British & Irish Lions player ratings vs Springboks | Second Test
The British & Irish Lions player ratings, brought to you by The Famous Grouse
After a heated and very public discord during the week, it could be argued that this second Test hype exceeded the first for pre-match hype, but again it was an ugly affair.
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS PLAYER RATINGS:
15. STUART HOGG – 5.5
Scrappy-dappy-do from Hogg, who struggled in the air, especially in the first half. With the Lions not really looking to play a style of rugby that suits his attacking abilities, his selection ahead of Liam Williams doesn’t quite add up.
14. ANTHONY WATSON – 5
Anonymous in the first half and not much better in the second half, conceding three turnovers. Part of a badly malfunctioning Lions back three.
13. CHRIS HARRIS – 7
Huge hit on Lukanyo Am set the tone for the Lions defensive line. Smart, basketball-style handling was a feature of his game on this tour and he brought that here.
12. ROBBIE HENSHAW – 6
TMO interpretation is a massive part of the professional game and Henshaw might well argue he scored his try just before halftime. Defensively sound.
11. DUHAN VAN DER MERWE – 5
A mind-boggling brain fade to soccer kick Cheslin Kolbe off his feet, having already got away with a potentially cardable follow-through tackle that ended PSDT’s evening early. Seemed helpless at times under the high ball. Emotions maybe got to the big man, with the Boks constantly needling him.
10. DAN BIGGAR – 6
Reasonably assured, especially off the boot. Even able to overcome a mystery kidney shot during the fracas preceding Kolbe’s yellow card. Pollard grew into the game where Biggar seemed to stagnate.
9. CONOR MURRAY – 6
Brought back in for the accuracy of his box kicking but the Springboks really got to him here, dirtying up or destroying a lot of Lions’ ball. It was a minute-to-minute affair this evening that should have suited Murray, but the lack of tempo at 9 has been a factor all tour for the Lions.
1. MAKO VUNIPOLA – 6
A strong cameo in the first Test saw him leapfrog Sutherland into the Test team, but Malherbe proved a real headache for Vunipola. Thrived in the hand-to-hand combat and he made the most post-contact metres of any Lions’ forward.
2. LUKE COWAN-DICKIE – 6
His carrying style caused the Boks’ real problems and he was used effectively as a first receiver to eke out metres in the 9 – 10 channel.
3. TADHG FURLONG – 5.5
It became another tit-for-tat battle at the setpiece, with Furlong struggling with the awful surface. Gave away more than his fair share of penalties, although we finally saw him open with some trademark carries.
4. MARO ITOJE – 7
None of the heroics of last week and spent most of his time in the trenches. Cleaned up any number of Lions’ messes.
5. ALUN WYN JONES – 7.5
Got up close and personal with Etzebeth when things boiled over in the opening minutes, and was a constant standard-bearer for the Lions’ physicality, leaving the field a bloodied mess.
6. COURTNEY LAWES – 6
MOTM last week but a quieter shift here. Lost a lineout on the South African line, although the Lions came away with three points a few moments later, partly thanks to teammate Itoje forcing the Boks back over their own line. Lions might well carry more next week and you wonder will Beirne get a shot at starting.
7. TOM CURRY – 6
Got distracted by the off-the-ball stuff and failed to impose himself in a meaningful way against the monstrous Bok pack.
8. JACK CONAN – 6
Missed an opportunity to score off a 34th-minute scrum that was wheeling him towards the line with no defender in sight, when he chose instead to pop it to Murray on the blindside. Tremendously consistent and hard to fault.
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Comments on RugbyPass
One significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
53 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
53 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
53 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
53 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
53 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
53 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
53 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
53 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
53 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
53 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
53 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to comments