from two. Sadly, I think it’ll be the Lions by about 4 points and series over.
Lyrics by Deebee7
Onna telly this week
Saturday 31st July
| South Africa v B&I Lions | 17:00 | Sky Sports Main Event |
Ovally Balls 
Chimpie – sorry, I was chowing down on some butter with toast.
LikeLike
Also think MacDuhan is lucky to still be there. Did I mention that I think its wrong he is on the tour while Jonny May sits at home ?
Happy to see Simmonds on the bench, think Navidi is unlucky. Curry and Big Dave have done OK, btu not earth shattering in the last test. Would love to have seen the full monty, SImmonds, Navidi and Watson, Price. Russell,, thought Harris looked fine, but maybe Henshaw, Daly, Adams, Williams Hogg. That was never going to happen.
LikeLike
SBT, I think two things worked in Big Duhan’s favour re selection, one Gats like’s ’em big and two vdM’s showing during the 6N was easily worthy of selection – top try scorer, 2nd most metres made after Dulin, iirc he had the most successful tackle rate of any of the wingers up for selection.
I didn’t think May had a good 6N, and I’m a fan of him as a player if not the team he plays for.
LikeLike
Ticht – I always thought Glaws were the good guys?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wait, is Faf injured?
LikeLike
According to Planet Rugby, yes.
LikeLike
Craigs, never go btl on to the Planet Rugby forum.
I made that mistake once or twice, only reading, not posting – it’s probably the worst forum I’ve ever seen.
LikeLike
SBT, I’d’ve gone for Russell. He was injured earlier in the tour so hope he’s back to his full fitness. He helped Scotland get around the Boks a couple of times in the 2018 game.
LikeLike
Sinkler is free to warm the bench.
LikeLike
Tomp – ffs, how often does something like that happen? Hardly ever.
LikeLike
Selection of Ken Owens a very odd one for me. Disappointed to see VdM in there again. Doesn’t feel like this is anywhere near the best 15 we could play. Bah.
LikeLike
Also puzzled to see Ken Owens in the XV. Having said that the bench does look like a plan B designed to play a very specific way at some point in the second half. If the game is in the balance around 50 mins you can imagine what might happen if you bring on Vunipola, LCD, Sinkler, Simmonds and Finn.
LikeLike
Glad to see Jones is back – hope he is up to it. Obvs. I’m a fan of LC-D but Owens is good – ‘though a starter or not at all, I think. George must have eaten the dumb waiter (or told Gats to f.o.).
AWJ + Itoje is good and credit to Beard – ‘tho I think it should be Henderson.
I’m surprised Lawes and Conan are selected – they must be shattered. Curry needs to play top rugby – but he’s not a back foot player.
Too much hedge-betting at 9/10 – evidence of Gats. caution / doesn’t trust risk. Biggar has had his chances – Gats is saying the other 10s are not up to it.
Surprised Adams not selected. Watson has looked lost most of the time. Bit tough on Hogg – but see my earlier comments about catching.
Glad for Sam Simmonds but I think the thing overall is a mess.
Bring the bench on late and they achieve nothing against a rampaging Boks and Gats says I told you so. If the bench do well, win or lose, and the Lions look foolish – they should have backed themselves with an attacking line-up in game #2.
Reinach is dangerous and will exploit any weakness around/behind the scrum – he is not as good as Faf at other things but has points to prove. He will score at least one try. Can you say that about a Lions 9?
Faf is injured but was likely to blow a fuse anyway. His job is done.
LikeLike
So Sinckler no case to answer – the citing process sucks and others have got away with it.
LikeLike
I can’t remember a case for something like biting have this result. Shirley there has to be a ‘case to answer, otherwise you are just fucking up a training schedule.
Compare this to when Dyls bit Ferris (I think).
LikeLike
OUTRAGED!!!!!
LikeLike
You’re saying a vexatious accusation?
Rory Arnold of Toulouse got a ban overturned for biting a few years ago.
LikeLike
I don’t think vd Merwe will have as much to worry about this week from a right-footed box kicker. The angle of flight should be easier for him to handle. And the Lions’ll still try to get him in the air v Kolbe.
LikeLike
Well…..
I think I said a day or 2 ago, I thought 2 of the 3 would go. But this isn’t the 2 – I reckoned on van der Merwe and 1 other.
