Brent Popes Lions Player Watch After Lions 26 Western Province 23

Brent Popes Lions Player Watch After Lions 26 Western Province 23.

Despite being somewhat fortuitous to come away with a 3 point win against the Western Province in soggy Capetown courtesy of replacement fullback James Hooks last gasp penalty goal, the Lions management team will  still be pleased at being given such a vigorous hit-out just a week out from the main event. A one sided win for the tourists would have been facile for the Lions preparation leading up to the first test, and would not have allowed Coach Ian McGeechan an opportunity to assess if some of his fringe “test” players had what it takes for the big stage.

Coach McGeechan has talked about the need to “put themselves under pressure” in training for the much tighter test matches, and while the game could have gone either way, and probably should have resulted in a draw, once again in the last few minutes the Lions were patient, played the phases well and gave themselves every chance to win. The Western Province did the opposite, turning over two vital scrums in Lions territory, snapping at a reckless 50 metre drop goal in swirling winds and making far too many errors when they just needed to refocus. There lay the difference in the two teams, and the difference between winning and losing. Winning soon becomes a habit and the Lions have it, just.

While the Lions continue to experience problems in turning over ball and a mounting penalty count, they did show a willingness to dig in for a win, an early indication that the Lions camp are beginning to gel together as a unit, something that Clive Woodward did not achieve in 2005, when constant infighting between players quickly caused dissention in the Lions camp. Some problems still exist in the Lions defensive policy and they need to be ironed out quickly. It is now common knowledge (by the Springboks) that the Lions defence coach Shaun Edwards and his forwards Coach Warren Gatland, both favour a aggressive in your face defence policy that attempts to shut out the opposition attack from the outside in. This means that players rush up in a banana shape on the outsides more quickly, in a philosophy that aims at preventing teams from trying to get the ball wide. The older and perhaps more traditional way of defending, was what players used to call the “one out or drift defence” where the defender preferred to stay on the inside shoulder of the ball carrier thus pushing the players outwards rather than back in. Edwards and Gatlands policy proved reasonably successful over the years with Ireland, Wasps and Wales, but it definitely has its flaws as well, firstly its success is based around all the players (especially the centres) coming up in an even line to cut down the space.

This week the Lions were wrongly penalised for moving up too quickly on a couple of occasions, but in reality the Lions were just too efficient, and while they were actually all behind the last mans feet and legal, the touch judges and referees saw  it differently.  In effect these penalties and those for not staying on their feet a ruck-time just kept the opposition in the game. Ian McGeechan and Paul O’Connell must breach this point of “not” being offside with the media and referees this week, otherwise they will be penalised time and time again.

Really this week’s game in Capetown was nothing to do with what the opposition did, but more about a few test positions still up for grabs. Going into this game Ian McGeechan needed to know who his test front row would be, find another partner for Paul O’Connell, finalise the composition of the wings, determine whether Welsh veteran Martyn Williams could usurp David Wallace from the number 7 jersey and copperfasten his out half. In an area where most of the home union teams are struggling, namely in the quality of their props, the Lions are blessed in this area. In all the games to date, the Lions front row has dominated in South Africa, granted the opposition teams are missing their Springbok squad members, but with current South African Captain John Smit now looking like he may be forced to play on the tighthead side of the scrum rather than in his usual position of hooker, the Lions appear to have the early ascendancy in this area.  Scottish strongman Euan Murray made a huge difference when he came off the bench on Saturday, actually forcing two crucial scrum turnover against the head in the last few minutes, while England Captain Phil Vickery was superb around the park and would also offer Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll extra leadership qualities on the pitch against South Africa. Andrew Sheridan has had a relatively good tour to date, but Gethin Jenkins has better body position at ruck time and is a better ball carrier around the park, the only thing that counts against Jenkins is Jonathon Kaplan’s insistence that Jenkins scrums illegally, it may rub off on some of his colleagues. Against this background I still predict a starting frontrow for the first test of Jenkins, Lee Mears and Vickery with Murray to come off the bench.

In the second row Scotland’s resident Australian Nathan Hines, a forward who has developed a harder edge with Perpignan this year, has played particularly well in his two outings to date, and may just have edged pundits favourite Alun Wyn Jones to partner Captain Paul O’Connell. Hines does not possess Jones mobility, but can match the bulky South Africans in the tight, while Paul O’Connell carries ball, the decsion of who will play second row ultimately depends on the way the Lions want to play the game or more significantly the way they see the Springboks playing them, namely will it be an open, running game plan or a tighter, mauling one. I sense that McGeechan will say “that he has too win the battle up front first” and if this remains his policy, then Hines may well start.

The wing positions have almost sorted themselves out as well, even before Tuesday afternoon’s match, with Ulster and Ireland’s wing Tommy Bowe quickly becoming the player of the tour to date. Bowe, often chastised in the media prior to Irelands Grand Slam winning season has been one of the world’s most improved players this year. Strong and with an ability to offload in the tackle (courtesy of a season with the Ospreys), Bowe makes up for a lack of real top end speed with excellent lines of running, intelligence and an ability to finish well and pop up in the best places on the park. On the other wing Luke Fitzgerald still has a chance if he gets a start on Tuesday, but England’s Ugo Moyne seems to have done enough now, with another excellent display on Saturday. Moyne looks a little awkward at times, with a slightly ugly running style, but he is deceptively quick, and has improved his kick and chase game and defence immeasurably on this tour.

The back row has now become the most difficult area for McGeechan to select from, especially who to start at no 7. Presuming that McGeechan does not opt for both Wallace and Williams to start on the flanks which would be foolish, then Tom Croft and Jamie Heaslip are sure to be selected at No 6 and No 8 respectively. Martyn Williams is perhaps a better link player than David Wallace, and is a better forager on the ground, while Wallace is the more dynamic player with the ball in hand, and clears out the opposition better than the Welshman at ruck time. With the Lions likely to use the likes of Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll to crash the centres, then they need a player on their shoulder to continue play over the gain line, and that player is Wallace. But if the Lions do not win at least 50% of the first phase possession, then Williams may be the more valuable acquisition given his better reading and play at the all important breakdown area.

Unfortunately while Stephan Jones did not have a great game, his Welsh combination with scrumhalf certainty Mike Phillips will probably see him start ahead of the improving Ronan O’Gara, with James Hook’s extra versatility keeping O’Gara off the bench. While Tuesday’s last chance saloon match is still an outside chance for some players like Fitzgerald and perhaps O’Gara to stake a claim, it would seem that most of the team is already in ink.

My starting XV for the first test.

Lee Byrne

Tommy Bowe

Brian O’Driscoll

Jamie Roberts

Ugo Moyne

Stephen Jones

Mike Phillips

Jamie Heaslip

David Wallace

Tom Croft

Paul O’Connell

Nathan Hines

Gethin Jenkins

Lee Mears

Phil Vickery