Jeff Probyn: One match to go, and these Lions could end up legends
The promotion and hype was so great before the tour started, it’s hard to see how anyone could believe the players could possibly live-up to expectations.
Announced as the best squad since God knows when, where despite a nightmare schedule they would seek to repeat the legend of the 1971 team, put unfair pressure on the whole touring party.
Such was the expectation that even this week’s game against the Hurricanes, a thrilling draw, was deemed as a missed opportunity even though both teams were well matched and exploited their opponent’s yellow card to score some of the best tries of the tour so far.
Selection for me is a bit of an issue, as it seems to have no basis on match form with the best example being Ireland‘s Iain Henderson who, despite having an outstanding game against the Hurricanes, was left out of the Test squad.
Yes, his yellow card allowed the Hurricanes back into the game but the card was a close call not helped by Jonathan Joseph lifting Barrett’s other leg just as Henderson tackled him.
Although I feel Henderson deserved a place, it was a positive squad selection going into this Test without too many changes to the last starting line-up. For me, the crucial choice of midfield skill players Johnny Sexton, Owen Farrell and Jonathan Davis, promised to be exciting and yet somehow ‘safe’ with the ability to show deft handling and precision kicking, moving the team away from the grind of ‘bash it up’ style of rugby.
Gatland‘s ambition to win the hearts of the New Zealand people as well as the Test, would have been easier had he not sought to insult the honour of his home nation by publically accusing them of cheating.
Sadly, a feature of this tour has been Gatland’s constant public sniping at certain aspects of the All Black game. Whether cheating in the scrum, blocking in the backs or attempting to injure Connor Murray. By making public statements it appeared he was trying to deflect from the team’s performance, particularly as most comments were made after the Lions lost.
As far as Murray is concerned, it has always been the duty of the pack to protect the scrum-half, whether from tapped balls at the lineout, at the base of the scrum, or round the fringes of rucks and mauls, the forwards build a wall to protect and give time to the scrum-half. If the opposition can get to him regularly, the forwards coach and the players are not doing their jobs properly.
It also didn’t help when Gatland called for some additional players and was lambasted by his own supporters for ‘devaluing’ the shirt with those selected picked because they were close by, not because they were the best. Then he added insult to injury not using them in the Hurricanes game as replacements when the starting players began to tire, saying post-match, the coaches decisions were influenced by the outcry.
I am sorry to say it’s a poor excuse, he should have had the courage of his convictions, if he thought they were good enough to be called up, then they should be good enough to play, whatever people say.
Yesterday’s match was the defining moment of this Lions tour with every other game building towards this second Test. A win and the tour was back on track, lose and there was still a mountain to climb and a fortress to conquer with pride the only reward.
It was an All Black error that defined the game yesterday, Sonny Bill Williams’ hit on Anthony Watson would probably have been just a penalty a few years ago but with head injuries now a focus of the game, whether yellow or red, he was always going to leave the field.
Personally, I don’t think it deserved a red but referee Jerome Garces took a long hard look at it and made the decision that changed the game.
The All Blacks played 55 minutes with 14 players and the score that won the game from the Lions came from, dare I say, a dubious penalty as Kyle Sinckler jumped as he received a pass.
I accept ‘in-the-air’ penalties from a kick even though that has led to the ridiculous sight of players leaping in the air when there is nobody close enough to challenge for the ball. But an in-the-air penalty because someone jumps as he receives a pass?
Garces is a great referee and applied the law as written, but surely World Rugby must make it clear the law should apply only to kicks, otherwise we will end up with nobody allowed to tackle as every player will start jumping as they receive a pass!
Yesterday’s Test was a change round from the first with the All Blacks failing to take their chances and the Lions nailing theirs.
If Beauden Barrett had kicked all his kicks, the All Blacks would have won at a canter but he didn’t and the Lions scored the tries with Taulupe Faletau scoring a copycat try of All Black Codie Taylor’s in the first test, and Murray showing Rhys Webb, anything you can do, I can do better.
The win in awful conditions has made this series the most important ever as a win next week would probably guarantee the Lions’ future in the face of challenges from the professional clubs.
The odds are with the All Blacks but the Lions have the chance to become legends.
