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:

lostinwales wrote:

king_carlos wrote:I thought VDM and Watson were both strong. I'd stick with the same back three next week.

Hogg kicking predominantly for distance rather than aiming to find grass frustrated me but I'm 99% sure that was tactical to prevent SA getting line-outs. The Lions would just rather kick very long and straight to a back three player, then fan out and defend in a flat line. I wouldn't say the chase was particularly aggressive, i.e. it gave SA space to run the ball back but it was very well aligned for much the match so still repelled the Boks. A very Tandy-esque d-line and to his credit it got the win.

If only there was a super rapid winger in the squad who is also a world class kick chase specialist...

Tandy's defensive systems fly in the face of many modern defence coaches aggressive blitz but it is working well in all fairness. A good appointment by Gats.

TJ wrote:Sgt
https://youtu.be/61P9nJIu1gg

33 mins in and there were others.  Can't be bothered to go thru the whole game frame by frame.  He took at least one more cleanly thru a crowd and competed well enough to force SA knock ons

He did catch one!!!! Well done for finding that through the misses.

I assume that Lost is thinking of the same player I am but I'm left scratching my head with the tactics being kick the leather off the ball and chase hard as to why May isn't in South Africa.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I assume that Lost is thinking of the same player I am but I'm left scratching my head with the tactics being kick the leather off the ball and chase hard as to why May isn't in South Africa.

I've been wondering that ever since the squad was announce. Brilliant in the air both defensively and attacking, top notch kick chase and has the best try scoring record against tier 1 nations.

May also had his weakest season for a good few years and a lot of competition in the back three in better form.

Watson and Adams are excellent all round wingers. LZR offers lightning pace and had form. Duhan's physicality offered a different tactical option. Williams is very good on the wing as well as fullback and he's imperious in the air.

I think the back three options are really well balanced. Good selection.

Only changes needed for me are: give Hogg the penalty touch finders, so much more range than anyone on the field for those. Daly off Harris on, shores up the defence channels and allows more bosh if trucking the ball up is required and wrap Biggar in cotton wool this week. Curry gets a second chance to keep his head, Watson a good option to bring on if he is coughing up ton many penalties. Any word on Russell’s Achilles?

Russell is apparently back training. Biggar should be back training on Thursday.

On that basis Russell to bench over Farrell and let’s gooo

RiscaGame wrote:Russell is apparently back training. Biggar should be back training on Thursday.

Great news! Having to start with Farrell would be a concern.

I'd have Farrell back in at 12 personally, just give SA something else to think about. Daly just didn't do anything, Henshaw had that 1 nice run before the brain fart. Need to get our wingers into the game more other than from SA kicks.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd have Farrell back in at 12 personally, just give SA something else to think about. Daly just didn't do anything, Henshaw had that 1 nice run before the brain fart. Need to get our wingers into the game more other than from SA kicks.

Given that the Bok defence is based on getting into the 13 channel to stop passes out wide, and our centres are misfiring (I think Daly was there in the hope he could do flick on passes as he did vs the Stormers), one of the best options for getting our wingers involved is the kick pass, which leans you towards Russell or (if wet) Smith, both of whom do it very instinctively when there's pressure on the pass.

Is Rassie being a bit of a trickster with fake Twitter accounts to take a pop at refs?

http://www.balls.ie/rugby/rassie-erasmus-burner-account-477721

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd have Farrell back in at 12 personally, just give SA something else to think about. Daly just didn't do anything, Henshaw had that 1 nice run before the brain fart. Need to get our wingers into the game more other than from SA kicks.

The brain fart? You mean when the ball was knocked out of his hand by a tackler? He probably should have done better there alright.

How many chances does Farrell need? Time to unleash the Aki Henshaw combo, its the only sensible option at this stage.

Farrell has had loads of chances agreed, and keeps taking them.

Re Henshaw, he'll be kicking himself carrying the ball like that and knocking on. I doubt he'd do it again.

Tactically Farrell at 12 makes sense, you need a secondary kicking option if that's the gameplan so sort of rules out Aki and Harris, the flipside of that is his terrible recent form.

Collapse2005 wrote:Is Rassie being a bit of a trickster with fake Twitter accounts to take a pop at refs?

http://www.balls.ie/rugby/rassie-erasmus-burner-account-477721

It seems to be so, yes

I’d rely on Hogg to be the second kicking option and go with Harris in for Daly

Soul Requiem wrote:Tactically Farrell at 12 makes sense, you need a secondary kicking option if that's the gameplan so sort of rules out Aki and Harris, the flipside of that is his terrible recent form.

Biggar and Farrell at 10 and 12 wouldn't work for me. Neither is a running threat. Daly needs to go though. Such a shame George North got injured.

