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'Large stench of mediocrity': Springbok fans show extreme levels of confidence after Lions squad named
By Sam Smith
South African fans were delighted following the announcement of Warren Gatland's 37-man British & Irish Lions squad, with sentiment reaching extreme levels of overconfidence over their side's chances on the upcoming Lions tour.
Despite not playing a game since the 2019 Rugby World Cup final and further concerns over whether the Springboks will get a warm-up test, many of their fans believed they had little to fear from the Lions with predictions of a 3-0 Bokwash trumpeted with alarming regularity.
South African journalist Mark Keohane led with a bold 3-0 prediction after seeing the squad, taking aim at 'pensioner' Alun Wyn Jones and claiming the Springboks have nothing to fear. He wrote there is a 'lack of all-round potency' within the Lions with the potential for 'things to turn nasty' for captain Jones on the field.
That view was similarly shared by a number of confident Springboks fans, claiming there was 'no way' this Lions squad is defeating the Springboks.
One fan claimed there is a 'lack of grit & hardness' in the team, another claimed the Springboks would 'sort' the Lions out with 'brute force'.
Springboks are going to thump the lions. 3-0 won't even be close
— Byron Krause (@byronkrause) May 6, 2021
The prevailing view from South African fans is at odds with the preparations their team has, which is perhaps the worst ever in test history in the midst of the global pandemic.Without test rugby in nearly two years, the Springboks have no idea how their top players will turn out at the highest level without top competition for so long.
Franco Smith, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi and Malcolm Marx have all been playing lollipop rugby in the Japan Top League, where game speed is high but defence is close to non-existent.
Handre Pollard has returned from a long ACL layoff with Montpellier, and has little time to find top form heading into the Lions series. The 2019 World Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit is coming back from a horror 2020 where multiple surgeries were required to save his leg.
The injury crisis will severely test their locking depth, with Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman and Lood de Jager all recently spending time on the sidelines.
Etzebeth required surgery for a broken finger but looks the most likely to be back in time. Jager has been hit badly, with three shoulder surgeries before suffering a broken leg, while Snyman suffered an ACL injury minutes into his Munster debut last year.
On top of all this is doubts over whether they will play a test before the series starts, with tests against Italy and the USA in doubt over Covid-19 concerns and new head coach Jacques Nienaber having yet to oversee a match.
Lions fans were ready to bring Springboks fans back down to earth, calling their predictions 'delusions of grandeur'.
Worcester Warriors' Namibian import Anton Bresler called out SA Rugby magazine for posting 'garbage' about whether the Springboks had anything to fear.
So much disrespect shown in the months leading up to this series. Springboks haven’t played a game together since November 2019. Delusions of grandeur if you think they’ll walk all over the lions.
— Calvin Sacks (@calvin9sacks) May 6, 2021
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Latest Comments
33, unlikely?
It’s actually an interesting question, how does his RL career impact you perception of his ‘rugby age’?
I’d imagine he’s fresher than a 26 yo rugby player, he’s fitting and done more k’s, but had less impacts (unsure of his injuries).
Anyway, your conclusion doesn’t really hit the mark. What you’ve not asked yourself is would he be better at 33, with 6 years under his belt, than 28/9, and only 2 years experience. If he really is considering it a major goal of course, he may just want an Olympic medal and leave etc.
Still, in relation to your topic, what I suspected would be his thinking is the ever increasing value in playing in Japan. Perhaps he’d try and give this first WC a go, trying to make it in the All Blacks, obviously playing Super Rugby, then he’d take a much bigger contract in Japan? Learn how to run around people with better accuracy and consistency (rofl), and then return to NZ as an improved player to Australia 2027, with the hope to fine tune further and make the most of his marketability in the bonanza that America 2031 is going to leave behind. 33 is still prime earning age and who knows what the MLR market is going to be like them, if teams have started to have major backers etc.
It’s all about the money afterall (yes, I wasn’t referring to his ability re USA31’)!
Go to commentsNo, just an overly zealous fan who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
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