British and Irish Lions tour 2021

[Paris]

Yes massive result.

RSA 17 Lions 22

Great to start with a win, 1-0 and two to go.

This was the proverbial game of two halves 12-3 down at half time, to turn it right around with a complete reversal and win the second 19-5 is an awesome achievement.

Better discipline, a far more accurate and longer kicking game and crucial decisions paying off were the ingredients and the far better match preparedness and sharpness key. The Boks haven't played anything like the amount of rugby the Lions player's have and towards the end looked out on their feet.

The big moment, electing to kick for the corner instead of taking the pen in the second half, the resultant lineout and then forward drive over resulting in Cowan-Dickie's sole try. Great kicking off the tee from Biggar and Farrell also crucial.

Maro Itoje rightly man of the match, he's a level above every other lock in the world arm, Courtney Lawes playing as a number 6 wing forward also played well too. Impressed by Mako Vunipola who dominated his opposite number up front.

(How crucial was Mako Vunipola going off injured in the first minute or the world cup final? Effectively with England without an effective replacement prop, the final was decided before the game had hardly started and South Africa dominated the set piece)

I’ll never forget the feeling of helplessness I felt in the RWC Final, so it was certainly nice for the boks to feel that today. The boks are an incredibly boring side and their only chance to score came from our defensive mishap.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

I’ll never forget the feeling of helplessness I felt in the RWC Final, so it was certainly nice for the boks to feel that today. The boks are an incredibly boring side and their only chance to score came from our defensive mishap.

Yeah, they took advantage of poor discipline and giving away soft penalties in the first half to kick themselves into a comfortable lead at half time.

Four successful penalty kicks and a big penalty count against the Lions who succumbed under pressure can't be repeated next week. Ironically Courtney Lawes, considering the good match he had generally, was culpable for a few of those penalties too.

 

[Wizard]

Yes massive result.

RSA 17 Lions 22

Great to start with a win, 1-0 and two to go.

This was the proverbial game of two halves 12-3 down at half time, to turn it right around with a complete reversal and win the second 19-5 is an awesome achievement.

Better discipline, a far more accurate and longer kicking game and crucial decisions paying off were the ingredients and the far better match preparedness and sharpness key. The Boks haven't played anything like the amount of rugby the Lions player's have and towards the end looked out on their feet.

The big moment, electing to kick for the corner instead of taking the pen in the second half, the resultant lineout and then forward drive over resulting in Cowan-Dickie's sole try. Great kicking off the tee from Biggar and Farrell also crucial.

Maro Itoje rightly man of the match, he's a level above every other lock in the world arm, Courtney Lawes playing as a number 6 wing forward also played well too. Impressed by Mako Vunipola who dominated his opposite number up front.

(How crucial was Mako Vunipola going off injured in the first minute or the world cup final? Effectively with England without an effective replacement prop, the final was decided before the game had hardly started and South Africa dominated the set piece)

Completely agree with all of this. Maro is an absolute beast.

I still can’t quite understand how Wyn Jones is back that quickly from a dislocated shoulder.

Was a great game, really excited for the next two now

 

[Wizard]

I’ll never forget the feeling of helplessness I felt in the RWC Final, so it was certainly nice for the boks to feel that today. The boks are an incredibly boring side and their only chance to score came from our defensive mishap.

I came very close to spending a stupid amount of money going to that final. Thank god I didn’t. Got to see us beat Australia and New Zealand, the second of which was probably the best live sporting experience I’ve had

 

[gonetomorrow]

Great second half. Hamish Watson should keep his place.

 

[Paris]

I came very close to spending a stupid amount of money going to that final. Thank god I didn’t. Got to see us beat Australia and New Zealand, the second of which was probably the best live sporting experience I’ve had

In retrospect our draw in the 2019 RWC really wasn’t kind to us. Having to beat the three Southern Hemisphere big three is close to an impossible feat but we did deploy the wrong strategy in the final IMO

 

[Paris]

Great second half. Hamish Watson should keep his place.

He was fortunate not to have been binned IMO

 

[BornBlue76]

He was fortunate not to have been binned IMO

two key moments... not giving the Le Roux try when acknowledging he didn’t have a clear reason to overturn but did.. and not sending off for a clear spear tackle.. bottled it .. tbh I’m not sure if it would change the result as the Boks 2nd half performance was really poor

 

[Paris]

two key moments... not giving the Le Roux try when acknowledging he didn’t have a clear reason to overturn but did.. and not sending off for a clear spear tackle.. bottled it .. tbh I’m not sure if it would change the result as the Boks 2nd half performance was really poor

The decision to disallow the Le Roux try was the right call. I was surprised that the referee didn’t rule out the try initially because it was a clear forward pass. Le Roux was also ahead, just about, of the kick. There was another angle of it that hadn’t been shown in game that confirmed it.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Great second half. Hamish Watson should keep his place.

Not certain, but isn't he in danger of being cited for foul play and banned? - I'll check on this as may be another player

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Great second half. Hamish Watson should keep his place.

Yes it is him

To quote from media source ...


Hamish Watson was also lucky not to at least receive a yellow card for a dangerous tip-tackle on le Roux when Jonker chose not to intervene. The Scotland flanker will face an anxious wait to see if he is cited. The penalty however allowed the Springboks to reclaim the lead just as the Lions appeared to have finally gained some sort of control.

 

[Nobby Nobbs]

Great second half. Hamish Watson should keep his place.

IMHO Watson didn’t do enough from his cameo appearances to justify starting over Curry, but still a great option from the bench which is so important in today’s Rugby.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Mako Vunipola in line to be promoted to the starting line up after his hugely impressive display after coming on in the second half.

Welsh prop Wyn Jones was originally picked on Sunday with Sutherland replacing him when he pulled out and Vunipola called up to the bench. Now it looks as though Mako has done enough to claim the starting berth and Sutherland could be left out completely.

Elliott Daly who looked poor imo looks likely to be replaced possibly by Bundee Aki, although other options exist. With Rob Henshaw the other centre it possibly makes sense to bring the strong tackling and explosive Aki in alongside him.

The back three may also change as there are so many options but I think Daly out and a change at loose head prop with Vunipola starting the most likely ones.

 

[Chris O'Connor]

3 changes, Mako Vunipola starts and Daly dropped as expected, Harris comes in at centre and Connor Murray starts at 9

 

[Chris O'Connor]

Its probably tough on Ali Price whose box kicking after the break was a big factor in the comeback but the axing of Sutherland and Daly largely expected.

Among the subs Toby Faletau comes in with Hamish Watson, who was lucky not to be carded or worse, being axed from the entire 23.