2nd Test: South Africa v Lions

[shtove]

Well done Saffers - all the balls! I've really liked Habana's attitude in both tests.

Tragedy for ROG. You could see he was trying to get the man behind him to take on the run. Could be the end of the line for him.

Everything marginal in the last five minutes, but losing their front row was the end of the Lions. And then both centres off. Addled BOD stepping out of the line for Habana's try. Jeez, could go on and on.

 

[cyRil]

Yeah well done South Africa. An absolutely amazing game. Yes I'm incredibly emotional but O'Gara is on for 13 minutes, misses 2 tackles, gets totally bounced for the try and gives away the penalty that loses us the series. He makes it easy for me to use him as a scapegoat.

 

[Sir Speedy]

There's a point. Du Preez is amazing. Best player for SA today, though Kearney gets MotM for me.

A star is born, there. Let's hope we can gain some pride in the last test.

The wingers were superb. That Irish back 3 will wreak havoc over the years to come. Centres are excellent. Had the upper hand again today, though not quite as effective. BOD wasn't quite himself to be honest. Jones is world class. He's proved it time after time after time.

Sorry about how clumsy this post is...

 

[Thingimubob]

Well we've all learnt a lesson today:

You can't win a test match with 1 Prop, No Centres and Ronan O 'bloody hell no' Gara

 

[stevemagoo]

Unreal match - Fair play to SA though - i was sure they were going to run out of gas - good substitutions by Divvy. Burger shouldn't have been on the pitch though for the entire game. ROG is to blame for the loss - not for the final penalty though, as that was a slightly harsh call, but for being a completely useless and weak defender for the try. That was the belief that SA needed to move forward. Without that try and conv we may have held onto it. Losing props kind of suited us to be fair but losing centres was a big loss.
Some of the SA tries were top drawer - great worked moves that came off perfectly.
Gutted by the result, but what can you do?

Well done SA - great match and i would say deserved winners even though there is sick in my throat saying it !!

Roll on next week - pride match.

P.S. - ROG won't even see the bench next week. He should just go and blow 100k like he usually does!!

 

[alexrugby]

Pietersen Habana and Fourie the people you must hate Lions fans and not others

Pietersen and not Spies who scored for the SECOND time (in a second match of course) against Lions

Guilty Guy :lol:

 

[cyRil]

No Saffa rugby players deserve our hate, Lekso! I could suggest a 'Lion' that does though...

 

[Thingimubob]

Yupp, fair play to South Africa, really did well to come considering their first half performance. Kind of the opposite to last week, just with SA winning with their comeback.
Injuries killed off the Lions, Jenkins and Jones had a big upper hand on the Springbok front row, and the un-contested scrums after they went off really helped the Boks get teh steady platform they didn't have had with contested scrums. Roberts and O'Driscoll going off really hurt defensivly, I didn't think Fitzgerald was that good in defence, and everyone knows O'Gara can't defend. Hook should have been on the bench imo, he fills the slot of 'impact player' much better than O'Gara. Makes me wonder what the word is for the opposite of an impact player...
Anyway congrats to SA again, and all I can say is Morne Steyn can't half bloody kick! Undoubtably SA's no.10 for 2011 (or at least sharing the role with Pienaar.)

 

[alexrugby]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cyRil of Ospreylia @ Jun 27 2009, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

No Saffa rugby players deserve our hate, Lekso! I could suggest a 'Lion' that does though...[/b]

OO yes I understand

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Injuries, Simon Shaw and Ronan O'Gara are the reason the Lions lost that in my opinion. Shaw is a penalty machine while ROG is a turnstyle who adopts the toilet seat position whenever he has to make a tackle.

Burger should have been sent off but against that O'Driscoll and Sheridan were lucky not to be carded (or even penalised) for cheap shots.

3 tries to 1 to South Africa makes them deserved winners.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Jun 27 2009, 03:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Don't blame O'Gara myself. That penalty was crap. He never tried to tackle the player or use a shoulder. Pretty bullshit penalty. I feel that penalty was a bit of robbery for the Lions. SA didn't make the call so don't blame them. Stupid reffing really after a pretty good reffing effort.[/b]

What the hell are you on about, that was one of the clearest penalties you will see, you cant tackle a player in the air. O'Gara had the impact of a kitten in this match.

