Lions should skin Sunwolves alive
Ithought Jaco Peyper did very well in the biggest game of his career last weekend in Auckland. There were lots of talking points as there always will be when there is so much at stake, but I thought he allowed for a wonderful tempo and a great spectacle. The All Blacks got away with a bit post-tackle, but were deserving winners in the end.
I spoke to Jaco about the need to be brave, but also to be himself and he delivered on both counts. If this is the crowning moment in an already successful refereeing career, it’s important that we all celebrate this special occasion with him.
The Boks deservedly shut out a poor French team with all three Tests delivering remarkably similar scores. It really is awesome to be winning again, but more than that, there appears to be a lekker spirit in the team and that augurs well for the future. I’m not convinced by our attack which will take time for the coaches to get into top gear, but our defence is certainly lifted from the abysmal efforts of 2016.
This weekend sees a welcome return to Super Rugby with the Cheetahs taking on the Stormers in Bloem tomorrow. While we all know who the better team is in terms of results, there could be a surprise in the offing here. It is a local derby and caution is advised one week after the June Test window (Betting World has the Cheetahs at +7 10/11 which is worth a punt).
In other fixtures in Rugby 5 the Lions should dominate the overmatched Sunwolves, who have impressed with their ability away from from home this year running the Jaguares and Chiefs very close. But not this weekend I’m afraid as I’m tipping the Lions to come home smoking a pipe (Betting World has Lions at -31 points).
The US are a good bet to beat Canada. They are on the up, while Canada have had mixed results in their campaign thus far. It is a RWC qualifier so it is a hugely important fixture for both ambitious teams, but I think the loser will qualify in any case at a later stage.
The Tonga versus Samoa is a great fixture with fantastic traditions. I have handled this game before and while the hits are brutal in the game, the post-match prayers are the most special thing to behold. That is one of my favourite memories from all my Test matches and one of the most beautiful amateur ethos that we need to hold onto at all costs.
Lastly, the British and Irish Lions take on the mighty All Blacks in the second Test. I don’t think they are that far off and with better finishing may have held a lead going into halftime last week.
They squandered a golden opportunity just after halftime to put points on the board when they got a line out 5m from the All Blacks line and if they can find a way to legally slow down the quick ball of the Kiwis they are in with a shout (Betting World +14 is good value).