Boks edge past Lions
2009-06-20 16:49
Durban - South Africa produced a crushing
forward display to cement a 26-21 victory over the British and Irish
Lions in the first of the three-match Test series at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
Showing no signs of being undercooked after not
appearing against the Lions in the six warm-up games of the tour, the
Springboks destroyed the much-feted Lions set-piece in the first-half,
outpowering the scrum and pinching line-out ball. They also used the
rolling maul to great effect and dominated the loose.
Outstanding
Zimbabwe-born Bok loosehead Tendai Mtawarira, to cries of "Beast" from
the crowd, fairly crushed Phil Vickery, who gave away a hatful of
kickable penalties and was replaced after 45 minutes.
The home
side scored tries through captain John Smit and flanker Heinrich
Brussow, with Ruan Pienaar bagging 13 points with the boot and Frans
Steyn one long-range penalty.
The Lions responded with tries from Tom Croft (2) and Mike Phillips, all converted by Stephen Jones.
The match started in dramatic fashion.
After
stealing a Lions line-out, the cool Pienaar caught Ugo Monye napping
with a chip to the corner, JP Pietersen forcing the English winger and
ball over the line for a home five-metre scrum.
The Boks ran
through three phases with Smit eventually barreling his way over from
short range through the tackles of Jamie Roberts and Croft for a try
that Pienaar converted.
But the Lions roared straight back,
capitalising on a spilled ball by Steyn from the restart. After a
couple of reset scrums, the ball was whipped wide and a mispass saw
Monye in at the corner, only for referee Bryce Lawrence to disallow the
try after consulting the television official.
Vickery was then
penalised for popping up out of the scrum and Pienaar hit the first
three-pointer of the game to stretch the Boks out to a 10-0 lead.
The
Lions looked threatening whenever they had ball in hand, however, and a
delightful pop-pass from Lee Mears saw David Wallace burst clear but
with no support at hand.
On a windless afternoon, Jones missed a
second penalty after Bryan Habana held on under pressure from Gethin
Jenkins at the ensuing clearance.
A late tackle from Croft on
Fourie du Preez as the scrumhalf accelerated down the touchline saw an
immediate penalty that Steyn knocked over from long-distance.
But
again the Lions came back, Croft making amends by rounding off a move
started by Roberts putting Brian O'Driscoll into space in midfield.
Pienaar
added his second penalty after a Steyn miss, again after Vickery was
flagged for collapsing a scrum in front of the posts under pressure
from Mtawarira.
When Tommy Bowe was caught in possession a minute
later, Pienaar was again unerring with his boot from close to touch,
but then failed to capitalise on another Vickery penalty, to make the
half-time score 19-7.
A 30-metre rolling Bok maul seemed likely
to set the scene for the second period, with Vickery replaced by Adam
Jones after five minutes.
Pienaar shunned a kick at goal for the
corner, setting up a catch-and-drive from the line-out, Brussow
crossing under a mass of bodies for a try Pienaar converted.
With
two more Tests to come at altitude in Pretoria and Johannesburg, this
game in the Indian Ocean seaport city was seen as perhaps the Lions'
best chance at an early scalp.
And the Lions, with Roberts increasingly to the fore, made sure of a thrilling climax with two late converted tries.
With 12 minutes remaining, Croft crossed for his second, again after an O'Driscoll pass played him into space close to the line.
Replacement Morne Steyn then produced a try-saving tackle on Monye, dislodging the ball as the winger was about to dot down.
But the pressure paid off for the Lions with Phillips crossing for a third try converted by Jones.
When Jones kicked to the corner with two minutes to play, the Boks pinched the line-out and cleared their lines for a vital win.
Scorers:
South Africa: Tries: John Smit, Heinrich Brussow; Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (2); Penalties: Pienaar (3), Francois Steyn
British and Irish Lions: Tries: Tom Croft (2), Mike Phillips; Conversions: Stephen Jones (3)
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)