The biggest problem for the British & Irish Lions is that the All Blacks are only going to get better in Wellington. They will know what is coming – Warren Gatland is going to throw the kitchen sink at them because the Lions must be more physical. I know Graham Rowntree well and he will be cracking the whip this week but New Zealand were not at their best on Saturday. They made uncharacteristic mistakes and they will improve.
But it is not just that the Lions could not handle New Zealand’s physicality. The big thing was the All Blacks’ forwards’ work with the ball at the contact area. What I noticed most was the yards they made after contact. Carriers like Brodie Retallick and Kieran Read were getting tackled behind the gainline a lot but they have the ability to spin out, make that extra one or two metres and make the pass.
In and around the ruck there was a definite tactic to run off Aaron Smith. The forwards have the ability to take contact, then spin out of it or use the legs to drive through and keep forcing the Lions defence back. They kept making gains, got up to the 22 and forced the Lions to give away penalties.
Smith was just brilliant – this time last year he was not the form half-back in New Zealand but he has really put his foot down. What I liked about him was that he was in and around the rucks and sniping but, if you watch him, he is always involved in the game, he is never switching off. If it is a free-kick or a penalty, he is always the first one there, looking for a chance to go.
For Codie Taylor’s try Smith got his hands on the ball quickly, spotted the opportunity and he is gone and forcing people to react. I really like that about him because he was not doing that last year. He was going through the motions and he was not as engaged as I would have liked.
But he was in and around his forwards, barking orders. His communication at maul time and ruck time, in attack and defence, was fantastic. And he makes sure they do not have any wastage – there is never any wastage for the All Blacks. They do not send people into rucks when they do not need to and he is the main guy who communicates that.
With Smith marshalling his forwards, the All Blacks were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over. They had three chances and took all three whereas the Lions did not take all of theirs. And that all comes down to skill level. It is a big thing in New Zealand. I have been away for nine or 10 years but I still talk to guys who come over and I ask them about training. A lot of their sessions focus on pure skills – skills under pressure and skills under fatigue – and in making sure that the basics are done to an exceptionally high standard. So when they are under pressure, when they are fatigued, when it is a key moment in the game, they still have the opportunity to put a nail in the coffin and they do. All that preparation and all that training on the field is done for a reason.
Sometimes it is the little things – we saw Beauden Barrett get charged down and then he came up with that one-handed pick-up. That could have easily led to a tackle, a turnover and three points for the Lions. Instead he backs his skill level to pick it up with one hand. When the moments come, under pressure, the skill level is so high. There is also a great understanding of the ability of everyone in the team, what their skill level is and what their tendencies are. Sonny Bill Williams steps off his left, offloads with his right – his team-mates know that so they know the lines to run.
The Lions had a decent idea of what they wanted to do but they have to be at it for 80 minutes and cannot switch off for a moment. They switched off for the Taylor try and some of the penalties were down to switching off – Maro Itoje came on and gave away an easy penalty at the ruck. They need to be more physical and stop New Zealand winning the gain-line but they need to be smarter, too.
And they need to mix up their exits a little bit, Conor Murray is brilliant at the box-kicks but you have to manipulate them more. Owen Farrell could have done a bit more tactical kicking to push back that back three a little more. I would not say that Farrell had a bad game but he was not at that high standard that we probably expect from him. Goalkicking plays a part in that and it is a worry that he missed another one he would have expected to make. But he will get another shot in Wellington because, when he is on form, he is brilliant.
I do not expect Gatland to make too many changes. The backs did a lot of very good things. Ben Te’o nullified Williams in defence whereas in attack he was running down Aaron Cruden’s channel and getting over the gainline. We also saw the broken-field abilities of the back three, so there is not the need to make loads of changes. They just have to cut out the mistakes because there is no tomorrow for the Lions now.
Who should play in the second Test?
Warren Gatland, the British & Irish Lions head coach, sprang a few surprises in his team with Liam Williams getting the nod at full‑back despite playing 80 minutes against the Chiefs and Elliot Daly on the wing ahead of George North. He opted against playing Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell together, instead picking the hard‑running Ben Te’o at inside-centre, and with Sam Warburton unable to force his way into the side Peter O’Mahony was named captain.
Here our writers select their Lions team for the second Test in Wellington on Saturday:
Andy Bull
Cruel as it is on a man who was captain, O’Mahony makes way for CJ Stander, who played at blindside flanker for Ireland when they defeated the All Blacks in Chicago. Maro Itoje replaces Alun Wyn Jones, who did not do enough to justify starting ahead of him last Saturday. Otherwise the starting XV remains the same. Among the subs, Jonathan Joseph is on the bench instead of Leigh Halfpenny.
Team L Williams; A Watson, J Davies, B Te’o, E Daly; O Farrell, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, G Kruis, CJ Stander, S O’Brien, T Faletau.
Nick Evans
I would be tempted to bring in Itoje and Lawes because Jones did not do enough to keep the shirt and Kruis did not have his best game. Itoje and Lawes can bring the physicality, work-rate and explosiveness in the tackle that the Lions need. The back-line stays as it is but I would like to see someone such as Joseph on the bench, someone who can make a real impact because that is not what you get from Halfpenny.
Team L Williams; A Watson, J Davies, B Te’o, E Daly; O Farrell, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, C Lawes, P O’Mahony (capt), S O’Brien, T Faletau.
Robert Kitson
The Lions need to inject more pace into their forward pack whilst retaining their physicality. Itoje and the 2013 Lions captain, Warburton, can also provide extra breakdown assistance and, with Sean O’Brien on top form, that means no place this weekend for Peter O’Mahony. With greater bench impact crucial, Courtney Lawes, Stander and Jack Nowell would be valuable additions to the match-day 23.
Team L Williams; A Watson, J Davies, B Te’o, E Daly; O Farrell, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, G Kruis, M Itoje, S O’Brien, S Warburton (capt), T Faletau.
Gerard Meagher
Gatland talked a lot about picking players with an abrasive edge when naming the squad and now is the time to play them. Kyle Sinckler is a risk because his scrummaging is a work in progress but there is no point holding him back. The Lions need to build a lead – as we saw in Auckland they have no chance if chasing the game. North could squeeze on to the left wing if he impresses on Tuesday.
Team L Williams; A Watson; J Davies; B Te’o, E Daly; O Farrell (capt), C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, K Sinckler, M Itoje, C Lawes, I Henderson, S O’Brien, T Faletau.
Paul Rees
The Lions will probably go back to basics, but their best passing midfield would maximise their attacking threat out wide, although it would be hard on Te’o. Daly and Williams swapping positions would add a kicking option and Farrell at 12 would allow six forwards on the bench. Warburton and Itoje would add to the breakdown and Lawes would make it an England lineout and add aggression.
Team E Daly; A Watson, J Davies, O Farrell, L Williams; J Sexton, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, G Kruis, C Lawes, S Warburton, T Faletau.
