Entering the Lions’ den

The first post-apartheid Lions tour to South Africa happened last century; and I was a fresh faced co commentator with Sky. My God, the Lions concept ages a person. 1997, the Lions beat the current World Champions 2-1, winning the series with a game in hand. I was back, 12 years later to witness the Springboks this time – again the current World Champions – win a series 2-1, winning the series with a game in hand.

Here we are another 12 years on and once more the hosts are reigning champions of the world. Some things never change. Ah, but just about everything else has. South Africa is a country in crisis, the series set to a backdrop of violence and pandemic. The stadiums empty; no home advantage, not even the advantage of altitude. All 3 tests are to be played in Cape Town.

On the rugby front the biggest change of all is that the Lions enter the series the better prepared. It has hardly been an ideal preparation playing against limited opposition – bar the South Africa A side – but they have not suffered the Covid crisis anything like as much as the Springboks have – and have been able to bash bits out of one another behind closed doors.

South Africa has played but one test since thrashing England in the World Cup final and that was against lowly Georgia. True, 11 of the team selected for the first test played in the World Cup final but with fitness question marks over key players like Handre Pollard and skipper, Siya Kolisi, this seems like a series set for a decider.

Alun Wyn Jones has hogged the headlines back in the UK but with the full fitness of South African hero, Kolisi, in doubt after a bout of Covid, there are as many, if not more question marks surrounding the South Africans.

Yes, the Lions side was battered by South Africa A in the tour’s only true contest to date but the match was lost in the first 20 minutes as the hosts tore into the Lions at the breakdown. The final margin wasn’t huge but the Lions have been alerted to that deficiency in the crucial early phases.

The Lions were slow to the breakdown, with Tom Curry short of assistance against an advancing South African tide. The embarrassment of South Africa turning the first 3 rucks over will have highlighted the Lions need to tighten up this aspect of the game.

Warren Gatland has attempted to remedy the problem by picking a team to control the foundations of the game, the set pieces. Wyn Jones at the scrum and Courtney Lawes in the line out exemplify the focus on beating the Springboks where they are strongest.

The injury to Duane Vermeulen and presence of Frans Malherbe – their brutal scrummaging tight head – on the bench is an encouragement. So much for those not on the field from the kick off. One man looming over the fray is six foot eight giant lock, Eben Etzebeth. In the A game, his battle with Maro Itoje was by far the biggest thrill of the evening. The gloves are now off. Itoje was Herculean in New Zealand 2017, his wrestle with his Springbok counterpart is unmissable.

On that 2017 tour scrum half, Conor Murray’s capacity to nullify the wondrous Aaron Smith was a reason behind a surprise series draw. This time around Murray, named captain after the initial injury to the Welsh lock, has failed to make the team.

If there is one position to worry most Lions fans it is scrum half. I remember Scotland outplaying England at Twickenham this season, yet the Lions test scrum half, Ali Price, was harassed out of his game by Itoje. In Faf de Klerk, the Springboks have the arch competitor, scrapper and kicker of a box kick.

This series will be decided by the side able to keep going forward, via the boot and on the gain line. If the Sale scrum half dictates, South Africa will win.

The Lions need to take Faf and the game by the scruff. It is imperative to target Pollard who has been injured for the best part of his season with Montpellier and also to get Dan Biggar decent ball to utilise his varied kicking game. In Damien de Allende and Lukhanyo Am, South Africa has a brick wall for a midfield. The Lions will surely not waste their time running into this part of the field. Better to kick over it and work some set piece moves off the line out where Jack Conan can outreach Kwagga Smith at the back of the line out.

These are just some of the technical and tactical issues that will shape the course of the next 3 weeks. In rugby the heart is as important as the head. South Africa, a country in crisis, might find that extra – almost unfathomable – intangible bit of desire. In 1995 it took them to a World Cup win against a far superior New Zealand team. In 2021 the current World Champions would be my tip to win the series but with this one going all the way.