Having watched the rather unimpressive Lions v Southern Kings match yesterday, I think it’s probably a good thing I don’t play rugby any more – not only because I kinda sucked at it, but also because I never had a whole lot of restraint. The Kings were a scratch team and decided to interpret their remit of ‘disrupting the Lions and throwing them off their stride’ to include trying to take opposition players out of the tour. Considering they’re the big favourites to win the series, it’s cowardly but far from surprising.
It’s not a new tactic and one that worked well for Tana Umaga last Lions tour where he and Mealamu shamefully got away with trying to break someone’s neck. It ensured the Lions were crushed in all three tests because it took out their best player, playmaker and captain (even though NZ were likely to win the tour easily anyway) and it looks like the Saffas have started early – trying to make sure they sew up the series before the first match has even started. They were throwing themselves in all match, heads and shoulders for the main part because they know they’re unlikely to be cited for that, and to the credit of the Lions, no one threw a punch back that I saw, not even to the dick of a fly half who, having been carded for a dangerous tackle, still jumped into half the tackles he was attempting to try and cause some extra impact and damage.
Not sure I would have been so restrained, but with none of the Springboks on the pitch and Hook & Murray already helped off the field, they realised ignoring it was the only possible response. When the first test appears, they won’t bother targeting the captain because this time it isn’t O’Driscoll (partly just for that reason I’m certain) but someone six foot six and over 17 stones. But they will try and hurt Stephen Jones or cheeky wee Brian just as soon as they can, I’d put money on it.
Hehehehe
Just because the Loins got some hard handling from a team that only had 6 days practice together and played for nothing to lose, you shouldn’t get on the Springboks back.
The boks do not play dirtier than any other team. If I were you, I’d worry about Francois Steyn at fullback. He can put over a drop goal from his own 22 (or just about) and run around/through most players.
Oh yes, Bakkies Botha is one dirty bugger and he is bigger than O’Connel, so expect at least one klap from out Big Guy to yours.
Enjoy the test! (I’m gonna watch it live)
RSAshark from your forums
Go Sprinbokke!!
Re: Hehehehe
Well, the Boks don’t play dirtier than some other teams, but since those teams include New Zealand that’s not an impressive comparison for anyone, when they must be taught to tackle high watching them on the super 14 regularly!
Not worried about O’Conell getting hurt, for a start he’s not our best lock – just saying that he can handle more pain which is a good thing because you’re right, Botha will have a go at him! That’s why i reckon he was the better choice that Brian as captain, that boy’s got enough to think about without leading the team too. I will, however, be VERY surprised if there is no hit in the first half on Jones or O’Driscoll that isn’t just a completely legitimate tough tackle.
Re: Hehehehe
Maybe, who knows. Rugby is a contact sport as we all know. I wont be surprised if Pienaar does not get hit late/high at the start. The lions aren’t the cleanest bunch of guys!
Re: Hehehehe
This bunch of Lions aren’t that bad actually, they don’t have evil old timers like Back and Martin Johnson who were experts at the cheating game I completely admit. But yes, they’re expecting a physical game and it’s likely they’ll try to give rather than take on that front – the Boks tactic has to be to blitz them and pin them back at the start, so the Lions know it’s coming and it’s their own fault if they don’t do anything about it! Have got money on the Boks winning 2-1, which had 11-2 odds I think. Reckon they’ll get one game but key players will be too battered to win the series – considering for a forward each match is like being in a car crash i’m amazed how close together the matches have been scheduled.
Enjoy the game Shark!
Re: Hehehehe
And as it turns out, the Boks didn’t need to nail either of them because the Lions didn’t bother to play at the start. Let’s not even get onto the subject of the ref not knowing the rules for scrummaging and just hope for a better contest in the next match!
Re: Hehehehe
hey the scrums were fine. Beast absolutely killed Vivkery!
you are lucky our coach made all his subs at the wrong time with the wrong players, otherwise you would have lost by 20 plus points!
RSAshark
Re: Hehehehe
Ok, so you don’t know the laws on scrums either then! He turned in on every one, and that’s kinda not in the rules. To be fair, if he’d been pinged he’d have stopped doing it, but because the ref wasn’t from a proper scrummaging nation he wasn’t you kept winning penalties. Agreed that there were some poor subs, he should have realised the lions would have woken up at some point and make a very northern hemisphere style late surge. if it hadn’t been for the bad penalties and two great try line tackles, you guys would have lost by fifteen probably. the second’s going to be an interesting game, gotta hope that both teams step up a gear now!
Hehehehe
Just because the Loins got some hard handling from a team that only had 6 days practice together and played for nothing to lose, you shouldn’t get on the Springboks back.
The boks do not play dirtier than any other team. If I were you, I’d worry about Francois Steyn at fullback. He can put over a drop goal from his own 22 (or just about) and run around/through most players.
Oh yes, Bakkies Botha is one dirty bugger and he is bigger than O’Connel, so expect at least one klap from out Big Guy to yours.
Enjoy the test! (I’m gonna watch it live)
RSAshark from your forums
Go Sprinbokke!!
Re: Hehehehe
Well, the Boks don’t play dirtier than some other teams, but since those teams include New Zealand that’s not an impressive comparison for anyone, when they must be taught to tackle high watching them on the super 14 regularly!
Not worried about O’Conell getting hurt, for a start he’s not our best lock – just saying that he can handle more pain which is a good thing because you’re right, Botha will have a go at him! That’s why i reckon he was the better choice that Brian as captain, that boy’s got enough to think about without leading the team too. I will, however, be VERY surprised if there is no hit in the first half on Jones or O’Driscoll that isn’t just a completely legitimate tough tackle.
Re: Hehehehe
Maybe, who knows. Rugby is a contact sport as we all know. I wont be surprised if Pienaar does not get hit late/high at the start. The lions aren’t the cleanest bunch of guys!
Re: Hehehehe
This bunch of Lions aren’t that bad actually, they don’t have evil old timers like Back and Martin Johnson who were experts at the cheating game I completely admit. But yes, they’re expecting a physical game and it’s likely they’ll try to give rather than take on that front – the Boks tactic has to be to blitz them and pin them back at the start, so the Lions know it’s coming and it’s their own fault if they don’t do anything about it! Have got money on the Boks winning 2-1, which had 11-2 odds I think. Reckon they’ll get one game but key players will be too battered to win the series – considering for a forward each match is like being in a car crash i’m amazed how close together the matches have been scheduled.
Enjoy the game Shark!
Re: Hehehehe
And as it turns out, the Boks didn’t need to nail either of them because the Lions didn’t bother to play at the start. Let’s not even get onto the subject of the ref not knowing the rules for scrummaging and just hope for a better contest in the next match!
Re: Hehehehe
hey the scrums were fine. Beast absolutely killed Vivkery!
you are lucky our coach made all his subs at the wrong time with the wrong players, otherwise you would have lost by 20 plus points!
RSAshark
Re: Hehehehe
Ok, so you don’t know the laws on scrums either then! He turned in on every one, and that’s kinda not in the rules. To be fair, if he’d been pinged he’d have stopped doing it, but because the ref wasn’t from a proper scrummaging nation he wasn’t you kept winning penalties. Agreed that there were some poor subs, he should have realised the lions would have woken up at some point and make a very northern hemisphere style late surge. if it hadn’t been for the bad penalties and two great try line tackles, you guys would have lost by fifteen probably. the second’s going to be an interesting game, gotta hope that both teams step up a gear now!