They were certainly the better team. Other than Marx, the front row switch in the 2nd half was a downgrade. The Boks were at 6's and 7's in the 2nd half giving away penalties at will.
Both teams will be better in the 2nd test. The Lion's combinations will gel more, and the Boks will get more game time as a unit as well.
The conditioning of some Bok forwards will be need to looked at to determine who starts and who is on the bench.
Horse shit..Lions were lucky.
They were lucky because they were the better team?
The Boks were fortunate to be winning 12-3 at halftime, and the Lions were clearly the better team in the 2nd half.
The Springbok backline were tackle bags for most of the match. I don't recall any well-structured backline attacks where players put the ball down the line on phase play, just a few counterattacks.
Bok wings got no opportunity which defeats the purpose of having small wings that can convert opportunities into tries.
""The Boks will rue conceding 14 penalties - compared to the Lions' 8 - and obviously their struggles under the high ball.
Overall, the Lions bossed the possession (52%) and territory (55%) stakes, they made more metres on attack (256m-245m) and beat 19 defenders to South Africa's 15.""
They had the luck of the bounce on the day. They are a good team and deserved the win, but things were very even, despite all the unforced errors the boks made.
I really hope the Bokke can bounce back next Saturday.
I really hope the Boks do some training before next Saturday. They won't have the luck of the bounce every time they aimlessly hack the ball towards the tryline.
Interesting to note that the same posters who know the least about rugby and don't understand the rugby culture are also the same sore losers who can't bring themselves to congratulate the winning side.
Good game, the Lions arguably got the rub of the green with one or two of the decisions but overall they where simply the better team on the day.
Yes well done to Lions, they beat us fair and square, even at our own game and yes what assessment of measurement by a certain poster say they were inferior to the previous Br/Ire Lions side that toured SA boggles the mind.
A pie in the sky statement, believe it or not this Lions side is a polished and well drilled outfit.
It's going to be very tough to even win one test let alone the remaining two, sadly. Even by some miracle they manage this monumental task, there is still a long road. Nevertheless one must always except these challenges...it's these that add spice and enjoyment to the game.
Chest beating is all well and good if it's earned, especially the hard road and it's going to a damn hard road but I'm always behind the Boks, they always have got character, win or lose.
This Lions side isn't a bad one, but it's not the strongest either. The weakest since 2005 certainly. The 2009 Lions side was very much more physical, with immense heavy hitters. The Lions side which won the series in Aus was quite a bit better as well. The 2017 Lions side played to a very high level. I'd put the 2001 and 1997 Lions teams ahead as well. The 2001 series was amazing, and what a Wallaby side to go toe-to-toe with.
