When winning isn’t everything
15 Jun 2009
Ian McGeechan must have an ace up his sleeve if he truly believes the Lions are on track to upset the Springboks.
We’re done with the provincial matches that matter and in conclusion you have to ask whether they really have mattered. The British & Irish Lions narrowly avoided embarrassment in three of their five encounters and how different would the vibe be heading into the Tests if they had won only three from six?
There was the late surge that spared the tourists’ collective blush in Phokeng. There was the reliance on local errors – read the Cheetahs’ missed opportunities – to get them home in Bloemfontein. There was the nervous times at Newlands when they were facing an embarrassing draw with only six minutes to go.
The Springboks were favourites before the tour commenced and the Lions’ recent performances have done little to shake this popular belief. McGeechan leans on the comfort of results, but momentum isn’t necessarily all about winning. The six games preceding the Tests were always about building a unit to compete against the world champions, and although some individuals have impressed, the collective has yet to deliver to the point where the Boks should be worried.
It’s hard to comment until we’ve seen McGeechan’s Test side in action, but we can always speculate how those individuals are likely to come undone. The much-vaunted Jamie Roberts has been penetrative, but against what kind of midfield? Hanno Coetzee (Cheetahs) and Deon van Rensburg (Lions) were the centre pairing in the Rustenburg clash but were reserve centres for the two worst South African franchises in the Super 14. It doesn’t get much classier when you’re up against the Golden Lions’ Doppies la Grange and Jannie Boshoff or when you’re running at the Sharks’ second-string combo of Riaan Swanepoel and Andries Strauss. What has Roberts really done to have scribes around the globe telling the Boks to take note?
Let’s see Roberts make an impact against a Test defence, one that boasts a history of winning World Cups. The Welshman slotted in at centre the last time he toured South Africa in 2008 and failed to make his mark. Can you really see him busting through Jean de Villiers?
The other Lions individuals have been equally aided by local failings, Tommy Bowe scoring his fourth try of the tour thanks to the most ordinary WP defence. Mike Phillips has never been an issue for the Boks before and it’s not hard to understand why. It’s fine to snipe around the fringes when you’re playing against the provinces, but let’s see him do it when he runs the risk of a vicious rebuke courtesy of the Springbok loose forwards.
These Lions are a cut above our provincial sides, but the difference in class between the provinces and the tourists is not the same as the gap between the provinces and the Springboks. Some people forget that and this is why the Lions’ five consecutive wins have those same people worried.
The truth is McGeechan will know in his heart of hearts that the weakened provincial teams are still challenging his group of internationals in every department. His official line is that the development of his team is a process so mistakes are expected, but it’s hard to see them making such a big step up in the space of a week.
Just where is this ace that Geech is holding back, what does he know that we don’t?
The Lions will show their true hand this Saturday and all the speculation and mind games will cease. If you’re going to make a prediction and you’re going to make a bet, put money on the Springboks because all evidence past and present confirms their favourite status.
The McGeechan factor is the only reason there’s any doubt and the Springbok management have admitted it’s going to be tough to beat him. Fortunately, it won’t be the two management teams that square off at 3pm this Saturday. The world champions will front an untested British & Irish Lions combination and anything other than a victory to the Boks would make little sense.
The Lions’ coach hoped these provincial matches would help the tourists ‘come to terms with rugby in this country’. If he believes they now know what it’s like to be on the end of a Bakkies Botha tackle, then he’s the one that’s in for a surprise at King’s Park.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Durban
160 Comments
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15 Jun 2009, 06:08 am
Losing DRAGONS!
15 Jun 2009, 06:17 am
McGeechan isn’t leaning on the comfort of results, everything they have been doing up to now is geared towards the 3 test series, the focus has not been on the warm ups but in preparing for the tests.
If you read Shaun Edwards column you’ll see that the Lions were prepared to lose games if it meant trying different combinations out, and try them out they did, they were forever switching things.
Jamie Roberts made a decent impact against SA last year in his first start at 12 for Wales who led the Boks after an hour. Jean De Villiers is nobody’s idea of a stellar defender and he is returning from injury so likely to be rusty.
Moreover, it was the weaker Lions side which was pushed close by the Cheetahs and WP so it would be unwise to derive anything from those matches.
15 Jun 2009, 06:24 am
You can’t judge a team based on their practice encounters. Look at the All Blacks: every World Cup they rack up 10+ try wins against weaker opposition and then get beaten. The Lions are clearly trying out combinations and moves and it’s natural that they won’t come off. There are obviously areas they need to work on, and the team for the first test won’t be the one that finishes, but they’ve shown enough to suggest they’ll at least front up.
15 Jun 2009, 06:28 am
Two main concerns: the Boks will be rusty and the obvious holes in the selections.
