South Africa v British & Irish Lions, 24 July

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SOUTH AFRICA v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Saturday 24 July
KO: 18:00 SAST / 17:00 UK / 20:00 Dubai  
Cape Town Stadium (Newlands), Cape Town
Sky Sports Main Event

Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe, Mathieu Raynal
TMO: Marius Bloody Jonker of all people

TEAMS:

SOUTH AFRICA:
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 62 caps, 60 pts (12t)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse) – 14 caps, 40 pts (8t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 15 caps, 15 pts (3t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 47 caps, 30 pts (6t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 14 caps, 70 pts (14t)
10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain – Montpellier) – 49 caps, 465pts (6t, 78c, 89p, 4d)
09 – Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks) – 30 caps, 20 pts (4t)

08 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 7 caps, 5 pts (1t)
07 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers) – 56 caps, 25 pts (5t)
06 – Siya Kolisi (captain – Cell C Sharks) – 51 caps, 30 pts (6t)
05 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 40 caps, 5pts (1t)
04 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 86 caps, 15 pts (3t)
03 – Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) – 43 caps, 5 pts (1t)
02 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 37 caps, 40 pts (8t)
01 – Ox Nché (Cell C Sharks) – 2 caps, 0 pts

16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 34 caps, 30 pts (6t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 48 caps, 5pts (1t)
18 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 39 caps, 5pts (1t)
19 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) – 45 caps, 25 pts (5t)
20 – Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse) – 2 caps, 0 pts
21 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 11 caps, 25 pts (5t)
22 – Elton Jantjies (Pau) – 38 caps, 283 pts (2t, 63c, 49p)
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 7 caps, 5pts (1t)

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS:
15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter, Scotland) #783
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) #816
13. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822
12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #824
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #841
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821
09. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) #843

01. Rory Sutherland (Worcester, Scotland) #840
02. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter, England) #851
03. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #818
04. Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825
05. Alun Wyn Jones (C) (Ospreys, Wales) #761
06. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) #826
07. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) #853
08. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839

16. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England) #787
18. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814
19. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #838
20. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) #847
21. Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens, England) #780
23. Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) #833

PREVIEW:

Ref not being consistent with that advantage. Occasion getting to him?

Lions will test the bok scrum here

Yeah Curry a tad illegal there

Urgh. Really need to kick those.

We’re struggling.

Lions forwards are not giving a platform for their backs so far.

Jines was 12 inches off the ground there, how can that be high?

That was a perfect angle to put in the corner as well. A bad miss.

Lions not really at the races in the last 20 minutes.

Very poor refereeing performance so far.

OK 24 inches, still very low

Old Man wrote:Jines was 12 inches off the ground there, how can that be high?

Because the tackle was above the shoulder.

Awful by Henshaw.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

Old Man wrote:Jines was 12 inches off the ground there, how can that be high?

Because the tackle was above the shoulder.

Yes I know that, but hell, Jones was lower than Mbonambi’s hip. Are you supposed to jump on the bloke when he is that low?

This feels like the England World Cup final. We aren't out of the game but we have shown no signs of getting in it.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Awful by Henshaw.

Ball knocked out by Le Roux in the tackle

Old Man wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

Old Man wrote:Jines was 12 inches off the ground there, how can that be high?

Because the tackle was above the shoulder.

Yes I know that, but hell, Jones was lower than Mbonambi’s hip. Are you supposed to jump on the bloke when he is that low?

He gathered low anyway and didn't duck down because of that you've got to alter your tackle. He wasn't massively low it wasn't like the tackles you see around the try line hence to me right call.

Old Man wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

Old Man wrote:Jines was 12 inches off the ground there, how can that be high?

Because the tackle was above the shoulder.

Yes I know that, but hell, Jones was lower than Mbonambi’s hip. Are you supposed to jump on the bloke when he is that low?

Either way you don't tackle round the neck.

Yikes bad first half.

Not much in this at the moment, any team can take this.

This is not good viewing, we're just so lacklustre. Itoje aside, nobody is playing that great. SA aren't really even trying to attack...they don't need to.

Lions comfortably second best, litany of individual errors costing them. Fortunate to only be 9 points down.

Old Man wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Awful by Henshaw.

