Rugby union: Lions 2009, the third Test verdict

From Paul Morgan, editor of Rugby World Magazine

THE MAIN emotion was relief, tinged with pride when the final whistle blew at Ellis Park on Saturday, and the British and Irish Lions had won the third Test.

They still lost the series, of course, but the pride, passion and emotion the whole squad and management showed in gaining that final victory is a credit to rugby and of course the legend of the Lions.

Shane Williams will get the headlines – quite rightly – after joining a select band of players to score two tries in a Lions Test, but as with all rugby victories it started with an immense performance from the pack.

Up front Andrew Sheridan had a whale of a game and during the game and the days running up to it everyone found out exactly what they needed to know about Paul O’Connell. His development on this tour will be Munster and Ireland’s gain and I hope they can thank the Lions for that.

Jamie Heaslip also came of age and it was wonderful to see Alun Wyn Jones come on in the 67^th minute, and play his best rugby of the tour.

Martyn Williams was the link man extraordinaire for so many of the Lions moves and Joe Worsley put in one of the greatest defensive performances of the season.

There were rugby heroes across the whole team and I could have gone through each and every one of those who took the field.

And let’s not forget to tip our hats to John Smit and his Springboks, who showed in the first two Tests exactly why they are world champions.

The victory could have further ramifications, as I believe it will make the Lions stronger in their negotiations with the clubs and unions next time around.

It was an insult to the Lions to play the Heineken Cup final seven days before the first match of their tour this time. In 2013 the Lions must have a minimum of two weeks preparation time, when the whole squad can be together.

Having been privileged to follow the Lions around South Africa this time around I can confirm this team is too precious to be hamstrung when they come to take on the best in the world.

Only the World Cup comes within a million miles of a Lions tour and all I would ask is that the 2013 side is given a fair chance of beating Australia.

I hope the tour becomes a template for the home unions. In rugby union we often stand accused of taking life a little too seriously for projecting a poe-faced attitude. The Lions played with a smile on their faces on and off the field – other nations could learn from that.

They battled incredible odds to just be competitive against the world champions in their own backyard, and to even lose 2-1 is a testament to coaching abilities of Ian McGeechan.

Geech set the tempo from day one and he is going to be an awfully difficult person to replace.

I have said before the RFU or one of the other unions should offer him a job immediately, before someone else does, as he has a lot still to offer rugby union and a wealth of expertise I don’t want to see leave our great game.

On Saturday the Springboks made the ill-advised decision to wear white armbands saying ‘Justice for Bakkies’ – a show of solidarity for Bakkies Botha after he was banned for an illegal charge, committed in the second Test, which led to Lions prop Adam Jones dislocating his shoulder.

Most observes, Lions coach Warren Gatland included, believe the two-week ban was harsh on Botha, but the Springboks were wrong to protest in this way.

In the world we currently live in there are many, many injustices to protest against – the two-week suspension of a rugby player isn’t one of them.

Sportspeople can often lose perspective of what’s important in life, when they move into the squad ‘bubble’ and I believe this protest was one of them. I hope the International Rugby Board act swiftly and apply sanctions to the Springboks to ensure this is the last, and not the first of such protests.

We may not agree on the protest, but what everyone agrees is that this Lions tour has been a sensational event, both on and off the field.

Long live the Lions!

Rugby union: Lions 2009 – first Test verdict

From Paul Morgan, editor of Rugby World Magazine

One of the greatest matches in the history of the British and Irish Lions finished with 30 players and almost 48,000 fans (including the media) emotionally drained, here in Durban. I was privileged to be there as I was privileged to watch Dan Carter wreck the Lions in Wellington four years ago. Could we have asked for anything better?

The Lions were down and out / dead and buried (pick your cliche) after 45 minutes, trailing the world champions 26-7. Surely there was no way back for the men in red. But from a platform created by their world-class centres Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll they hauled themselves up by their bootlaces and back into the game with tries from Tom Croft and Mike Phillips to create a nerve-jangling last five minutes. Although the Springboks showed why they are world champions by shutting the door on any comeback and sealing the win.

The spirit that Ian McGeechan has instilled in these Lions is incredible and with Roberts busting the Springboks defence at will and O’Driscoll weaving his magic they always looked like scoring. They got over the line three more times, Ugo Monye being tackled into touch, Phillips seeing Bakkies Botha knock the ball out of his hand when he was touching down and Monye have the ball smashed out of his grasp as he went over, by Monye Steyn.

What more could anyone want from a rugby match? White hot atmosphere, a staggering comeback and the game still on a knife edge in the dying minutes.

So while my prediction for a seven-point Lions win proved wrong they could have won by a lot more. In the journalist’s sweep that has been going for the whole tour I said Lions by 12, and it was won by Alex Spink of The Mirror, who will hopefully put it all behind the bar in our hotel tonight!

The Lions comeback was startling and the theme of the post-match interviews was one of frustration from the Lions, who know they should have won this match, but also of resolve they can put it right next week in Pretoria.

That will be tougher than today, but Ian McGeechan has never lost a second Test as coach of the Lions – that record will be tested next Saturday.

The Lions will be horrified by the way they were dumped in the scrum.I can’t remember as many penalties in the scrum for one player, Beast Mtawarira. It will be a mystery to many how he managed to hold such ascendancy over Phil Vickery? Very difficult to understand form the touchline. We will hear more about that as the week goes on.

Other points to note:

* The Springboks were so nervous under pressure and the unforced error count will horrify them as much as the scrum will horrify the Lions

* In Jamie Roberts and Mike Phillips the Lions (and Wales) have found two genuinely world-class players.

* How good a Lions debut from the bench was that from Rob Kearney. Very impressive replacing Byrne in the 38th minute!

* The Springboks pack is a formidable outfit. Their lineout was watertight and their scrum will scare the rest of the world.

* John Smit has to be the best captain in world rugby today. It was 26-7 when he went off and when he came back it was 26-21 and he was the key reason for the way the Boks sealed the deal.

* Next Saturday’s Test in Pretoria is teed up for another cracker. So if you are coming out you are very lucky!

But what do you think about this series and yesterday’s game?