Brent Popes Lions Player Watch After British And Irish Lions 39 Sharks 3
BRENT POPE – PLAYER WATCH – MATCH 4
Despite some frustration at the breakdown, a growing penalty count, and referee Jonathan Kaplan’s interpretation of the scrum laws, the Lions have every right to be more than satisfied with a good 5 try display against one of the traditional power bases of South Africa rugby, The Durban based Natal Sharks. In the first half the Lions practically owned the ball and ruled all the territory, but a couple of crucial turnovers, some good hometown defence and Kaplan’s insistent picking on Lions loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins meant that the Lions could not get the cushion they needed to push on. In fact some of the Lions play in the first half while positive and patient, often looked disjointed, with passes going to nowhere, players running into each other and kicks overcooked.
After halftime the Sharks huge defensive effort during the first 40 minutes finally took its toll, as they began to chase the game and fall off tackles, the result was a plethora of second half tries and some good individual performances, many from the assembled Irish. The Lions will still have to sort out what was happening in the scrums, and while Kaplan is a highly experienced referee, he has never played in the front row himself, and some of his first half penalties were wrong. Time after time the South African capped Natal tighthead prop Jannie Du Plessis illegally took his bind on Jenkins arm, and then used his considerable body weight to repeatedly take the scrum down. Kaplan often unsighted on Jenkins side of the scrum, somehow thought it was the Welshman who was the major culprit for the collapsed set piece, but he was not, the problem for Jenkins is has Kaplan’s one sided opinion now cost the Welsh prop a starting position on the test team? Quite possibly.
The Lions may also have to re- adjust their defensive screen in ten days time, especially on the short side of the field, where too often the Lions had the heavier forwards in a defensive line with no backs in sight. It worked this week against a slower Natal threat, but against a more potent attack like the Springboks mismatches will be spotted.
Elsewhere Lee Byrne cemented the fullback position for the test, even if Rob Kearney has the game of his life next Saturday. Lee Mears will be the hooker while Welsh team-mates Jamie Roberts and Mike Philips will also start the first test baring injury, but what of the Irish challengers?
Jamie Heaslip: With the one dimensional Andy Powell a major disappointment (as we thought) Heaslip will be the test No 8 with a “man of the match” second half performance. Heaslip scored one try, should have scored a second and started the initial movement for the third. He controlled ball intelligently at the base of the scrum, linked well with his backline and most significantly pulled off some of the biggest hits in the game. Heaslip will find the pace and height of Springbok Pieere Spies a lot tougher to handle, but the Leinster man is now one of the top No 8’s in the world, which now seems ridiculous that he was not even considered good enough by Eddie O’Sullivan for the last World Cup. The experiment of looking at David Wallace at No 8 is over for the time being Heaslip is now a certainty for the test back row.
David Wallace. Like Heaslip Wallace came good in the second half, getting to the ball carrier a lot quicker than he has to date and making some telling charges with the ball in hand. Wallace is still coming to terms with the breakdown in South Africa and he will have a devil of a job containing the smaller, yet more compact Juan Smith in the first test (if he is selected) but Wallace’s power and fitness probably just shades Martyn Williams at this stage, who needs a big game on Saturday to shade Wallace.
Luke Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald looked edgy and sharp in everything he did last night, and like all good young wingers went looking for work even when the ball was not flowing his way. Took an easy try courtesy of the excellent Brian O’Driscoll, and always made the gain line with ball in hand. Is nearly there, but with Tommy Bowe almost certain for one wing, Fitzgerald will have to sit and wait and hope that England’s Ugo Moyne does not usurp him. Fitzgerald need not fear the threat of Shane Williams anymore, who has now had more chances than any player to stake a claim but has not done enough.
Brian O’Driscoll: The Irish Captain just continues to add to his already impressive season with another assured display. Combines well with Jamie Roberts in the centres, and used the drifting miss pass perfectly for Lee Byrnes try. Lacked that extra pace he may once have had to make the line after a timely intercept, but who cares? O’Driscoll still remains the most influential back in the world game and the South Africans will have sleepless night trying to work out how they get past O’Driscoll in the midfield, obviously a test certainty with Welshman Jamie Roberts.
Ronan O’Gara: Again despite the wrath of the English commentators for over kicking, in my opinion O’Gara was the first player on this tour to show how the grubber or chip kick can be used to create try’s and open up space. At least 2 of O’Gara’s kicks could have resulted in tries and probably should have, and had that been the case the likes of the over critical Stuart Barnes would have viewed things much differently. O’Gara passed well and attacked the line; he also kicked superbly at goal. The Sharks forwards attacked his channel and while he did struggle to bring the larger forwards down at times, he generally controlled things well. O’Gara may miss the squad for the first test simply because scrumhalf Mike Phillips is a certainty now, and the selectors may feel they want to keep his Welsh out half Stephen Jones outside him. With James Hook able to kick goals as well as play in the centres if need be, then O’Gara will probably not even make the 22 for the first test, of course all this depends on how the Lions and more significantly Stephen Jones play this week. At least O’Gara has the advantage that he is in the clubhouse with a good round under his belt, he just has to wait and see if Jones now shoots under par.
Paul O’Connell: Moved his usual jumping position in the lineout to accommodate the selection of Alun Wyn Jones and it all went without a hitch. Worked hard carrying the ball, and tackled himself to a standstill. Not as loose in open play as Jones but like all old fashioned work horses, took on the mantle of doing the donkey work so others could prosper. Despite the English commentators saying that O’Connell was under pressure to perform, he remains in my opinion the standout second row on the tour. Captained the team in his quiet modest way, and spoke intelligently and articulately after the match. Is developing into a leader in the Martin Johnson mould. Will captain the first test side, again probably alongside Wynn Jones, although Simon Shaw showed that he is willing to fight the two front runners all the way, with a defensive 15 minutes that saw Shaw tackle everything and everybody but the referee.
To beat the Springboks the Lions will still have to beat the Boks to the loose ball, cut out the turnovers and cut down the penalties, they cannot allow tight forwards to mark backs defensively and they also need to be more clinical and take the few chances they may get. But based on what we have seen to date, can they beat the “World Champions” on home soil based in the first test. Yes!
