Lions down disjointed Sharks
10 Jun 2009
The Lions were good value for their 39-3 victory over the Sharks, but the Springboks won’t be shaking in their boots.
This match was always going to gauge where the Lions stood just 10 days from the first Test, more so than it would be about assessing where the Sharks were in their preparation for the Currie Cup, and in that regard the Springboks won’t be too concerned.
The Lions were hardly awful, in fact, their patience through the phases was impressive, while there were solid performances by individuals, most notably centre Jamie Roberts who carried powerfully all night, and scrumhalf Mike Phillips who has now surely cemented his place in the Test line-up. But for most of the match they sorely lacked a killer edge and the creativity that needs to be there if they hope to upset the Springboks.
They improved as the game wore on, but their improvement has to be viewed in context. This was a severely depleted Sharks side lacking quality players in key backline positions. The 36-point deficit will be labelled emphatic by some, but you are naive if you believe you can equate this match to the standard the Lions will face in the Tests.
The Lions attempted to blend the measured with the expansive, and ended up with an ugly hybrid of the two for most of the contest. Their backline attacks were generally far too lateral to trouble the Sharks, and the fact that flyhalf Ronan O’Gara resorted to speculative cross-kicks and grubbers underlined the lack of creativity and incisiveness in the back division.
The Lions signalled their intention to boss the set phases and driving mauls when they opted for a lineout instead of a goal attempt early in the match. They set up three powerful drives until they eventually turned over possession. The Springboks, watching from the stands, would have noted the tactic, as it is sure to be a primary avenue of attack during the Test series.
The next 40 minutes would be characterised by much of the same, as the Lions camped in the Sharks’ red zone, only to be repelled by some determined defence and a spirited breakdown contest. The routine became predictable – they would cough up possession, jog back to the lineout after the clearing kick had found touch, relaunch their attack, only to be turned over once more when a try seemed a certainty.
Much was made of Saturday’s poor showing at the breakdown, and tonight’s performance won’t do anything to dispel a perception that it is a facet of play they are vulnerable in. What amplified their woes is that on Saturday they were devoid of a specialist opensider, whereas tonight they fielded skilled scrapper David Wallace. The Irishman failed to impose himself, and his cause wasn’t helped by the limp performance of his teammates at the tackle point and breakdown.
Skipper Paul O’Connell promised improved physicality in this facet of play. On the evidence of tonight’s performance he won’t be pleased.
Given their absolute domination of possession, and the sheer number of times they got onto the Sharks’ 5m line, they should have led by at least 25 points at the break. Instead, the deficit was just four points – Rory Kockott taking the only scoring opportunity they had – and their ineptitude, particularly at the breakdown, must alarm the Lions’ coaching staff.
Their problems didn’t end there. The scrums, an area of the game the Lions pride themselves on, wasn’t as efficient as they would have hoped either, with Sharks tighthead Jannie du Plessis pressuring Gethin Jenkins throughout their duel.
The black and white wall offered plenty of resistance, but the pressure was incessant, and they were finally breached when the Lions played off the top of a lineout on the 5m line and punched through two phases before hooker Lee Mears powered over from close range. Ronan O’Gara added the extras.
There was a bittersweet moment halfway through the first half which would have further jolted the tourists.
O’Driscoll has been spoken up as a master, and that he might be, but it’s indisputable that he is an ageing master, evident by the fact that his speed eluded him when he most needed it. He intercepted a pass on his 22m and sprinted clear. In his prime, the Lions faithful would have been celebrating the moment O’Driscoll laid hands on the pill, but as he shifted through the gears it became obvious that the once mighty stallion no longer had the speed that was a key feature of his play at the height of his powers.
Sharks youngster Lwazi Mvovo will one day boast to his grandchildren that he hauled in the great O’Driscoll, but it will be a shallow boast.
The half ended as it had started, with the Lions surrendering possession on the Sharks’ tryline, and the tourists trudged down the tunnel looking bewildered.
They did, however, start the second half more purposefully, and scored soon after the restart when Mike Phillips jinked his way through some diabolical defence to score in the corner. O’Gara missed the conversion, but extended the lead to 12 points (15-3) shortly thereafter with a penalty.
