Saders sink brainless Lions

Saders sink brainless Lions

31 Mar 2012

RYAN VREDE reports on the Crusaders’ 23-13 victory over a tactically naive Lions at Ellis Park.

Yet another loss where the Lions played what they deem beautiful rugby. Their supporters will settle for an ugly, deformed or downright hideous win right now.

The excuse about injuries doesn’t wash. Every team has injuries. Their problems are rooted in coach John Mitchell’s refusal to relinquish a misplaced belief in a fundamentally flawed game plan. The Lions continue to play a brand of rugby too heavily weighted to the expansive. It lacks the balance needed to make them a consistently threatening side.

The Saders were uncharacteristically porous on defence in the first half (missed 10 tackles and lacked the physicality at the gainline that has traditionally been the bedrock of their success). Yet for all their possession and territory the Lions led by just three points (13-10) at the break. They will point to missed opportunities that could have extended their lead, but those sorts of errors have become chronic.

The Saders scored with one of their first opportunities in the half, Dan Carter expertly picking out Zac Guilford’s run on his inside shoulder. It was an ominous warning for the hosts, who despite scoring a converted try just before the break, had exhibited little to inspire.

The Saders started brilliantly after the break, Sean Maitland collecting the most sublime grubber from Israel Dagg to score. Tom Taylor converted and kicked two penalties thereafter to give his side a 10-point lead.

Still the Lions had the ascendancy in the territory and possession stakes and were forcing the visitors into a plethora of tackles. But there was a marked sense of composure on defence from the seven-time champs, who committed few to the breakdown and around the ruck fringe, safe in the knowledge that the Lions would not seek to punch up close through phases.

The Lions became increasingly cavalier as their desperation grew and this suited the Saders, who isolated runners and kept their breakdown turnover count ticking over. The Lions never looked like winning. They simply didn’t have the tactical capacity for it.

Expect Mitchell to point once more to his injury list and speak of this loss as a lesson. Bullshit. He needs to be accountable for what promises to be yet another disastrous Super Rugby campaign under his watch.


369 Comments

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  • 1.Slartibartfast: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:11 pm

    Sheesh 2 minutes and two injured DRAGONS err I mean Lions!

  • 2.cab: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:11 pm

    injuries are horrific, now kamana.

    could be a whipping here.

    great first scrum by lions tho against AB frontrow.

  • 3.namLion: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:15 pm

    always running from their 22, always getting nailed

  • 4.Slappes: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:16 pm

    Kom lions!

  • 5.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:19 pm

    Kom waar?

  • 6.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:21 pm

    Jerseys too similar. I’ll bet Strauss thought that was a Lion on his shoulder.

  • 7.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:22 pm

    Ahem, I typed that before the commentators mentioned it. Honest injun.

  • 8.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:22 pm

    True jock.

  • 9.bananaboy: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:24 pm

    @namLion(14261774)-3: Not a bad tactic because the opposing wings and fullback hang back expecting the kick, if you can get the ball wide through the hands there is space out wide

  • 10.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:24 pm

    @Dawn(Dawn)-8:

    No chance of that with the Bulletjies pink number later this afternoon though :D

  • 11.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:24 pm

    And you expect us to believe a Scot?

  • 12.namLion: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:24 pm

    i like it, their using taute a lot more this week

  • 13.namLion: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:25 pm

    @bananaboy(bananaboy)-9: yes, but they dont, cause its become all to predictable

  • 14.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:25 pm

    :lol:

  • 15.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:29 pm

    So far so good holding them off nicely

  • 16.THE MAULER: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:30 pm

    Go Lions!!! Im off to go see Russell Peters!!

  • 17.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:30 pm

    You’re not too old to go over my knee young lady….

    3-0. Cool. Stay like that and I get the mp on Superbru :D

  • 18.bananaboy: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:34 pm

    @namLion(14261774)-13: Give them some time and when they perfect it some sides will ka……k

  • 19.Slappes: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:35 pm

    @Dawn,Komaan Lions!

  • 20.namLion: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:35 pm

    @bananaboy(bananaboy)-18: :) ek hoop so!

  • 21.namLion: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:39 pm

    coetzee doing well, good judgment on when to run and when to kick from the back

  • 22.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:44 pm

    Is that the opening of the floodgates?…

    I hope not. C’mon Lions.

  • 23.namLion: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:47 pm

    TRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY again!

  • 24.Slappes: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:47 pm

    Try Lions?

  • 25.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:48 pm

    What a waste, he should have passed and that was a certain try.

  • 26.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:49 pm

    Very selfish.

  • 27.Slappes: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:49 pm

    Cilliers!

  • 28.cab: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:49 pm

    fantastic play by lions

    cilliers should be the bok TH.

  • 29.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:50 pm

    Fortunately it doesn’t like like it will matter much. Try Lions.

  • 30.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:52 pm

    Try lions.

    Lion Cheerleader Cameltoe.

    Nom nom nom.

  • 31.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:53 pm

    Spooner your syntax is scrambled today WTF

  • 32.namLion: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:53 pm

    how will the lions react to this unfamiliar position of finding themselves in the lead at the start of the 2nd half? they always look much better when chasing the game

  • 33.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:54 pm

    Gunther, thanks very much!

  • 34.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:54 pm

    @Dawn(Dawn)-31: hangover.

  • 35.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:57 pm

    go lions!

    p.s. sick of this poaching of kzn talent by the other unions, its like the conscription era.

  • 36.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:58 pm

    @rangerman(rangerman)-35: lol, it’s disgraceful.

  • 37.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:58 pm

    Very welcome Dawn.

    Don’t burn it for more than three hours at a time.

  • 38.The_Don: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:59 pm

    Does anybody know a site that’s streaming this and the Stormers v Bulls game?

  • 39.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 17:59 pm

    I won’t

  • 40.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:00 pm

    i wonder if there will be a naked kiwi running around joeys abusing women on scooters and retired punters in a bar.

    i suggest this spree will last all of 5 mins.

    max.

  • 41.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:01 pm

    Serious question. Would the Sharks union rather have Cilliers or Jannie Du Plessis?

    I know what my answer is.

  • 42.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:02 pm

    Crikey.

    The lions fuckedup about 4 scoring opportunties.

    It could have been a massacre.

    Lions 35
    Christians O

  • 43.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:03 pm

    @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-36: hehe, the lions are like natal in the early 90′s.

    its all good, just makes me laugh when ignorant hobos think its all one way.

  • 44.cab: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:03 pm

    yeah but u got alberts, which is joeys born and bred.

  • 45.Rum And Maple: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:03 pm

    @The_Don(The_Don)-38: http://www.kostaz.webs.com

  • 46.namLion: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:03 pm

    @the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-42: the first ever supersport reel on missed opportunities, and there’s a lot

  • 47.cab: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:05 pm

    @The_Don(The_Don)-38:
    vipstand {dot} net

  • 48.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:05 pm

    To be fair we did get Alberts, Deysel and McLeod. And also Ludik.

  • 49.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:05 pm

    Did the lovely Tara look after you?

  • 50.Rhys7: Reply to this comment
    31 Mar 2012, 18:06 pm

    How can the Lions only attract a few thousand people to this game against a team so good as the Crusaders… but Harlequins v Saracens at Wembley gets 80,000 people in a sell out…

    I mean its not like theres loads of Saffas in the Saracens team today, only Brits, Joubert and De Kock…

    People must be at home watching the Saracens game then the Lions game instead of going to Ellis Park

    Anyway, Go Lions!

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