Lions tap into spirit of 2009 for second Test jersey presentation
Warren Gatland has tapped into the emotive spirit of 2009 ahead of Saturday's second Test in Cape Town, each of the 2021 Lions squad receiving their match jersey accompanied by a personal message from a member of the second Test team from twelve years ago in South Africa.
The Lions dramatically lost that match, a brutal and bloody contest described as one of the most physical encounters ever, after Ronan O'Gara took Fourie du Preez out in the air and Morne Steyn sealed the 28-25 win with a last-gasp kick from 55 metres out.
Tom Croft started as the Lions blindside that day and an extract from the message he sent to Courtney Lawes, this Saturday's starting No6, read: "2009 seems a long time ago now. The opportunity we missed is still raw. You boys have put yourself in a fantastic position to leave that shirt in South Africa in a better place for those boys to pick it up in twelve years' time."
Ahead 1-0 in the current series, a Lions statement on the jersey presentation said: "In pre-recorded videos the class of 2009 delivered a message to their 2021 counterparts, setting the scene for Saturday's clash in Cape Town.
"History, passion and pride was the theme as the squad listened to each video before receiving their jersey from British and Irish Lions chairman Jason Leonard.
"Families of the matchday squad joined the presentation via Zoom as they did a week ago ahead of the first test. In that first Test jersey presentation, each player was presented with a personal message from loved ones back in Britain and Ireland as they received their jersey."
2009 British and Irish Lions: R Kearney (Leinster and Ireland); T Bowe (Ospreys and Ireland), B O'Driscoll (Leinster and Ireland), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues and Wales), L Fitzgerald (Leinster and Ireland); S Jones (Scarlets and Wales), M Phillips (Ospreys and Wales); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues and Wales), M Rees (Scarlets and Wales), A Jones (Ospreys and Wales), S Shaw (Wasps and England), P O'Connell (Munster and Ireland, capt), T Croft (Leicester and England), D Wallace (Munster and Ireland), J Heaslip (Leinster and Ireland). Reps: R Ford (Edinburgh and Scotland), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks and England), A-W Jones (Ospreys and Wales), M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), H Ellis (Leicester and England), R O'Gara (Munster and Ireland), S Williams (Ospreys and Wales).
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Skelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
Go to commentsSharks deserved to be far further back by the last quarter. Their tackling was awful, their set pieces were disappointing, their defensive organization was poor (especially on the Kok side of the D line), they kept making unnecessary errors, and they never looked like cracking the Clermont defense during those first 60m. Masuku kept them in touch, with some help from the Clermont generosity on penalty opportunities. Agree with the writer of this article. It was belligerence, and ability to raise their pressure game just enough, that turned the last quarter into a Bok-style shutout. Clermont have a reputation of not playing the full 80m, and there was a bit of that for sure. But, quite often when the intensity of a team drops off in the last quarter credit is due to the opponent for tiring them out. At 60m, with the Kok try, you thought that just maybe the game was on. At 70m, with the Mapimpi contribution, one felt that Clermont were fading, while facing a team that would maintain the pressure game through the final whistle. Good win in the end, but the Sharks are still playing way below their potential. And with their resources, and a coach that has had enough time to figure things out, they are running out of excuses.
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