Bit surprised by same back 5… Simmonds is a surprise for me….even if Faletau didn’t show much on Sat. Going to make for a strange back row if Curry has to go off …. Simmonds to 7? Maybe Simmonds to 8 and Conan to 7?
Maybe it’ll be Australia 2013 again… and drastic changes work.
LikeLike
Or maybe it’s just very poor selection, tactics and squad management?
LikeLike
The South African forwards reserves look a little lightweight, mind. Kwagga and Eskon van Staden covering the back 5. Boks are missing the great PSdT as well. Not sure why people seem to think it’ll be a walk in the park for them.
LikeLike
Eskom not Eskon.
LikeLike
trisk, went to the library and got the Liam O’Callaghan history of Rugby in Munster at the library. Will report back.
LikeLike
I think the thinking with the Bok bench is that one of Etzebeth or de Jager will be replaced at 55 or 60, with Mostert going back to the 2nd row and Kwagga and Eskom adding the energy and disruption in a rejigged back row. I do worry that Sous in place of PSDT is asking Price to snipe down his channel. He’s not a natural blindside so will have to be 100% from the get go.
I really hope Reinach brings his natural game to the match as well and takes a few cheeky snipes of his own. Him and Kolbe down McDuhan’s blindside channel? Tasty. Probably won’t happen though. Not really worried about the Lions bench forwards getting the better of ours, but please Lord, let Pollard stay fit for the whole 80!
LikeLike
Deebee, have you seen this bit by Kwagga? Super play. Good by Kolisi as well, staying up as long as possible. Mapimpi scores after another phase.
LikeLike
Tomp – me? If I’m saying anything a citing has to have a threshold of evidence before going ahead. I.e. video of said infraction. Iirc I believe in the Dylz Ferris incident it was the latter’s testimony that lead to the ban but even then there was actual teeth marks seen by the ref.
LikeLike
I dunno, craigs. Mostert complained to the ref at the time so must’ve thought something had happened. Judgment here said Sinckler didn’t bite so that’s that. The video, as with Ferris/Hartley, didn’t show much. Hartley said he’d been fish-hooked or something, didn’t he? All very disagreeable.
LikeLike
Craigs, the naming of Sink on the bench showed, I think, that the Lions knew it would come to nothing – they would have had a word and got the reply that there was no case to answer.
There were at least two incidents from the Lions and one from the Boks that might have been worth a look but nothing came of it.
Last week was an awful advert for rugby, the five days lead up and the game itself are the absolute worst I’ve witnessed in forty five years of playing and watching – if I was new to the sport I would run a mile, I wouldn’t want anything to do with this.
I’ve never been anti- Springboks as such, I hope I don’t have to go into stating a difference between that and anti apartheid here, my admiration for the genius of Mandela in recognising the Springbok jersey as a conduit for peace is something I’ve written about before,
but, and this is not one of those cases where you can dismiss everything before the but, Rassie was a total shithouse in the build up, that video and the false social media account, the sledging on the field comes from the top, the 63 minutes to complete the first half, that all comes from the top.
Flair said if winning is the only thing that matters then count him out. I’m feeling the same. I will watch, because the 11 year old running with a rain-soaked leather ball that was about a quarter of my bodyweight is still part of my make up, but I have to say that it’s getting harder to watch international rugby.
Maybe I’m taking this too seriously, and Deebee, I really hope you don’t take this post as an attack on SA rugby, which I admire immensely, but fuck I hope the Kiwis run the fuck out of everyone in the Rugby Championship, there is little hope of a game breaking out between the Lions and the Boks at the weekend.
LikeLiked by 5 people
“they would have had a word and got the reply that there was no case to answer.”
on reading after posting I see an ambiguity there – I meant the Lions coaching team would have asked Sink if there was a case to answer, not that they had any back route into the citing process
LikeLike
Ticht, no umbrage from my side. I don’t like the way Rassie has gone about things in the last week and the video was over the top, for sure. I haven’t watched it because that’s not my scene (very little of social media is) so can’t comment other than it seems pointedly long. Andy Goode wrote an article saying he felt there was nothing wrong with his analysis, other than he could have made his points in 15 minutes. Whatever, it was a calculated attempt to influence the ref.
On the gamesmanship, we’re 1-0 down and desperate to win. The Boks wouldn’t be the only side to do this – plenty of Kiwi and Aussie sides have too. I remember a RC game at Ellis Park a few years ago where the Aussies did exactly the same thing in slowing the game down as much as possible to counter the altitude. They’ve done it more than once, without the levels of hysteria being generated by the British press – and Gatland. The chirping, head patting etc has become far too much a part of rugby in general and I for one would it to be stamped out.