Ball knocked out by Le Roux in the tackle

Well tackled by him and knocked on while carrying one handed.

I could see Murray and/or Farrell on early in the second half. It'd be harsh on Price as I think he's been pretty good but the Lions need some direction.

I'd personally bring Bierne on for AWJ as well. I am an AWJ fan and have been for a long time but he understandably seems a touch off the pace after the shoulder dislocation and limited game time to get match fitness.

Jones off for Beirne, Conan for Watson, Daly for Farrell?

Set piece is a huge problem. No platform. Cheap penalties , and no pressure without the ball giving away possession far too easily. It a bit of a disaster tbh.

So 7&1/2, it seems Itoje has 2 TOs
Ok?

Not in the game, Bigger Price not working.

SCW would do a better job.

Itoje has 3. 1st nicking the ball off Faf on the near touchline around 30m from our line, 2nd at the far touchline after the Lawes tackle and 3rd when Faf was the only one trying to move him 10m from our line

Pretty poor game from the Lions.  

Price is ponderous.  
Mangled at breakdown.
Biggar ineffectual
Henshaw carrying in one hand.  
Hogg is over eager
Is Captain Fantastic even on the pitch?
What was Cowan Dickie thinking?
Erasmus looks like he’s put on a few stone as a water boy

Sgt_Pooly wrote:This is not good viewing, we're just so lacklustre. Itoje aside, nobody is playing that great. SA aren't really even trying to attack...they don't need to.

Lawes is barely in the game, he's jogging round like it's a pre season friendly. AWJ also struggling to make an impact and is starting to play closer and closer to the edge. Was lucky not to give away a penalty just before the half for swimming down the side of the maul. 

I'd be looking to replace one or both early in the second half, particularly with a player the calibre or Beirne on the bench.

I wonder if Dan Cole might get a more lenient view of his RWC Final performance given the Lions scrum is very much up against it with this SA pack even without the retired Beast.

I am surprised the Lions didn’t do better in the scrums. Soon Kitshoff, Marx and Malherbe will come on

BamBam wrote:Itoje has 3. 1st nicking the ball off Faf on the near touchline around 30m from our line, 2nd at the far touchline after the Lawes tackle and 3rd when Faf was the only one trying to move him 10m from our line

Exactly, don't let facts get in the way.

BamBam wrote:Itoje has 3. 1st nicking the ball off Faf on the near touchline around 30m from our line, 2nd at the far touchline after the Lawes tackle and 3rd when Faf was the only one trying to move him 10m from our line

Yeah? They've just shown all 3. Only forward really earning his crust at the moment. Curry trying but not being overly helped by that back row. It's like watching England! LCD and Furlong have been guys on form but not really working yet.

At this rate, a few players need to hope Gatland will keep them on to make amends, or they won't be starting the second test.

Get Marcus Smith on!!!! If only.


We need something different or we lose this game without SA have to do F all.

Lineout won but poor throw by LCD.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

BamBam wrote:Itoje has 3. 1st nicking the ball off Faf on the near touchline around 30m from our line, 2nd at the far touchline after the Lawes tackle and 3rd when Faf was the only one trying to move him 10m from our line

Yeah? They've just shown all 3. Only forward really earning his crust at the moment. Curry trying but not being overly helped by that back row. It's like watching England! LCD and Furlong have been guys on form but not really working yet.

Lawes is making his tackles as expected but so would Watson whilst being a bigger breakdown threat.

BamBam wrote:Itoje has 3. 1st nicking the ball off Faf on the near touchline around 30m from our line, 2nd at the far touchline after the Lawes tackle and 3rd when Faf was the only one trying to move him 10m from our line

He has not, don't be ridiculous

These high tackles are becoming a joke

Get in.

flyhalffactory wrote:

BamBam wrote:Itoje has 3. 1st nicking the ball off Faf on the near touchline around 30m from our line, 2nd at the far touchline after the Lawes tackle and 3rd when Faf was the only one trying to move him 10m from our line

He has not, don't be ridiculous

OK pal

Blimey, game on.

Nice Biggar.

Le Roux ahead of the kick

Missed that great turnover by Curry being played in the floor and leads to that.

Pass forward before what looked like offside.

Get in there LCD

Think forward pass first too

Thought that pass was forward