Lions 2009 - Dallaglio backs Lions to roar

Eurosport - Thu, 18 Jun 09:13:00 2009

England legend Lawrence Dallaglio has backed the British and Irish Lions to beat the Springboks on Saturday following their unbeaten start to the tour of South Africa.

Lawrence Dallaglio - 0

Dallaglio - a key member of the team that beat South Africa in 1997 on the last successful Lions tour - believes Ian McGeechan's squad have developed enough momentum to carry them to victory against the world champions in Durban.

"I think the Lions can sneak it (the first Test)," Dallaglio told Eurosport after watching them defeat a feisty Southern Kings side 20-12 in Port Elizabeth to make it six wins from six tour matches.

"And I have always said that whoever wins the first Test will go on to win the series - I believe the Lions now have just enough momentum to do it.

"The team that loses on Saturday will find it very hard to come back and win the series because of the pressure they will be under to win the second Test.

"That's especially true for the Springboks because they are at home and, as the world champions, are favourites to win the series."

It is a scenario Dallaglio remembers well from 1997 when the Lions defeated the Boks 25-16 in the first Test before a Jeremy Guscott drop goal in the closing minutes a week later secured an 18-15 victory and wrapped up the series.

World Cup winner Dallaglio also feels Springboks coach Pieter De Villiers's decision to keep his squad players out of the provincial games could come back to haunt him.

The majority of the Boks starting team have not played a competitive game for over a month now and in their last outing - against a Namibia XV - they fielded a mostly second-string side.

"There are two ways of looking at it," added Dallaglio. "The Springboks will at least know they have most of their players injury-free and fit for the first Test, but conversely they will not be as battle-hardened as the Lions.

"Personally I would not like to have gone into the first Test having not played for four or five weeks. I think it is important to have games under your belt."

Nor does Dallaglio subscribe to the theory that the standard of the Lions' opponents so far on tour leaves them under-prepared for the challenges they will face in Durban's ABSA Stadium.

"The Lions have not had it all their own way in the games so far and I think the fact they have had to battle hard in a few of the games will actually help their chances," he added.

"They can only beat whoever is put in front of them. If before the tour you had offered Geech (McGeechan) six wins from six games going into the first Test he would have bitten your hand off.

"The players know they have got to step up another level for the first Test. Most of them have played the Boks before and some have beaten them so it's not like they don't know what's coming.

"But they haven't yet played a game with the intensity and tactics of a Test match, and it's important they eradicate their mistakes. They cannot afford to make the same number of mistakes because the Boks will punish them."

As for the Test squad, Dallaglio feels most of the starting XV have already picked themselves but he was keen to push the case of his former Wasps team-mate Simon Shaw at lock.

McGeechan looks likely to partner captain Paul O'Connell with Wales' Alun-Wyn Jones in the second row, but Dallaglio feels Shaw's greater size will better serve the Lions.

"I just think having Shawsy jumping at two in the lineout will help wrap up (Bakkies) Botha," explained Dallaglio.

"O'Connell has played most of his international career at four and you want your captain competing with their key lineout forward (Victor) Matfield, otherwise you can just hand him the man of the match award now.

"Jones is an outstanding player and has done really well so far on tour, but for me the balance is better with Shaw and O'Connell."

Lawrence Dallaglio's Lions starting XV for the first Test with South Africa:

15-Lee Byrne, 14-Tommy Bowe, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-Ugo Monye, 10-Ronan O'Gara, 9-Mike Phillips; 8-Jamie Heaslip, 7-David Wallace, 6-Tom Croft, 5-Simon Shaw, 4-Paul O'Connell (capt), 3-Phil Vickery, 2-Lee Mears, 1-Gethin Jenkins.

Lawrence Dallaglio was talking at a function sponsored by Greene King IPA, the official beer of England Rugby and a supporter of rugby from the grass roots to international level.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport

Comment 17 - 36 of 36

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  1. shane not even on the bench !!!!!!!!,...the guy is a­ genius,and has skinned habana more than once in the­ past ......putting him on his @#$% on one occasion and­ is the last years "worlds best­ player"..........and now now isn't even­ considered a top 22 in the british isles­ !!!!!!!!!!....Monye is ok,...but hes no­ "shane" ,........and also not part of a back­ 3 that plays together every week,....shane is the­ worlds best winger, how can they leave him out .....on­ the last lions tour he didn't get the nod even­ after scoring the most tries ever in a lions shirt IN­ ONE GAME,.......hope he gets picked in the next test­ and its not too late for him to show the world hes­ STILL NUMBER 1

    From GARETH, on Sat 20 Jun 11:26AM

  2. Hi t.reekie The only way the Boks­ can win is by their­ usual thuggery? I think they will win using their­ Speed, Power, Fitness and superior ability.
    We should­ do what they do and take out one or­ two key players?­ What players?
    Blaming the ref already before the games­ kicked?
    I wont be sliding on my belly I got four little­ legs I'll be climbing on top of a rock to bask in­ glory.

    From Salamander, on Thu 18 Jun 10:29PM

  3. I think everybody should remember its just a game, play­ with pride for your nation and give 100%. Theres no­ point in arguing with any of the Tri nations sides­ because they have to be the best or god forbid!!!!!!!!

    From charles392, on Thu 18 Jun 8:15PM

  4. O'Gara is an excellent fly-half - unless he is­ copping a hiding, in which case he starts to think­ 'self-preservation' before team ethos. ­ Opposition teams know this and will always target him­ for a battering.

