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, 14:41 pm
I am sorry, but this, was bloody awfull!!!
As a Lions supporter I will boycott this team and stay away from Ellis Park until the start winning games or at least play better.
What the hell is **** teaching them? And wtf…I still can’t see the plan with Spencer…the biggest waste of Rands EVER!!!!
This is a bloody joke…I am sure it is. I think I am sleeping…must be….must be a bad dream. Oh NO…it aint!!!!
I am going to swap teams…it’s official, I AM A BULLS SUPPORTER NOW, can’t cheer for that bloody bunch of overpaid losers.
It’s bloody pathetic. At least with the Bulls I know where they are going, when Meyer said he was building, he meant it, and they did.
12 Mar 2010, 14:42 pm
@Dawn: #297 Yes.
@WP Till I Die: #298 Kuzolunga mfowethu.
12 Mar 2010, 14:43 pm
@gunther:ja i think he is under police custody…eish, i heard from a friend yesterday that a motorist in soweto was harassed & beeaten up, all because he was driving a mini cooper *sight*
@katman: i wasn’t trying to be funny dude, it’s new slang, crude but it’s slang…
12 Mar 2010, 14:43 pm
Laurie Mains has tried, Eugene Eloff has tried, Frans Ludeke has tried, Jake White has tried and now **** Muir is trying.
When will you idiots see, its not the coach.
Have a look at the structures and the players. Not up to scratch.
I mean you have guys that can’t even draw a contract up running the union. Enough said.
Things are changing slowly and I do think the structures are being rectified slowly but it takes a long time to turn an oil tanker!
12 Mar 2010, 14:44 pm
@Ned: Blubbering Baywatch says they WILL bounce back…where’s yr faith..?
12 Mar 2010, 14:48 pm
yeah remeber how kak the bulls were, it took time and now look at then
just been reading other headlines
i know its not Rugby related, but am i a bad person for thinking this world would be a much better place if the likes of Malema and his following where extermenated like roaches
just putting it out there …..
12 Mar 2010, 14:49 pm
@chch – welcome back Carter: 300. Otago has.
12 Mar 2010, 14:49 pm
This is only amusing because the Lions purchased the Show Pony
12 Mar 2010, 14:50 pm
That’s unfortunate
There are quite a few mini coopers in Soweto
I am guessing there will be a spate of trade ins on bmws
Kind of like swapping the lions for the bulls..
12 Mar 2010, 14:50 pm
@Oubaas2009:
You mean Highlanders …. when?
12 Mar 2010, 14:50 pm
@chch – welcome back Carter : 300 and the famous all slaying Chiefs took 60 points in a final. Now thats embarrasing.
12 Mar 2010, 14:51 pm
@Oubaas2009: yep agreed, like taking 49 without reply to the Aussies
12 Mar 2010, 14:51 pm
@Ned: Bad choice…. you should have followed katmans example and signed up for a Stormers shirt
12 Mar 2010, 14:52 pm
@chch – welcome back Carter: Gavin Lawless got 50 points on his own. Sharks vs Highlanders.
12 Mar 2010, 14:53 pm
@Gonzo Journalism: Attn all just dismiss the post #306, i just get angry you know
and it is friday after all
12 Mar 2010, 14:54 pm
@poppa69: agreed or like not winning a RWC for 23 years?
12 Mar 2010, 14:54 pm
@Gonzo Journalism: brass knuckles and iron bars at the ready then
12 Mar 2010, 14:54 pm
@Ned: We never have any joy with this team. I never thought things would get this bad this season under Muir
12 Mar 2010, 14:55 pm
@Oubaas2009:
yeah, or even worse, letting Eng put 50 on ya … would rather continue to lose the WC then have Eng tear us a new one lmfao 
12 Mar 2010, 14:57 pm
@Gonzo Journalism:
Here, you can say what you like.
12 Mar 2010, 14:57 pm
only so much a coach can do though, the players still have to make the tackles, they still have to have pride in their performance (pun intended)…
12 Mar 2010, 14:58 pm
@Oubaas2009:
? The Sharks have never scored more than 36 points against the Highlanders
12 Mar 2010, 14:58 pm
I am really heart broken here boys…this is my team for god sakes. Now how can they expect me and many others to stick with them if they play like that without any discipline and desire.
12 Mar 2010, 14:58 pm
@Jozi: @Dawn: #293 & 294 lmao!!!
dawn you’re killing me! “where’s the Ntanga?” hahahaha
12 Mar 2010, 14:59 pm
@Gonzo Journalism: I feel you bru’…do we really need black rascists in power…I guess thats what the masses want…they all want to live like bra Julie
12 Mar 2010, 15:00 pm
@poppa69: Na mate, this another story, im talking guided missles and assistance from the israeli special forces….
12 Mar 2010, 15:00 pm
@chch – welcome back Carter: 322
Sharks 75 Highlanders 43
Most points in a match : 50 – Gavin Lawless, Sharks
I am right, you are wrong.
