Now for the last crusade
Dyantyi’s try in the 28th minute ... for its sheer genius may well have been created on the Eighth Day
● Whether next week’s final will be the last crusade for the current crop of grizzled Lions in Super Rugby, only time will tell. However, for a team that revels in the here and now all that matters is that they have another crack at the title against the Crusaders, the team that denied them glory last year.
The Lions set up that appointment in some style, vanquishing a belligerent and at times bellicose Waratahs side.
In the Waratahs they faced an intuitive and crafty team, who tend to roll with the punches but it was quite evident when Kwagga Smith ran in his second try of the match in the 64th minute that the knockout blow had been delivered.
The Lions had repelled the best the Sydneysiders could throw at them, particularly in a feisty opening period for the visitors. Their precision passing, and runners speeding onto the ball, proved hard to defend.
Israel Folau’s try in the 10th minute was a wonderful exhibition of deft running, from depth. Naturally, Folau’s incursions were met with a high degree of vigilance by the Lions’ defence but you can only shut him out for so long.
As much as his try silenced the crowd, they had reason to roar later in the half. First though the Lions had to get their hands on the ball for longer periods and one sure way of doing so is to keep it under the protective blanket of the forwards. Their much-vaunted maul in particular, presented the Lions not just the chance to deprive the visitors possession, but it served to beat them into retreat.
While the human caterpillar gradually eked out valuable ground, the Lions also got some traction in the scrum.
With more ball and favourable field position something had to give and flank Smith was the first to make inroads into the visitors’ lead. Increasingly Franco Mostert and Malcolm Marx made their presence felt. Later Marnus Schoeman again proved a human pinball with his own brand of destructive running.
Eight minutes after Smith’s touchdown, the crowd was given the worth of their entry ticket in one move.
Left wing Aphiwe Dyantyi was an electrifying presence at the start of this Super Rugby campaign, but injury broke his momentum before he resurfaced just in time to make his test debut in June.
Dyantyi’s try in the 28th minute was from the heavens. Not just heaven-sent given the hosts’ deficit on the scoreboard, but for its sheer genius it may well have been created on the Eighth Day.
With only Elton Jantjies for company Dyantyi’s options seemed limited when he collected a Bernard Foley kick inside his own 22. He chipped over the advancing chasers, regathered the ball at pace, before beating
Lions have another crack at the team that denied them glory
Foley with raw pace on the outside. The crowd was in Seventh Heaven.
The Lions, who had been slow out of the blocks of late, again found themselves on the back foot as the Waratahs made their intentions clear from the outset. They attacked with élan, spreading play across the width of the field and with it some disorganisation in the Lions defence.
Hooker Tolu Latu bashed away with intent, Rob Simmons was familiarly disruptive in the second row but the visitors’ sharpest edge was at the back.
The Lions however were not to be denied. Their forwards gradually gained the upper hand and by going the direct route they eventually wore down the Tahs.
This is a Lions team that has already had to contend with the winds of change, in personnel and coaching staff. Next week in Christchurch may be their best shot at redemption.