Geech’s mission impossible
23 Jun 2009
After Saturday’s defeat, there’s no way back for the limited Lions.
The British & Irish Lions placed an emphasis on the first Test and very nearly scored the upset they needed to keep this series competitive. Vulnerable as the Springboks were due to lack of game time, they pulled through. As much as the Bok coaches blundered in their choice of substitutions, the players got the job done.
The result saw the Lions’ one and only opportunity evaporate. They now need to travel to the highveld and win two in a row – a feat that’s as close to impossible as it gets. The Boks last lost a Loftus Versfeld Test (to New Zealand) in 2006 and last lost an Ellis Park Test (to France) in 2001. Since 1891, the Boks have never lost back-to-back Tests on the highveld.
So why now? What does this Lions side possess that makes them believe they can achieve what no other team in history has to date? Brian O’Driscoll? Andrew Sheridan? Ian McGeechan? The fabled four-powers-combined, water-into-wine energy of the home unions?
The answer is nothing. That was proved last Saturday. The Boks weren’t on song, but were still good enough to resist the tourists’ best efforts. The Boks will be better this week, and it’s hard to see the Lions’ lifting themselves beyond their current standard.
Peter de Villiers has been slammed, and deservedly so, but that doesn’t change the fact that his Bok team is a class apart. It’s a point the UK media seem to be missing as they cling to hope of an upset.
De Villiers also misses the point if he believes the local critics are ignorant of a victory. The real concern is that the Boks should have thumped the Lions by 40, and unless they sharpen up on the field and in the coaches’ box, they will run another unnecessary risk at Loftus.
But the Lions have offered up nothing special, failing in the set-pieces and breakdowns. Last Saturday they capitalised on several instances where a Bok individual lapsed. There was no case where they systematically unlocked the Bok defence to score.
After the sideshow at Newlands, McGeechan will be wracking his brain for a solution to the highveld conundrum. He’ll need to make several changes, most notably at openside flank where Martyn Williams’s particular skill-set is a must.
He’ll also need to change tactics, as the multi-phased attack doesn’t work against a team like the Boks. They are usually a well-drilled defensive unit, and last Saturday witnessed a few individual lapses that the Lions exploited.
It’s an area the Boks will better in the build-up, just as they will look do better in the possession stakes. Although they’ve proven themselves capable of defending for lengthy periods, De Villiers has made it clear they want to dominate possession. If they manage to dominate at Loftus, the Lions could indeed face the 40-point thumping they deserved in Durban. And if they don’t, well it could be another ugly five-point win. But that’s unlikely.
The Lions were tactically outkicked at King’s Park, and in Bulls’ country, you can’t see them bettering Bok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez. The line-kicking game of Frans Steyn will be a factor and Ruan Pienaar will look to build on his fine tactical-kicking display of last week. The fact that the Lions are heading up to Gauteng as late as Friday afternoon means they’ll battle to readjust to the altitude. Their players are at a disadvantage before they even step onto the playing field.
So just where is the upset going to come from? Is a change in the front row going to reverse the Lions’ set-piece fortunes? Is a change to their second-row going to threaten the Bok lineout quartet of Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies and Juan Smith? Is Martyn Williams going to inspire a winning effort at the breakdown despite the threat of Heinrich Brussow, or even the returning Schalk Burger?
Ronan O’Gara or Stephen Jones are much of a muchness when they’re playing behind a losing pack. If Geech brings in Shane Williams, the dangerous runner may find himself starved of opportunity due to another frontline pummeling. Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll are being talked up as gamebreakers, but they’re only as potent as the Bok defensive allows them to be.
So where is the Lions’ catalyst for a turnaround? At this point, I’m sure the highly respected coaching genius that is Ian McGeechan doesn’t know himself.
By Jon Cardinell, in Johannesburg
344 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] Show All
23 Jun 2009, 13:22 pm
#294 bokfan1:
I am sure that the Maori translation just does not come across that well
I love some of you most of the time and all of you some times.
23 Jun 2009, 13:22 pm
#295 bdb: Beast die Bul:
Gaan nie oor kleur nie, as die coach kuk maak dan looi ons hom, of dit nou Loffie, PdeV of Ludeke is.
Ons ondersteuners betaal deur ons nekke om ons span te sien wen, en ons soek net die BESTE wenspan, al bestaan daai span ook uit 15 Sjinese…
End van die prent
23 Jun 2009, 13:23 pm
#294 bokfan1:
I expect that the South African Mafia will take care of him
23 Jun 2009, 13:23 pm
#291 bdb: Beast die Bul:
Kan nie als herhaal nie, jy het seker gelees hier en daar.
