Tahs crush lousy Lions
12 Mar 2010
The Lions delivered another poor defensive display as Drew Mitchell scored four tries in the Waratahs’ 73-12 win in Sydney.
This fixture was talked about as the Lions’ best chance of victory, even though they had never beaten the Tahs in Sydney. That hope was short-lived, however, as after just 32 minutes, the hosts wrapped up the bonus point. The Lions have now conceded 29 tries in the tournament, which tells the story of a shocking start to the season.
The Tahs were under pressure from their supporters and the Australian media, but their fans had plenty to cheer about as they crossed the line 11 times.
Carlos Spencer gifted the Tahs their first two tries, the first when the Lions won a turnover but opted to run from deep. This is the approach coach Dick Muir loves to see, but it cost the Lions as the Tahs won the ball back, and from an ensuing penalty, Drew Mitchell tapped and dived over the line. Earlier in the move, Tonderai Chavhanga had also rushed out of the defensive line handing the Tahs the momentum.
The Waratahs winger went from hero to villain momentarily as a mistake behind his own goal-line gifted Chavhanga a score. The Tahs led 7-5 after seven minutes, but then Spencer was again at his worst. His kick was charged and gathered by Dean Mumm who cantered over with the cover defence non-existent.
The Lions’ defence was typically porous as they missed 12 tackles inside 25 minutes. The Tahs were hardly made to work as the Lions handed another Australasian team a bonus point – the third time they’ve conceded five log points in 2010.
Tom Carter crashed over before Wandile Mjekevu’s mistake (which was similar to Mitchell’s) saw Lachie Turner claim the fourth try.
The Lions were intent on running, but clearly lacked confidence, as Spencer and Earl Rose hacked away possession aimlessly. The Tahs were buoyed by the visitors’ mistakes and looked to counter from deep, and Berrick Barnes also drove the Lions back with some lengthy touch-finders.
Muir finally lost patience with his halfbacks as JP Joubert and Spencer were replaced by Jano Vermaak and Burton Francis at half-time. The latter pair didn’t lack effort, but without the platform from their pack, they battled to make an impact.
The Lions have successfully brought other teams, such as the Brumbies, down to their level, but the Tahs kept their structure and scored a further six tries in the second half. The Lions opted to run everything in the final 40, and Mitchell capitalised from their numerous errors to complete a personal tally of four tries.
Muir will undoubtedly find ‘positives’ in this display, but the Lions are going nowhere slowly. The seven-time champions Crusaders lie in wait, and if the Lions’ woeful defence continues, they can expect another hiding.
By Grant Ball
620 Comments
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12 Mar 2010, 20:15 pm
@Grrrr….I used to be a Lion!: I enjoy his posts, usually sound rugby wise and he doesnt let emotion cloud his judgement…
@Storm outta hell: I must remember at times to engage the brain before letting the mouth fly
12 Mar 2010, 20:16 pm
GO WARRIORS!!!!!!
12 Mar 2010, 20:16 pm
Grrr! Welcome back and welcome to the wp family. Good start there with regards to the blue cows- just add more detail to your blue bool personal hygiene jokes and add some incest jibes. Want some examples?
12 Mar 2010, 20:17 pm
@Slappes: Going fishin’..??
12 Mar 2010, 20:20 pm
@Slappes:
Train me old wise one!
12 Mar 2010, 20:22 pm
@Transformation:
Yeah, I also like the Warriors. In fact, they are my second team as half of them live in Cape Town
12 Mar 2010, 20:26 pm
Johan Botha chucking his way to respectable bowling figures yet again.
12 Mar 2010, 20:27 pm
@Robzim: Yah…Conrad pissed ‘em off so they went up east
12 Mar 2010, 20:30 pm
@Storm outta hell: so where do you see your team winning the game this weekend?
12 Mar 2010, 20:32 pm
483. POPPA69: “players the calibre of Fitzy, iceman Jones, Dowd, Olo Brown, the Whetton Brothers, the Brooke brothers, Steve McDow”
Michael Jones – QUALITY… I saw him at Twickers fecking rugby genius and he understood the ethos, humility and aggression.
New Zealand has many legends and you’ve mentioned a few but one has no place at the table.
I don’t mean to be confrontational Poppa but despite Sean Fitzpatrick being one of the new breed of “modern” players at the time, he was cynical and he introduced an unpleasant edge to the game. Underhanded and sneaky, we all understand the need to win but not at any cost, this one disgraced your beloved AB jersey.
Go on have a go, but deep down I bet every New Zealander feels just a little bit uncomfortable with him.
