Five things British and Irish Lions must take into 2nd Test vs South Africa

The British and Irish Lions beat South Africa 22-17 in the 1st Test at Cape Town

Credit: AFP

Thanks to a rallying second-half display, the British and Irish Lions got the test series in their tour of South Africa off to the perfect start as they downed the Springboks 22-17.

The Lions came from 12-3 down at halftime to win the series opener 22-17 as the Boks struggled to maintain their stranglehold on the game.

The tourists fronted up at the set-piece and refused to be bullied at the ruck as Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje and Alun Wyn Jones excelled in a bruising display.

However, the job is half done as they head into the 2nd Test back at Cape Town Stadium.

Not since the legendary 1997 tour of South Africa has the Lions got the job done inside two games.

Here at The Flanker, we have analysed five key things the British and Irish Lions need to do in order to win this pivotal game and etch themselves into history.

Don’t be drawn into Erasmus mind games

South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus reacts as he acts as a water boy during a match between South Africa A and the British and Irish Lions

Credit: David Rogers/Getty Images

Much like Marmite, Jose Mourinho or the Godfather Part III - you either love or hate South Africa Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus.

The outspoken, passionate and savvy manager often employs mind games before big matches but on Thursday (July 29) he took it to a new level.

In an extraordinary hour-long video monologue, he vented against the refereeing decisions that cost his side in last weekend's series opener.

He even sensational offered to step aside for the last two games in an astonishing rant that has amazed the rugby world.

Erasmus called for his side to get an "equal chance" in Saturday's crucial second Test.

Among his gripes, Erasmus feels the South African players - and captain Siya Kolisi - did not get the respect afforded to the Lions and their skipper Alun Wyn Jones.

He spoke for 62 minutes, direct to camera, with 26 clips of match incidents used, and said the video had been produced independently of SA Rugby.

Diplomatic as ever, tour captain Alun Wyn Jones said referees have “the hardest job in the game” and scrutiny is “in vogue”

It’s hard to imagine the Lions camp not raising a few eyebrows in the video but they should not be drawn into a back and forth ahead of the game.

Fond of a word himself, Lions Head Coach Warren Gatland must keep his powder dry and not rise to the bait and stress the same to his players.

Whether Erasmus wants to create a siege mentality, put pressure on the officials to gain favour for the Springboks or has simply cracked under pressure remains to be seen.

However, for the tourists, simply keep doing what they know and let their rugby do the talking.

Keep the intensity high

Physical, physical, physical. Heading into the series, that was all pundits could talk about and what the Springboks would bring to the party.

In the first half, the Lions struggled to gain territory and yardage as they were repelled by a dominant green wall and headed into the sheds 12-3 down at halftime.

After halftime, the tide turned towards the Lions as marginal calls - both involving Willie Le Roux - went in favour of the men in red.

The Springbok fullback’s disallowed try in the 45th minute, and the decision not to sin bin replacement Hamish Watson for his tip tackle on him was perhaps evidence the balance had tilted.

While the refereeing calls bubbled away in the background, the British and Irish Lions were quietly going about their business in wrestling control back from the Springboks.

They did this by stepping up the intensity in the breakdown and tackle area along while using an impressive maul to outmuscle their opponents.

Courtney Lawes was particularly brilliant, making 10 shuddering tackles while England compatriot Maro Itoje secured three breathtaking turnovers.

One on his own line to stop a near-certain try was as good a piece of defensive play you will see in this series.

Lions forward Maro Itoje made crucial turnovers in the 1st Test against South Africa

Credit: Gallo Images

Despite the Saracen’s heroics, the Lions were on the wrong end of eight turnovers during the match and that has to be rectified.

Conor Murray has been brought in at scrum-half perhaps to change this provides a strong physical option - almost a fourth back-rower if rucks start to swing towards South Africa.

16 tackles were missed by the Lions also as the men in green were able to punch holes in the first half and could arguably have been further ahead at the break.

Although the Lions did look to be expansive when they could, enjoying double the amount of completed passes than the Boks and 57% possession, this upfront game line dominance will be vital going into the 2nd Test.

If they can secure their own ball, make crucial metres and dominant tackles, the likes of Watson, Hogg, Harris and Van Der Merwe can then look to punch holes in a narrow South African defence.

Set pieces have to be won

Mako Vunipola has a serious job to do at the scrum in the second Test

Credit: Getty

The scrum was possibly the most-discussed area of the game in the lead-up to this Test series.

One of the traditional South African strengths, the talk about how the Lions would compete at the set-piece was always set up to be one of the key indicators of how this Test series will go.

