Lions 2009 - White: Springboks too good for Lions

Eurosport - Fri, 10 Apr 10:07:00 2009

South Africa have the players to overcome any challenge the British and Irish Lions throw at them during their three-test tour, former World Cup-winning Springbok coach Jake White said.

RUGBY 2008 Tri-Nations - South Africa's captain Matfield waits for Australian conversion attempt with team-mate Jean de Villiers - 0

"I'm not meaning to sound arrogant and this is not all about me saying the Lions have got no chance, but whatever they throw at the Springboks, I believe they can pick the players to counter that and there is no reason the Springboks can't win the series," White said.

"If the Lions go for a massive pack and very physical forwards, there's no reason South Africa can't pick bigger and more physical guys.

"We have players like Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield (pictured), Gurthro Steenkamp and Danie Rossouw to stop them.

"If they go for speed and try to run us off our feet on the highveld, do they have anyone better than Pierre Spies, Ryan Kankowski or Schalk Burger?" added White, who coached South Africa from 2004-2007 and guided them to World Cup victory in 2007 in France.

South Africa lost the last series against the Lions in 1997 2-1. A Jeremy Guscott drop goal at the death gave the Lions an 18-15 victory in the second Test at Durban for a decisive 2-0 series lead.

White said there were two pitfalls South Africa needed to avoid if they were to avenge the defeat.

"In 1997, the Springboks outscored the Lions nine tries to three but lost the series because they didn't have a goalkicker," he said. "In 1974 (won 3-0 by the Lions), the selectors tried to swap the players around - we used 33 in the four tests. So this time there's got to be consistency in selection".

White introduced most of the players used by South Africa coach Peter De Villiers last year to international rugby.

"Obviously I'm biased about those players I rated highly, but South Africa does have a very special group of players at the moment," he said.

"Peter de Villiers has some options in terms of selection. The first Test in Durban (June 20) will be a most important clash because it will set the benchmark for the series.

"He could choose a lot of players from a top-class Sharks side because they'd have home ground advantage, but the negative is that they might have come straight off a gruelling Super 14 final.

"If winning means choosing two or three overseas-based players, then you do that. You'd be crazy if you don't and they'd have more time to prepare, plus they would understand the opposition they're coming up against," added White, who was in Johannesburg, to launch his academy for schoolboy rugby coaches.

The second Test will be played in Pretoria on June 27 and the third in Johannesburg on July 4.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 18 of 18

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  1. One thing worth pointing out are the admirable results­ which both Scotland & Wales acheived against The­ Boks towward the end of last year. Although they both­ lst, their respective loss margins were very narrow and­ I would expect that this would have been taken as a bit­ of a wake-up call for the men in green. Nonetheless, I­ think that the British and Irish Lions (to give them­ their correct title) are capable of putting up decent­ performances and provided the 'core' squad can­ remain injury free I think that the test matches are a­ mouth watering prospect. "99!"

    From ANDREW, on Fri 17 Apr 1:43AM

  2. Just pick 15 good English players - oh hang on we­ havent got 15 good players....

    From gary, on Wed 15 Apr 1:15PM

  3. i feel that englnad really need to up their game and if­ they don't they will really let the lions down,­ just plainly because the south africans have a very­ good side and a couple of weak players will be taken­ advantage of.
    go springboks, woooooooooo!!!!!

    From Adam, on Wed 15 Apr 9:23AM

  4. I didn't think the Lions squad (let alone Test­ side) had been picked yet. The Boks will present a­ massive challenge but I seem to remember they did that­ in 1997. The Boks will will say and do anything to­ un-nerve the Lions - they did that in 1997. The Boks­ however, will lose the test series - they also did that­ in 1997.

    From go_ld2003, on Tue 14 Apr 8:31PM

  5. I am an avid Lions supporter and Ireland fan, but am­ well aware of the conditions and players in SA and the­ 14, having played out there for 15 years. Jake white­ has to be listened to. The Boks are good World­ Champions. They will be as fit as humanly possible,­ especially after the current 14 season, and they­ delight in taking the opposition to pieces in the­ second half of each match played at altitude -­ don't forget that most of the Lions games will be­ played at over 5000 feet. At this time I do not see any­ part of the Lions matching them for fitness unless they­ have hardened themselves up to the standard of the­ current Munster/Irish squad. However even they were­ well beaten (by Jake White's SA team) in their last­ foray into SA.
    Lets hope that the Lions coaches listen­ to this, and make sure that the team have some­ experience of altitude training and matches before­ departure.
    Slan.

    From cgeos2, on Mon 13 Apr 5:25AM

  6. who writes this stuff, the lions not only have a­ chance, they should technically batter the boks. south­ africa only just beat an average scottish side a few­ months ago and what position were a good scotland side­ in the six nations? Fifth and last in the triple crown.­ No offence to the scots.

    From rugbymad666, on Sun 12 Apr 4:01PM

  7. rubbish!!!! Lions have the potential in their great­ players and if they can play well as a team and get a­ fast flowing game going and challenge well in the­ lineouts then i think they could win all three tests

    From joe.wyllie, on Sat 11 Apr 7:07PM

  8. Hi Pat from SA. Boks will win with narrow margin

    From patvandermerwe, on Sat 11 Apr 9:54AM

  9. So let's get this straight: each side is saying­ that the other has no chance? There really seems to be­ no point in playing if it's all such a foregone­ conclusion.

    From Paul, on Fri 10 Apr 7:49AM

  10. the basic fact is, there are no foregone conclusions,­ and British/Irish rugby is on the up. Helps that the­ non-English sides are so much better overall.

    From ddubdrahcir, on Fri 10 Apr 1:45AM

  11. springboks = lions dinner, fact! No denying nature.

    From ptothej, on Thu 9 Apr 7:29PM

  12. The difference in both physical strenghth and talent­ will see the Springboks home ---

    From GEOFF S, on Thu 9 Apr 6:59PM

  13. The difference in both physical strenghth and talent­ will see the Springboks home ---

    From GEOFF S, on Thu 9 Apr 6:58PM

  14. lions will eat the springboks for breakfast!

    From sean d, on Thu 9 Apr 6:10PM

  15. the springbok will cut the lions to shreds in all games­ the lions have no real chance

    From footy hater, on Thu 9 Apr 5:28PM

  16. Yip Rubbish

    From milesm, on Thu 9 Apr 5:01PM

  17. I think the lions will win the first game and the last­ one only if they play a fast and open game. GO LIONS

    From alan, on Thu 9 Apr 3:49PM

  18. rubbish

    From flanncu, on Thu 9 Apr 1:48PM
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