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That’s it from me. Thanks for your company and we’ll see you again for the Stormers on Saturday. Cheers.
Warren Gatland is giving his thoughts
“I was really pleased with how we got back into the game, we stayed in the battle and the guys are in the changing room saying there’s no reason we can’t win this series. We needed this game, and there’s lots to work on. We lost some of the aerial battle, we gave them points due to a lack of accuracy, but we put them under a lot of pressure and I was pleased with our second half performance.”
Credit to South Africa A is due, mind. They played two men down for ten minutes and had to defend hugely for large parts of the game and stood up to it in what is their first real hit out as well, let’s not forget.
They also dominated much of the ruck and their kicking game via Steyn and De Klerk was significantly better than that on offer from Murray and Farrell.
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Defeated captain Conor Murray is here:
“Down at half time was tough ask. We were calm and executed most of what we wanted to do, but it’s a good hit out against a good side. This was something that we needed and it was massively physical.”
I agree this will be of greater benefit to their prep than previous games, but if that was an example of the Lions executing most of what they wanted to do, then I’d be very very worried. However, that was likely just a phrase to use in an interview wasn’t it?
Please tell me it was..
A better second half from the Lions, but still much to work on, particularly when attacking close to the line and game management when SA were down to 13.
FULL TIME! South Africa A 17 - 13 Lions
80+2 mins. De Klerk spills it backwards from the back of the scrum, Farrell flies towards the ball but Willemse manages to toe bung it away, anywhere will do, and he’s grateful it flies into touch.
80+1 mins. Into the Boks half go the Lions but Fagerson knocks on as the ball is dislodged in the tackle. Although it looked very much like it went backwards from his hands to me.
Not that what I think matters There’s a scrum coming and the Lions will be pushing with everything they have to win this back against the head...
79 mins. The Lions have nicked it from the SA lineout maul via Adam Beard’s go-go-gadget arms, which means they have the ball in hand and the last minute or so to win this in the most dramatic way.
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78 mins. Into the final two minutes and the Boks are four points up, in possession and eating up metres in a maul on a penalty advantage. It really could not be any better for them
The penalty is finally taken and Steyn sends it to touch.
77 mins. As the ball moves left for the Lions, Farrell floats a lovely angled kick to Rees-Zammit who hacks it on around Kriel but it dribbles into touch before he can give chase.
75 mins. Steyn reaches into his vintage back catalogue and goes for drop goal from forty metres. It has the legs, but it’s left of the posts.
72 mins. Lions discipline slipping as another penalty is given away at ruck. Morne Steyn sends a relieving kick into touch in the Lions half, which is welcome for the home side as they look absolutely knackered at the minute.
Tadhg Beirne is on the field for Navidi.
Herchel Jantjies has replaced Wiese. Which means they have seven forwards on the park and eight backs.
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70 mins. Adam Beard is offside in a maul and this allows another catch and drive from the Boks, but he makes up for it by getting amongst the maul again with Itoje to prevent the ball coming out and winning a scrum for the Lions.
Murray kicks the ball away, but it’s once again straight down Kolbe’s throat and South Africa are back on the attack in the Lions half.
68 mins. South Africa A have their first attacking possession in Lions territory for some time. They put on some carries around the 22 but the red tackle line is up to it before de Klerk chips for the corner and Nkosi is this close to scoring on the end of it, but Daly mops up and clears.
65 mins. TOm Curry, who has had a energetic, disruptive and impactful game, charges down a De Klerk kick on the SA 22, but the home side recover it and clear before the Lions are offside on the Bok 10 metre line.
Lions Subs:
Zander Fagerson for Sinckler
Adam Beard replaces Henderson
MISSED PENALTY! South Africa A 17 - 13 Lions (More Steyn)
62 mins. But he pulls it just left. It’s still a four-point game!
60 mins. Penalty given to the Boks for hands in the ruck by Lions. Steyn fancies it from 40-plus metres.
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59 mins. Murray and Farrell decide enough is enough of this forwards stuff and pop it left to Harris who floats a long pass to Rees-Zammit who stretches for the line while two Bok tacklers grapple him. He’s a foot short with his first reach, but did he get there with his legal second attempt...?
He did not says the TMO. No try.
