British and Irish Lions vs South Africa LIVE: First test result and reaction in Cape Town
The Lions overcame a 12-3 deficit against the Springboks with a strong second-half display
Dan Biggar’s boot proved the difference as the British & Irish Lions came from behind to beat South Africa 22-17 in an attritional first test in Cape Town on Saturday.
Biggar kicked four penalties and a conversion for a 14-point personal tally to take the Lions to victory after they were 12-3 down at halftime but came back strongly in the second half.
Luke Cowan-Dickie scored the Lions‘ only try with Owen Farrell adding a key late penalty while the Springboks’ points came from a Faf de Klerk try and four first-half penalties from Handre Pollard.
The two teams meet again next Saturday in the second test, also at the Cape Town Stadium.
Maro Itoje won the Player of the Match, telling Sky Sports: “These moments don’t come that often in your career. It’s a real privilege to where this jersey and to win as well is special.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We want to come out and do the business next week. We had to tidy up our discipline. We did in the second half and we had the mental fortitude to see it through.”
Lions vs South Africa: The Fun Bus has rolled in as well
Now the Chairman of the British and Irish Lions, England’s most capped men’s player Jason Leonard was a tourist 24 years ago on the famous trip to South Africa so vividly captured by the “Living with the Lions” documentary. This has been a very, very different trip to that one, but you wonder if Jim Telfer’s Everest speech will have been re-employed to ready the Lions for a similarly brutal-looking South African side.
Lions vs South Africa: Battle of benches may be key
Bench impact is likely to be of great importance today. When the starters take their leave they will give way to two strong sets of eight readied to add impact, particularly in the South African tight five - you can make the argument that their three best front-rowers are all among their subsitutes.
Both sides had appeared primed to go with a six forwards, two backs split, but due to concerns over a couple of late returnees from isolation the South Africans felt they had to include a bit of extra back cover on their bench. They have temporarily abandoned the tactic that brought them such success in Japan for a traditional five and three combination - and the Lions followed suit in an apparent departure from leaked plans earlier in the week. Plenty of experience among their bench group, though none of Conor Murray, Owen Farrell or Liam Williams are particularly used to coming into a game later on - Warren Gatland felt like it should cause few issues for three players he very much trusts after their exploits four years ago in New Zealand.
Lions vs South Africa: Clues from the travelling side in their selection
It is tougher to predict how the Lions will look to go about things having picked a side capable of adapting quickly to different gameplans. It is a backline braced for an aerial bombardment, with the possible exception of the improving Duhan van der Merwe, but also one that provides attack coach Gregor Townsend with plenty of options.
Elliot Daly will likely be allowed to roam a little from 13 to allow his creativity and speed to shine, which may mean the hulking van der Merwe is utilised to do some of the midfield carrying off first and second phase. Expect plenty of kicking to compete from Dan Biggar and Ali Price, while Jack Conan and Tom Curry may lurk wider where each can be dangerous with explosive footwork. Courtney Lawes’ selection feels as if it has been made to directly combat Pieter-Steph du Toit’s brilliance on the blindside. Even without Tadhg Beirne in the side from the start the Lions had seemed prepared to heavily contest at the breakdown - the loss of Wyn Jones, underrrated in that regard, is a blow, but Luke Cowan-Dickie, Maro Itoje and Tom Curry are all fine operators over the ball.
Lions vs South Africa: How the hosts will play
That performance rather confirmed the suspicion that South Africa remain remarkably similar stylistically to the side so dominant in the final against England at the World Cup in 2019. It is a kick-heavy gameplan predicated on territorial dominance, set-piece might and a magnificent defensive structure crafted by Jacques Nienaber, now head coach but previously an instrumental guider of the defence.
South Africa play off nine extensively, with Faf de Klerk an irrepressible menace in defence and attack, while the return of Handre Pollard is key - the fly-half is a kick, run, pass triple threat at fly-half with a cool head and an ability to control affairs behind that pack of tremendous strength. Cheslin Kolbe is the star in the outside backs, a ball of elastic and energy with the fastest feet in the game, but the return of Makazole Mapimpi on the oppposite wing provides further cutting edge. Willie Le Roux will step up as a second distributor when South Africa try to broaden their attack, while Lukhanyo Am’s linking hands and cerebral defensive skills will be key.
Lions vs South Africa: The dress rehearsal
About an hour to go in Cape Town, with both sides beginning to make their way out into the empty amphitheatre and start their preparations for this game. Neither has quite had the build-up they would have hoped for, with South Africa losing a second warm-up fixture against Georgia due to the coronavirus and the Lions chaotic tour providing few truly competitive periods against reasonably weak South African provincial sides.
With one exception. Such was the Springboks’ fear that they would be under-prepared for this series that they loaded up the South Africa ‘A’ side such that it virtually resembled the side picked today, and duly defeated the Lions in a game that both sides felt they got all that they wanted from. Need a refresher of what went down and why it mattered?
Lions beaten by South Africa ‘A’ in bruising warm-up clash
South Africa ‘A’ 17-13 British and Irish Lions: A tough encounter ends in a first defeat of the tour for Warren Gatland’s side
Lions vs South Africa: Jones completes remarkable recovery
It is not yet one month since Alun Wyn Jones was ruled out of this British and Irish Lions tour. After dislocating his left shoulder against Japan, the Lions’ tour captain was replaced in the squad, ruled out of the remainder of the Lions summer business and unlikely to ever pull on the famous jersey ever again.
But like Lazarus, here he is, ready to lead the Lions into battle in the first Test. A more promising prognosis than first feared open the door, a glimmer of hope all Jones needed to drive himself through the pain to recuperate. Little over two weeks after his shoulder was popped back into place Jones was back amongst things with Wales; less than a week later and he was reuniting with the Lions squad in South Africa. A cameo against the Stormers last weekend convinced Warren Gatland that his most experienced squad man was ready for Test involvement.
And once Gatland had decided that Ali Price’s form was irresistable at scrum-half ahead of Conor Murray, the head coach revealed this week that he felt compelled to select Jones from the start to give him a sage and respected leader on the field, and a battle-hardened lock to confront that South African forward pack.
That newly-healed shoulder will be heavily tested, but it really is miraculous that Jones is even here.
Lions team-mates have ‘no doubt’ Alun Wyn Jones is ready for action
A fast recovery from a shoulder injury leaves him in line to return
Lions vs South Africa: First Test
Robbie Henshaw says the Lions are ‘massively ready’ for first South Africa Test
A triple-header against the Springboks awaits
Lions vs South Africa: Where’s Rassie?
That hasn’t been the only point of discussion for the Lions in the last week or so. Warren Gatland had initially been tickled after Rassie Erasmus - who has been elevated to Director of Rugby after coaching the Springboks to World Cup glory - appeared as a rather ineffective water-carrier in South Africa A’s clash with the Lions,but after refreshing himself with the lawbook, suggested that World Rugby’s rules outlawed such a practice if Erasmus was not genuinely providing fluids to the players as his primary function.
Referee Nic Berry and the rest of the officiating team have been nudged to keep an eye on it if Erasmus goes all Adam Sandler again today, as it sounds like he might.
Lions vs South Africa: Mind games?
The furore over the officials has been a useful diversion over the last couple of days and will place plenty of pressure on the unfortunate Jonker - should their be a tight call to be made, a ruling in favour of the Lions may lead to accusations of over-compensation; heaven knows what the criticism might be like if the Springboks appear to get the rub of the green.
Still, South Africa have tried to stay out of it, and insist that they want their rugby to do the talking...
South Africa dismiss Warren Gatland’s mind games ahead of first Test
The first of three Tests take place over the weekend
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