LIONS’ COOL HAND LUKE!
Gatland: ‘We have hurt them...’ as Cowan-Dickie try sparks fightback
MARVELLOUS Maro Itoje saluted a stunning second-half turnaround from the Lions in Cape Town to down world champions South Africa.
Trailing 12-3 at half-time, the tourists turned the game on its head after the break, punishing the fading Springboks for their indiscipline to draw first blood in the series.
The psychological blow landed wasn’t lost on Lions coach Warren Gatland, who warned: “They will be hurt from this, because they are an incredibly proud nation and world champions.”
The Lions rode their luck at
as two Springbok tries were overturned by South African TMO Marius Jonker – including one from Willie le Roux which should have been given. But their composure to close the game out was outstanding.
Itoje said: “These moments don’t come very often in your career. You don’t take them for granted. It’s a massive privilege to wear this jersey and represent the Lions, and to come out here and win as well is really special.
“The second half was a great comeback. We tidied up our discipline and had the mental fortitude to see it through.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We’ve come out here to win the series and we have to make sure we do the business next week.”
Just four weeks after dislocating his shoulder, captain Alun Wyn Jones (right) lasted a full 80 minutes alongside Itoje and played a pivotal role in helping to turn the tide. His first big call after the break was to order Dan Biggar to kick a straightforward penalty to touch and chase a try.
The Lions’ lineout drive has struggled to motor on this tour but, when it was needed, the pack found top gear and muscled Luke Cowantimes,
Dickie over the line. Biggar knocked over the conversion and suddenly, after a flailing first half from the Lions, it was game on. South Africa thought they had struck back through Le Roux, only for Jonker to overturn the on-field call and rule he had been in front of Lukhanyo Am as he kicked ahead for him.
However Faf de Klerk was not to be denied in the 50th
minute after Pieter-Steph du Toit had opened up the Lions’ defence.
The last half-hour belonged to the Lions though, as they dominated the aerial battle and squeezed penalty after penalty out of the Boks. Biggar obliged from the tee with three kicks in the space of 10 minutes to give the Lions the lead for the first time in the game.
Handre Pollard missed a long-range chance for the Boks after replacement Hamish Watson was fortunate to escape with just a penalty for a tip tackle on Le Roux.
Then Damian de Allende had another try chalked off – correctly – for a knock-on by Cheslin Kolbe in the build-up.
But the Springboks were increasingly clutching at straws, unable to shift a Lions scrum after the break, despite bringing on their front-row ‘bomb squad’
at half-time. A pat on the back is due replacement Mako Vunipola, who was only called into the matchday squad late on after Wyn Jones withdrew from the starting line-up with a shoulder injury.
Vunipola’s neutering of Frans Malherbe was crucial – and personally highly satisfying after being dominated in the World Cup final.
With Biggar, who contributed 14 points with the boot, off the field with concussion, Owen Farrell kicked the Lions five points clear with a minute left.
The Springboks gave it one last blast but Itoje, outstanding in defence, supplied the crucial strip and Stuart Hogg kicked the ball into the empty stands to seal a famous win.
Boks captain Siya Kolisi, who has only just recovered from Covid, said: “The discipline killed us.”
And flanker Courtney Lawes warned that the Lions have more in the tank. He said: “It’s a great start to the series but we know we have a lot more to give –and we can’t wait for next week to rip in again.”
Pens: Pollard 4
LIONS: Try: Cowan-Dickie
Pens: Biggar 4, Farrell; Con: Biggar