15 Jun 2009, 06:31 am
#2 Big Hit: So BH, honest opinion, what you expect for the weekend?
15 Jun 2009, 06:32 am
The Boks — and their supporters — are SMUG.
And undercooked.
Just like in 1999.
15 Jun 2009, 06:33 am
#2 Big Hit:
More Biggles
15 Jun 2009, 06:36 am
#6 TheTackler: At least they have not yet lost this year…
By the way, what in the world happened in 1999?
15 Jun 2009, 06:51 am
in 99 we lost the RWC semi after extra time against a freak larkham drop goal. no shame in that.
The ABs also lost in the semis…
that makes us about equal…and we definitely werent smug..
Teich was dropped…and we did not really fancy our chances
Right now I would definitely be supporting the boks..
The ABs are going to get a few hidings this year…and not just by the Boks
15 Jun 2009, 06:53 am
#8 Koos: The Boks haven’t lost because the Boks haven’t played. Oh, it was 1997 — not 1999 — when Martin Johnson’s unfancied Lions came to SA and whopped the cocky Boks who, a year earlier, had won their first 3N and thought they were bullet-proof.
15 Jun 2009, 06:55 am
#9 sharkiedubai: I think you will find he did not take his medication this morning and was trying very hard to refer to ’97 when we lost against the Lions. Makes it very hard to win an argument if you can’t even get the basics right…
15 Jun 2009, 06:56 am
Got that one wrong too! The Boks won their first 3N a year AFTER they’d been taught humility by the Lions.
Smugness is always the Boks’ undoing. And, let it be said, the ABs too.
It’s kryptonite.
15 Jun 2009, 06:58 am
yeah fair enough…in 97 no kicker ..but that was our own fault…no one else to blame.
I do not think we will make the same mistake this year..
like I said earlier…in 2009 I would much rather be a bok fan than an AB fan
15 Jun 2009, 06:58 am
#10 TheTackler: Ja, last Saturday morning you could have said the same about your team hey!
You are however barking up the wrong tree, there is very little smugness amongst the majority of Bok supporters. Worries about lack of match fitness and weird selections are the order of the day.
15 Jun 2009, 06:59 am
I would have preferred the first test to be in Jozi or Loftus..but still see a win for the boks by at least 10
15 Jun 2009, 07:00 am
#12 TheTackler: YOU MEAN LIKE ENGLAND IN 2004. SOOOO SMUG AFTER A LUCKY DROP IN THE FINAL. STOP THIS NONSENSE OLD CHAP. YOU ARE JUST LOOKING FOR AN ARGUMENT.
15 Jun 2009, 07:02 am
#16 JM: Nog ‘n naam vir jou lys, maar die hanskakie praat vlot Afrikaans.
15 Jun 2009, 07:03 am
#17 Koos: WIL JY NOU MEER. HULLE ALMAL HAAT DIE BOERE, MAAR PRAAT AL TE LEKKER DIE TAAL.
15 Jun 2009, 07:05 am
#17 Koos: HOEVEEL WORD PARTY OUENS HIER BETAAL OM TE KOM MOEILIKHEID SOEK?
15 Jun 2009, 07:06 am
#18 JM: nee jong, die een is van die Kaap af maar ek vermoed een of ander boerseun het sy lunchbox gesteel en hy is steeds die moer in!
Anyway, waar bly jou broer en wat het jy alles gesien hier?
15 Jun 2009, 07:06 am
#15 sharkiedubai: I’M NOT THAT CONFIDENT. IF PDV PICKS THE RIGHT TEAM, WE SHOULD WIN 3-0, BUT IF HE DOESN’T…
15 Jun 2009, 07:07 am
#19 JM: Fet mooi nokkel! keo drop net sy blog se naam by die sielkundige en siedaar, hier pop die pasiente uit…
15 Jun 2009, 07:08 am
To THETACKLER, 1999 was the World Cup when AB’s and their supporters were smug and got knocked out by the French and again in the 2007 world cup again and now you loose at home to them
15 Jun 2009, 07:09 am
#21 JM: Mmm but does he have the right squad to pick the right team from?
15 Jun 2009, 07:09 am
#20 Koos: HY BLY IN MACKAY. BAIE NICE HIER, LEKKER GE SKUBA DUIK.
15 Jun 2009, 07:11 am
#24 Koos: HY KAN NOG ‘N GOEIE SPAN KIES, MAAR ONS KON DOEN MET KIRCHNER, BRUSSOUW, EN BJ. WAT DINK JY?
15 Jun 2009, 07:12 am
NETNOU WEER TERUG.
