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Lions: Five talking points heading into the first Test
By PA
The British and Irish Lions series against South Africa begins in Cape Town on Saturday to end months of uncertainty over whether it would actually take place due to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
Here, the PA news agency looks at five talking points ahead of the match.
TMO ON TRIAL
Controversy has marred the build-up to the first Test after Marius Jonker, a South African, was appointed as television match official for all three Tests. World Rugby has been criticised for failing to find a better alternative after New Zealand’s Brendon Pickerill was forced to pull out because of coronavirus-related travel restrictions, and Warren Gatland is rightly furious that an essential principle in international sport – neutral officiating – has been violated. Whether right or wrong, a contentious decision by Jonker could cause uproar.
FIRST TEST IMPERATIVE
A glance through the history books underlines the importance of Saturday’s collision. Only once before have the Lions come back from defeat in the first Test to win the series and that was Finlay Calder’s vintage of 1989. Four years ago they came from behind to draw with New Zealand, but it is fiendishly difficult to rebuild from a losing position. Both teams are well aware of what a victory in the opening instalment will mean, raising the stakes for the clash.
HOW READY ARE THE BOKS?
So many imponderables cling to South Africa as they enter the first Test. It will be only their second international since lifting the 2019 World Cup and no-one really knows what shape they will be in. Concerns over their rustiness aside, they have a number of players including captain Siya Kolisi and fly-half Handre Pollard who have just recovered from coronavirus and were forced to spend 10 days in self-isolation. In addition Pollard, a key figure, has endured an injury-disrupted season. The Springboks have faced major disruption and their response will be intriguing.
GATLAND ROLLS THE DICE
When details of the Lions team emerged before the official announcement, some wondered if it was a red herring. Jack Conan, Ali Price, Elliot Daly, Duhan Van Der Merwe and Stuart Hogg are all bold selections by Gatland, who has rolled the dice by opting for attacking players to create and finish tries. Each comes with risks attached yet at the same time is capable of carving up a Springboks side that was inactive for over 18 months. Gatland is an accomplished selector with a contrarian streak and his long track record of getting the big calls right will be tested again.
LOCKS AT WAR
In a match teeming with heavyweight collisions, it is the battle between second rows Maro Itoje and Eben Etzebeth that will provide the greatest fireworks. Itoje will set the physical tone for the Lions, acting as a destroyer of the Springboks in the tight and at the breakdown. Etzebeth is less destructive on opposition ball, but is a snarling aggressor who serves as South Africa’s enforcer. It is a contest between two world class operators that will underpin the entire series.
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Latest Comments
Yeah nar I pretty much agree with that sentiment, wasn't just about the lineout though.
Yeah, I think it's the future of SR, even TRC. Graham above just now posting about how good a night it was with a dbl header of ENGvSA and NZvFrance, and now I don't want to kick SA or Argentina out of TRC but it would be great if in this next of the woods 2 more top teams could come in to create more of these sort of nights (for rugby's appeal). Often Arg and SA and both travel here and you get those games but more often doesn't work out right.
Obviously a long way off but USA and Japan are the obvious two. First thing we need to do is get Eddie Jones kicked out of Japan so they can start improving again and then get a couple of US teams in SRP (even if one its just a US based and augmented Jaguares).
It will start off the whole conferences are crap debate again (which I will continue to argue vehemently against), but imagine a 6 team Pacific conference, Tokyo Sunwolves (drafted from Tokyo JRLO teams), Tokyo All Stars (made up of best remaining foreign players and overseas drafts), ALL Nihon (best of local non Tokyo based talent, inc China/Korea etc, with mainland Japan), a could of West Coast american franchises and perhaps a second self PI driven Hawai'i based team, or Jagaures. So I see a short NFL like 3 or 4 month comp as fitting best, maybe not even a full round, NZvAUSvPAC, all games taking place within a 6hr window. Model for NZ will definitely still require a competitive and funded NPC!
On the Crusaders, I liked last years ending with Grace on the bench (ovbiously form dependent but thats how it ended) and Lio-Willie at 8. I could have Blackadder trying to be a 7 but think balance will be used with him at 6 and Kellow as 7. Scott Barrett is an international 6 sized player. It is just NZ style/model that pushes him into the tight, I reckon he'd be a great loose player, and saders have Strange and Cahill as bigger players (plus that change could draw someone like Darry back). Same with Haig now, hes not grown yet but Barrett hight and been playing 6, now that the Highlanders have only chosen two locks he'll be playing lock, and that is going to change his growth trajectory massively, rather than seeing him grow like an International 6.
Go to commentsDan Carter is the leading points scorer and leading points per game person for a player with significant tests. 2s RWC winner and member of the games greatest ever team. It's not even close. The only question of GOAT for rugby is whether McCaw deserves it given Carter's numbers.
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