Lions 2009 - Gatland hopes Boks 'underdone'

Eurosport - Sun, 21 Jun 08:39:00 2009

The British and Irish Lions have taken heart from France's victory over New Zealand last week and hope South Africa could also be caught cold in Saturday's first Test, forwards coach Warren Gatland said.

Warren Gatland - 2009 Lions - 0

The All Blacks, playing the first game of their season, were shocked 27-22 by a fired-up France in Dunedin and with South Africa not having played since November all the talk in Durban is about whether they are ready to face a Lions team on a roll after six wins out of six in their provincial games.

"That's the unknown quantity," Gatland (pictured) said when asked his thoughts on the Springboks' preparation.

"We can take a lot of confidence from France's performance against the All Blacks last week. Traditionally you have the chance to catch the home team a bit underdone so we've got to go into this first test with some confidence and self-belief.

"We've got to go out there and impose our game as much as possible. I feel our scrum has been dominant on tour so far, we have a lineout who can deliver good ball and a pack who can get around the park.

"We've got some backs who can get us across the advantage line and we've got a good kicking game."

Gatland, working closely again with Wales and Lions defensive coach Shaun Edwards, said he was confident the tourists could keep the Springboks at bay for long periods but, unlike in the series-clinching win at Kings Park 12 years ago, they would need to do more than hold their line and kick their penalties.

"We've got to play some rugby really," he said. "We've got to be confident in our defence - there will be times when we have to defend through successive phases - but on attack you're trying to create quick ball and get on the front foot."

The Lions test team is largely made up of the players who produced their two best performances on tour so far, against the Golden Lions and the Sharks, and Gatland was hoping for a repeat of the free-running approach used in those games.

"I think if we get involved in a set-piece battle and get into the physical one-on-one confrontation game that's something the South Africans are very good at," said the New Zealander.

"We've gone for some mobility. We've got to move their pack about a bit, go through some phases and ask some questions of their tight five.

"But we are expecting them to come out and be very physical. They are proud of their heritage and traditions and they will be reminded of 1997 and they will not want a repeat of that."

Reuters

Comment 1 - 11 of 11

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Chris M.... Your clearly a football supporter bringing­ the Vuvuzela and hatered into the picture. As a South­ African... I say good luck to the Lions in todays game,­ im sure it will be entertaining.

    From Tyrone T, on Sat 20 Jun 12:36PM

  2. P W why have a dig at England in the world cup final,­ who cares how we got there but we did & for the 2nd­ world cup running which is a tremendous achievement­ & Im sure all the other nations would have swapped­ places with us playing well or not

    From firstchoicepm, on Sat 20 Jun 12:07PM

  3. How does that spitting image song GO ive never met a­ nice south african,i do hope they dont have them bl**dy­ horns in the crowd that they have at the football or it­ is the mute button for me.

    From Chris M, on Sat 20 Jun 10:59AM

  4. the lions have the upper hand playing six games but­ that shouldnt stop the boks from playing a good game,­ the ref is from n.z so the game should be free flowing­ and if it does flow like it should i think the spring­ boks could take this, it will be very physical but i­ dont think the lions can handle the pace and intensity­ of the south africans, and before anybody judges me im­ from wales, just judging from the lions performances­ against the super 14 teams and the southern kings i­ think they will put them selves under pressure, but­ then again they have had game time and the bks­ havn't so it should go in their favour, south­ africa by 14

    From derekharrison1983, on Sat 20 Jun 10:41AM

  5. come on the lions lets play good rugby and win . good­ luck boys we are very proud of you all

    From colin, on Sat 20 Jun 9:30AM

  6. only an englishman...why do you always blame it on the­ ref? the game has not even started yet, but already­ you mention the ref and cheating. grow a pair and play­ the game!!!!

    From frikka4, on Sat 20 Jun 8:46AM

  7. It will no doubt be a physical encounter,just hope the­ ref is streetwise or it could spoil the game. If the­ game is allowed to flow I think we have the upper hand­ in the pack and that will allow us to release our­ awesome backs. How often though have our best laid­ plans been laid to .... We do not know the strength of­ the Boks ,as they hav e not shown their hand. We can be­ sure of a good game and if not too much cheating is­ allowed to go unpunished then it is a win for the­ Lions by 15 points!

    From iagoapcoyne, on Sat 20 Jun 12:57AM

  8. PW - I'm a truthful England man and, yes,­ you're right: I still shake my head in disbelief at­ how we reached the final. Our only GOOD game was the­ Q-Final against the Aussies - not a particularly pretty­ game but it was well planned and executed. Like you, I­ think the Boks were dull in the final too. England were­ no better and it was, frankly, the dullest game of­ international rugby I'd seen for some time. I­ actually didn't watch all of it I found it­ completely unabsorbing. The Boks had a mighty defence­ that day but not really much of a sharp end and I think­ we'll see that defence again tomorrow. Let's­ hope the Lions have a really sharp end in the backs.­ This is a huge game and a huge series... I'm­ looking forward to some great but hard rugby!

    From oyster250, on Fri 19 Jun 10:43PM

  9. apologise for mind lapse in my last comment. i meant­ ,of course, the SPRINGBOKS in the world cup final.

    From P W, on Fri 19 Jun 10:28PM

  10. good luck to the lions tomorrow. have eyes in the back­ of your heads for dirty "off the ball " ­ tactics from the boks. physicality is fine when its­ within the rules but i expect the south africans to try­ every dirty trick in the book. the lions last game is­ only a taster of whet we can expect tomorrow. if the­ boks play fair the lions will win and i believe,despite­ all their hot air, that the boks are afraid of them. i­ for one did not think the lions all that brilliant in­ the world cup final and english rugby supporters,if­ truthful, must be asking themselves still how on earth­ they reached the final. its all hands to the tiller­ tomorrow and for this tour we are all LIONS.
    ,

    From P W, on Fri 19 Jun 10:26PM

  11. I still cannot get that France win against NZ to sink­ in! Well done Les Bleus but what is going on in­ fortress All Blacks?
    The Lions team is bursting with­ quality, hence the top names on the bench and the ones­ who were left out. We do not have the hype or the­ entourage of the last debacle so lets just let these­ guys off the leash and enjoy what should in my humble­ opinion be a reasonably comfortable win. Good Luck­ Lions!

    From iagoapcoyne, on Fri 19 Jun 10:00PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account