12 Mar 2010, 15:01 pm
@chch – welcome back Carter: Oubaas is right, it was something like a 75-35 clubbing a couple of years back
12 Mar 2010, 15:01 pm
Bye bye now. Enjoy rugga tomorrow! Go Sharks.
12 Mar 2010, 15:01 pm
are the Worrytahs semi final contenders then?
12 Mar 2010, 15:03 pm
@Ned: Gotta get right down to basics…learn from scratch…like Naas says..”Fire the players” if they can’t come on board…draw the line and go back to basic defence and structure,throwing the ball around ain’t got no hope..!
12 Mar 2010, 15:04 pm
Fire **** ‘we don’t need a defensive coach’ NOW!!!!
12 Mar 2010, 15:04 pm
@Dawn:Say what you like….like an AA meeting, but im not an alcoholic, see alcoholics go to AA meetings, im just a drunk
12 Mar 2010, 15:05 pm
Fire ****’we don’t need structure’ NOW!!!!
12 Mar 2010, 15:06 pm
While we at it, get rid of the wannabe rugby player earl rose.
12 Mar 2010, 15:06 pm
@Oubaas2009:
BUZZZZ WRONG
That was not the Highlanders. It was not even a S12/S14 game (no wonder I could not find it)
Biggest results between Highlanders and Sharks were the Shark loss away 5-45 and Sharks loss at home 7-43
12 Mar 2010, 15:07 pm
@Storm outta hell: OH well, perhaps by the time he is old enough to be president, we would have evolved past his BS
12 Mar 2010, 15:08 pm
@chch – welcome back Carter: They thereabouts,but no way they gonna win a semi or final at Loftus
12 Mar 2010, 15:08 pm
I actually used to support the Lions above other SA sides. Can’t you guys get rid of Carlos?
12 Mar 2010, 15:08 pm
After this brutality I’ll have to change my signature from this >^..^^oo^<
12 Mar 2010, 15:09 pm
@katman: I love it when WordPress thinks it knows best what to do with my post.
12 Mar 2010, 15:09 pm
@Storm outta hell:
Maybe the can do their usual last 3 games blow the semi finals trick
It is looking like Loftus. Have to see how the Bulls go on the road
12 Mar 2010, 15:10 pm
I am so angry at the lions rugby union, bunch of %$#@ clowns … why oh why did you hire **** instead of ****.
Yes, we have a bunch of new and ‘young’ players .. but seriously, how can we expect them to do anything when they are told to play touch/7′s rugby, and there is no structure, or dicipline, especialy in defence.
Agh no man .. lets get real .. the lions are going to lose all there games this season, and we are going to get the usual bullsh#t .. building, new ext ..
%$#@ !!!!
12 Mar 2010, 15:10 pm
In my opinion the Lions are the most unprofessional union to deal with in SA.
And please understand, that there are some honest, hard working, die-hard Lions people involved there, but the one guy simply has no idea what the next guy is doing.
The Lions imo has the wrong decision makers in place.
There seems to be a believe that money-men will make the right decisions.
The simple truth of the matter however is that professional rugby cannot be run on pure passions alone, nor can it be run on pure money either, because your resources and most valued assets are people – and it is one thing to manage a product as a resource in industries to be successful, it is quite different to manage people if they are your main resource to deliver a successful product.
There seems to be no balance, no plan – or rather, they will claim they have a plan, but I cannot see them working towards a sustainable plan.
Victory does not start on the field and filters through to the structures inside – it works the other way around.
A successful product does not make a successful company, but a successful company can just about make any product successful.
12 Mar 2010, 15:11 pm
correction: hire **** instead of HM
12 Mar 2010, 15:12 pm
Wikus van Heerden quote earlier this week:
“I’ve been watching all the Super 14 coverage of the Lions that I can. Although they haven’t won a game yet, there are massive improvements shown each week,’ he said. ‘They have definitely proved they can score and the defence is picking up each week.”
12 Mar 2010, 15:14 pm
@Gonzo Journalism: i’ve always maintained that the problem is not necessarily julius but the imbeciles that VOTED for him to be their leader instead of the other dude songezo (forget his surname)!!!! That is who i am worried about, the consumers & believers of populist rhetoric!
12 Mar 2010, 15:14 pm
@Horing: thats as funny as Stew Wilson and Ian Jones, stating that the Highlanders will take the Stormers on the Re Union rugby show
12 Mar 2010, 15:14 pm
@Oubaas2009:
Correct.
That stage they were still Natal, it was in 1997 in Durban.
75-43, Lawless scored 50 in that game, 4 tries, 9 conversions, 4 penalties.
Before the Lions/Chiefs game it was the highest aggregate score in Super rugby history (118)
12 Mar 2010, 15:14 pm
Gonzo
Don’t worry about julius ..
He is a deliberate distraction put there for your amusement whilst the govt gently phucks the rest of the country in the pie hole..
Now the lions on the other hand .. that’s a serious problem..
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