The Springboks vs British & Irish Lions 1st Test Thread

[Biffer]

Like I said: has a Lion caught a ball? Greenwood talking sh*te about Lions dominating aerial battle.

Yesa and no. They haven't caught much, but they've forced fair number of South African knock ons in the contest and been able to keep a lot of play in the Bok half.

Yeah the momentum swung after half time after a couple of great box kicks by Price.

So that’s a coaching win?

[Yr Alban]

Turned into a cracking pressure game in the end. Game plan was changed at HT and it worked perfectly.

[Sards]

Lions maul is the difference in the second half. Boks just give away pen after pen.

I thought our opening front row was much more effective at stopping them. A huge difference once the bomb squad came on.

[OomStruisbaai]

Congrats to the BILs supporters. Itoje my MOTM.

Hard work ahead for Springboks.

[JM2K6]

Daly 0m with ball in hand and 6/3 in defence with 2 penalties conceded is some showing

[Sandstorm]

Lions maul is the difference in the second half. Boks just give away pen after pen.

I thought our opening front row was much more effective at stopping them. A huge difference once the bomb squad came on.

Agreed. Bench was crap.

[sorCrer]

Hamish should have been off with Kolisi

[OomStruisbaai]

Like I said: has a Lion caught a ball? Greenwood talking sh*te about Lions dominating aerial battle.

Yesa and no. They haven't caught much, but they've forced fair number of South African knock ons in the contest and been able to keep a lot of play in the Bok half.

Yeah the momentum swung after half time after a couple of great box kicks by Price.

Yep agreed. Mapimpi and Chelin and Kwagga were kak. Cost us the game.

5 Bar nearly gave us a chance on the end.

[Sards]

Congrats BILs.

Once again turned it on second half. Too much for us.

Better bench made the difference

[JM2K6]

Hamish should have been off with Kolisi

Did look a yellow

[sorCrer]

Unfortunately playing at shithole Kaapstad negates our advantage

[Yr Alban]

Hamish should have been off with Kolisi

We’ve seen plenty reds given for that. I couldn’t believe he didn’t even get a yellow.

[Big Nipper]

Jirre the replacement front row was a pile of shit. Kwagga way out of his depth. Please dont ever bting Elstadt on again. Back 3 useless under any high ball.

Gonna be a loooong series

[Sards]

Yesa and no. They haven't caught much, but they've forced fair number of South African knock ons in the contest and been able to keep a lot of play in the Bok half.

Yeah the momentum swung after half time after a couple of great box kicks by Price.

Yep agreed. Mapimpi and Chelin and Kwagga were kak. Cost us the game.

5 Bar nearly gave us a chance on the end.

You still drinking charge office coffee...lucky you

[Big D]

Hamish should have been off with Kolisi

We’ve seen plenty reds given for that. I couldn’t believe he didn’t even get a yellow.

I don't remember a sending off for a player landing on his elbow. One of my frustrations with the rule tbh.

Was a yellow for me.

[JM2K6]

Hamish should have been off with Kolisi

We’ve seen plenty reds given for that. I couldn’t believe he didn’t even get a yellow.

Don't think it was ever in danger of being red, he landed on the ball and his arm and not from much height - Warburton made me laugh trying to compare it with what he did to Clerc in the world cup!

[JM2K6]

Kolbe was a crashing disappointment but he did win some great high ball contests tbf

[boere wors]

Hamish should have been off with Kolisi

We’ve seen plenty reds given for that. I couldn’t believe he didn’t even get a yellow.

This

[Sards]

Obviously gutted.

[dkm57]

Itoje superb, Price excellent, Lawes great in the second half, Furlong, DVDM, Watson, Hogg, AWJ, all pretty good. Biggar, Curry, Conan, Sutherland, Henshaw decent. LCD I’m still unconvinced, Daly pish

Was going to post something similar, Itoje was always going to be there, Price and Lawes have evolved in this environment. Mako thankfully getting back to what he was. Only one I thought was out of place was Daly.

[Yr Alban]

Hamish should have been off with Kolisi

We’ve seen plenty reds given for that. I couldn’t believe he didn’t even get a yellow.

I don't remember a sending off for a player landing on his elbow. One of my frustrations with the rule tbh.

Was a yellow for me.

I agree - the sanction shouldn’t be based on how the player happened to land. But it is.

[Big D]

Itoje superb, Price excellent, Lawes great in the second half, Furlong, DVDM, Watson, Hogg, AWJ, all pretty good. Biggar, Curry, Conan, Sutherland, Henshaw decent. LCD I’m still unconvinced, Daly pish

Was going to post something similar, Itoje was always going to be there, Price and Lawes have evolved in this environment. Mako thankfully getting back to what he was. Only one I thought was out of place was Daly.

I still find it odd to name VdM to start then just have him chasing high balls, Adams and Williams are better at that. But he did all that was asked of him

[Sandstorm]

Jirre the replacement front row was a pile of shit. Kwagga way out of his depth. Please dont ever bting Elstadt on again. Back 3 useless under any high ball.

