Gatland’s men get into their stride
Head coach unable to hide his delight at silencing critics with victory in Christchurch but Scotland’s Hogg suffers injury KO
THE British and Irish Lions got their tour back on track with a ruthless win over the Crusaders that did enough to suggest the three-Test series against the All Blacks might not be a formality after all. The tourists’ points all came from Owen Farrell penalties but, just as importantly, the England stand-off delivered a masterclass with the ball in hand as the home team went down to their first defeat of the season.
The victory came at a price, however, as Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg and Wales centre Jonathan Davies both suffered head injuries that have ruled them out of Tuesday’s game against the Highlanders. Hogg, who was the only one of the three Scots Lions to be involved and for whom this was a second start in three matches, had his game ended after cutting his face in a collision with teammate Conor Murray’s elbow. That was just before the end of the first quarter, and Davies followed 10 minutes later after being tackled by Richie Mo’unga.
“Stuart’s got quite a nasty bruise on his eye and a cut there, and both he and Jonathan failed HIAs [head-injury assessments,” head coach Warren Gatland said. “So it’s going to be six days for the return to play for them. And they’ll just go through the protocols.
“Stuart had been training well. We were trying to get the ball in his hands and he was looking dangerous on outside breaks and things. So we’ll hope he can be back for the Maori game next week.
“It’s just a question now of how much training we can get under their belt, because they will have to stay away from contact. We’ll play that by ear and see how it goes.”
While those two will be out of the midweek game, captain Sam Warburton, who has been sidelined with an ankle strain, should be back.
“We will probably give Sam a run on Tuesday,” Gatland added. “He needs some game time as well. We’ve laid a marker down tonight and it’s a big challenge for the boys who will now face the Highlanders.”
It is indeed. Gatland’s team answered all the questions and every critic with a win of substance and serious promise. This was the day the 2017 that Lions built a Test-quality outfit. “I hope we didn’t disappoint too many people tonight with the result,” Gatland joked. The head coach had been left fuming at the unwelcome outside critiques that only increased after Wednesday’s 22-16 loss to the Blues – but used victory over the Crusaders as a stick with which to beat his detractors.
“It’s been a tough week,” he continued. “It’s been a really tough week; there’s been a lot of criticism. People have written the tour off already after two games, and that’s been challenging. It’s been challenging to all of us. We’ve had to stay strong within the group, keep the faith and remember that the goal is the Test matches, and keep improving for that.
“I have been hammered by the New Zealand media, so it has been a targeted campaign against me personally. That is part of coaching at the highest level and we know you have got to be able to handle those sorts of things and handle that pressure. And sometimes that brings out the best in me as a competitor in sport.”
The sight of home fans departing in their droves before full-time left the Lions supporters sporting a smile. Many of the New Zealanders who stayed until the end booed Farrell for kicking the ball out to signal the final whistle, but that will not bother the tourists one iota. Farrell, Jamie George, George Kruis and Alun Wyn Jones all enhanced their claims for Test places, while Murray did enough to buttress his position as the first-choice scrum-half.
Wednesday’s disheartening defeat by the Blues had left this clash as the crux of the tour – and the Lions passed every test in style. After two patchy performances they lit the touchpaper on a tour that now promises to explode into life.
Two Farrell penalties gave the Lions the early advantage, but the first half hung entirely on the Crusaders’ try-line fever. The hosts rejected two routine shots at goal in favour of punting to the corner. The Television Match Official (TMO) ruled a drive to the line ‘inconclusive’ as to whether a try had been scored.
The Lions completed the successful defence of that siege by winning a penalty at the scrum, clearing the danger to ensure they took a 9-3 lead into the break, Farrell having restored their sixpoint advantage with his third penalty to cancel out Mo’unga’s kick.
The Lions opened the second half well, but Farrell was left mystified by the touch judges refusing to raise their flags when he blasted a penalty, so he thought, through the posts.
The Lions hit the front foot again late in the game, and when Crusaders substitute Tim Bateman was caught offside, Farrell slotted his fourth penalty of the night. That proved enough, with the Lions hugging when Farrell blasted the ball into touch for full-time.