Lawrence Dallaglio: 'Whether he meant it or not, Rassie got what he wanted'
Former British & Irish Lions no.8 Lawrence Dallaglio believes that Rassie Erasmus’ video helped the Springboks to second test success – through an impact no-one anticipated.
South Africa’s World Cup winning director of rugby took to Twitter following their first test defeat to make public a 62-minute video which analysed every refereeing decision.
Speaking on behalf of Land Rover to South African website Independent Media’s Mike Greenaway, BT Sport pundit Dallaglio said that the officials’ desperation to avoid a repeat then caused the second test to be played at a funereal tempo perfectly suited to a home side short of game time.
“Because of what happened during the week with Rassie’s video, every incident was analysed in minute detail,” the former Wasp said.
“Whether he meant it or not, Rassie got what he wanted.
“The first half was 64 minutes (instead of 40) – the constant analysis slowed the game down and that suited the Boks more than the Lions. Whatever Rassie’s reasons for his video, they worked.”
Erasmus was heavily criticised for his use of the bench during the Lions’ first test win, but Dallaglio highlighted this as a key area that the Springboks got right seven days later.
“This week the Boks made the better substitutions after Gatland had won that battle in the first Test,” the 48-year-old said.
“Each new player the Boks brought on increased their momentum.
“Their lineout with three locks (after Lood de Jager came on) was much better. He is a heck of a player and sorted out their lineout problem instantly.
“It also meant their scrum had more weight plus they could be more physical at the breakdown. The South African scrum just got better and better and by the end of the game was completely dominant.
“The Bok bench helped them win all the key areas, but I think it is important to point out on the other side of the coin that they kept their best players on the field for as long as possible.
“Handre Pollard and Faf de Klerk, for instance, were massively influential deep into the game. The Boks won the second half 21-3 and that tells the story.”
The former England skipper acknowledged that the home side improved significantly between the first and second tests and said Warren Gatland must address his team’s defence of the high ball if they are to clinch the series this week.
“South Africa were substantially better than the Lions who in the first test stood up to the physical confrontation well but could not do it a second time,” he said.
“The Boks were never going to reinvent the wheel in the space of seven days but there was always the feeling that they would be slicker having cast off plenty of rust in what was only their second outing since the World Cup final 20 months ago.
“They won all the key areas that they lost in the second half of the first test, especially the aerial battle.
“The Lions were peppered with high balls — as they were the previous week – but this time did not cope, and thus conceded control of the game. They dropped the ball six times and each time that meant lost momentum.
“The Boks have a habit of bouncing back from a loss on home soil and now they have the momentum going into the third Test.
“It is one-one and everything to play for. The Lions will have to go away and lick their wounds and come up with more than they did in this match because they were played off the park in the second half.
“Gatland knows which buttons to press to get his players up for this one. More than anything, they have got to get their aerial game sorted out.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
7 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
7 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
7 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments