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The last tactical advantage the British & Irish Lions have over the Springboks

By Ben Smith
(Photos by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Heading into the second test expecting a big response from the Springboks, Warren Gatland didn’t want to have to use a get-out-of-jail-free card, but now the Lions have to use their second bite at the apple to win the series.

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In the aftermath of the Lions’ 27-9 loss in the second test against the Springboks, there was one comment made by Gatland that was innocuous but has a deeper meaning below the surface, and shows he isn’t despondent about his side’s chances after the loss.

It was Gatland’s comment about South Africa putting a “huge amount of emotion” into the game that shows the coach believes he could have one last advantage heading into the final test.

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Jason Robinson’s history as a British Lion

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Jason Robinson’s history as a British Lion

“There are a few things we’ve got to tidy up,” he said after the loss to the Springboks.

“It’s 1-1 and South Africa put a huge amount of emotion into that game. We’ve got that chance next week to hopefully take the series.”

Having plenty of experience as the British & Irish Lions head coach across three tours now, Gatland has seen this situation before in 2013 when the Wallabies came back to win the second test and level the series.

After two tense games that came down to the last kick, the Lions blew the doors off the Wallabies in the third and final decider to secure a 2-1 series victory.

Gatland knows the role emotion plays in professional rugby and how it can be both a gift and a curse.

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Following his tenure as Wales coach at the end of the 2019 World Cup, Gatland gave an all-ranging interview with Irish media outlet Off The Ball, where he spoke about what he learned about emotion over his career and during that Australia tour.

“The thing about that week is, I look back on it, I went into that game [third test] based from previous experiences,” Gatland explained on OTB, before bringing up his quip to Eddie Jones after England had beaten the All Blacks.

“That’s why I made that comment before the World Cup final, ‘Some teams play their final in the semi-final’, because at the very elite level of professional sport, it is the emotion that counts.”

Gatland’s premonition did come true; the Springboks would go on to stun England in the final, proving to be the freshest team on the last day of the tournament as England couldn’t replicate their semi-final deeds.

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“And sometimes when you have a great performance, and you’re emotionally charged and you are right on the edge, it is difficult to repeat that,” he said.

“When I look back on my experience coaching, there is two examples that really stand out for me.

“One was in London coaching Wasps, and we played Leicester in the last round. Martin Johnson’s last game and Neil Back’s last game.

“I completely underestimated the emotion of that, and what impact that had [on the match].

“So Leicester beat us 45-25 or something like that and went straight to the final, then we went into the qualifier semi-final, won that, and then I didn’t think they [Leicester] could bring that same level of emotion the following week.

“We put 40 points on them in the final.

“It was the same scenario with Australia in the second test in 2013. I saw James Horwill, tears running out of his eyes. The effort they had put into that, the energy, I didn’t think they could bring the same the following week.”

Gatland’s post-match comment around South Africa putting a “huge amount of emotion” into the second test shows he may be thinking along the same lines in 2021.

It was an emotionally-charged week which clearly showed the pressure the Springboks camp was under. They came out breathing fire and salvaged the series with a performance throttling the red line and using that fuel.

Pride was on the line – the world champion Springboks were desperate to prove their credentials in the series that they had put on a pedestal.

Bowing out in two games would be, all things considered, a total catastrophe for the number one ranked side in their first real test as champions.

There were many instances of emotions spilling over in the game, with even the likes of normally composed Cheslin Kolbe showing an outburst of anger to shove Tom Curry back after he had unintentionally taken Conor Murray out in the air.

Willie le Roux was flaring up at any chance, peacocking around with his chest pumped out, yelling profanities, getting in the face of Lions players and running to the ref at every opportunity in an emotive display.

Eben Etzebeth, after being outclassed by Itoje in the first test, was on a warpath to collar-grab every Lions forward he could to demonstrate his prowess.

It showed there was clearly a massive amount of pressure and emotional toll on the Springboks to save face this week, yet the cost of doing so is to be determined, both mentally and physically.

Pieter-Steph du Toit being forced from the field in the first 20 minutes and not returning is not a good sign for his chances of playing the final game. Faf de Klerk left with what looked like cramps but his status is unknown.

The good news is Duane Vermeulen is back in camp to ease some of the concerns.

Desperation brings a different energy as we have just seen. The Springboks have not yet faced a desperate Lions side.

Gatland’s own desperate Lions team in 2017 squared the series in New Zealand in the second test, only to fall just short of a series victory with a slice of luck saving them from series defeat in the final moments.

The Lions only have to play one emotionally-charged game with their series on the line, this coming week, while the Springboks have to do it all again for a second time.

You could sense the relief in the Springboks coaching group on full-time, high-fiving and hugging, while Siya Kolisi looked exhausted sitting on the sideline after a magnificent individual performance.

The problem? Relief is not the feeling you need to have right now. The lessening of desperation and the weight slightly dissipating makes it even harder to maintain the emotive state the Springboks were able to use in this game.

It is unlikely Rassie Erasmus pulls through this week with more victim-mentality complaints to whip his squad into the frenzied, aggrieved, rage against faux injustice.

While the Springboks tally the casualties, the Lions have fresh cavalry waiting in the wings if necessary.

Plenty of players haven’t really featured that could be called upon: Liam Williams, Bundee Aki, Louis Rees-Zammit, Hamish Watson, Tadhg Beirne, among hoards of other test starters, all of whom would be itching to get onto the field to play a part in the series.

If you look at the 27-9 scoreline in isolation, you are missing the picture. The game was in the balance until the 61st minute at 11-9 and the Springboks had to scrap and fight to that point to get the job done.

It was not a comfortable game, although it ended a comfortable win. Extrapolating that result won’t chart a course through the final third test.

The beauty of a series is the differing set of motivations throughout each game. There are unequal incentives which play a part.

In the first test, both sides know they have another day. In the second test, one is playing to secure the series, the other out of desperation to keep it alive. One side has the carrot and the other the stick.

By the third and final test if the series 1-all, both incentives are finally aligned, but they are enter the game in totally different mental states.

Gatland knows that one team may have already played their final. He’s seen it before and knows when a team is emotionally drained and his comments suggest he may believe the Springboks are there.

The Springboks will need to effectively play two finals in a row to win the series. And that is an enormous ask.

Hats off if they can do it.

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Jon 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

34 Go to comments
j
john 3 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 8 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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