Be honest now…
12 Mar 2010, 20:34 pm
Nicky is killing them with his fingerspin.
12 Mar 2010, 20:34 pm
@poppa69: Demonic defence…they not gonna change anything…same old,same old.. but getting better all the time…how about yrs,or they not playing..?
12 Mar 2010, 20:36 pm
@Storm outta hell:
Yip,I can still perhaps understood that he did not select Boucher at that time (he has never played for the WP/Cobra’s) but to have left out Jacques Kallis was absolutely unforgivable.
Just plain stupid.
12 Mar 2010, 20:40 pm
@Robzim: thanks robbie , we are on FIRE here @ st georges park!!! WARRIORS
12 Mar 2010, 20:41 pm
The eastern pavilion on loftus had their and ancestry and iqs tested. Obviously the result for iq came back negative. More worringly was the fact that they all had a common ancestor ….a brick.
12 Mar 2010, 20:42 pm
@Transformation:
Mark is just brilliant tonite – cameo knock and great stumpings.
And then there are people who say he should not be in the Protea side???
12 Mar 2010, 20:43 pm
to all you pathetic pieces of poop who are now jumping the Lions ship and declaring your undying love for the tired old hooker turning tricks on the street corner, I say GROW A SPINE !
and I thought it was only KKK who could stoop so embarrassingly low……”oooh, I only support winners”. No team, no matter how good, deserves that type of toxic poison joining the party long after the hard work was done. Where was KKK when the Bulls leaked like the Titanic in 2002 ?
Counties & Highlanders until I die.
12 Mar 2010, 20:47 pm
@filthy Luca: @508
oh, and compared to whom ?
BaXXies ?
Corne ?
Bismarck ?
Big Vic and his armblade ?
Burger the eye-burglar ?
let he who cast the first stone….
12 Mar 2010, 20:50 pm
I had a profound thought today, nothing to do with the Lions, or even rugby for that matter, but I’ll use a rugby reference to illustrate it:
If Elton and Jan buy a farm together, each will own half of the farm.
So let’s say Jan has 2 children and Elton has 6. So now let’s say all the kids remain on the farm and end up working for their respective parents and eventually inherit the land when Elton and Jan both move on to greener pastures.
Let’s say the pattern repeats itself, and each of Elton’s 6 kids has 6 kids of his own, and each of Jan’s kids has 2 kids of his own.
Now, two generations later, Elton’s 36 descendants will own half the farm, and Jan’s 4 descendants will own the other half. It is perfectly logical.
So why does it not work that way with the whole country? Why should Elton’s descendants have 36 votes to decide the future of all, while Jan’s descendants will only have 4 votes? Why should Jan’s descendants be penalised for the fact that their father and grandfather chose to have fewer children than Elton and his sons?
Why not retain the proportional split between Jan and Elton’s descendants? This will reward Jan’s sensible, responsible actions – as he realised his half of the farm could only provide for 4 grandkids, while it would legitimately penalise Elton for irresponsibly thinking that his half of the pie could sustain 36. Why should Jan’s share be reduced because of the irresponsible actions of Elton and his descendants?
I thank you and look forward to your responses.
12 Mar 2010, 20:50 pm
@filthy Luca: no dramas, I appreciate your honesty…
I think most kiwis will always remember him as a legend, simply because you dont become the first captain of the ABs to win a series in SA without having that win at all costs mentality…that was our final frontier rugby wise…
did he overstep the mark, yes on occassions..but I think Richard Loe was much worse for cynical and underhanded play…
Andy Hadens “dive” versus Wales didnt cover the jersey in glory either..
12 Mar 2010, 20:52 pm
@Storm outta hell: they have been very miserly, should be a titanic game… Blues have the bye, so we may just sneak a win..
12 Mar 2010, 20:54 pm
@Robzim: one more wicket & we rule limited overs cricket for the YEAR!!!!!!! LET THE BOOZE FLOW BABY!!!
12 Mar 2010, 20:56 pm
@poppa69: @518
When I speak rugby with my Brit/Irish/Euro mates in London, they say Fitzy “IS rugby”.
When Safas take easy shots at Legends of the Game like Fitzy, I just say ‘turn the other ear’.
12 Mar 2010, 20:57 pm
516. Black Panther
He brought it to the game and you must carry the shame, darn not trying to be a poet.
The guys you mention are a bit rough but at least you can see it coming at you – your Sean was a smooth sneak who killed the innocence. Before his time there was a code – he broke it, sorry but you know it’s the truth.