 

[Olyy]

Cracking game to watch, everyone in the pub was screaming for the last 15 or so minutes, incredible kick from Steyn. Great comeback by SA as well, wasn't expecting it to be that close after the first 20minutes or so. Suppose it went similarly to last week though.
I don't blame ROG at all for that last penalty, i think it was a wrong call by the ref. he didn't tackle in the air =/
And after hearing burger being talked up so much.....complete swear word that guy is. Wasn't impressed by Bothas sportsmanship either...
And "BEEEAAASSSTTT" got done up a treat by Jones

Hopefully we can get the last test to save a whitewash

One thing i didn't get was Shaws knockon in the first half, the ball went forward off of his shin, but i was under the impression that contact below the knee counted as a kick?

 

[Sir Speedy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Incredible Schalk @ Jun 27 2009, 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Jun 27 2009, 03:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't blame O'Gara myself. That penalty was crap. He never tried to tackle the player or use a shoulder. Pretty bullshit penalty. I feel that penalty was a bit of robbery for the Lions. SA didn't make the call so don't blame them. Stupid reffing really after a pretty good reffing effort.[/b]

What the hell are you on about, that was one of the clearest penalties you will see, you cant tackle a player in the air. O'Gara had the impact of a kitten in this match.
[/b][/quote]
I wouldn't call costing his team 10 points 'the impact of a kitten' to be honest, but there we go.

This group of players deserved more than that kind of defeat. Shame that key men had to go off injured. So many "what could've been's" for the Lions over the course of the 2 tests.

 

[Nickdnz]

Wow, epic match, worth staying up to 3am to watch. Morne Steyn...well, he's good, but NZ still have Steven Donald...ok you win.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Jun 27 2009, 04:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Incredible Schalk @ Jun 27 2009, 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Jun 27 2009, 03:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't blame O'Gara myself. That penalty was crap. He never tried to tackle the player or use a shoulder. Pretty bullshit penalty. I feel that penalty was a bit of robbery for the Lions. SA didn't make the call so don't blame them. Stupid reffing really after a pretty good reffing effort.[/b]

What the hell are you on about, that was one of the clearest penalties you will see, you cant tackle a player in the air. O'Gara had the impact of a kitten in this match.
[/b][/quote]
I wouldn't call costing his team 10 points 'the impact of a kitten' to be honest, but there we go.

This group of players deserved more than that kind of defeat. Shame that key men had to go off injured. So many "what could've been's" for the Lions over the course of the 2 tests.
[/b][/quote]


I meant his physical impact, he was put on his backside by Fourie then that mindless tackle. Teh Mite will love this :laugh:

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (stevemagoo @ Jun 28 2009, 03:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Losing props kind of suited us to be fair[/b]

Wot you talkin' 'bout?

Over the two tests the Lions either surrendered or were deprived of scrum dominance for 80 mins. And that's when they coughed up 80% of their points. Clearest example was Habana scoring off an uncontested today.

 

[IsMiseJoe]

To all these welsh lads slating ROG...
Can I just remind you of a certain Stephen Jones missing 2 easy kicks last week, 6 points down the drain and we lost by FIVE!!!

 

[g6mcg]

Slightly off-topic but if you want a laugh look at the BBC 606 rugby board. It's incredible! Evidently most of them were waiting for a mistake, so they could criticize it. Amazing how quickly the Lions fall apart (though I doubt they were ever together on that board - it takes nationalism to Nick Griffin levels)

 

[jim lewis]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (IsMiseJoe @ Jun 27 2009, 05:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

To all these welsh lads slating ROG...
Can I just remind you of a certain Stephen Jones missing 2 easy kicks last week, 6 points down the drain and we lost by FIVE!!![/b]

Jones actually missed one reasonable chance last week. It was widely agreed that the other was a difficult one. As for ROG, it was at best a stupid blunder. Clumsiness isn't exactly a prerequisite for greatness. Add to that his unprofessional conduct in stepping out of the line to miss a tackle, and it doesn't look like his day. Don't forget he gets paid for this.

On the up side, Kearney was magical today. He was safe as houses under the high ball. I was saddened to lose Adam Jones. He might well look back in years to come and see that 5m scrum as a career defining moment. It had me out of my seat in a way that hasn't happened in a long time. This from a Scot who views Euan Murray as the world's best tighthead. Jones isn't far behind. I also felt that Shaw deserved his shot and let nobody down. As for Burger, definite red card from my point of view. To cynically attack a fellow professional's eyes is unforgivable. Credit to the Saffies for a spirited comeback, but luck played its part today.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (IsMiseJoe @ Jun 27 2009, 05:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

To all these welsh lads slating ROG...
Can I just remind you of a certain Stephen Jones missing 2 easy kicks last week, 6 points down the drain and we lost by FIVE!!![/b]

This week Rob Kearney missed a drop goal and the Lions lost by three!