Now we face All mighty Blacklash
WARREN GATLAND acknowledged the Lions have “poked a bear” with their stunning victory in Wellington but insists his side will be ready for the Blacklash in the decider on Saturday.
After instigating the ferocious emotional response from the Lions to their first Test defeat – a response that teetered on the brink of selfdestruction but ultimately delivered a famous victory – Gatland is aware the self-same buttons will be pressed by New Zealand this week.
But the self-belief gained from the last-quarter surge that brought the Lions back from 10 points down to squeeze home with Owen Farrell’s 78th-minute penalty provides his side with an extra layer of armour to handle it.
“That second Test was pretty massive for the team, for the future of the Lions, for all of us. It was all or over,” said Gatland.
“To go 1-1 with no one expecting that, and to show the character we did, means we go to Eden Park thinking, ‘Actually, if we put our best foot forward and play to our ability, we can win this Test match and the series’.
“This is the best team in the world and, for two Tests they really haven’t stressed us. IN QUEENSTOWN They’ve squeezed us, made us give away penalties, and that has been to our detriment. But we haven’t seen the expansive rugby that the All Blacks are known for, creating havoc.
“If we can continue to cope with that and improve in other areas then we’re going to see, hopefully, a great Test match. Yes we’ve poked the bear, but hopefully the wounded Lion from last week is still recovering as well.”
The Kiwi attack was undeniably blunted by the red card for Sonny Bill Williams and the rain in Wellington but the fact remains the Lions kept the All Blacks tryless in a Test for the first time since Christchurch in 1977.
It was a clean sheet built on the sledgehammer impacts from a Lions side – and particularly a pack – stung by Gatland’s questioning of their pride.
The hot blood boiled over at times with Mako Vunipola sin-binned and 13 penalties conceded, but attitude prevailed. The Lions will need plenty more of that to break the Eden Park hoodoo but must also stay calm in the storm that is coming. “I’m happy we got ourselves out of a hole and showed character and courage,” said Gatland.
“I’m happy with our physicality, but there were a lot of things I wasn’t happy about.
“I wasn’t happy about some of the penalties and the discipline. We’ve got to make sure we don’t give away stupid and soft penalties – key players were guilty of that.”
In this respect heroes like Conor Murray, who scored the Lions’ second try after Taulupe Faletau’s opening touchdown, and Maro Itoje were also villains.
“We’ve got to sort it out because it’s going to kill us,” said scrum coach Graham Rowntree.
“We can’t lose a Test series on the back of some stupid penalties. That would be unacceptable. How do you live with that for the rest of your life?”
Still, how much better to be trying to solve that problem from a vantage point overlooking possibly only the second Lions series win in New Zealand rather than from dead rubber territory?
With the cries of ‘Lions, Lions’ still ringing in their ears, the squad flew off yesterday to the lakeside tranquillity of Queenstown. They have chosen to begin the build-up to the Biggest Game of Their Lives, Take 3, with three days away from it all in the shadow of the South Island’s snowcapped peaks.
All very soothing – except Queenstown also happens to be the adrenaline-adventure capital of New Zealand with a reputation for night-time excess from England’s ill-fated 2011 World Cup visit.
Gatland, not averse to a half himself, insists there will be no dwarf-tossing this time and, although his squad will be free to enjoy themselves, no adventures in alcoholic excess.
When the Lions levelled the 1993 series, the refuelling got out of hand and was claimed to be a factor in subsequent defeat. Not this time.
“That was the amateur days. These players are true pros,” said Gatland. “They’ll have a couple of quiet beers but I don’t see that being an issue.
“On the last two tours going away somewhere Sunday, Monday and having Tuesday off has freshened them up.” ALUN WYN JONES wants the Lions to relax and revel in the magnitude of this week’s occasion rather than allowing themselves to be consumed by it.
Jones, who silenced his critics with a redoubtable performance in Wellington after Warren Gatland resisted calls to drop him, captained the Lions to victory in the decider against Australia four years ago.
Jones, 31, thinks the key to success this time in Saturday’s mega-match is to chill out. “We’ve really got to make sure we enjoy it because I’ve had similar occasions before and probably not enjoyed it as much as I can. We’ll get the best out of everyone if we do enjoy it,” he said.
“Work sometimes becomes an obsession, doesn’t it? I want to realise where I am, what I’ve done and where I’m going.”
ENGLAND will face the United States at the 2019 World Cup after the Eagles qualified by beating Canada 52-16 in San Diego. The US will join France, Argentina and an Oceania qualifier in Pool C in Japan with Canada now headed for Wales’ group – if they beat Uruguay in a two-legged tie to decide the second Americas qualification place.
If we play well we know we can win