>> Shane: Character got Lions through
Warren Gatland made some big calls for the first Lions Test and two of those were at scrum-half and on the wing with the selection of Scottish pair Ali Price and Duhan van der Merwe.
When are we going to stop questioning a man who is if not the greatest coach in rugby history, right up there with the best we’ve ever seen?
His calls were entirely justified overall because I thought the back three and half-back pairing had very good games. Let’s look at the halfbacks first.
I thought Dan Biggar was impressive. He missed one penalty, but controlled the game well before he was forced off injured in the second half.
This was the biggest game in Price’s career and he did very well. If someone had said to you 12 months ago that Price would have started the first Lions Test, I imagine some may have laughed.
But I don’t think you can argue he is the form nine on the Lions tour right now and I think the combination of Price starting with Conor Murray coming off the bench worked well.
That might be reversed for the second Test with Conor starting, but that would be no reflection on Price’s display. He did himself proud.
I’ve already talked about the forwards, but the aerial battle in the second half was huge and Van der Merwe played his part in that area.
The Lions were as good there as South Africa were poor.
Stuart Hogg, Van der Merwe and Anthony Watson did well as did
Liam Williams when he came on. Dan and Owen Farrell also put boot to ball regularly.
That was a very noticeable tactic.
From the first time the Lions got any ball, Dan put the ball straight up in the air and into the South African 22.
Van der Merwe came close to the line before the Lions were judged for being in front of the kicker.
It bodes well for the Lions that they came out on top in the air because if I’m honest I did have my doubts about Van der Merwe in that area. You have to remember he was picked ahead of Josh Adams who for all his tries on this tour, is probably one of the best in the world under the high ball.
I’m sure Josh will be in the frame to feature in the second Test even though Van der Merwe can be very pleased with his first Lions experience.
The first Test of a British & Irish Lions series is always a hugely tense affair so to come out on top is massive for Warren’s men.
But what is hugely positive for the Lions is that when they look at this game in the debrief, they will know they can play a lot better than they did in Cape Town.
Equally, South Africa should be a lot better in the second Test because of this first hit out. I thought the Springboks faded badly in the last half an hour.
That was not too much of a surprise because they have barely played any rugby as a team ahead of the series due to Covid-19.
The Boks will improve after playing in such a huge battle and that’s what will make the rest of this series so fascinating.
The Lions are far from home and hosed, but they have also made a huge step in the right direction.
Warren’s quiet smile and celebration at the full-time whistle showed me he knows there is still a huge amount of work for his team still to do.
What was most pleasing about
the Lions win was the character they showed to turn the tables because I must admit I feared the worst at half time.
The Lions were 12-3 down at the break and they were lucky to only be eight points adrift. Discipline was a huge issue in the first 40 minutes and will be an area of improvement for the second Test because it was so nearly very costly.
Tom Curry came in for criticism on social media for giving away a couple of early penalties, but he was not the only one and I thought one of his misdemeanours when he got stuck under a pile of bodies was a touch unfortunate. On the flip side, the late tackle on Faf de Klerk was needless.
It takes huge minerals to come out for a second half and dismantle South Africa at their own game and on their own turf.
But that is exactly what the Lions did! It was brilliant to watch. The pack stepped up big time. We’ve talked for years on end ahead of this series about South Africa’s power game, but the likes of Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones and Courtney Lawes dominated physically. For Alun Wyn to do that and go the full 80 minutes after his recovery from injury is just out-ofthisworld impressive.
Maro deserved to be named man of the match, but I thought Courtney wasn’t far behind and the bench all made a big impact.
Ken Owens, Mako Vunipola and Hamish Watson delivered plenty of impetus although the latter was fortunate to escape a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Willie le Roux. That could easily have been a yellow or a red.
The Lions won the two big battles in the tight and in the air.
There should be praise for Jack Conan. For him to be picked at No. 8 ahead of Taulupe Faletau who is an established Test Lion was a huge call. He stepped up impressively and did all the basics of a No 8’s job very, very well.
He carried strongly and there was one second-half scrum from which he picked up impressively when South Africa tried to get a big shove on.
South Africa’s response will be ferocious and it sets us up for a huge second and third match of the series. Warren hinted at a couple of changes for the second Test.
I’d imagine Wyn Jones will come back into the frame as long as he has recovered from his shoulder
injury. Rory Sutherland did OK coming in on the loosehead, but Mako’s superb display off the bench might leave the Scotsman vulnerable.
I’m sure Warren will be considering bringing Owen Farrell into his midfield axis for the second Test but he will be able to rotate from a position of strength.
The confidence of the Lions will now go through the roof and there is the possibility of Alun Wyn sealing the series this weekend.
“Lions discipline was a huge issue in the first 40 minutes”