Gatland moans about the constant stoppages, including the scuffles, two of which at least were started by his players, including the very first one by his captain, which set the tone for much of what followed in my opinion. Would it be cynical to ask if the Lions knew the levels of desperation in the Bok team and tried to goad them into cards? I don’t know, but it seems a reasonable question to be asked.
I’d love to see the final Test being a great game of rugby with loads of panache and ambition, but the reality is that often finals are tight, niggly and dour affairs, this year’s Prem final notwithstanding. With everything on the line on Saturday, I doubt we’ll have a flowing game. I also think it’s a bit rich of Gats saying they’re trying to play with ambition when the Lions have scored 1 try in 200 minutes of rugby so far and that was a maul from the forwards!
Let’s hope Saturday’s match is a great one, regardless of the outcome and that the team that scores the most tries wins.
LikeLiked by 4 people
South Africa have only conceded one try from a passing move in their last 6 tests. Crack that and we almost certainly win.
LikeLike
Chimpie thought the Oz/France tests were better.
Tomp, amusingly called that second-raters vs second-stringers.
I finally watched the second BIL vs SA test. Yes, it was turgid and niggly. So how come the crème de la crème anglaise and irlandaise vs the world champions produce such a dire game, not just once but twice?
Give me enthusiastic amateurs and second fiddlers any time over gym monkeys and over coached and scared to lose professionnals.
Next Saturday, I know which game I’ll be looking forward to, and as usual the ABs will be involved.
LikeLike
TomP, I was going to post something similar in response to Deebee, I didn’t know that stat but it appears to me that the Boks have the best defence in the world and it was just plain daft to have three brilliant strike runners in the Lions back three and then deliberately play away from them.
Flair, I was looking forward to the Bledisloe Cup game too, but unfortunately I can’t find a broadcaster for the UK.
LikeLike
Accusing Nick Berry of being a racist was pretty low by Rassie
I still can’t believe there wasn’t a citing for any of the 6 possible red cards at the weekend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ticht, I expect the ABs to steamroll Oz, as they weren’t very good vs France, but at least we’ll see some passes. I can’t believe Biggar passed the ball only three times in the entire game. What dreadful instructions by the coach he must’ve received!
If Finn receives the same orders, no point for him to be on the pitch.
As a footnote, I carefully observed Pollard’s pass during the second test. Was stunned to see how bad they are. Not that he practices them much with Mtpellier. No wonder he prefers to kick.
ABs vs Oz on Canal + here.
LikeLike
Refit – I lost respect for Siya* for backing that accusation up. How are players and ref’s supposed to interact after that?
* he’s still beautiful though 😍
LikeLike
Why Duhan Van der Merwe keeps getting picked for the Lions
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/why-duhan-van-der-merwe-keeps-getting-picked-for-the-lions/
(the very short version is it’s because the Boks are 0/11 for taking catches when he contested for the ball over the two tests.)
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know it’s quite famous, but I’ve just happened across this live video, which is something:
LikeLike
Sounds like country music to me, Thaum…
Oops, runs for cover.
LikeLiked by 1 person
*Aims and fires blog cannon at Flair*
LikeLike
I need to cleanse my mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oof, the original recording sounds better, but a young Robert Plant is something to drool over.
/perv
LikeLike
LikeLike
Biggar only played 57 minutes so not the entire game. And Farrell passed twice while on the park. Want to guess how many passes Louis Carbonel made while he was on the pitch in the 80 minutes of the first test between France and Australia last month?
LikeLike
9
LikeLike
Flair is right, definately a bit country, combined with a little West Coast.
Which makes me think of this:-
LikeLike
Which also reminds me that that is where Woody hit his straps. This one written in Bakersfield, I believe, before the famous Northwest trip.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely collection of music to get the day going! Bobby-P in his pomp there Thauma!
LikeLike
Speaking of music i discovered in the graun that pop punk is cool again (which brought out the 18 yo twat in me but don’t worry the 39 yo twat soon reestablished dominance). Now you might think that coming from them it’s a dubious claim but when I read that these new bands were removing swearing from their songs to be more inclusive I knew they were the real deal.
LikeLiked by 1 person