The Lions seemed to click into gear thereafter, troubling the Sharks’ defensive line with every foray. A period of sustained pressure yielded another three points to O’Gara.
The Lions were always going to have the upper hand in the back division given the experience they boasted in comparison to the Sharks’ rookies, and it was through here that they scored their third try.
The ball was shifted wide to O’Driscoll, who drew the last defender and offloaded to Luke Fitzgerald, who was left with a clear run in on goal.
Their fourth was the pick of the bunch, Lee Byrne scything through the defence after an overlap had been created by some smart work by his inside backs. O’Gara kicked his fifth goal to take the Lions 32-3 ahead before Jamie Heaslip touched down after the siren to end the contest.
‘Must do better’ should be the assessment in the Lions’ report card. The Springboks won’t be shuddering in fear.
By Ryan Vrede, at King’s Park.
573 Comments
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10 Jun 2009, 22:53 pm
#440 saffa_guy:
i think he’s going to suprise allround and come out flying, am hoping its going to be the mother of burger performances.
10 Jun 2009, 22:54 pm
#448 cab: aye.
#449 Puma: aye. Another genius move.
10 Jun 2009, 22:54 pm
Regarding the tighthead selection
Could be mistaken, did Sheridan pack down at loosehead EOYT England 2008
Cannot recall our scrum suffering in that match and we had Jannie & Mujati covering tighthead – neither pillars of strength by any means
Smit could very well do the job
10 Jun 2009, 22:55 pm
#451 cab: Bacon, Mushrooms,Cheese & Fries. Rare. Blood dripping. No fkn lettuce. Just All Gold.
10 Jun 2009, 22:56 pm
Okay cheers all out of here now.
10 Jun 2009, 22:56 pm
I read on sports 24 that Jean d Villiers and Luke might be leaving WP. Will be sad to see Jean go.
10 Jun 2009, 22:56 pm
Am I the only one holding up the light of optimism around here?
10 Jun 2009, 22:56 pm
#455 Puma: Cheers Puma. Lekker aand.
10 Jun 2009, 22:57 pm
#425 Balletjies:
Die WP span van toekomende Saterdag teen jou Sharks span van vanaand is geen wedstryd, WP sou hulle met 30 geklop net soos die Leeus gemaak het, ons het amper jou S14 span geklop, net toe JdV af was en Rassie and January deurmekaar geraak het, toe was julle terug in die spel gelaat, anderstens sou WP die eerste game van die S14 teen die Sharks gewen.
Kyk net Saterdag se game, WP sal die Leeu ouens bietjie van a game gee, nie soos die Sharks vanaand gemaak het.
10 Jun 2009, 22:58 pm
#451 cab:
It’ll match 2005′s super human wrecking ball performances
And we got the better of McCaw that year
See PdV taking a similiar approach up front
10 Jun 2009, 22:59 pm
Cheers all out of here now.
Go Bokke.
10 Jun 2009, 23:00 pm
#458 Ed_the_Lion: What’s going on at the Golden Lions?
10 Jun 2009, 23:00 pm
Anyway, time for bed
Keep the faith lads
We’ll take this one
10 Jun 2009, 23:02 pm
#463 saffa_guy: Night bud. I think we will win. I just don’t take it for granted. Sleep well.
10 Jun 2009, 23:02 pm
Stephen Nell
Durban – There are plenty rumours floating around that Western Province rugby will lose cand Luke Watson to overseas clubs.
Sport24 recently revealed that the Irish regional team, Munster, was prepared to lure De Villiers with a substantial offer.
The Springbok inside centre himself said at the time he would make a decision about his future after the British and Irish Lions Test series.
However, informed sources told Sport24 that it was certain that De Villiers would join Munster in 2010. “Jean is gone,” Sport24 was told.
Bok centre Jaque Fourie, is also expected to leave South African shores to join the French club Clermont at the end of the local season.
Watson, who will lead the WP in Saturday’s match against the British and Irish Lions at Newlands and will probably also be the team’s captain in the Currie Cup series, is on the Bath shopping list.
Bath is looking for a substitute for the English flank, Michael Lipman, who left the club earlier this month. Lipman together with Alex Crockett and Andrew Higgins resigned earlier after a probe into an alleged bar brawl.
