Gatland comes under fire for Lions tactics again
Former British & Irish Lions and England hooker Brian Moore has described Warren Gatland's tactics against South Africa this year as a "mistake and an avoidable one at that."
In a review of 2021 in The Telegraph, Moore said that the Lions' style of play suited the world champions, who ended up winning the series 2-1 after a late Morne Steyn penalty in the third Test in Cape Town. He is by no means the first person to criticise the former Wales coach after a series where neither side came out showered in glory due to both their approach on and off the pitch.
The absence of Finn Russell for the first two Tests may have had a large bearing on how the Lions played according to Moore, as there was a marked difference in the way the visitors played in the third Test when the Scot replaced Dan Biggar in the eleventh minute.
Gatland's side were certainly able to bounce back from a despairing loss in the second Test with Russell at the helm for the finale, but it was still not enough for victory. Equally, the Lions won the first Test without the Racing 92 fly-half with the very style Gatland has been criticised for, in what was a series where the momentum starkly changed after the first match.
"For the Lions it was a case of a missed opportunity," Moore wrote.
"Getting pulled into, and beaten, in the sort of attritional game that suited their hosts, South Africa, was a mistake and an avoidable one at that.
"The unavailability of Finn Russell for the second Test might have forced Warren Gatland’s hand, but the sort of ambition required to wrest the initiative from the Springboks was not apparent until late in the deciding third Test, by which time it was too late."
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In the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
Go to commentsI’d be fascinated to see what other candidates you all might have for the Lions captaincy role. Let me know, below 👍
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