12 Mar 2010, 21:01 pm
we ARE THE CHAMPIONS….no time for losers, cos we are the CHAMPIONS!!!
12 Mar 2010, 21:10 pm
@Transformation:
Well done and well deserved!!!
12 Mar 2010, 21:15 pm
@Tacitus:
Simple democracy dictates that majority sentiment rules. One cannot have democracy any other way.
If you do not espouse to democratic principles then its simple, become socialist or communist, after all minority rule basically denotes such practices and did so in this country for all of 46 or so years, and it was those particular insular non democratic principles which almost brought this country to its knees.
You have a rather short memory span after all. Seems you forget the fear ridden police state of emergency this poor country was subject to under some of Jan’s forebears.
12 Mar 2010, 21:29 pm
521. Black Panther:
I had a chuckle about your subtle ear reference…. nice one!
Of course you’re right we all have the odd arsehole but they don’t define the game.
“When I speak rugby with my Brit/Irish/Euro mates in London, they say Fitzy “IS rugby” – please don’t prop up your position with the opinions of a bunch of drunkards in a Covent Garden piss-house. What do they know?
I wonder if Colin “Pinetree” Meads would really shake his hand despite him missing a bit of ear material.. he made a bit of a show of it.
I think not.
12 Mar 2010, 21:38 pm
Grrr…
Once a Lion, always a Lion mate – they will be back.
Tac,
When I have profound moments like that it is usually after 2 bottles of red.
The next morning I am left thinking wtf I was thinking…
12 Mar 2010, 21:42 pm
518. poppa69:
I think we’re at a bit of a crossroads in our game.
Regulate the **** out of it or let the players regulate it, Too clinical poofter game or a bit of rucking to keep the lads on the right side of the loose maul. Difficult call really. The game has an image to uphold and mommy sees Johnny coming home with a few “grass-burns” on him doesn’t help the cause. I reckon we have to go back to our roots and let the old rucking back in. It didn’t hurt much girlfriend kissed me better. I got worse scrapes off skate-board.
12 Mar 2010, 21:44 pm
@skopskiet:
Fair, though predictable, response.
And yet,if Jan and Elton each owned half of a farm, is it then undemocratic if 50 years later, their descendants still own half of the farm each. Jan’s 4 descendants will then have as much of a say over the farm as Elton’s 36 descendants.
Are you unhappy with that setup too?
12 Mar 2010, 21:48 pm
The Lions are a disgrace. This **** is going on year after year and there is NO improvement. SARU should take charge of a fifth SA franchise and contract players and the best coaches for that team to be established. FFS, all our teams should at least be competitive. The Lions and Cheetahs are so poor when playing overseas that it`s really not worthwhile watching them.
12 Mar 2010, 22:05 pm
@filthy Luca: @526
and what makes your opinion more valid than than the Covent Garden neutrals ?
Fitzy was tough, mentally and he was no angel. But I never once saw him attack another players eyes; kick a players head; repeatedly attack opposition with body armour nor illegally take a player out of all rugby for 6mths.
Nor, for that matter, as Captain did he ever once disgrace the National jersey with a display of self-serving righteousness via an armband.
12 Mar 2010, 22:08 pm
529. Tacitus
OK so we’re off the rugby then.
Hello Tac – sorry to be blunt but you have a dumb argument.
Elton is a pillow biter so he won’t have any descendents. Let us assume however that he overcomes this problem and manages in some imaginative way to procreate and he hits the 36 descendant mark and poor old “sorry about the low sperm count” Jan is still on 4. It should be clear to you that Elton’s descendants will nip over the wall and slaughter Jan’s offspring.
Come on buddy we’ve been doing it since time began – let’s not let logic or sentiment get in the way of a bit of the old “lebensraum” / ” we need a bit of oil” / “they’ve got some ‘orrible weppins” (sorry my best cockney) excuse. Don’t pontificate unless you’re a pontiff – and … oh bugger I’m reminding me of my dad.
12 Mar 2010, 22:14 pm
@Tacitus:
Using your example:
In a socialist state Jan’s descendants (with a bit of luck) might each have a 10% share in a farm (4/40)
In a communist state they might have no share in any farm – neither would Elton’s (why such a *** name?)
In a free democracy there are lots of possibilities – Elton’s descendants might vote someone into power who gives them each a farm but if Jan’s descendants become good good party members and businessmen they might eventually buy them out and end up owing all the farms.
It’s your choice – there are advantages and disadvantages in each and every choice.