Informed sources told Sport24 Watson was identified as a possible substitute for Lipman.
Watson’s Springbok career has probably come to an end after he reportedly made controversial comments about the Bok jersey.
He played brilliantly in the Super14 series this year, but the Bok coach, Peter de Villiers, made it clear that he thought Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski were better eighth men.
Should De Villiers leave Western Province, Schalk Burger would probably lead the Stormers’ Super14 campaign in 2010.
Burger and Watson in the past often competed for the same position and apparently don’t like each other much. It is unlikely that either of the players would be keen to play under the other as captain.
Bath is apparently also interested in the services of the former WP lock, Ross Skeate who is good friends with Watson.
10 Jun 2009, 23:03 pm
#445 skopskiet:
very good post imo, but Boks can also beat them in the collisions and show them a clean pair of heels, in fact they must beat them in the collisions with numbers, their are some tough customers in the Boks outfit and matfield and smit will need to play that game since they have to. can make plan with scrums but cant get away from the tightloose.
10 Jun 2009, 23:04 pm
#460 saffa_guy:
later.
10 Jun 2009, 23:04 pm
Jean Deysel is a Schalk like human wrecking ball.
Didn’t seem to do too much damage tonight? Didn’t seem to hold up the Lions too much.
So …
Human Wrecking Balls vs Tokoloshes.
Tokoloshes usually beat us.
Not too many Tokoloshes in the Lions either I have to say.
10 Jun 2009, 23:08 pm
#465 sharks_lover:
Schalk is no captain – never was and never will be.
All brawn and no brains
10 Jun 2009, 23:10 pm
just back from mates…have read no posts…Hreres my take….we in kak!!!! We have chosen a unbalanced squad…these guys gonna sctum us and maul us and do the basics and kick us into submission…we choose poorly we pay the price…we got no tightheads in SA….how on earth we lost CJ AND BJ is strategically bankkrupt….
We got no chance in 1 st test….UNDERCOOKES…1997 groundhog day ,,,,same old movie…and P D V looks concerned.
10 Jun 2009, 23:13 pm
#470 grant10:
any team that can beat
1. Beast 2. Bismarck 3. Smit
4. Bakkies 5. Matfield
6. Burger 7. Smith 8. Spies
is a bladdy good one.
10 Jun 2009, 23:15 pm
#469 cris: wow cris i aint saying that the press is
its an article i posted here , but didnt write
10 Jun 2009, 23:16 pm
#471 cab: ABs of 2008 then
10 Jun 2009, 23:17 pm
Deysel overrated, not a patch on Potgieter, Vermeulen or even Ernst Joubert
Sharks loosies of Botes, Deysel and Daniel are not up to top rate international standard, and I fear Kanko not far better either. And it showed when they went to Bloemfontein and got blown right off the park.
Best loosies in the country are our Bok trio, then Vermeulen, Brussow, Potgieter, Stegmann, Watson, Joubert.
10 Jun 2009, 23:18 pm
#470 grant10: Hiyas Grant , i told you guys this week the sharks were in trouble with the team they had to play with , anyhows here is my assumption after what i saw tonight
I have no doubt in what the Bok team should be now that i have seen the Lions main test team
There is no doubt , Nokwe , Rose and bekker should not have been there
Their places should have been taken by ,Kirchner , BJ and Brussouw
But unfortunately our selectors are one track minded and this is probably going to hurt us bad in the series
15 F Steyn
14 JP Pietersen
13 J Fourie
12 JD Villiers
11 B Habana
10 M Steyn / Ruan
09 F Dup
08 P Spies
07 J Smith
06 S Burger
05 V Matfield
04 B Botha
03 J Smit
02 B Dup
01 T mtawarira
16 G Steenkamp
17 D Carstens
18 D Russouw
19 R kankowski
20 A Jacobs
21 W olivier
22 R Pienaar / M Steyn
I believe Ruan should cover 9 as well and J Smit should cover Hooker as well as TH
10 Jun 2009, 23:21 pm
#475 sharks_lover: not so sure on BJ, wasnt he backpedalling the entire Baabaas match until he was substituted ? appreciate it was a composite team, but not so sure he’s as good as the hype…
10 Jun 2009, 23:21 pm
#471 cab:
The Sharks pack today weighed about 820kg’s to the Lions 880kg’s or thereabouts.