Simmons anyone.............

Old Man wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Is Rassie being a bit of a trickster with fake Twitter accounts to take a pop at refs?

http://www.balls.ie/rugby/rassie-erasmus-burner-account-477721

It seems to be so, yes

He is some man, great coach in my view.

Collapse2005 wrote:

Old Man wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Is Rassie being a bit of a trickster with fake Twitter accounts to take a pop at refs?

http://www.balls.ie/rugby/rassie-erasmus-burner-account-477721

It seems to be so, yes

He is some man, great coach in my view.

Not sure what he is trying to achieve though. It is all a bit childish in my view.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Farrell has had loads of chances agreed, and keeps taking them.

Re Henshaw, he'll be kicking himself carrying the ball like that and knocking on. I doubt he'd do it again.

Think Farrell played well in his test match cameo but not so much in his other appearances. I think he will likely retain his place on the bench as he covers 10 and 12 and can do a job in both but not really first choice for either.

Old Man wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:

Old Man wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Is Rassie being a bit of a trickster with fake Twitter accounts to take a pop at refs?

http://www.balls.ie/rugby/rassie-erasmus-burner-account-477721

It seems to be so, yes

He is some man, great coach in my view.

Not sure what he is trying to achieve though. It is all a bit childish in my view.

Yeah maybe but he is trying to do what Gatland has sucessfully done and put pressure on the refs. Hasnt worked for him though.

I think the refs have favoured the Lions so far which is the first time I can ever remember this happening on a Lions tour with SH refs in charge.

Collapse2005 wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:I'd have Farrell back in at 12 personally, just give SA something else to think about. Daly just didn't do anything, Henshaw had that 1 nice run before the brain fart. Need to get our wingers into the game more other than from SA kicks.

The brain fart? You mean when the ball was knocked out of his hand by a tackler? He probably should have done better there alright.

How many chances does Farrell need? Time to unleash the Aki Henshaw combo, its the only sensible option at this stage.

When Henshaw started that break I automatically looked for Aldi Price; the Glasgow scrum halves ALWAYS run the optimistic line when anyone breaks the defensive line. true to form Aldi Price appeared on his shoulder and was screaming for the pass. Henshaw hesitated, Price slightly drifted off his shoulder and the cover defence was closing in on him. Henshaw was in two minds and that was why the ball was in one hand, he almost passed but then didn't.

On the training front;

Biggar may be cleared to train from Thursday.

Dancer is being put through his paces today to see if he's in contention for a place.

NoArms is apparently fit as nothing has been said.

The team is being selected tonight. The players will be told by tomorrow morning at the latest. Can they say to Biggar that he's starting but not training till Thursday? Can they tell Dancer he's starting if Biggar fails the HIA protocols? Will NoArms be on the bench same as last week?

Toonie tells the story of playing club rugby in SA. They were running everything off 9 and at half time they were losing, he said "Skipper, this isn't working we need to play off 10 and get some width!" . The reply was "No Griiggurrr We just need to keep running off 9 and run harder." I feel that will be the Boks attitude towards Saturday. They could have won and if they keep doing what they're best at but put more effort in it'll all work out.
Gats, and Toonie, seem to have decided that moving the ball away from the breakdown quickly and kicking creatively (and smartly) is the way to avoid an arm wrestle. Toonie also mentioned, in relation to replacements, that it's easier to take the pace OUT of the game than put some IN with replacements. Hence Murray and NoArms benching last time.

So...I think Biggar/Dancer to start and NoArms on the bench.

I'd go with Dancer. Every time.

Price was also marked the whole way and the pass wasnt on, he should have toed it forward for Price though but didnt.

I didn’t feel like the Boks got a chance to demonstrate their power game much and the constant box kicking that seems to dominate rugby at the moment was a hindrance for them. I’d expect less box kicks and more hard lines from the Boks this weekend. Their fans will surely want to see them running it more often instead of trying to win the the battle in the air to gain territory.

I think Lions need to be more accurate with the kick-chase approach. As in, the chasers have to actually catch the ball or slow and line up the receiver. And in all cases not let the ball hit the ground. This led to the Boks having real chances, and if not for a slight off side or knock on we could have had a very different ball game.

Also, in that last sequence when the Boks were attacking right before the hooter, Farrell almost did a head high grab but pulled out of it at the last second.....

I think we were quite fortunate to win that game, a bit like in 97 SA looked more like scoring. Going to need to be much better for the next test.

https://www.606v2.com/t70311p50-south-africa-v-british-irish-lions-31-july#3990119

Reminder folks that we have a new match thread - I'm going to lock this one now.