Gonna be a loooong series

If we keep kicking away possession and allowing Lions to hoof it back at our miniature back 3, then we will lose this series 3-0.

I couldn’t believe we won RWC19 with this kick-everything game plan. Looks like this tactic is passed it’s sell-by.

Can Rassie/Nienaber adapt?

[Yr Alban]

Itoje superb, Price excellent, Lawes great in the second half, Furlong, DVDM, Watson, Hogg, AWJ, all pretty good. Biggar, Curry, Conan, Sutherland, Henshaw decent. LCD I’m still unconvinced, Daly pish

Was going to post something similar, Itoje was always going to be there, Price and Lawes have evolved in this environment. Mako thankfully getting back to what he was. Only one I thought was out of place was Daly.

I still find it odd to name VdM to start then just have him chasing high balls, Adams and Williams are better at that. But he did all that was asked of him

I did think that it was an odd selection given how we played in the first half. But hey ho. He did well enough.

[Biffer]

Itoje is so softly spoken off pitch compared to how dominant he is on pitch.

[Biffer]

Was going to post something similar, Itoje was always going to be there, Price and Lawes have evolved in this environment. Mako thankfully getting back to what he was. Only one I thought was out of place was Daly.

I still find it odd to name VdM to start then just have him chasing high balls, Adams and Williams are better at that. But he did all that was asked of him

I did think that it was an odd selection given how we played in the first half. But hey ho. He did well enough.

I think it’s about size. Gatland wants the small guys in their back three to know they have a huge bullet coming at high speed. Seemed to work.

[Big Nipper]

Jirre the replacement front row was a pile of shit. Kwagga way out of his depth. Please dont ever bting Elstadt on again. Back 3 useless under any high ball.

Gonna be a loooong series

If we keep kicking away possession and allowing Lions to hoof it back at our miniature back 3, then we will lose this series 3-0.

I couldn’t believe we won RWC19 with this kick-everything game plan. Looks like this tactic is passed it’s sell-by.

Can Rassie/Nienaber adapt?

Yeah I agree. Jesus let our lads build some phases. Especiay when there is parity in the set piece. We weren't stealing their lineout or scrumming them off the park. We have such talent in the back, time to mix up the kicking with some structured phase play too

[Yr Alban]

Itoje is so softly spoken off pitch compared to how dominant he is on pitch.

Was just thinking that too.

Maggie Alphonsi describing him as ‘quick for a man over 6 foot.’ Maggie, hardly any of them are less than that!

[OomStruisbaai]

Yeah the momentum swung after half time after a couple of great box kicks by Price.

Yep agreed. Mapimpi and Chelin and Kwagga were kak. Cost us the game.

5 Bar nearly gave us a chance on the end.

You still drinking charge office coffee...lucky you

WTF you are probably Stoned.

[Sandstorm]

Van Staden should start next week. Kolisi can go fishing in the Tugela.

[Biffer]

Itoje is so softly spoken off pitch compared to how dominant he is on pitch.

Was just thinking that too.

Maggie Alphonsi describing him as ‘quick for a man over 6 foot.’ Maggie, hardly any of them are less than that!

She’s got a proper ladyboner for Mako.

[ASMO]

Can anyone argue that Itoje is not the best second row in the world right now? He was the best player on that pitch by a country mile

[Sandstorm]

Can anyone argue that Itoje is not the best second row in the world right now? He was the best player on that pitch by a country mile

He’s klarse. Stopped the silly pens too.

[OomStruisbaai]

Van Staden should start next week. Kolisi can go fishing in the Tugela.

Yep. Kolisi isn't up to it.

[Big D]

Can anyone argue that Itoje is not the best second row in the world right now? He was the best player on that pitch by a country mile

The problem that some have is that it has been a while since he has been consistently this version of Itoje. He recently (6N) has thrown in a few games where he gives away penalties for fun.

[Yr Alban]

Can anyone argue that Itoje is not the best second row in the world right now? He was the best player on that pitch by a country mile

Thr problem that some have is that it has been a while since he has been consistently this version of Itoje. He recently (6N) has thrown in a few games where he gives away penalties for fun.

Agreed. He played like a God of Rugby today, but against Scotland in the 6N he was distinctly meh.

[boere wors]

Van Staden should start next week. Kolisi can go fishing in the Tugela.

Yep. Kolisi isn't up to it.

Did he even play? 80 min?

[Sards]

Van Staden should start next week. Kolisi can go fishing in the Tugela.

Don't blame the captain. Rassie made the call to bring on the second half replacements which cost us the game. Up until that point most of you were bragging about winning it 3 love and elevating the Boks to God status. You have the memory of a goldfish

[Biffer]

Can anyone argue that Itoje is not the best second row in the world right now? He was the best player on that pitch by a country mile

Imagine how good he’d be if he hadn’t spent most of the last year playing diddy teams.

[Sandstorm]

Van Staden should start next week. Kolisi can go fishing in the Tugela.

Yep. Kolisi isn't up to it.

Did he even play? 80 min?

80 mins. I saw him make 5 tackles and do one good counter ruck. No turnovers. No breaks. Never spoke to the ref or did anything helpful.