Ek is ten alle tye oop vir enige iemand om my iets te wys wat ek nie sien nie.
Suid Afrikaners se waarheid is altyd ‘n sekere kleur: wit, swart of bruin. Ons moet dit beveg.
23 Jun 2009, 13:23 pm
Word die spanaankondiging lewendig uitgesaai op Mnet ?
23 Jun 2009, 13:24 pm
It appears that they are on the job already
23 Jun 2009, 13:26 pm
#300 Sheriff:
Nie eens geweet jy was weg nie, jy verdwyn sommer stil-stil.
Wat is die kwessie hier met Sharks-Logie, ek volg nie lekker daai twis nie?
Ek ken hom as n redelike outjie van my wereld, Klein-Karoo se kant toe meer….geensins rassisties nie.
Julle was dieselfde tyd op CL, terloops….
23 Jun 2009, 13:30 pm
#302 Pietman: Stem saam daaroor, of die afrigter watter kleur ookal van die reenboog is, en die spelers watter kleur ookal is, ons soek die beste span om hul beste te gee. Maar, dit lyk asof sekeres nie dit so wil hê nie, lewe heeltyd in die verlede, daarom vra ek die vraag.
#304 Sheriff: Het maar uit belangstelling gevra, want jy het vir my so bietjie beswaard geklink die laaste tyd. Sal meer aandagtig probeer lees.
Onthou Sheriff, ‘n groot fout wat ons ALMAL maak ongeag kleur, is om ‘n sekere sonde, nl. rassisme te probeer ‘fix’ met wetgewing, politiek en selfs nou rugby,. Maar dit gaan nie werk nie, het nog nooit nie. Daar is net Een wat ‘n mens se hart kan verander teenoor jou naaste, en dit is die Een waarvan The Beast gepraat het net na ons gewen het saterdag in Durbs. Tot dan, sal al hierdie politiese grimering net doen wat grimering doen … die rimpels daaragter probeer bedek.
23 Jun 2009, 13:31 pm
#306 chch:
Who is WakaNathan, where is he, and did he say that?
Here, on keo?
‘Boks are scum’?
Point me to his post please, i am in and out of here, working at the moment, but I won’t let a comment like that pass.
Not me.
23 Jun 2009, 13:31 pm
Only a year ago Ricky Januarie was everybodies hero when he scored a try in a famous win over the All Blacks. At the time he was chosen for the team he was also critisized and the same is happening now. So hou net julle bekke!
23 Jun 2009, 13:32 pm
#308 bdb: Beast die Bul:
Groot woorde.
Dankie.
23 Jun 2009, 13:32 pm
#307 Pietman:
My uitdaging aan hom is om sy eng Suid Afrikaanse denke te verbreed.
Suid Afrikaners word mono-kulturisties groot en elkeen dink sy kultuur is die regte een.
As hy die man, PdV, kritiseer op sy rugby en daarby bly dan is ek ok. Maar indien nie dan sal ek geneig wees om die balans te wil herstel.
Ek het nie biefstuk met hom, het die gister vir hom gesê ook.
Al was hy ook op CL, was hy nog nooit in Idasvallei of Cloetesville nie, sien jy my punt? Nie meer goed genoeg nie, veral nie as die debat na ‘n hoër vlak beweeg nie.
23 Jun 2009, 13:33 pm
#305 bdb: Beast die Bul:
Blykbaar 1:30 vandag.
Weet nie waar nie, ek sal mar hier loer.
Hoop WO en Brussouw is in.
23 Jun 2009, 13:34 pm
#260 cane: Come on cane, it hasn’t been all insults. I distinctly remember saying that, for a guy with such big ears, McGeechan doesn’t get blown around too much.
23 Jun 2009, 13:36 pm
#309 Pietman:
If he is who he says he is then he is about 80 years old. Maybe he is a relative or fan.
23 Jun 2009, 13:38 pm
#312 Sheriff:
Weet nie daarvan nie broer.
Al wat ek weet, hy is al lank hier (was eers onder n ander nic), en hy is so min n rassis soos ek een is.
Glo my.
En terloops, ek dink ook PdeV se uitspraak oor swart mechanics was misplaas.
Ricky haal nie eens meer die Stormerpan nie, maar wie weet, dalk speel hy Saterdag n ‘blinder’ weer.
Dis hoe dit gaan met rugby, soos jy wel weet….
23 Jun 2009, 13:38 pm
#315 chch:
… just Googled it …. only 69
23 Jun 2009, 13:39 pm
#308 bdb: Beast die Bul:
Ja Dominee
Onthou net Apartheid was geregverdig week na week vanaf die preekstoel, is jy bewus daarvan?
