Different ball game as Lions take on Waratahs
They had barely vanquished the fiery Jaguares when the Lions turned their gaze to the Waratahs‚ with whom they are set to clash in a Super Rugby semifinal at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Waratahs’ game plan is likely to be more cerebral than that of the Jaguares‚ and the Lions will be required to fight battles on different fronts.
Lions captain Warren Whiteley expects his back three to come under aerial bombardment from the Waratahs.
“Tactically they play a smart game‚” Whiteley said. “They will probably kick a lot more.
“At Ellis Park they’ll try and put our outside backs under pressure under the high ball with Israel Folau‚ so we can expect some high balls and contestables.”
Game management is something at which the Waratahs are particularly adept.
In the closing minutes of their 30-23 win over the Highlanders, they controlled the tempo and flow of the game‚ perhaps even pulling the wool over the eyes of Australian referee Angus Gardner.
“They’ll probably try and slow the game down as well.
“They will try and buy some time‚” Whiteley said in anticipation of the effects of high altitude and long-distance travel taking its toll on the tourists.
“The Waratahs have a lot of international players who have cool heads‚” Lions coach Swys de Bruin said.
“They were down and out and they came back (from 23-6 against the Highlanders). The yellow card helped them but we anticipate a Waratahs team that is right up there.”
Clearly‚ the ’Tahs have redeeming characteristics.
“They scored 73 tries in the league stages and were third.
“They know how to find your tryline‚” De Bruin said‚ wide-eyed as ever to movement on the try-scoring charts.
The Lions may have home ground advantage and they may have kept the Waratahs scoreless in their most recent clash in Sydney earlier this season‚ but Whiteley and De Bruin are both wary of the vagaries of knock-out rugby‚ and indeed‚ the visitors’ prowess.
“That game was honestly one of the perfect days for us‚” De Bruin said of their 29-0 win earlier this year.
“Everything went our way‚ every bounce of the ball. It was a great game for us. They’ll be up for it. They’ll come here wanting to rectify their mistakes.”