It’s a bridge too far for Gatland’s brave Lions
SOUTH AFRICA 19 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS 16 Marathons often come down to sprint finishes these days, and Lions series seem to be just the same.
For some time, deep in the second half, this match in Cape Town was heading for the draw that would have tied the series – the outcome of the last tour, to New Zealand in 2017.
Finn Russell – a man who had not played for five weeks because of injury – had come off the bench early to spark life into the Lions attack. At last they gave us glimpses of just how good a team they can be when they play with the ball in hand instead of kicking it away all the time.
But after dominating the first half, they went in at the break just 10-6 ahead, and the South Africans, as we knew they would, fought back strongly in the second half. In the end, it was Morne Steyn – a man who had not played a Test match for five years, never mind five weeks – who scored the winning points from a penalty.
It was fitting in a way, as 37-yearold Steyn had also scored the winning points the last time the Lions played in South Africa, back in 2009. But it was a gutting way for the tourists to end their six-week tour, and head coach Warren Gatland was inevitably left to reflect on what might have been.
“When you’re playing the world champions you know it’s going to be a really tight contest,” he said. “It’s going to be a bounce of a ball or a recall or something. We were held up over the line then were penalised at a scrum, which was a little bit unlucky when you’re five metres out from their line.
“There were some key moments, but it was always going to be the bounce of a ball, it was always going to be tight. The boys gave it 100% and from a coaching point of view you can’t ask for more than that.”
Springboks fly-half Handre Pollard got the scoreboard going with a penalty, then Russell came on for the injured Dan Biggar and equalised after quarter of an hour. A few minutes later the Scot had another chance to go for goal, but he went for touch instead - and his boldness was rewarded when, from the lineout, hooker Ken Owens rumbled over.
Russell’s conversion made it 10-3, and the Lions had the possession to stretch the lead further. But Liam Williams went on his own when Josh Adams was unmarked outside him, and a second Pollard penalty just before half-time was an ominous sign.
The Boks 10 missed an early secondhalf chance to make it 10-9, but then a touch of Cheslin Kolbe magic turned the tide in their favour. Willie le Roux counter-attacked from a loose ball, racing up the right, and he drew the defence before passing to Kolbe, who evaded Williams and Luke CowanDickie to touch down.
Pollard’s extras stretched his team’s lead to 13-10, and then a Russell penalty made it 13-13. Then substitute Steyn scored a long-range penalty: 16-13.
Five minutes from time, Russell again equalised with a penalty, but with a minute to go another penalty
went the way of the Springboks. Steyn stepped up, some 35 metres out and right in front of the posts. He sent it straight down the middle, giving his side the win that their play over the three Tests just about deserved.
The Lions had given everything they could. But everything was not quite enough.
“I’m disappointed, obviously, but I’m really proud of the effort that the boys put in,” Gatland added. “I thought we were bold, and we went out there to be positive and play some rugby.
“We missed one or two chances and they kind of get a lucky bounce and they score a try against the run of play. It was a proper Test match. It was tough, it was physical - that’s what you want with a Lions series.
“It was a really tight contest. It could have gone any way. Congratulations to South Africa.”
LIONS: Williams; Adams, Henshaw, Aki, van der Merwe; Biggar (Russell 11), Price (Murray 59); W Jones (Vunipola 43), Owens (Cowan-dickie 53), Furlong (Sinckler 59), Itoje, A Jones (Capt.) (Beard 61), Lawes, Curry, Conan (Simmonds 59).