So Close and Yet so Far : Lions Durban Test

[Thequeerone]

South Africa 26 British and Irish Lions 21

http://www.lionsrugby.com/thetour/8197.php

Paul O’Connell’s men looked down and out at 19 points behind with just 12 minutes remaining but two late scores almost saw the Lions complete a stunning turn around at the ABSA Stadium.

Tom Croft's second score of the match gave the Lions hope of what would have been one of the most memorable victories in more than 120 years of touring before a Mike Phillips try set hearts racing with just five minutes left to play.


Tries: J Smit, H Brussow. Cons: F Pienaar (2). Pens: F Pienaar (3), F Steyn.
Tries: T Croft (2), M Phillips. Cons: S Jones (3)
Referee: B Lawrence (New Zealand).
Attendance: 47,813

[The EnForcer]

Vickery was absolutely crushed by "The Beast"....very impressive!

[Thequeerone]

That was odd he just popped out of that scrum like a champagne cork

[Burgs]

"Strangely" he just popped out on his own feed too.
Beast isn't that good a Prop to have been achieving every penalty legally, I think the Ref may be sitting through a few video sessions this week.
"In their faces" also is called regularly offside but the Boks Backs didn't get one call against them.
I think if the Lions had been given a fair shake in the penalty count their Backs would have blown the match wide open, there are some major issues with the Boks defensive structures.
I hope the Boks are chuffed with their efforts because Deans and Henry will have a couple of notebooks full on ways to beat them now.

[lara93]

the beast definitely deserved MOM
he was amazing

[shasta]

Beast isn't that good a Prop to have been achieving every penalty legally, I think the Ref may be sitting through a few video sessions this week.

The impression I got too. I thought Beast was legally all over him early on and looked really strong ( great close-ups of that duel - must be a prop or two in the crew ). But once Lawrence had given a couple of penalties he took advantage and I thought he was "boring in" at every scrum. Instead of penalising him the ref's language started to sound like he was considering binning Vickery. Some of the whistle blowers really need some "scrum school".

[prop53]

I have said this from the start with refs scrum school is a must. Yes he scrummaged well (Beast) but he also did a lot of boring into the scrum but with the ref watching Vickery so much it became a one man show. In Vickery as the tighthead was setting their scrum about 6 inch to high compare to the Boks which cannot help Vickerys cause.The beast did a at times do what Trestle tends to do and get away with it a lot and go downwards on contact instead of keeping level hips and straight back. This also hinderd Vickery getting a legal bind.But eh not taking anything away from the Beast if you get away with all good.Noticed he never really bothered any Australian scrums in the super 14s

[slomo]

just watched the morning replay as i was out last night, certainly a game of two halves, the boks came out firing and then a great second half turn around from the lions, stephen jones was poor i thought, so i expect to see o'gara for the second test, moyne should also go, to be replaced with williams im not saying he would of scored the two tries that moyne didn't, but it was great pressure defence from the boks. vickery was dominated by the beast, i think he buckled under the pressure of the first couple of scrums and was just bullied after that...
i expect changes for next week.......

[Burgs]

The impression I got too. I thought Beast was legally all over him early on and looked really strong ( great close-ups of that duel - must be a prop or two in the crew ). But once Lawrence had given a couple of penalties he took advantage and I thought he was "boring in" at every scrum. Instead of penalising him the ref's language started to sound like he was considering binning Vickery. Some of the whistle blowers really need some "scrum school".

Was watching with a Saffa on one side and a Pommy ex Prop on the other, the Pom was about blow a gasket and amazingly the hairyback agreed.

Prop53, Vickery was the Tightead

Slomo, agree there will be changes and, despite my defence of him, the first will be Jones for Vickery!
Regardless of reasons, once the string of Penalties began the change should have been made, it's not as if he couldn't have been brought back on if required later being a Frontrow player. And Jones was strong and exprienced enough to nullify Beasts bullshit from the first scrum he packed in.

[prop53]

Sorry about that Burgs my mind was on other things but Vickery was setting a little high

[normie]

The all Welsh front row looked a lot better and even dished it back to the boks. Can't wait for the next test as the wounded lion springs back!

[welshrugbyfan]

Bloody Pommy Coach that's the problem.

The all Welsh front row made a mockery of the scrum. Vickery was semi ok but the beast was boring in as well which wasn't helping the matter.

Shit winger in Monye as well, dropped a sitter and cost us a try. Even Williams in his current form drop is better.

Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney must have relatives that swam over from Wales when the Romans invaded cause their both talented.

Next team: The Welsh/Irish Lions and the Pom.

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees
3. Adam Jones
4. Alun-Wyn Jones
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Tom Croft
7. Martyn Williams
8. Andy Powell
9. Mike Phillips
10. Stephen Jones/James Hook
11. Der, give him a crack, he's better than Monye anyway.
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Lee Byrne

[The EnForcer]

The Coach is a jock.

[benny]

umpiring was shit for 81 minutes..

but saying that for 60 minutes the lions were more playing like cubs...

[travelling_gerry]

refs...not umpires