The Bok pack will be a different story.
10 Jun 2009, 23:22 pm
#471 cab:
You really think so?
Beast: never dominates in the scrums
Bismarc:has lost form – cannot catch a ball anymore and gives too many penalties away
Smit: Overweight hooker that will never dominate any decent international prop in the scrum
Bakkies: Excellent
Matfield: Very Good
Burger: Finished, 50% of the player he used to be
Smith: Probably over the hill, just hanging in there.
Spies: When the going gets tough he goes walkabout.
They are no world beaters imo.
Luckily for them the Lions are not so good either.
50/50 contest.
10 Jun 2009, 23:24 pm
That game proved what I ghave been sayig about Muller- not a Bok’s backside. He was completely anonymous in the loose. I didn’t see him hit a ruck once.
I thought the game was worrying in a sense. Yes you expected the BIL’s to score through the backs, but the forwards in gereral were quite a good bunch of players (Sykes, Botes, Daniesl, Jannie, Deon Carstens, etc (even Muller is a good CC level lock). Quite a few tries were scored through or close to the forwards. IMHO the scrumming seriously depleted the Sharks props, leaving their defence around the fringes full of holes. also, none of the Sharks forwards have any where close to Brussouw’s ball stealing ability on the ground.
Clearly this is the Lions aim – just like Jake white used to say- use the scrums to tire their forwards, and then exploit that tiredness. It doesn’t help having mobile forwards that go backwards
And the Sharks cleaning out is atrocious – this is the basis of their inability to score. They cannot build up pressure because they either lose the ball because the player is isolated (sometimes not very far from the last ruck, but with the forwards out to lunch), or it takes so long to come out
Their organisation to back each other up and trundel over the top to get quick ball must be fixed.
10 Jun 2009, 23:24 pm
#473 poppa69:
good try, but afraid not, boks were missing the kingpin, bakkies.
When Bakkies was there SA beat NZ, first time in 5 years NZ beaten on home soil.
This combination have never played together.
10 Jun 2009, 23:25 pm
#466 cab:
They will have to compete like their lives depend on it, thats the only way they’ll do the business
I got some fears surrounding Burger, I reckon Brussow is far more effective in the tight loose, in spite of what you and Jake might say. Why should he suddenly up his game when its Springbok showtime, where’s he been since 2007
Our same loose trio of Burger, Smith, Spies got done in Perth, Cape Town and Durban last year, whats to get them motoring all a sudden against Croft, Wallace/Worsley, Powell/Heaslip
PdV is going with same old same old, and Kanko offers sweet f’all if one of them goes down, only some poefta speed in a sideways directional line. Powell would own Kanko all game long, same as the big Aussies and Kiwis do.
10 Jun 2009, 23:25 pm
Shane Williams was nowhere, and after Jamie Roberts was off all of the Lions backline players seemed very scared of contact. Shane Williams threw the ball away like a hot potato when he looked up and saw a shark, as did Ronan. I had a good laugh.
10 Jun 2009, 23:26 pm
#478 cris:
Ok. So now we have your opinion, for what it’s worth, and can move on.
10 Jun 2009, 23:26 pm
#471 cab: they are bloody good…we were scrummed in our moer cab….with Carstens and jannis dup…that are probably better then Jsmit and beast….the lions dominated the collissions…intelligent big backs…we are nowhere from a plan b perspective…we lose the contact areas we dead!!! The scrums will be the slow poison….no boet…i called this for a while now….we too stupid to evolve …no fetcher equals very little ball….who the hell gonna win and slow the ball….no one in that 28!!!
10 Jun 2009, 23:28 pm
#476 poppa69: mate not true and remember a pack grows together , it dont matter how strong you are
the sharks for example has a weak hooker in the scrums tonight and one could see the diffs
a prop is only as strong as his pack who either push together and how they technically combine as a unit
the baabaas isa new unit put togther and no ways in hell would dominate
so its hard to say from that
if you put bj back in the bok team and he trained and played together as before you would see the diffs
10 Jun 2009, 23:29 pm
If you had to pick one pack out of the Boks and Lions forwards, the only Lions that would make the team would most likely be the two props. The other 6 positions would be made up of Springbok players.
