The three Lions bolters leading charge for a Test spot
The British and Irish Lions completed the warm-up stage of their tour of South Africa on Saturday, as they recorded a 49-3 win over the Stormers in Cape Town, giving them a confidence-boosting springboard into their first Test with the Springboks.
The result came hot on the heels of their disappointing showing against South Africa A midweek and there were plenty of takeaways to come from their breaking down of a well-drilled and defensively strong Stormers side, that unfortunately just could not live with the intensity of the Lions beyond 40 minutes.
A number of players put their hands up, including some of those who would be more or less consensus picks in Warren Gatland’s Test XV to take on the Boks.
Tadhg Furlong put in another shift that reminded everyone watching of what a special player he is. His physicality shone through on both sides of the ball and his awareness to spot the space through the middle of the ruck and lay the foundations for one of the Lions’ first half tries illustrated that he is far more than just a set-piece and collisions contributor.
Between the lines his runs and movement prior to contact, Furlong is one of Gatland’s most consistent tight five options at delivering gain-line success. As well as Kyle Sinckler has gone, and Zander Fagerson had a strong cameo from the bench against the Stormers, it would seem like Furlong is set to retain the jersey he owned four years ago in New Zealand.
Another player to stand out who has looked like he has played his way into the Test team was Elliot Daly. In Lukhanyo Am, South Africa have arguably the best defensive 13 in world rugby currently and if the Lions are to challenge him, and consequently the players inside and outside of him, they will need variety.
In Daly, the Lions have someone who can beat his man on the outside, is equally effective stepping back inside off either foot, can pass well off both hands and has a kicking game to boot. If the Lions can deliver quick ball off the front foot, there is a compelling case to be made that Daly, whose defence has also been strong in South Africa, is the centre with the most potent set of skills to unlock the South African defence.
Alun Wyn Jones also looked comfortable in his return from injury, whilst Stuart Hogg put together a solid final case in his competition with Liam Williams, but it was three players maybe further away from that predicted Test XV who really stole the show in Cape Town on Saturday.
Due to the play of Josh Adams, Anthony Watson and even Louis Rees-Zammit, Duhan van der Merwe, despite his try-scoring heroics so far on tour, has not been talked about as a Test starter as frequently as some of his rivals. With the speed and agility of the South African back three, and their proclivity to kick and turn opposition back fields, it does make sense for the Lions to go horses for courses to counter that.
That said, van der Merwe’s ability to break contact in small spaces is noteworthy. With the Lions having struggled in the collision with South Africa A, the moments when van der Merwe came off his wing and went looking for work in the midfield will have reminded Gatland that the adopted Scot could well be a way to bring some more go forward into the midfield, without sacrificing the playmaking and defensive skills of the options that he currently has there.
On that theme of physicality and securing front foot ball, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie could not have done much more than he did on Saturday to show he should at least be in the 23 come the Tests. Like Furlong, he takes nice angles to contact and he never initiates contact too early with a long stride, his feet are always underneath him and he is able to keep that fight going through the contact and, in many of his carries, beyond it.
He was 100% at the lineout on Saturday, too, checking off that box which rivals Jamie George and Ken Owens tick so comprehensively, and his chop tackles were also effective in denying the Stormers momentum on multiple occasions. The Springboks will challenge his ability in the loose on both sides of the ball far more than the Stormers did, but if he does not make the 23, it would be very surprising indeed. For George and Owens, their chemistry with Maro Itoje and Jones respectively are factors in their favour.
Finally, Scotland’s Ali Price picked an opportune moment to have his best game of the tour, with the tempo he was able to inject dovetailing perfectly with the playing style of debutant fly-half Marcus Smith. From his awareness of space around the ruck to the measured delivery of his passing, Price was the spark that saw the Lions ultimately run the Stormers ragged and keep the scoreboard ticking over at a healthy pace.
There has been some criticism for Conor Murray so far this tour, albeit much of that stems from people not understanding Gatland’s game plan and/or the foundation, or lack thereof, created for him by the forward pack at times, but Price has made his case. It is hard not to see Gatland opting for Murray given how he will presumably ask the Lions to play against South Africa and Price can be the game-changing influence for the final 30, though some will undoubtedly raise the point of why not put that sort of skill set on the pitch for the first 50 and see where you get to?
And just to conclude, a small mention for Sam Simmonds, with the Exeter Chiefs back row having flashed his ability as a carrier, support runner and breakdown operator in his two most recent cameos from the bench. If Gatland were to opt for a 6-2 split on his bench, Simmonds as a wild card for one of those forward spots is something which could cause a small level of concern in the Springbok camp, especially given the staccato nature of their build-up and any potential worries that they may tire in those final 20 minutes.
Injuries and Covid could still yet derail plans and Gatland will insist that starting and bench spots are still up for grabs in training this week, but that 23 will be pretty close to concrete now in his head.
Nevertheless, debate will rage online – and even in camp – this week as to who should make the cut but let us not forget that anyone that does not make a predicted XV is not being called a bad player. These are all elite rugby players who have been selected as British and Irish Lions for very good reasons and the margins between positional rivals can be paper-thin at times.
There are so many variables at play, from form and fitness to experience and chemistry within a team, so if everyone takes a breath and tries empathising with why a player has been picked, it should be a more enjoyable week for everyone involved.
Comments on RugbyPass
True 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.
21 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.
10 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!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
21 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
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 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 !
3 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.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
21 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
21 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
21 Go to comments