Penalty South Africa for playing the ball on the floor.
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57 mins. Kolbe is snagged by Rees-Zammit in the South African in-goal after a great kick chase. The little wing does well so struggle out of there but his team-mates infringe to give the Lions another close-in penalty. The tourists tap-and-go again and are once more labouring much through carries to go nowhere so far.
55 mins. Possession is traded a few times in mostly untidy ways, and in the midst of it all Anthony Watson is on the ground looking in a bad way having what looks like his ankle worked on.
He’s up, which is good, but he’s hobbling which isn’t.
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53 mins. Damian Willemse is on for Damian De Allende in the South Africa ranks.
51 mins. Luke Cowan-Dickie replaces Ken Owens, who has been amongst it all game. A test shirt securing performance.
PENALTY! South Africa A 17 - 13 Lions (Owen Farrell)
50 mins. For the first time in the match the Lions run an attacking pattern off first phase ball to find Chris Harris who sits Kolbe down by bumping the Bok wing’s tackle. In the midst of this SA are offside at the ruck.
Farrell lines it up for around forty metres and slots it with ease.
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Sam Simmonds is on for Faletau. Given the joy the Wales man was having in the loose, the rapid Simmonds will have his dander up for a chance here.
Faf de Klerk has rejoined proceedings, as soon so will Marco van Staden and we’ll be 15-a-side once more.
48 mins. The tourists are much busier this half, perhaps understandably against the thirteen men of the Boks, but the home team are scrambling hard in defence and they close the door on Elliot Daly out right.
46 mins. In scoring that try it looks like Jones has knacked his shoulder so he’s hooked off for Mako Vunipola
TRY! South Africa A 17 - 10 Lions (Wyn Jones)
45 mins. Anthony Watson is through a gap on the right and again it’s Curry on the shoulder to carry it up to within metres of the Bok line. Wyn Jones carries hard from the ruck and he’s over to score his first Lions try and it’s just reward for a solid performance.
Farrell adds the conversion.
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43 mins. Lions are straight on the attack, again via a strong run from Faletau popping up in the thirteen channel. He flicks the ball one-handed to Rees-Zammit who find Curry with and inside pop into the SA 22, but the momentum is lost as he runs out of support runners moving at pace.
Second Half!
40 mins. Steyn gets us back underway.
Vincent Koch is on for Trevor Nyakane
On the plus side, the Lions scrum is going well. Trouble is that the negative column has pretty much everything else in it: kicking out of hand, attacking patterns, lineout, maul, ruck, territory management, everything.
Half time email!
“Lions are going to need around 25 (I’d say) to win this,” ventures John Ryan, “and based on their general play, inability to kick the ball to the corner and inability to take advantage of being two men up, that doesn’t look likely at all.”
Have to agree John. It’s a long way back, and that attack at the end of the half had all the hallmarks of Gatland’s Wales at their worst when they sent pointless wave after pointless wave at the Australia line to zero result.
HALF TIME! South Africa A 17 - 3 Lions
PEEEEEEEEP! That’s the last act of the half
NO TRY! South Africa A 17 - 3 Lions
40+2 mins. Wyn Jones thinks he’s over, and so does Peyper on first look but he wants the TMO to check as it’s a potential double-movement. On review the TMO concludes is a triple movement and so, not a try.
YELLOW CARD! Marco van Staden
40 mins. It’s another tap-and-go by the Lions and loads of carries from metres out that are blocked out by the the Boks. However, an infringement by Marco van Staden sees ref Peyper reach for his pocket again for persistent infringement.
YELLOW CARD! Faf De Klerk
38 mins. There’s a break in play as Etzebeth gets some treatment and Rassie Erasmus takes the opportunity to replace Dweba at hooker with World Cup winner and all-round powerhouse Malcolm Marx.
The TMO is having a look at a Faf De Clerk tackle as it looks like he’s thrown his shoulder into Wyn Jones. It’s a clear shoulder charge but the scrum-half has luckily not made contact with the head of the Lions prop. Nevertheless, it’s bad enough to attract a sin-bin.
37 mins. On another penalty advantage Farrell creams a cross-kick to Watson who just can’t get over. There follows a number of strong carries, each one repelled by the green shirted defence. The ball is moved to the left after a quick tap penalty and once again it’s strong short carries from the Lions pack, each one stopped short.
