Time for Gregor to earn his coin - Andy Goode
The British & Irish Lions have all the tools at their disposal in the match day 23 on Saturday and it’s time for Gregor Townsend to prove his credentials as an attack coach.
Warren Gatland’s side have shown next to nothing in attack over the course of the first two Tests and have been drawn into the type of battle the Springboks relish but the only way to win the third Test is for Townsend to show why he’s considered one of the brightest attacking minds in the northern hemisphere.
The Scotland coach was close to going on the 2017 tour as an assistant coach and has waited another four years to be in this position, so now is his time to step up.
He did it as a player with the Lions in South Africa in 1997 when many people were surprised that he was picked at fly half, with Neil Jenkins shifted to full back. That cemented his reputation as a number 10 and this can do so as a coach.
If we’re honest, the Lions have gone back into their shell ever since Elliot Daly got absolutely smoked by Lukhanyo Am in the first Test and they need to come out of it and start throwing some shots of their own or there’ll be regrets aplenty when they’re quarantining in Jersey next week.
The players and coaches knew exactly what was coming from South Africa, as we all did, and there’s only one winner if the third Test is another slow-paced affair dominated by box kicks, driving lineouts, set piece and the aerial battle.
The Lions need to roll the dice if they are to replicate the success of 1997 and beat the Springboks. They have the tools to do it but we’re yet to see if they’ve got the attacking game plan to pull it off.
Every team holds a few things back in reserve so it’ll be interesting to see what the Lions have up their sleeve in attack for the big occasion. You go in with a sheet of at least 20 plays for different scenarios and areas of the field but almost all of those go out the window when you’re forced onto the back foot.
The old saying goes that forwards win matches and backs decide by how many. The Lions pack were distinctly second best last week and they need to at least achieve parity, as they did in the first Test, or Townsend’s job will be nigh on impossible.
However, it isn’t Dan Biggar’s fault that he only had three passes in last week’s match and Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki have shown in an Ireland shirt that they aren’t just crash ball merchants so they all need to be given license to express themselves.
Liam Williams might have been brought in for his prowess under the high ball as much as his attacking talent but Josh Adams has been picked purely for his finishing ability. The Lions need to get him and Duhan van der Merwe the ball.
Clearly, the absence of Faf de Klerk will help. Cobus Reinach isn’t a bad replacement at all but there won’t quite be the same accuracy on the box kicks or the Springboks may play a little bit more off 10, which may open up just a few more chances.
For the Lions, it isn’t about throwing the ball all over the place and going wide at every opportunity but we need to see more tip on plays and shifting South Africa’s big bodies around, combined with a bit more innovation from time to time.
The bench has played a major role in the first two Tests with the Springboks having a massive advantage last week but I think it’s the Lions who have the edge in that department for this one.
The Boks have their usual front row reinforcements to bring on but I don’t think the likes of Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Morne Steyn and co are going to change the game as much as Lood de Jager did last week.
In contrast, the Lions have gamebreakers everywhere you look on the bench. The front row are all powerful impact players who are comfortable with ball in hand, Adam Beard is as athletic as they come in the second row and Sam Simmonds is waiting to explode.
I actually don’t think Finn Russell will be used unless Biggar gets injured or the Lions are more than 10 points down but we know the magic he possesses if called upon.
Whether it’s in the second half when those players come on or the first half, the Lions have to play with tempo this week and put South Africa under the sort of duress that forces them into errors.
Townsend has a reputation that has come from his playing days through into his coaching as a bright attacking mind. We haven’t seen that yet on this Lions tour but now is the time to roll the dice and for him to earn his coin.
The potential is there for the Lions to do it but if they play in the same manner as the first two Tests, the Springboks win by six for me. Townsend holds the keys and let’s hope he gives them to Biggar so he can unlock a few doors this week.
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
26 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
1 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 Crusades , you can keep going.
1 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!😭😭😭 !!!
26 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
26 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.
26 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.
9 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.
26 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?
11 Go to comments