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By the end of their tour, the Lions will have played everything New Zealand has to offer. If they’re to beat the All Blacks, they’ll have to be be better than the best of Super Rugby, given that Kiwis make up five of the top six teams. So, if given the chance could the Lions win Super Rugby?
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Nobody questions the fact that rugby differs across the equator. It’s been easy so far to see the clash of styles on tour and their respective worths.
The Lions certainly looked like a match for the league’s top team. They brought an intelligent approach to AMI stadium that saw them nullify the Crusaders’ major weapons.
Conor Murray’s seventeen box kicks pegged them back into an astonishing 35% territory and an excellent chasing unit kept even the Israel Dagg, who lead the AllBlacks last season both in tries and metres made under control and camped in his twenty-two.
On average the Crusaders make 93 tackles and score 4.7 tries a game in super rugby, but the Lions put them on the back foot and forced them into 136 tackles and for the first time this season 0 tries.
The Crusaders game was proof the Lions have the talent to win, but having lost the other two of three games against Super Rugby opposition, they lack other necessary elements to their game.
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Coaching convention tells us three seconds from the tackle is long enough for a defence to reset. In the Lions’ two losses, we’ve seen them struggle in loose play resulting from relentless attacking speed. Conceding game winning points from what Rob Howley called “rugby chaos”.
Bringing pace to the line didn’t break the Lions open, not even close. Andy Farrell’s defensive unit did well to make 89% of tackles to the Highlanders’ 82%, but tackle accuracy alone doesn’t stop southern hemisphere attacks.
While the Highlanders’ didn’t break the Lions’ defence, their blistering speed brought it to breaking point consistently, and often enough to force a penalty count of 12. No team can control a game when conceding double digit penalties, not even the Lions, and without control they couldn’t win.
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Against the Crusaders, the Lions dominated every controllable aspect of the game. Perhaps helped by soggy and slippery conditions they owned the ball with higher possession and territory, ran the line out, squashed the Crusaders at scrum time, and controlled the tempo. Leading them to a comfortable win over Super Rugby’s best team.
Against the Highlanders, and indeed the Blues, they sat as a solid defensive wall, tackled anything that moved, yet were run ragged in loose play.
They lacked a platform from which to launch their pack’s strength, power, and precision. The Lions 66% success at scrum time compared to the Highlanders 100% left a lot to be desired. While their lineout continued to be almost flawless, they lacked the foothold in the game they need to control proceedings.
Could the Lions win super rugby? Yes. Would the Lions win in the southern hemisphere playing southern hemisphere rugby? No. Their only way to conquer the best of Super Rugby is to control all that’s controllable. Be flawless in their set piece statistics, increase their attacking accuracy, and be as infallible in discipline in defence as we saw them in Christchurch.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
4 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
4 Go to comments