Lions finally roar under Mitch
21 Feb 2011
MARK KEOHANE, in his Business Day newspaper column, applauds John Mitchell’s impact with the Lions.
There was no victory for the Lions and ultimately it is the win that defines the team but there was hope that finally there is a rugby roar again in Johannesburg.
Lions coach Mitchell praised the tournament’s new format because it has introduced more derbies and by extension more intense contests.
In Auckland when the Blues hosted and beat the seven-time champion Crusaders and in Johannesburg when the Lions came close to upstaging the three-time champion Bulls the occasion prospered because of a long standing rivalry.
All four teams could be measured against history and had a responsibility to what had gone before. In the case of the Bulls it was to preserve the recent dominance and for Mitchell’s Lions it was the challenge to create something new.
The Lions, with a mix and match of coaches not good enough, had become the whipping boys of the tournament and last year broke every record as the worst team in the history of Super Rugby. They lost 13 successive matches, conceded over 500 points and leaked the most tries.
Mitchell, an assistant to Clive Woodward’s England, head coach of the All Blacks and founding coach of the Force, has improved the Lions and he has also reminded the South African rugby authorities that a coach does make a difference and a coach is not what transports players to the ground or embarrasses a nation every weekend at press conferences.
In Johannesburg and Auckland we saw matches true to the hype of Super Rugby, whereas in Wellington the Canes and Highlanders produced a match of such poor quality it is no wonder only 11 000 turned up.
In the first weekend of the tournament so much was revealed. The Bulls and Crusaders will be the teams to beat, the Waratahs will again provide the primary Australian challenge, the Sharks will be a contender, the Chiefs never start well, the Canes have too much inconsistency to win the tournament, the Rebels have taken over the mantle of the Rubble from the Reds and the sleeping giants (the Blues and Lions) may finally be stirring. They aren’t awake just yet, despite the Blues fantastic come from behind win.
Supporters of the Blues and Lions can be heartened by the manner of performance because it counters any argument that this was merely a display of passion against a traditional foe. If that had been the case the home team Blues and Lions would have thrown everything at the respective two dominant forces of Super Rugby in the opening 30 minutes and then run out of puff in the last quarter. In both matches it was the reverse.
The Blues and Lions started nervously against opponents who played with class, precision and respect for the laws, and at halftime seemed out of the game. The Crusaders led 19-6 and the Bulls enjoyed a commanding 24-5 halftime lead. The turnaround in both matches was dramatic and both teams adopted a similar approach, which was to ensure they kept the ball and maintained their discipline at the breakdown. Both the Blues and Lions played with more intelligence and with more patience in the second half and the longer they held onto the ball the greater their confidence. It was thrilling to watch the Blues take complete control, while the intrigue in Johannesburg was the Lions resurgence and also the Bulls resilience in the final five minutes.
Fourie du Preez and Victor Matfield were huge in calming the situation as the Bulls frantically defended a four point lead, and when they did get relief through a kickable penalty with three minutes to play the experienced duo did not opt for the three points, but backed their ability to keep the ball for three minutes and wind down the clock. Only the really good sides can do this and the Bulls are a damn good side. They kicked to the corner, took the lineout, won it, mauled it and kept the ball until they forced a penalty again. With Matfield and Du Preez there they will take some beating. When the duo is rested or unavailable they can be beaten.
The Crusaders will also be more imposing when Richie McCaw and Sonny Bill Williams play. McCaw has no equal and Williams will add a dimension to a midfield that lacked thrust in Auckland.
The Sharks, with Willem Alberts at No 8, always had too much quality in their tight five against the Cheetahs who are among the teams in for a struggle.
In a tournament where so much has changed what hasn’t is that there are too many teams who, like the Cheetahs, are going to struggle. It is why the tournament needs the Blues and Lions to wake properly.
318 Comments
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22 Feb 2011, 01:22 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-298: I have ost my ability to watch all the rugby unfortunately, my webstreaming service died and although VIPStand is good, you don’t see all the teams. I have not entered SuperBru as I do not have a clue about the other teams.
Your thoughts on your Sharks?
I know how you feel about Smit you stirrer.
22 Feb 2011, 01:23 am
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-299: got to hit the sack Soda, early start in the morning.
The recent comments would be better at the bottom near the last post.
See you through the window.
22 Feb 2011, 01:23 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-300: Night boet. Pity – always enjoy the time. see you soon.
22 Feb 2011, 01:24 am
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-301: just before I go, there was someone from the US on here earlier today saying that he watched the SA games live on some channel called ‘direct tv’. Hope this helps, maybe you can subscribe if you don’t already have it.
22 Feb 2011, 01:26 am
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-301:
I know how you feel about Smit you stirrer.
Tongue firmly in cheek.
Someone has to keep the “Struggle for the Liberation of the Speedo Budgie” crew firmly in place!
Cheers.
22 Feb 2011, 01:31 am
Soda
They seem to have every game on offer. Packages start at USD29.99 p/month…
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/sports/rugby?footernavtype=-1
Hope this helps…man I’d hate to be out of rugby range.
22 Feb 2011, 01:40 am
Wow, this has got to be the most pleasant chewing of fat on the keo ever
22 Feb 2011, 03:12 am
US DirectTV – channels 490-491 are now official rugby channels. Watched 3 S15 games in HD this weekend.
22 Feb 2011, 03:54 am
South Africas greatest weakness lies around coaching.
Thank-you Mitchell for highlighting our major issue. Sorry, our second biggest issue, firstly is the grossly incompetant SARU managers that allowed this to take place.
Its time to get coaches with higher win ratios in the Cheetahs, the Boks and sevens as 60% for the largest rubgy playing nation is unacceptable.
22 Feb 2011, 04:06 am
Bakkies signs for Toulon.
22 Feb 2011, 04:32 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-196:
Hey Dawn, did they say anything about the dolphins?
You should read Douglas Adams trilogy of…. errr five books, it will explain everything to you and you may even see a familiar name along the way!
22 Feb 2011, 04:41 am
Chrustchurch hit by another earthquake, measuring 6.3 on the scale… there are confirmed fatalities
22 Feb 2011, 04:46 am
Hi all…yep…a 6.3 mag. earthquake with a shallow depth of only about 1.3 kilometres right in the city centre has basically destroyed Christchurch..!.There are deaths this time…I’m in Wellington but feel for my fellow countrymen….man this sucks..!…
22 Feb 2011, 04:46 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-312:
Saw some footage on Sky and it is not looking good Pops!
22 Feb 2011, 04:52 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-314: yeah, hit during the middle of the day was always going to be trouble… feel for all those involved, havi9ng just recovered from the last one..
I wonder if this puts Christchurch in doubt as a host city too..
22 Feb 2011, 05:26 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-315:
Sure they will have it sorted, enough time left.
22 Feb 2011, 06:10 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-312:
Sad, sad news. Condolences to all those out there that might have lost loved ones.
Watching now on BBC World News – a lot of devastation.
22 Feb 2011, 08:09 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-304:
From my stints in the States this a half truth:
A SuperRugby is about 1 game per weekend and not necessarily one that SA teams involved, the Tri Nations shown in full but the EOYT are not shown at all.
The B&IL series wasn’t shown either.
The CC falls into a dead spell so you may watch few games, the playoffs and the finals are shown indeed, but it’s a delayed broadcasting.
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