12 Mar 2010, 22:20 pm
531. Black Panther:
OK BP, you’re right – Sean never got caught stomping anybody but I think that has more to do with his being a savvy and streetwise player than any sense of decorum. Look rather to your real legends, Jones & co. Those were the real ABs that we loved and maybe dare I say it – respected….
12 Mar 2010, 22:20 pm
@Robzim:
Why unnecessarily bring socialism into this. If pure democracy is followed, then China and India should rule the world, as they outnumber everyone else.
But they don’t. New Zealand – with their paltry 4 million people decide for themselves what they want to do in their area. Same applies to the Netherlands, and Mauritius and Fiji. They don’t ask the majority (the Chinese) how to run their own lives.
Same principle should apply within countries as well.
12 Mar 2010, 22:23 pm
I’m afraid its time to join the sad Lions with the Cheetahs’ to make the ***** Cats so the Southern Kings can have a go. The Lion’s culture of battling their inability to believe to win games, year in year out we are promised of a new tide, every Currie Cup, they seem to give us false hope,, only to fail. I would love to know how much money has been spent on this Franchise since breaking away from the Cheetahs’ all those loyal Lion supporters will say money well spent, (all I can say to them love is blind), I say money thrown down the tube. If they had invested in the Southern Spears/Kings Franchise when they started I think we would be seeing more positive results fro the South African sides. The rugby pool of players is just so bigger in this region. I also think we wouldn’t be sitting here watching the Melbourne rebels scouting our shores with the lure of the Aussie Dollar taking our players off to Australia. Let’s get the franchise system representing South Africa and forget this Dutch style loyalty grow the Franchise Brands ,, away from their Currie Cup sides.
12 Mar 2010, 22:27 pm
@Thistle:
There is only 1 thing keeping rugby going in this country – the traditional passion for rugby in certain core communities. That passion is tied intricately to the identification and association with provinces that go back for decades. Break that link, destroy the traditional rugby culture, and you just have the demise of EP all over again, but this time on a national scale.
12 Mar 2010, 22:31 pm
@filthy Luca: @534
with the greatest of respect, I dont give a sh*t who you respect or not. Fitzy is a Legend and the greatest hooker to ever play the game. And he wore the Black jersey with pride and no little respect for it and its peoples either.
12 Mar 2010, 22:36 pm
clearly elton’s descendants are going to vote somebody into power who will give them jan’s descendants share of the farm…
by which time everybody (jan’s and elton’s descendants included) will be very hungry indeed…
12 Mar 2010, 22:40 pm
Hmmmmmm Tacitus, we need a change in the SA Franchises, we can not continue throwing money at the Lion’s; Jake was there they’ve got **** all they need is Jane , then they’ have ****, Jake & Jane.. and they will get the same results,, all I’m saying there is potential new market out there and the new franchise will start afresh. If you talk about EP, I was down there a while back and was amazed to see that they’re turning it around all be it slowly. I believe for the first time in years they have approached Grey High School to see if they can not keep some of their youngsters in the region. Cheeky even though not liked much in the other regions is getting business involved with rugby again. I don’t think anyone can deny EP previously were corrupt and ran the Union into the ground, hell I think one of their presidents still has charges pending for Lotto monies that was misappropriated. However with a new franchise down there would be a separate business, run like a business, a new beginning. I don’t see the Lions ever getting that winning feeling; SARU should be strong and make the correct decision, kill the poor Lion Franchise once and for all. Hell hunting season isn’t far off,,, time to get the rifles out .. bang bang.
12 Mar 2010, 22:40 pm
537. Tacitus
Agree absolutely
I think however that there is still room to move forward and create new allegiances which over time would attract the same passion. I for one would like to see a strong union in the Eastern Cape – preferably something not involving regurgitation in the rugby jersey area.
Can you imagine what that would bring to the game in this country?
We have all the talent, I just wonder sometimes how much dominance we could really have in world rugby if we used it to full potential.
12 Mar 2010, 22:49 pm
Jan’s folks owned a farm eyi eyi o, and on this farm they raised some chicks and ducks and geese and pigs and cattle, eyi eyi o.
Now why would Jan’s folks want to share their farm with Elton’s folks?
Jan’s folks inherited their farm from their Vry Burgher ancestors who came from far removed distant northern cold lands in search of peace and prosperity to a foreign land which was not theirs at all to begin with, when for some or other reason their sovereign state monarchies had had enough of their hungry mouths to feed and spat them out of their European civilized sovereignty’s laps.
And they were encouraged to go forth and multiply and colonize the earth for their shrinking and avarice enticed power hungry monarchs greedy colonization desires back home.