10 Jun 2009, 23:29 pm
#477 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: exactly tac, i am afraid some in here do not look at the whole picture and are purely here to talk ****
10 Jun 2009, 23:30 pm
#478 cris:
we got parity in our thinking, but then most around here reckon we no good unpatriotic bokkie bashers
I say we going to come unstuck at 3, 6, 8, 10, and perhaps 14 and 15.
And 2 is getting mighty ragged when he can’t hang onto a loose ball, I put Liebenberg in there before Bismark on current form.
This Bok team is pretty much on par with this Lions team, but most times out of 10 AB’s still put us away.
10 Jun 2009, 23:31 pm
#486 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: whats your thoughts on the story doing the round that russouw will start at 7 and not juan ??
10 Jun 2009, 23:31 pm
#486 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season: there is that scary saffa arrogance again Tac
10 Jun 2009, 23:31 pm
#477 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season:
true and your post above about the 4 unions combined is correct too.
but the signs are there, this aint no cake walk.
#478 cris:
No matter who SA pick, cant see Boks withstanding Lions scrum, its their main strength. if we get parity its already a victory. Beast is far more mobile than their lot, jenkins is also mobile. Their front row is superb, but Bismark is far better than anything they have in their squad. Smit is one of the best captain in the world and def on the field by a long shot. Our locking partnership is the best in the world provided Matfield cleans and works like he’s done at the bulls for the last 2 weeks (if u see him punting thru one of his grubbers u know we going to lose imo). backrow is fnatastic, all need to shape and hit the breakdown, including pierre spies.
10 Jun 2009, 23:33 pm
#483 Tacitus thinks the Bulls made certain “experts” look silly this season:
Why so nasty?
We all have our opinions.
Yours count not more or not less than mine
It is only about Spies isn’t it?
10 Jun 2009, 23:33 pm
#485 sharks_lover: yeah agree, thats why I said it was a composite team… would love to see him in a decent 8…
#480 cab: oh well, the ABs of 2009 then
10 Jun 2009, 23:33 pm
lions better than us technically in lots of areas…and beat us 9 times out of 10 when it comes to intelligence…we choose a **** starting 15 its tickets….and i bet we do …
10 Jun 2009, 23:34 pm
#482 Spies_Is_King: and that against a weak shark backline
imagine F steyn or fourie hitting them lol or bakkies lmao
10 Jun 2009, 23:36 pm
#493 poppa69: bok front row should have been beast smit bj
10 Jun 2009, 23:37 pm
#484 grant10:
the fetcher aint gonna count for much if we living off scraps grant, if they beat us in the setpiences and collisions, its over and they will have deserved to have won and no matter how many plans B, C, D or E will help there.
the cheetahs and brussow never got a hand on the ball v the Lions in the firt 20 mins, only when ferris was sent off and they lost their shape and continued to play a silly looser game (away from their strengths) did brussow start to wreak havoc.
Brusow is brilliant, but the series will be decided on committed players who’ve done it in the RWC in 2007 and NZ in 2008.
10 Jun 2009, 23:37 pm
#489 sharks_lover:
I don’t understand why so many Bok coaches keep making the mistake of picking Rossouw at loose forward. He is the 2nd best enforcer lock in SA – and dare I say it, in the world.
His place should be booked on the bench, as a 2nd half tactical replacement for Bakkies. Don’t get me wrong, he is a more than decent loose forward, but the only reason to pick him at flank, that I can think of, is to find an excuse to keep Andries Bekker in the match 22. Because with Rossouw on the bench, there is no need for that rather tall Habana-impersonator to be in the team.
10 Jun 2009, 23:37 pm
even the bulls seen the light with Dewalt and steggmann….both fetching to free up spies…we as boks decide screw it…we choose none….dimwits i tell you…we wont change till its too late….schalk has been nowhere for 2 years…and now all of a sudden he is a superman….kak man…this is professional sport…not Alice in bloody wonderland…
10 Jun 2009, 23:38 pm
#496 sharks_lover: yeah, cant understand the train of thought that has Smit propping… feel for the bloke, is a WC winning hooker, and now is being shunted around the front row… crazy stuff.
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