The quality of the opposition (Royals) is being­ rubbished, but I don't think this is all true. They­ are professional players who just do not compete in the­ Super 14. The assertion that they are somehow students­ or girl guides isn't the case.

If i was a South African i would be praying for­ O'Gara to be selected at fly half for the test­ matches, the SA scouts don't need to watch him now­ just watch how he played against NZ in the last Lions­ tour to know he is scared shxxxless of taceling (Excuse­ spell) . Believe me when Pierre Spies runs at him he­ will be bricking it as usual.

The Lions will hopefully improve but I am not at all­ sure of the quality of the players in the Northern­ hemisphere. I think the Springboks will be more focused­ and ruthless and clinical and foresee a 2-1 defeat of­ the Lions.

I agree that the Lions produced a rather shoddy­­ performance yesterday. As their coach stressed, it was­­ difficult to pick a side due to the Leinster &­­ Leicester players being rested. The main thing though­­ which does give some hope and that is the guys with­­ their backs to the wall scored 24-0 in the last 13­­ minutes. This showed their grit to prove they HAVE got­­ what they need to beat the Springboks. Jake White,­­ being the former Springbok coach WILL post negative­­ remarks. I think the Lions do have the players to beat­­ the Boks. Coming from SA, I see the Lions (in theory)­­ playing 4 tests. The 4th test being against the Sharks­­ which should be the only side other than the actual­­ tests that should put up any real resistance. The­ Lions­ have also broken ground by winning their first­ match of­ the tour and at VERY high altitude.

If O'Connell spent more time grafting instead of­ taking good phase ball of the scrum half and charging­ aimlessly up field we may have seen something better­ from the Lions. I was sick of seeing his bald/ginger­ head standing as 1st receiver. This is not Munster,­ this is the Lions !

Since the Lions of Graham Henry, no team could achieve­ a decent outcome. The last Lions tour was a disaster­ and no matter what they tell you about coming together­ just a week ago and that they will improve, the­ difference between the Lions players and the University­ amateurs should have been so massive that there should­ have been no problem beating them with a handsome­ result. Think about it, would you think a Lion version­ in football would loose to junior Newcastle?­ unimaginable. That's how bad this game of Lions­ was. This result is not a wake up call to players, it­ is a wake up call to the fans not to expect the­ impossible.

ya i blame the leinster players not pulling their­ weight

I can honestly say you do not know too much about­ rugby, having spent the last week with the lions at the­ surrey base and having had experience in SA myself­ there will only be one winer and its not the Lions.­ They do not pocess a scott gibbs, Johno, etc
Sorry­ Lads just watch this space.......

We will only get stronger.... the Lions will WIN THE­ SERIES!!!!

A series victory will only be achieved by winning the­ first test,which isnt at altitude. Two wins at altitude­ just doesnt seem feasible having experienced those­ conditions myself. Anyone comparin the previous lions­ tours '74 and '97, ith current tour is barkin­ up thw wrong tree. the game is different now. the­ levels of fitness and margins of error are so tight­ now. its true proffessionalism now, and the lions will­ have to be at least 95%, if not 100% clinical in the­ tests and bigger provincial games.
2-1 SA in my­ opinion, but really hard-fought tests
regardless of the­ result, it will already be superior to '05. not a­ circus at all.

Im not worried. The lions only came together a week­ ago. Yes they might lose one or two of the practice­ matches. In the heel of the hunt that doesnt matter.­ Its all about the tests.
The SH guys on here should­ remember that this is a team which has been given one­ week to prepare and even for the tests they will be­ dragged from sea level to altitude and back again to­ suit the south africans. They are at a massive­ disadvantage.
Still, I think this pressure will help­ them and they will improve as the series goes on.
I­ predict a 2 - 1 win for the lions. Enjoy.

question for you all! If the Lions had gelled and­ stuffed these guys, would you all be saying the test­ series was there for the taking? How often do we say­ hugely different performances from one week to the­ next? These pages seem to be about spouting bias rather­ than objective observation! For all we know, yesterday­ was a gameplan to lull all those who don't­ understand the game into making rash judgements - I­ recall the 97 lions being written off also.

Sorry djbulldog hasn't a clue, the team the lions­ played were part timers and it will be a very steep­ learning curve from now on, the super 14 teams will not­ have there springbok representatives in however i cant­ see the lions winning either these matches or most­ definately the test matches. O' connel is not a­ true leader when it comes to playing test match footie­ in the southern hemisphere. Go on have a laugh at this­ comment and when its all over it will be me laughing. I­ am british and can still see that they have forwards­ more than capable of running faster than the lions­ backs!!!!!!

Derekharrison hasn't a clue!! There 1st game is­ always going to be a bit of a scrap but as the game­ went on they lions were starting to play!! I think the­ lions will have no problem overcoming south afirca when­ it comes down to it.. I'm sure the lions­ weren't playing 100% too as they are saving them­ selfs from injurys. At the end of the day they went out­ to win it and thats what they did..

Come on, the worst rugby you have ever seen? get real,­ the lions will definately improve as the tour develops.­ Then you will probably be singing their praises?