    From Donald D, on Thu 18 Jun 1:19PM

  5. Hi, Salamander "So a walk in the park for the­ Boks". Let`s just hope the rest of the South­ Africans think the same as you. The only way the Boks­ can win is by their usual thuggery! I agree with­ Donald L,
    We should do what they do and take out one or­ two key players. If the Boks are not red carded, that­ will down to the ref.
    Time will tell Salamander, if the­ Lions win you should slide away on your belly and find­ your usuall dark place.
    Roar Lions Roar.

    From t.reekie, on Thu 18 Jun 11:11AM

  6. The lions will go out and do the job .ROWAN o'GARA­ should not be on the bench, he
    should be on the field­ playing, come on the Lions......you can do it.
    Thomas B

    From Mary, on Thu 18 Jun 10:27AM

  7. The only thing that might be a slight disadvantage is­ that the Lions have had a lot more games as a team.
    Did­ you see them cry like girls when they got a battering­ in PE??
    I hope the Lions get a good taste of the good­ ol;d rugby hospitality in SA on saturday..;)

    From teatotaller, on Thu 18 Jun 10:12AM

  8. Saturday will be a walk in the park for the Boks

    From Salamander, on Thu 18 Jun 9:34AM

  9. O Gara is a girl, he would be like a schoolboy out­ there, no strengh in the tackle his kicking is­ conservative at best, Monyes try was luck nothing else,­ the kick was poor. Game before he kicked away so much­ possestion it was scarey. Geech and the rest of the­ coaching staff are not blind he wont start. The Boks­ would run all over him making holes everywhere.
    At­ the end of the day we have no control so will cheer on­ whoever makes the test 22, what ever nation they`re­ from.

    From trufftastic, on Thu 18 Jun 7:16AM

  10. ONLY one way that the Springboks are gonna win on­ Saturday and that's if the Lions lie down and go to­ sleep!! And we KNOW that that's NOT gonna happen.

    From Gregg B, on Thu 18 Jun 2:04AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    if Moyne starts it will be a travesty- Luke fitzgerald­ has being flying all tour, whereas Moyne's tries­ were little more than tap in's, fiztgerald also­ doesnt go missing in defence, somethin that Moyne does­ when it counts.......man of the match to be Tommy Bowe,­ POC needs to step it up a hell of a lot but you just­ get the sense that he will, it'll be tight- how­ about a drop goal from a centre to win it for the­ lions???

    From ozire, on Wed 17 Jun 6:21PM

  12. lions will rip em to shreds!!

    From sean d, on Wed 17 Jun 6:16PM

  13. ARE YOU READY B&I LIONS ,BRING THE BOKS DOWN.YOU­ WILL NEVER BE FITTER OR MORE READY TO TAKE THEM.YOU­ KNOW IN YOUR HEARTS YOU CAN DO THEM .BRING THEM ON­ ,COME ON LADS TROUSER THEM ROB BANBURY

    From Robert, on Wed 17 Jun 5:15PM

  14. phil bennet may not have tackled much but you cant­ really compare him to o gara who is not a genius.What­ would Geech give for Phil Bennet right now?

    From David V, on Wed 17 Jun 4:00PM

  15. the lions will bring down the springboks. After last­ nights attempt to wound as many lions as possible you­ now what they say about a wounded lion and all that.­ Watch out boks..

    From richardterry1, on Wed 17 Jun 3:17PM

  16. I really cant understand the negativity against O Gara.­ There is very little between himself and jones but­ who's more likely to put roberts or driscoll­ through a gap? And with a big strong 9 like phillips­ just like O Leary hes not that a weak link in defence­ as everyone are saying. Just look at Irelands defensive­ record in the 6 nations..

    From James, on Wed 17 Jun 1:56PM

  17. so whats wrong with roberts or another lion covering­ o"gara. Is the no 10 not the most important player­ on the pitch, the playmaker in general ?. Anyone­ familiar with american gridiron football will note­ that the quarter back is king and as a consequence is­ protected to the hilt. O"Gara has imense ball­ passing off both hands, magnificent goal kicking, and­ not bad out of hand either. So is he not worth­ protecting in the tackle. I remember Phil Bennet was­ not capable of tackling his granny, now he"s a­ genious.

    From Brendan, on Wed 17 Jun 1:08PM

  18. so whats wrong with roberts or another lion covering­ o"gara. Is the no 10 not the most important player­ on the pitch, the playmaker in general ?. Anyone­ familiar with american gridiron football will note­ that the quarter back is king and as a consequence is­ protected to the hilt. O"Gara has imense ball­ passing off both hands, magnificent goal kicking, and­ not bad out of hand either. So is he not worth­ protecting in the tackle. I remember Phil Bennet was­ not capable of tackling his granny, now he"s a­ genious.

    From Brendan, on Wed 17 Jun 1:00PM

  19. Re Gavin04 !! Last Scot To start i think was Tom Smith­ who propped all three tests in 1997. Not sure if he­ travelled in 2001 !! Test plans in a bit of dissarray.­ Need to get behind their captain more than ever now but­ POC needs to step up as well. Needs Hines beside him.­ That is all I am saying about the test team.

    From Cumble, on Wed 17 Jun 12:50PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Lions are going to be a shy as a leopard compared to­ the World Champs. Go Bokke

    From Dean, on Wed 17 Jun 12:33PM
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