Onthou die 2 grootste gebooie behels ‘n vertikale komponent sowel as horisontaal. Baie hou van die vertikale om hulle wit/swart H*** te aanbid, maar wanneer dit by die horisontale kom raak dinge bietjie gekompliseerd.
Ek steun jou heelhartig in jou standpunte maar lyk my jy is by tye bietjie skrikkerig vir horisontale aspekte. Ek sien net jy kla nou en dan oor die AB oorlog. Goed genoeg, maar gaan nou verder. Delf dieper.
23 Jun 2009, 13:40 pm
#314 katman:
Thanks for the game site on the weekend.
23 Jun 2009, 13:43 pm
#294 bokfanny1:
Most Kiwi Rugby fans, want the Lions/Boks Series to be at least close and competitive. Forget the SH Brotherhood ****.
The day I’m reduced to being proud of my Hemisphere, is the day …..well I hope it never happens.
Also your Rugby Press, (read Keo.co) is worse than the English Tabloid Gutter Press.
Well not quite as bad …..but phucken close.
8)
23 Jun 2009, 13:46 pm
#316 Pietman:
Dis nie my plek om hom te oordeel Pieta, jy weet mos.
Ek hanteer bloot wat op skrif hier gestel word. Hy het die geleentheid om my verkeerd te bewys.
Hy sal by nabetraging besef dat dit wat ek aan hom uitwys nie vyandig-gesind is nie, maar eerder ‘n uitdaging om uit te breek uit die Nasionale Party se nalatenskap (wat ook pragtig voortgesit word deur die ANC)
Mense sê ek praat politiek. Ek sê nee, ek praat oor sosiale kwessies, waarvan sport een van hulle is. By tye is die klem op slegs rugby by ander tye weer oor die sosiale dinamika rondom die spel.
23 Jun 2009, 13:47 pm
Usual racism going on here?
23 Jun 2009, 13:50 pm
BOKS ARE SCRUM!!!!
23 Jun 2009, 13:53 pm
#322 Dawn:
Pls state the reason why you were banned before.
What did the moderator say?
23 Jun 2009, 13:53 pm
#301 chch:
“I love some of you most of the time and all of you some times.”
You are far to generous with your affections chch.
For my part…….”I could count on my fingers and toes (which I regularly do), those of you, worth apologising to, had I pasted wind in an elevator.”
23 Jun 2009, 13:53 pm
#260 cane: that won’t happen man. Also have you listened to all the poms bullshite! winging and wining
23 Jun 2009, 13:59 pm
#318 Sheriff: Miskien moet ons maar ‘n duidelike onderskeid maak tussen belydenis van dinge wat werklik verkeerd was/is, en die huidige skuldmanipulasie teen mense met die doel om hul heeltyd te laat sleg voel oor die verlede … anders gaan daar vir ons nageslag vertikaal of horisontaal nie veel van ‘n toekoms wees nie.
Jammer om te lees van jou gesindheid, sal die saak nie verder met jou roer nie, vriend.
23 Jun 2009, 14:00 pm
#314 katman:
LOL………and what a great Rugby Man McGeek is.
Sorry Katman ……..Someone has to defend these Lions. If Big Hit won’t show up. I’ll do it for him.
8)
23 Jun 2009, 14:45 pm
#327 bdb: Beast die Bul:
BdB
Jy is ‘n goeie ou, daar is by my geen twyfel daaroor nie.
Iemand met ‘n gematigde temperament en jy ken jou (Blou Bul, haha) rugby.
Moet dit nie persoonlik opneem nie asb ou maat. Ek is maar so, ek noem die ding op sy naam.
Verder, moenie toelaat dat iemand jou afpers oor die verlede nie. Maar, en dis ‘n vet maar, vergewis jou goed van die verlede want dit verklaar hoekom ons is waar ons is.
23 Jun 2009, 15:19 pm
#319 chch: No worries. I take it the site worked for you.
23 Jun 2009, 15:30 pm
#329 Sheriff:
Praat rugby!
23 Jun 2009, 15:36 pm
#331 Dawn:
Ek het verlede week spesiaal daai kriptiese leidrade vir jou gepost.
Ek wou hê jy moet sien hoe lyk die Sonestas wat ek besoek. Kon jy darem die plek google, het jy die video van die plek gesien?
5 * van die begin tot die einde
23 Jun 2009, 16:34 pm
#299 Pietman: Ek belowe ou maat! Dis op die thread van die Franse senter wat gebliksem is in wellington.
Ek kon dit nie glo nie! Hy en n paar van hierdie verdomde kiwis het begin skryf dat Bakkies die vuilste speler ooit is en sulke strond!