While the Lions at least achieved parity at the scrum in the first game, it is now vital that they do not cede the advantage to the Boks.

South Africa have reverted to a much more expected front-row setup than match one, meaning they will be looking to put the Lions’ front row under pressure from the word go.

Mako Vunipola held his own coming off the pine in the first Test, but he is going to need to prove for real that he has banished the demons of the 2019 World Cup Final if he is going to be part of a pack to take down the Springboks.

Tadhg Furlong is renowned for his ability in the tight - he again will have to prove it as he faces up to Steven Kitshoff.

This is a man who turned heads in 2019 with his impact off the bench and has now filled the boots of the bloke they called “The Beast”, Tendia Mtawarira.

However, it is not just the scrum that is going to need to operate at maximum capacity to subdued the stung South Africans.

The lineout had some very iffy moments last Saturday, with Luke Cowan-Dickie in particular being failed by his arrows on three occasions.

The Lions can afford none of the same ill-discipline on Saturday and the hooker’s darts are going to have to be accurate.

In the likes of Maro Itoje and Courtney Lawes, the Lions have the lineout operators to dominate the possession battle and cause the South African pack problems - but they are going to need to take that chance.

Every metre will count on Saturday and getting both set-pieces right could be a crucial step towards victory for the Lions.

Match fitness will tell

South Africa looked out on their feet at the end of the first Test - that advantage will not have gone away

Credit: David Rogers/Getty

One of the defining takeaways from the first Test is the extent to which the South Africans tired at the back end of the game, allowing the Lions to come back and grind out the win.

Now, it is foolish to think the South Africans will not be better in that regard, but equally, you cannot believe that just one game of Test rugby will somehow solve that issue.

The Springboks are still going to have a battle to match the Lions’ work rate at the back end, with the tourists all fully match-fit and battle-hardened after long domestic seasons and an intense tour.

The lack of minutes in the legs of the Boks could well come into play again, and it is vital their opponents know when to pounce on that.

What it also means - the mistake the Lions made in the first Test - is that it is not your best bet to try and dominate them from the first whistle.

The Lions went out to try and win the game early on with some expansive play at times and were met with a South African hurricane.

It was fuelled by the men in red overplaying in the wrong parts of the pitch early on and inviting pressure onto themselves.

This week, the Lions need to learn the lessons of that opening half and rather than trying to win the game after 20 minutes.

Just be patient, play the structures, kick well, defend hard and make the length of the game work in their favour.

The fresh legs on the likes of Owen Farrell will be crucial in deciding the game in the final quarter

Credit: Getty

80 minutes is a long time in Test rugby and with the limited match fitness, South Africa have, the Lions have got the men on the bench to really drive an advantage home in the last quarter.

Where they can improve this week is to not allow South Africa into the game early on by your own mistakes.

Do your basics well, and if they are going to score against you, make them really, really work for it, because that extra exertion will come into play for them later in the match.

Tactical kicking game key

During the first half of last Saturday’s game, it's safe to say that the Lions were second best in terms of tactical kicking. 

Handre Pollard, Willie le Roux and - most crucially - Faf de Klerk were manoeuvring their side into positions up the field through box kicking and Garryowens. 

The bombs they put up weren’t always designed to be contested, it was more about putting the tourists on the back foot and forcing them to make decisions from deep. 

By WalesOnline’s reckoning, there were 31 kicks in open play in the first half and 27 in the second.

Breaking down those first-half kicks, 13 were by the Lions and 18 were by the Boks - with the South Africans keeping 26% of their kicks in play during the match. 

It lays bare their gameplan - attack the back three of the Lions aerially, particularly with the “bomb diffuser” Liam Williams not in the 15 shirt. 

By and large, Stuart Hogg, Anthony Watson and Duhan van der Merwe stood up to the test well, but it is the Lions own kicking that has to be on point. 

In The Flanker’s opinion, Ali Price had a fine game distributing the ball and was great at keeping the ball flowing away from the hotly contested breakdown. 

However, one of the reason’s Connor Murray has been brought into the team is for his box kicking with the Munster man one of the best in the world at the skill.

For all of the Scot’s undoubted ability, Murray’s kicking game has the edge over Price’s and could be a valuable weapon in beating the Boks.

In terms of the second half kicking stats, the Lions put in 11 contestable kicks to three non-contestables.

It gave them a foothold in the Boks half and allowed them to build pressure and create scoring opportunities. 

The British and Irish Lions have clearly taken heart from this and Murray must make sure his kicking is both contestable and keep his side in good areas of the field.