15 Jun 2009, 07:12 am
#19 JM:
Al die moeilikheidmakers op keo kom uit dieselfde geweste oorspronklik, kyk maar mooi vandag as hulle opdaag, ongeag van waar hulle deesdae in die wereld woon.
Moet die wyn in die moedersmelk wees wat hulle kleintyd gesuip het….
15 Jun 2009, 07:12 am
#25 JM: Mynbedryf? Ek is net so entjie in die pad af van Mackay, in Brisbane.
15 Jun 2009, 07:14 am
#29 Koos: NEE, HY IS TANDARTS. MOET GOU HARDLOOP, MENSE WAT HIER KOM GROET. VLIEG MORE TERUG SA TOE.
15 Jun 2009, 07:14 am
#22 Koos: #26 JM: #23 whenwe:
SA has a strike rate of 50% in WC’s.
AB’s 17% (and that was achieved in an invitational contest without us being there).
15 Jun 2009, 07:15 am
#28 Pietman: Ja en dan is daar ouens soos Explayer, ook van daai geweste maar hy het die moedersmelk geskip…
#26 JM: If we come out and play to our potential we should have enough to overcome the Lions, simple as that.
15 Jun 2009, 07:17 am
#30 JM: Close, so hy boor ook en grawe gate…nou wanneer kom jy?
#31 Pietman: Ja, even the Aussies have a better strike rate.
15 Jun 2009, 07:23 am
#32 Koos:
Trossie was n bottelbaba, lol!
15 Jun 2009, 07:26 am
#33 Koos:
Ek sien dis n Ozzie lacrosse-span wat aangehou word in die ‘varkamp’.
Wat se sport is lacrosse, btw, daai Kanadese spel waar hulle die bal gooi?
15 Jun 2009, 07:27 am
#35 Pietman:
‘varkkamp’
15 Jun 2009, 07:27 am
#34 Pietman: Ja siestog, en kyk hoe het hy uitgedraai…
15 Jun 2009, 07:28 am
#35 Pietman: Ja met die hokkiestok met ‘n net vooraan.
15 Jun 2009, 07:32 am
#38 Koos:
Praat later,moet gou papierwerk gaan doen hier by die ‘village office’ (onse munisipaliteit).
Tjeers.
15 Jun 2009, 07:33 am
#39 Pietman: Cheers, watch out virrie varke!
15 Jun 2009, 07:43 am
Umm, from what I have seen Jamie Roberts has been quite impressive, especially comparing him to the rest of the unperfoming lot. And when did Jean become this world class defender? Regardless The Boks will win, comfortably.
15 Jun 2009, 07:52 am
#5 Koos: Not sure to be honest, would need to see the Lions line up. At this point, I would agree with the author, the Boks seem better placed to win.
#7 Rugby_Princess: G’moaning
#9 sharkiedubai: actually the Boks beat the ABs in the 3rd/4th place play-off in 1999
15 Jun 2009, 07:56 am
#42 Big Hit: On what do you base that? We have not even seen the Boks in action and the selection left a few holes from where I stand.
I can only think it is based on the notion that we ‘should’ beat you comfortably but I am not sure about that…
15 Jun 2009, 07:59 am
Winning is not everything… just it sure beats losing
15 Jun 2009, 08:01 am
#43 Koos: Home advantage, the Lions test team not played together before (a mistake imo), a lack of quality in the Lions back row, Bulls victory in the S14, altitude/heat, good goal-kickers and the 97 guys giving motivation, most of the injured players back. All points to good things for Boks.
But, you just never know.
15 Jun 2009, 08:02 am
#44 SpringbokSarah: apparently they’re the same thing according to PDV
15 Jun 2009, 08:07 am
#45 Big Hit: We will have to wait and see. The two issues for the Boks is lack of gametime and selection holes…tough to stick your neck out either way!
#44 SpringbokSarah: In a professsional sport it IS everything….unless you have a finger in the pie with the bookies!
15 Jun 2009, 08:08 am
#46 Big Hit: he’ll “bank” whatever he can get
I swear… I think he’s got the JSE and rugby confused
15 Jun 2009, 08:12 am
If the Lions have shown us anything from these warm-up games it’s that, whatever the game situation, they know how to win. Forget how they played or who they played, the scoreboard reads 6/6 at the moment despite using a lot of backup players and experimenting with combinations and plays.
I sincerely hope the Springboks and their management don’t have the same attitude as the Keo journalists.
15 Jun 2009, 08:19 am
Ian McGeechan’s ace, isn’t actually one of his players its his opponent! PDV can’t pick a team to save his life. With all the players available to South Africa as well as playing at home in the middle of the season as opposed to the end of a long season, he should win at a canter, but as has been pointed out by many people on this sight, some of his selections are insane given what he could choose from. Its going to be a lot tougher for the Boks then it should be.
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