35 mins. It’s a rapid response from the Lions as Curry’s soft hands in midfield find Aki who puts Watson away up the right and into the opposition half. The ball is worked left to Rees-Zammit who wriggles and twists but can’t get away. However there was an offside from the Boks in there and Farrell sends it into the corner for a lineout.
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TRY! South Africa 17 - 3 Lions (Lukhanyo Am)
33 mins. A kick finds Kolbe on the full in his own half and he needs no second invitation to run it back, execute his trademark hitch-kick to leave Chris Harris for dead before he offloads out of the tackle to Am to score.
Steyn converts.
31 mins. Well, it would have been an advantage but Murray box-kicks directly into touch. Gah!
30 mins. Some probing long kicks from both sides try to force a decent position and this is brought to an end as Steyn finds touch in his own half for an opposition lineout. Advantage Lions after that mini battle.
PENALTY! South Africa A 10 - 3 Lions (Owen Farrell)
28 mins. It was from just left and not far out, Farrell doesn’t miss those.
The Lions can count themselves lucky to only be seven behind after a horrible first 28 mins.
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27 mins. Faletau finds himself in possession in the outside-centre channel and turns on the gas to carry into the SA 22. When the ball is recycled the home team are offside and Farrell points at the posts.
25 mins. About the only thing looking up to snuff tonight for the Lions is their scrum and Wyn Jones once again does a number on Trevor Nyakane to win his side a crucial penalty. The ball is worked away and the tourists will have some possession at last somewhere near the South African half.
23 mins. From a lineout in the Lions 22, the home side again put some ominous phases together. This time they fire it right to Kolbe whose dancing feet can’t get past a blanket of covering red shirts. The ball is loose, but it’s a Lions knock-on and SA have a scrum-five from which to attack the Lions line.
20 mins. A fantastic scrum is held rock solid by both packs for fifteen seconds on halfway and when the ball emerges Morne Steyn floats a beauty of a kick that forces Daly to play. He ships to Rees-Zammit who promptly kicks it out on the full from outside his 22.
The Lions kicking game has thus far been akin to a one-legged drunken circus act.
18 mins. Ken Owens wins a turnover penalty just in the South African half to give Farrell the chance to get some territory, but he misses touch! Willie Le Roux recovers the ball and it’s another poor outcome from the England captain who isn’t having a vintage one so far.
15 mins. Liam Williams has left the field for a HIA, replaced at fullback by Elliot Daly.
TRY! South Africa A 10 - 0 Lions (Sbu Nkosi)
14 mins. Ferocious defence rush from the Boks means the ball is slow for the Lions and allows Etzebeth to charge down a slightly laboured Farrell kick. It pops to De Allende who quickly feeds Nkosi for a 6o metre run in.
Steyn adds the extras from out wide.
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11 mins. Advantage Lions early in the set piece after Trevor Nyakane hits the ground and is pinged for collapsing. From the resulting lineout the Lions try to get the maul going but Mostert is in to disrupt and bring the attack to a halt by winning a penalty.
8 mins. It’s early, but the Lions are struggling to control any possession and are being marmalised at the ruck. Now the first scrum of the match is on the way - it’s a Lions one just inside their own half
PENALTY! South Africa A 3 - 0 Lions (Morne Steyn)
6 mins. An advantage was being played and Steyn takes the shot at goal and makes no mistake.
5 mins. The A Team nick a Lions lineout that puts them on the attack in the 22. It’s the first time in the match that some phases are put together by either team and after a few probing attacks the ball is floated left to Nkosi who grounds the ball in the left corner!
But a quick review by the TMO shows that Anthony Watson’s desperate cover tackle forced the Bok wing’s foot into touch. NO TRY!
3 mins. The home side have kicked every possession away to test Liam Williams who is thus far up to it. Off the latest kick the Boks are offside, but the tourists can’t take advantage as they are caught holding on in the ruck by a strong De Allende jackal.
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Kick off!
1 min. Owen Farrell gets us underway with a short kick and South Africa A have a few darts before Rees Zammit claims a mark from an aimless chip forward.
