Lions get back on track with victory over Crusaders
THE 2017 Lions have found their road to resurrection. Under growing pressure to deliver, the players and coaches thrust their critics’ taunts down their throats by beating New Zealand’s gold standard Super Rugby side, the Crusaders, in emphatic fashion.
They won this “fourth Test” much more convincingly than the scoreline suggests against a side that not only included six All Blacks in their pack, but are so lethal on the counter-attack that they have averaged 37 points per match this season.
What’s more, despite the obligatory cat-calls from disappointed Crusaders fans as they trooped from the stadium that the Lions did not score any tries, they created more clear cut chances than the home side, including a couple in the second half which should have been put away.
They also had the most accomplished conductor on the pitch in Owen Farrell. The fly-half ’s confidence in the dewy conditions was matched by his ability as a distributor and tactical kicker, not to mention the almost failsafe marksmanship which saw him nail four out of his five penalties to clinch this crucial victory.
He and coach Warren Gatland were sure that an attempt ruled out just after half-time when the ball soared over a post would also have been awarded had the referee gone to the TMO, but Farrell just put it to one side and got on with a display which Crusaders coach Scott Robertson later called ‘world class’.
This included Farrell showing his ability to adapt. Following concussion HIA’s which saw Stuart Hogg and Jonathan Davies sidelined in the first-half, he switched to inside-centre to accommodate Johnny Sexton at 10, with Ben Te’o shifting to outside-centre and Anthony Watson taking over at full-back.
Conor Murray also brought his experience to bear, with the scrum-half ’s hanging box-kicks with the slippery ball becoming increasingly influential as the chasing Lions wings forced errors from the Crusaders backs.
The only blemish on this performance was the Lions’ continued inability to finish ruthlessly. A Davies break in the opening minute might have resulted in a try for George North if the pass had not been intercepted. Instead, they had to rely on three Farrell penalties for a 9-3 lead at the break.
Then, just before the hour, two more chances went west. The first came when Watson’s touchdown was ruled out due to a Liam Williams knock-on, while the second looked certain as Watson found acres of space down the left wing with Israel Dagg to beat. If Watson had backed himself his pace might have burned off the All Black full-back, but instead he linked with Sexton who made more headway before sending a scoring pass into the path of CJ Stander. The line was open, but Stander took his eyes off the ball, and spilled it.
Once again the Lions had to rely on Farrell to turn the pressure into points, with his last penalty 11 minutes from time giving them their winning margin.
By contrast to their hitor-miss attack the Lions were implacably accurate in defence. Their impressive line-speed suffocated the Crusaders attack, and this outfit were much more adept than the team which played the Blues in midweek in stopping the Kiwi speciality of off-loads out of contact, and off the floor.
Equally significant was the way the Lions forwards established primacy at the set-piece, and in the closequarter combat. With Mako Vunipola, Alun Wyn Jones, and Taulupe Faletau in the vanguard, and every other Lions forward standing shoulder to shoulder with them, they battered the most vaunted pack in Super Rugby to a standstill.
Steve Hansen has been happy to snipe from the sidelines at the Lions, but the All Black coach will be a little less cocksure having seen four of his prospective tight-five – lock Sam Whitelock and a front-row of Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, and Owen Franks – come second to their Lions counterparts.
There are signs that while New Zealand sides have made big strides at the scrum and line-out they still have fault-lines. The Crusaders found momentum and quick front-foot ball far harder to come by than normal, and the fact that they were outside their comfort zone was reflected in three lost line-outs and the concession of a handful of scrum penalties.
The Crusaders forwards are mobile and aggressive, but they are not as used to heavy-duty mauling, or having to deal with for-