Lions respond to attack criticism, set points target to win series
Lions attack coach Gregor Townsend has reacted to criticism about his Test team’s level of potency so far in their series versus the Springboks and has also suggested the points target that must be reached in Cape Town on Saturday if the tour is to be successfully concluded by Warren Gatland’s side.
The Lions won the opening Test 22-17 but were blown away in last weekend’s second Test rematch, losing 9-27 to spark fears that having scored just one try to South Africa’s three so far in the series that they don’t have the blueprint to sufficiently damage the Springboks.
In 15 matches since the start of 2019, South Africa have conceded just a dozen tries while in eleven visits to the Springboks 22 last weekend the Lions came away with a paltry six points from two penalty kicks. They are statistics that should worry even the most optimistic of Lions fans but Townsend has faith that things will finally click in this weekend’s tour-ending finale.
“We have got to create more, that is for sure,” admitted Townsend, about whom there were high Lions hopes given Scotland’s Six Nations wins away to England and France earlier this year, victories that helped to seal his April appointment as one of Gatland’s most important assistant coaches.
“If you create opportunities, whether that comes through errors in the defence that can get your linebreaks and lead to tries, it gives you more chance of winning the game but you may create more just through pressure, through fatiguing the opposition, through getting penalties and in these tight Test matches that could be enough to win the game.
'…they haven’t produced an alternative, which I think will be an indictment of this coaching staff when this whole series is over.'#LionsTour2021 #LionsRugby #RSAvBIL https://t.co/CcPdjS3BqV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 5, 2021
“We did that well in the first Test, especially in the second half of that first Test, and we were building into that sort of performance in the first half of the second Test but we didn’t do it for 80 minutes. We know we have to control the game more by moving South Africa around, draining them of energy whenever we can. That would be an area for us to improve for sure.”
By way of assisting that ambition to drain South African energy, the Lions have spoken to the referees ahead of the series decider to try and ensure there isn’t a repeat of last weekend’s timing issues. According to Opta, the ball in play time for the second Test opening half was just 16 minutes and 28 seconds, a figure reduced to 14 minutes and one second in the second period. The halves also took a respective one hour, two minutes and 30 seconds and 53 minutes and 26 seconds to finish.
“We have made the point that we don’t want unnecessary stoppages,” explained Lions assistant Townsend. “You keep the tempo and you keep the flow of the game up through your own accuracy, through your own decision making, but when the game stops, whether it is for a scrum, a lineout, you want it restarted as quickly as possible. Everybody watching at home does so I’d like to think and hope it will be a shorter game this weekend than last weekend.
“There was a difference between first and second half,” he added about the Lions’ lack of potency. “First half we got those opportunities. If we had that try that ended up being disallowed just before half time that would have been a reflection of the pressure we had built up on the opposition. There was another one in the first half that if we kept hold of the ball, we got a penalty advantage and a couple of rucks later the ball was killed and we went back to the original penalty.
“We know you won’t get a huge amount of opportunities in these test matches so to do all you can to get seven points would make a massive difference. In the second half, we just couldn’t get the possession, we weren’t accurate enough with the possession and South Africa dominated in a couple of areas so that made it really tough for us to score those points.
“It’s a Test match and you are playing the world champions, I don’t think we’d used the type of phrase of blowing them open,” he continued when quizzed about South Africa’s defensive ability to shut teams down. “For me personally and I hope the team feel this as well, we have got the ability to score tries, the ability to put the South African defence under pressure which can open up opportunities later in games or can lead to three points, six points.
“I believe that to win a Test match against a quality opposition you have got to get a 20-points or more scoreline to have more control on the outcome. We have got to do that through all aspects, whether that is the set-piece, our defence getting us penalties and the ball back but in particular attack, creating and finishing off opportunities.”
Having made six changes to their starting XV, four in the backline, the Lions will start with the same No10 to No15 backs who cut Japan open in the early stages of the pre-tour match in Edinburgh in late June. “That is probably more a coincidence (than design),” said Townsend.
“The guys played really well that day against Japan. The players played really well on tour and we know there are a couple of players in this backline, two or three that have waited for the opportunity to play in the Test match, to start a Test match, and they are getting it Saturday. We have had a lot of competition for places right throughout our squad and we feel this is the right 15, right 23 to win a game and win a Test series.”
Row over non-neutral Lions series TMO Jonker hasn't dissuaded the Rugby Championship from taking non-neutral appointments to a new level in the Rugby Championship #NZLvAUS #RSAvBIL #LionsRugbyhttps://t.co/w9poWCsqrT
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 6, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen 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.
30 Go to comments