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“Kyle Sinckler will have his work cut out tonight against Steven Kitshoff when they scrum down.” offers jeffprobynstwin, and with that name I’m assuming he knows his front row stuff. “If Sinckler gets parity that will be a good achievement. This is also Wyn Jones’ chance to target Trevor Nyakane who I believe to be the weak link in the Springbok front row.”
More Lions squad news
The British & Irish Lions can confirm that Ronan Kelleher (Leinster, Ireland) will join the Touring party on Thursday 15 July.
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 14, 2021
Read all about it ⬇️#LionsRugby #CastleLionsSeries #LionsSA2021
There are no hooker injuries, apparently, Warren Gatland simply thinks it’s prudent to have four on tour at this stage.
Lions selection shenanegans explained.
Warren Gatland has just been on the TV to inform us that Josh Adams’ wife is in labour so he’s otherwise engaged presently watching his child be born over Zoom. Seriously.
Dan Biggar’s absence is far less dramatic; he rolled his ankle yesterday and has failed a late fitness test.
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Pre-match reading
In case you haven’t heard, Alun Wyn Jones is fit again and has re-joined the tour as Captain. Rumours are that this amazing recovery is because he’s an indestructible cyborg sent from the future, but if you want a more factual rendering of the whole story then read all about it here...
This is not a bad way to spend a Wednesday evening, is it? Share all your thoughts with me via email or tweet @bloodandmud, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Teams
South Africa A have decided to include, well, pretty much every big name that is either free from injury or isolation. Seriously, just bloody look at that team!
Particular Lions misery interest will be directed to the ten shirt, where 129-year-old Morné Steyn is in to haunt the Lions with memories of this late series winning penalty in 2009.
Warren Gatland names some interesting combinations with many venturing that Bundee Aki and Chris Harris could well start the first test in the centres. But some late selections shenanegans has seen likely first choice half-back pairing of no longer tour captain Conor Murray and Dan Biggar torn asunder with Owen Farrell in for his Welsh tour-mate at the last minute.
Elsewhere there’s an exciting backrow trio in Curry, Navidi and Faletau, while try machine Josh Adams is another late selection yoink - Liam Willliams replaces him and swaps positions with Anthony Watson at fullback.
South Africa A: Willie le Roux; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am (capt), Damian de Allende, Sbu Nkosi; Morné Steyn, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Joseph Dweba, Trevor Nyakane, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Marco van Staden, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Jesse Kriel, 23 Damian Willemse, 24 Kwagga Smith, 25 Elton Jantjies.
Lions: Liam Williams; Louis Rees-Zammit, Chris Harris, Bundee Aki, Anthony Watson; Owen Farrell, Conor Murray (capt); Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Iain Henderson, Josh Navidi, Tom Curry, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Adam Beard, 20 Tadhg Beirne, 21 Sam Simmonds, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Elliot Daly.
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Preamble
Hello everyone, the Lions have decamped to Cape Town to play South Africa A and I’m here to bring you all the action.
It’s been a strange old tour so far in the midst of all the Covidness. A provincial team has been played twice, Lions match squads ripped asunder with a midweek infection scares and the clatter of hefty challenges reverberating off endless rows of empty plastic seats have all contributed to a feeling of a party not quite getting stared. A bit like that section of a wedding day when the tables from the meal are cleared away and everyone hangs around waiting for the night do to start - everyone is still enjoying it, and has a bit of an early evening buzz on, but it feels like the serious business is only coming when the lights go down and the DJ fires up “Love Really Hurts Without You”.
Well, the house lights are about to be switched off, Billy Ocean is clearing his throat and the strobes are about to blind everyone because what’s ahead of us is a proper game of rugby. South Africa Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, is back in the coach’s chair temporarily and he’s decided to mark his return by assembling an A Team of such power and resources that there’s no requirement for BA Baracus to even get on no plane, fool.
The Lions, after a bit of a cakewalk thus far, will now be forced to put their worrying defensive indiscipline in the 22 and too often ragged attacking ruck and maul up against a test team. A South African test team.
In a way, Warren Gatland can play whatever happens here as a positive. If his side wins, then it’s another step towards a winning tour; but a loss can also be finessed into lessons learned from a contest against a true tier 1 team with one more game and a bit of time to adjust before the actual first Test on 24 July.
Either way, I’m very much looking forward to this.