Now Jan’s folks were a cross bred cultural off shoot from the remnants of some indigenous inhabitants mixed together with the wayward seed of the wild oats sown by some of Jan’s ancestral family members who couldn’t keep their pants on and were simply tired of repeatedly sowing their tame oats amongst their own cousins and family once or twice removed, so the spice of attraction in sowing some wild oat seeds amongst the indigenous folk resulted and determined the birth of mixed bred cultures partly of Jan’s own heritage and partly from indigenous stock, and also partly from slaves that Jan’s enlightened forebears had captured in the far east and brought unwillingly all the way to this forlorn and colonized land against their will to serve hand and foot to Jan’s ancestors whims and fancy’s.
But Jan’s forebears couldn’t or wouldn’t multiply quite as vociferously or ferociously as Elton’s forebears did, because they tried or where tied to following in the wake of the good book that was their well endowed hereditary birthright to read and imbibe the good principles of less lust and more pure bred continence.
Hence Elton’s descendants soon enough out grew those of Jan’s in number but were banished into homelands and council housing estate schemes to keep them poor and downtrodden as long as Jan’s descendants carried the whip and read the riot act and called all the minority ruled shots.
Sooner or later the simple imbalance of the out of sinc state of affairs could not sustain the sham of minority domination any longer and Elton’s and Sipho’s and Nzimande’s folks reaching desire for humane recognition and self determination, just as Jan’s ancestors had felt same similar needs before, took over the fickle stage of make believe democracy and started turning the tables.
Now Jan’s folks have their aging farm enshrined in the annals of family tradition and heritage all the way from their roots in northern europe, while Elton’s and Sipho’s folks are eager to learn to sow some oats of their own in due course.
I wonder if lessons learned by Jan’s folks might wear off on the experiences and evolution of Elton’s folks. What do you think?
12 Mar 2010, 22:53 pm
@Tacitus:
#535
I think what you are proposing is more or less what the Nats took to the negotiation tables before 1994 – they wanted a vote for everyone but because of the diversity of SA they also wanted each identifiable nation or group having it’s own political power-base and political structures.
So basically they wanted a one man one vote for each own institution plus a scheme where joint responsibility could be taken with regard to common matters with self determination of each group within it’s own structures and group powerbase.
Or something like that.
The whole idea got shot down in flames during the negotiations as u know.
12 Mar 2010, 23:00 pm
538. Black Panther
Heheheh
Nice response BP – unfortunately he was a nob on the field and all the rightous indignation you can muster will not take that away. as far as being the greatest hooker is concerned, even Bismarck who is a bit of a chop himself would eat him for breakfast. I have no doubt that he wore the AB jersey with lots of pride unfortunately little honour and therin lies the problem. He brought some success but at what price.
He besmirched the AB tradition of honesty in the game and you can piss about with it as much as you want but there is little respect for this lad in my neck of the woods.
Sorry to be blunt about this BP but really I think even Jeff Wilson was a straighter guy even if he did like a bit of bum.
12 Mar 2010, 23:03 pm
Scrapping the Loins and giving the franchise to the Spares won’t work either. The player base in the South/Eastern Cape are totally allergic to tackling and that’s why they always come stone last in the Vodacup and CurrieCup watered-down championships.
Those big, hard-running Polynesians will canter in with about 30 tries a match and turn the whole charade into a cricket score.
To win rugby games, you must be able to tackle.
12 Mar 2010, 23:12 pm
Oh it’s you again – anything nice to say about South Africa / South Africans?
Thought not – why don’t you just piss off and crawl back under your rock until you have valuable comment?
Come on Tickler, say something interesting….
12 Mar 2010, 23:18 pm
I keep telling you dissemblers and reprobates — to win you absolutely have to be The Tackler. Nothing, but nothing, is ever more important than TACKLING!
If you can tackle, you can do pretty much anything. (Well, grouting tiles or mowing lawns may be excepted…)
But, if you can’t tackle, you’re pretty much totally screwed. Ask **** Muir — he’ll tell you.
Eleven tries conceded!
12 Mar 2010, 23:32 pm
547. TheTackler
Aaah yes I see the problem now – an obsession wth “tackle”,
Stop interfering with yourself, leave your tackle alone for a minute and focus on the rugby.
If you knew anything about the sport in this country you would know that the Eastern Cape is the nursery for our big unions. Young players if kept in the region would build a great union -it has nothing to do with you and your onanism. Please go away now Tickler unless you have a constructive comment – there must be one in that mess somewhere…
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