>> Guscott: Faletau proves he’s world class
IT’S been one hell of a series and no-one involved with this Lions team should feel anything other than immense pride at what they have achieved over the last five weeks in the hardest rugby environment on earth. From the tired performances at the start of the tour, to creating opportunities and not finishing them off as the games progressed – the last two weeks showed the Lions at their glorious best.
The first Test set the tone for this drawn series. While the 30-15 scoreline suggested a bit of a hammering, in truth it could have been a lot more if not for the Lions’ resilience. That dogged, backs-to-the-wall effort kept them in it mentally and allowed them to stay in that second Test when the black waves kept crashing over them and strike late with two stunning tries.
It’s all about moments; key incidents that prove to be game-changers when everything else comes together. Where the Lions got better, making fewer errors and taking their chances when they arose, it’s been anything but for New Zealand as the pressure has grown.
This week there had been maximum uncertainty for the world champions, with momentum swinging back to the red side. If we are honest, few would have predicted anything other than 2-0 to New Zealand with the Lions going into this final Test looking to avoid another blackwash.
The Kiwis are not used to being in this sort of situation; they are in the habit of winning easily and so when the tables are turned, their flaws show up.
And now, especially, when they don’t have the old guard boasting hundreds of caps between them. Instead, it was a new midfield and a one-cap full-back – individually very good players – but without the tried and tested combinations, this usually slick All Blacks machine seemed to become derailed. And at the death, with the scores tied, why on earth did they not try the dropgoal, even a wobbler like Stephen Donald’s in the 2011 World Cup final would have been enough.
But it says to me that they hadn’t prepared for that scenario. Drop-goals aren’t part of their true DNA. Instead, they harry and harass their opponents into making mistakes, giving away penalties or forcing a poor kick to counter off.
But yesterday it was them who started dropping balls in midfield when the pressure mounted. Compared to their usual standards, they had very little shape or pattern to their play and only once or twice off strike moves did they really threaten to cut loose.
This hugely talented Lions squad proved to be their match in the fitness stakes, and their combativeness in the tackle area was ferocious again, not giving the All Blacks room to breathe. Space didn’t materialise like it normally does. And Beauden Barrett’s influence was diminished, in contrast to Owen Farrell and Johnny Sexton who built on their partnership from last week to keep the defence honest.
Their combination always gives the third defender (usually No13) pause for thought. The tries last week highlighted the options the Lions’ had available – go wide like with Taulupe Faletau’s try, or go narrow which set up Conor Murray’s. It gave the Lions shape for every attack and with the electric back three Warren Gatland selected, there was always a threat out wide.
And be honest, who would have picked a back three of Elliot Daly, Anthony Watson and Liam Williams before the series began? All three excelled and I’ve been mightily impressed them.
Any notion that Gatland is a onedimensional coach who just plays
‘Warrenball’ is as far wide of the mark as Beauden Barrett’s miss from in front of the sticks.
Prop forwards and three-quarters alike, Gatland got the side playing some fabulous rugby built on rock solid defence, scramble or otherwise.
The enigma of the Lions continues. There is nothing else quite like it and I for one say the tours should stay to the Big Three Southern Hemisphere sides with a minimum of ten matches.
After three high-octane, ferocious encounters every player should be proud to have played their part.
For me, Faletau stands out. He came of age on this tour by going toe to toe with the world’s best No.8, the 100-cap Kieran Read. Faletau is a consistently high level performer who gets himself stuck into everything and physically drains himself out every time he takes the field. And the scary thing is there’s another level he’ll go to now with his threat out wide in the Read mode. The big concern before the tour was how would the Lions cope without Billy Vunipola. We needn’t have worried with Faletau on the plane. Likewise his back row partner Sean O’Brien. Having missed so much of the season with injury, the Irish openside, with Sam Warburton in support, eclipsed Sam Cane and epitomised the physicality which Gatland called for.
The old warrior Alun Wyn Jones rose to the challenge again and Maro Itoje alongside him, just 22 still, is already established as one of the world leaders at lock. I’m pleased for Jamie George to have fought his way to be the best of British and Irish despite being second best for England. Huge performances from all of them.
The Lions may not have quite achieved their aim of a series victory, but they showed the Kiwi public and the rest of the world what it means to pull on that red jersey and there is no doubt the Lions will stay alive for many years yet. Take a bow, lads.
“Without the old guard, this usually slick All Blacks machine seemed to become derailed”