Rate it!

2 votes

Ed Hoadley looks back on the first Test between the Lions and South Africa and suggests how the tourists can level the series on Saturday.

The key to success in Test rugby is simplicity: play to your strengths and try to remove those of your opponents, which is what made South Africa world champions.

The Springboks simplify their game by doing four things very well: they have a dominant set piece, an excellent kick-and-chase game, powerful runners off the scrum-half, and an ultra-competitive approach to the breakdown.

However, by relying heavily on these areas, the Boks are fallible if their opponents can gain parity in some of those elements.

The first Test on Saturday was a game of two halves - the first was won by South Africa 19-7, the second by the Lions 14-7. The reason for this turn around came from the battle for supremacy over South Africa's strengths.

So who had control of each key area in the first and second halves and where were honours even throughout?

Kicking

Most of the kicking came from the Boks. In fact, Ruan Pienaar passed the ball only three times, showing just how much they rely on their kick-chase game. The Lions back three dealt with the aerial bombardment well enough, choosing when to counter and when to return kicks. The key to the Lions staying in touch in this area was the ability of Rob Kearny to fill Lee Byrne's boots when the Welshman left the field injured. Kearny was assured under the high ball, accurate with his left boot and a constant menace chasing kicks.

Breakdown

The Lions have struggled at the breakdown throughout their tour. However, the likes of Heinrich Brussow were shackled and the Boks never had an obvious advantage in this area at any point. If you do not include the three times Lions players lost possession going for the South African line, the turnover count at the tackle area was six to five in the Boks' favour.

Set piece

Lineout: South Africa's lineout is unquestionably the best in the world. The imperious Victor Matfield (pictured right) is untouchable. It is the one area where the Lions are unlikely to compete on level terms. True to form, Matfield and co dominated the lineout in the first Test, stealing three Lions throws. This dominance is unlikely change in the next two weeks. Maybe the Lions should stop competing on the South African throw and concentrate on stopping their driving maul.

Scrum: The Boks had complete scrum dominance in the first half, and that effectively won them the game. Phil Vickery had no answer for Tendai 'Beast' Mataweri and sacrificed nine points from penalties before the break. The Boks' first try also came from a scrum, and it took only three phases - all of which started simply with runners off nine. If South Africa have a solid set piece they can win the first contact, which eliminates the Lions' blitz defence and allows the Boks' power runners to hit a defence already on the back foot.

When Vickery was replaced by Adam Jones, the Boks' scrum dominance ended. In fact, six phases after Jones's first scrum - which if anything went forward - only a last-ditch tackle by Bakkies Botha stopped Mike Phillips from scoring. While Adam Jones and Matthew Rees were on the field the Boks failed to score a point to the Lions' 14.

Winning back the scrum proved that if the Lions gain parity in enough of South Africa's key areas they can start to dominate the game.

If the Lions can undermine the Boks' game plan, they can then look to exploit potential areas of dominance.

The result of the final two Tests will hinge as much on the Lions' ability to play to their strengths as negating those of Boks - the midfield is key to that.

Centres Jamie Roberts and Brian O'Driscoll made Adi Jacobs and Jean De Villiers look like players who have not played together since November. Their partnership played a big part in the Lions crossing the gain-line 32 times to the Boks' nine.

Although it felt the Boks dominated the game, they had to make three times more tackles than the tourists

If the Lions can force the Boks out of their comfort zone and towards a plan B, it could accentuate another of their strengths. Gaining parity at the set piece would increase the odds of stopping the Boks' power runners on the gain line as well as altering their kicking options, which would force the world champions to look at alternative offensive weapons.

Should the Boks look to attack wider they will be faced with Shaun Edwards's legendary destructive blitz defence and play into the Lions' hands.

So much that is great about the Lions can be summed up by their physicality and passion. The Lions can take heart from the fact they came back from 19 points down to nearly steal victory.

Yet the first Test highlighted that the key to success may lie in the tactical battle. Test match rugby is certainly a war of attrition, but it can also be a game of chess. Your move Mr McGeechan.

Agree, disagree with Eurosport's assessment? Let us know your opinions in the comments section below.

Ed Hoadley / Eurosport