Ek het duidelik vir Wakanathan duidelik gese hy moet voetsek. Jy kan dit alles daar lees.
En geen van die ander SA mense het iets gese nie. Skaam hulle.
23 Jun 2009, 16:38 pm
#298 bdb: Beast die Bul: Dis nou waar!
23 Jun 2009, 16:44 pm
#320 cane: Mate I agree with you – dont get me wrong! I know there is no such brotherhood. And I dont believe there should be!
NZ are my LEAST favourite team as they are the only ones holding SA back (temporarily and momentarily) fro its rightful spot as #1 in world rugby!
My post was to all the sycophant Saffas who lurve NZ and the ABs and believe in this ideal that we all stand together.
Their heartfelt respect and lurve for the ABs is not returned. you are supporting the Lions and want them to beat the Boks!
Let all Saffas on this site read it from the horse’s mouth!
And you Cane are my least-detested Kiwi on this site mate.
23 Jun 2009, 16:53 pm
#299 Pietman: Hiers dit: #178 WakaNathan
23 Jun 2009, 17:06 pm
I think this thread ended the server tried to top itself earlier
23 Jun 2009, 17:30 pm
#329 Sheriff: Alles reg Sheriff, lyk my mense vryf mekaar maar party maal verkeerd op, so tussen die ernstige dinge in die lewe, maar ook al die grappies (“banter”?) wat hier aangaan. Goeie punte wat jy daar noem oor die verlede se belangrikheid, ek probeer deeglik daarvan kennis neem.
23 Jun 2009, 19:29 pm
#270 chch:
On reflection, I still think it was more impt to win the Test than win some Cup-without-a-history. The lame factor here is a Cup that is won on pts-diff, not a ‘Series win’ ala Blesidloe.
Not agreeing with Henry, per se, but Test rugby is about winning by 1-pt, not winning on some contrived mathematical aggregate.
#299 Pietman:
as I went on to explain, Im from the Old School of rugby thought that says “never hit 1st, but when hit, strike back twice as hard”.
Thats how it is in the pack.
Therefore, if you follow the thread back, BokFan1 started his “ABs are cheats….ABs are filth” which I find offensive. So in order to see how he would react, he got once back in the chops. And as you can see, he can give it but he cant take it.
Unless you are blind, I have already said that despite players like Bakkies being a ‘mongrel’, that he would be my ‘first one picked’. So I hardly have a problem with that. This aint a girls game after all.
But I take offence to unprovoked broadsides on players good character. So expect a 99 when you slip the slipper.
23 Jun 2009, 20:36 pm
#335 bokfan1:
Lucky you Cane, for you are the Chosen One.
This moron discloses himself absolutely when he says who his “least favourite team” are. Hence all the ‘filth’ and ‘cheat’ broadsides show his clear bias. He just cant take it.
I love watching the Boks play, tough unit and their athleticism has improved markedly over last 2-3 years. They have contrasting strengths to the ABs and Wallabies, hence the appeal. Doesnt mean I want them to beat the ABs – of course – but it deosnt mean I care whether they beat or lose to other neutral teams.
But imbeciles like BokFan1 deserve no respect because they dont give any.
23 Jun 2009, 21:04 pm
#335 bokfan1: Speak for yourself doos. Its a bloody game and admiring a team who does it well isnt sycophantic in any way, shape or means. I do think all the SH boys are proud of their tradition of playing stronger rugby than the NH. I wouldnt call it a brotherhood but its acknowledged between each other that we are each others stuffest competition. Its about respect and honour. So take your gutter nonsense and leave it there.
Big up to NZ for setting the standard.
23 Jun 2009, 21:44 pm
#341 Slumtown:
Spoken like a man.
24 Jun 2009, 02:57 am
#335 bokfan1:
listen to you,like a little cry baby,telling all your friends on what Waka did.Look at your posts first before you start mouthing off.You as Waka stated thrwe the first stone,handle it.If you are so sure of yourself and call ABs filth,at least man up and handle a bit of flak.
Ans as for your arrogant post “NZ are my LEAST favourite team as they are the only ones holding SA back (temporarily and momentarily) fro its rightful spot as #1 in world rugby”
You have no rightful spot.How about Play for the spot you want instead of hating a team cos we have the spot,down right childish.
SA have the RWC,i do not hate them for it.I back the Boks against most other teams,i have problems with that.Everyone is different i suppose,but if there was ever a time i would back the B&I Lions is now,some of your posts and especially Keos is making me sick,no respect at all for a great team as in the B&I lions
25 Jun 2009, 12:18 pm
“Since 1891, the Boks have never lost back-to-back Tests on the highveld”
There always comes first time, JC. Remember that.
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.