Into the Golden Lions’ den

ONE SHUDDERS to think what might have happened had the Royal XV been lifted and energised by the support of a capacity home crowd in Rustenburg last Saturday.

As it was, the much anticipated opening to this Lions tour was played out in front of a sparse crowd of a few thousand, the majority of whom were supporting the tourists. From tonight onwards, when the Lions face their namesakes from Transvaal in front of 60,000 at Ellis Park, that situation will differ dramatically.

While there were anxious faces amongst the management throughout last Saturday’s opener the fact that the Lions clawed their way back from the potential disaster of an opening tour defeat will stand to the party as a whole. With just 15 minutes remaining on the clock, an embarrassing 12-point deficit was turned on its head scoring 24 unanswered points to register a victory that will look somewhat better on paper as this tour gathers momentum.

With just two weeks together and a number of players lacking game time it was anticipated that the visitors would take time to familiarise themselves. Nobody however could have foreseen just how difficult the Lions would make life for themselves with a succession of unforced errors and a concession of needless penalties that lifted a composite home side right from the outset.

With 11 of the select side drawn from tier two competition Vodafone cup winners, the Griquas, the vital element of team work and understanding was far more in evidence from an opposition classified as the weakest the tourists will face over the course of the tour. Lest anyone be in any doubt, the Lions now know the magnitude of what lies in wait over the next few weeks.

What last Saturday’s performance has done is heap a whole lot of pressure on the side that takes the field tonight. With 12 new players starting, some equally lacking in game time, they will now literally be thrown into the (Golden) Lions’ den in the demanding surrounds of Ellis Park against an opposition with considerable history in this fixture.

While their name has changed a few times over the years, to the traditionalists the Golden Lions are Transvaal, who in 17 previous encounters against the touring Lions have recorded seven wins and a draw. They will feature most of the squad that finished 12th in this year’s Super 14 competition but will fancy their chances on the evidence of what they saw in Rustenburg. Sacking their coach Eugene Eloff last week however smacks of panic in the administration.

To add further to the challenge the tourists face, an hour up the road from the Rustenburg experience on Saturday the Blue Bulls displayed an awesome combination of pace, power and skill in scoring eight tries in their 61-17 Super 14 final triumph against top New Zealand side the Waikato Chiefs. That 44-point winning margin was the biggest ever achieved in a final and offers a massive lift to the Springbok squad as they prepare to go into camp for the test series. As a former Waikato player and coach that scoreline will certainly have resonated with Warren Gatland.

It was no surprise therefore when South African coach Peter De Villiers announced 10 of the Bulls side in his squad of 28 for the test series with just two uncapped players one of whom, out half Morne Steyn was outstanding for the Bulls. Noted as a kicking No 10, he got four drop goals in the semi-final win over the Crusaders, he directed a side that played some incredible rugby. He is now favoured to challenge Ruan Pienaar for the out half slot for the opening test in Durban. Pienaar and Frans Steyn could yet vie for the problematic full back role.

Up front the Springboks have a wealth of experience and talent to select from as evidenced by the fact that Schalk Burger seems to be under pressure for his place after an indifferent Super 14 campaign. Somehow I think De Villiers will persist with the outstanding back row trio of Burger, Pierre Spies and Juan Smith. At this stage it also seems clear that their World Cup winning captain John Smit will continue with his transformation from hooker to tight head prop, a potential area for the Lions to exploit.

No doubt the South African public will already be casting aspersions on the relative strength of the tourists and will question their ability to compete in the test series. That is why it is imperative that the Lions eradicate the silly handling errors and unforced mistakes that blighted their performance last Saturday when they play this evening. The Lions management now has a reference point from which to start.

The other thing that the tourists will appreciate is that the thrills and frills that surround your selection and coming together are now over. The initial two-week period is all about getting to know each other but once the games start you become a target for every aspiring rugby player in the host nation. Despite winning just four of their 13 games in this year’s Super 14 competition, the Golden Lions now have an opportunity to bury a frustrating season by becoming the first team to beat the visitors. That becomes the aspiration of every side until it happens.

Tonight will be very much like what the All Blacks faced when they came to Thomond Park last November. The Transvaal rugby union are even hosting a reunion of the 1968 squad that beat the touring Lions just as Munster feted the heroes of 1978 seven months ago.

Brian O’Driscoll will relish the opportunity to wear the famous red shirt again after the horrible memories that he has of his last outing and he will have a big role to play tonight. Already his midfield combination with Jamie Roberts has a test feel to it and Ian McGeechan will be hoping that they can develop a good understanding quickly.

At half back the experienced pairing of Mike Phillips and Stephen Jones will kickstart their bid for the test slot while Rob Kearney has a high standard to follow after the benchmark set by the Lions most impressive performer Lee Byrne last weekend. The most important thing tonight however is that the Lions, as a collective, lift their overall level of their performance. Putting a marker down up front – especially at the breakdown – would be a good start.