The Lions will soon be heading home, the South African’s will soon be flying back too, and as the dust settles I would like to give a few thoughts on the last few weeks and what happens next for the Lions.

First though having reflected on the game, watched some of the SKY punditry and read many articles I remain convinced the Lions could and should have won on Saturday. You can’t say it was “poor” decision making because if tries had been scored then you would say it was inspired. It was not the best decision making in the eyes of many. We can’t change that so lets move on.

A word for Matthieu Raynal. In the main he was precise in his decisions and his words and actions. The Kolbe try took too long but in a tight game with the series on the line you would hope for accuracy in the decision. I was slightly disappointed that his insistence on keeping the game flowing in the first half waned in the second. Otherwise well done him, and well done the others. If you have never refereed at any level trust me when I say it is not easy. These guys do and did a good job.

Should the tour have gone ahead in the first place and should it have been switched to the UK & Ireland or Australia as suggested. Australia no, but it was a kind offer and clever marketing by Rugby Australia. Having it in the UK & Ireland would have been brilliant, especially as crowds could have been present. Sorry to be old fashioned but that is not what the Lions are about and of course hindsight is a wonderful thing. The big question is “should the tour have been cancelled?” My personal view is even with the restrictions and no crowds and the changing schedule it was right to go ahead.

Has it been a great advert for the Lions, for the tour and for the game as a whole. Putting to one side the Covid issue the quality of the tests was awful. Saturday’s game was better but not by a great deal. I think “turgid” would be a good description. The warm up games were one-sided as the opposition in the main gets shorn of its stars by international call ups. By the way that happened in 2013 in Australia. It is only in New Zealand where squads are deep and powerful that the mid-week/build up games have any meaning. Premiership rugby was going the same way: don’t lose at any cost. Recently there has been a sea change in mindset and we have seen some amazing running rugby. The Lions have to take the lead going forward or the next series in Australia could be the last.

What else has irked? Without question the antics and behaviour of Rassie Erasmus has been top of the list. World Rugby has got to do something about him. He probably doesn’t give a damn as he is most likely sitting there thinking “my actions helped us influence the officials, wind up the opposition and get us over the finishing line as winners”. The time-wasting. There were plenty of occasions when the Springboks in particular deliberately stopped the clock, there were many occasions when the pontification of the officials meant a long and tedious hiatus in play, and then of course there were the many and varied injury breaks to contend with. Something has to be done to speed up play, and that includes the time it takes for scrums and lineouts to be set. The mother’s meeting before each lineout has to go for example.

Ok, to the players. I will focus on the Lions. I don’t think anyone should come home with their head in their hands. The giants who led from the front and can reflect back with pride on their contribution are Alun Wyn Jones, Courtney Lawes, Tadgh Furlong, Jack Conan and Maro Itoje, the latter being my Lions man of the tour. There were plenty who played their part on the tour making immense contributions but missing out on full participation in the three tests. Hamish Watson, Josh Adams, Liam Williams spring to mind. There were some who maybe didn’t perform to their best. Stuart Hogg, Anthony Watson being the most obvious. Everyone else did what was expected of them although players like Josh Navidi had little opportunity to prove their worth. Special mention to Finn Russell and Marcus Smith. If the turgid nature of this series is to be assigned to the WPB and the series brought to life in 2025 then these two must be at the heart of things. They brought something exciting to the games they played in.

To the South Africans I say congratulations on the win. You have a proven game plan and it worked in Japan in 2019 and it worked again here in 2021. I suggest caution however as I think the All Blacks and the Wallabies might have the tactical nous to thwart you. There are world class players in the Boks squad so it was a great shame we didn’t see them at their best. Cheslin Kolbe, Mapimpi and Le Roux were gazelles waiting their chance but the wildebeest kept getting in the way.

We would have been flying home today if the world hadn’t been turned on it’s head by Covid. Hey Ho, shit happens.

Might not be back now until next Sunday but can I suggest you go on line and read Robert Kitson’s excellent summary of the tour and his fears and hopes for the future and also his player by player scorecard. The Guardian online.

Sunday 8th Aug: 09:30

If the miserableness of yesterday’s weather wasn’t bad enough the Lions defeat to South Africa certainly added to the negative mood. Actually a game of rugby was lost, no-one died. Rerunning the game in my head and reading the various reports I think that phrase is probably the most accurate. “The game was lost”. Yes the Boks lifted the series trophy but the Lions lost that game. They failed to take their chances when they were presented to them. Eschewing relatively easy kicks at goal was brave but only worthwhile if said braveness turns into success. It didn’t. One pass would have killed the game. One simple pass that in a few weeks times kids from 6 to 18 will be making over and over again. Draw the man and pass. Liam Williams would have put Josh Adams clear. There was no guarantee Adams would have scored but the odds were heavily stacked in favour of him doing so. The Lions would have put clear daylight between them and the opposition. They didn’t and the rest is history.

I watched the game with my good friend and often voice of reason Eddie. When Dan Biggar limped off I said “this could be a good thing for the Lions” and so it proved for much of the remaining 69 minutes. Finn Russell in harmony with his half back partner Ali Price lit up proceedings. The ball started to move around the field at pace with slick off-loads, good passes out wide, and meaningful kicks. The tempo of the game went up several notches and the Lions looked in complete control with the Boks rocking and on the back foot. Ken Owens crashes over and all of a sudden we have a game on our hands and the series win in our sights. The decision not to keep the scoreboard ticking over was a strange one and left me bemused. Yes they were bold calls in what has otherwise been a dire test series but pragmatism over optimism should have been the order of the day. That of course is very easy for me to say in the comfort of my living room when the Lions were out there in the white heat of battle.

The changes made by Warren Gatland to the team all proved to be positive. Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Williams, Adams, and Bundee Aki all added something that had been missing in the previous two tests. The scrum was solid for example and more often that not the South African kicking was diffused with excellence. Aki made some bullocking runs in that first half.

Sadly the tempo of the first half was not repeated in the second. The South African side started to win more of the 50/50 balls, Wyn Jones left the field injured which coincided with the scrum being less robust and more importantly the Boks found ways to break up the play with stoppage after stoppage. As an aside World Rugby have got to look at water-boys and medics coming onto the field and disrupting the flow of the game. In addition that TMO debate about Kolbe’s try took far too long. The change of tempo took the wind out of the Lions sails and slowly but surely through the pragmatic game plan of the Boks the tide turned. The Lions still had the win in their grasp but again they spurned kicks at goal for kicks to the corner, invariably to immediately turn the ball over the lineout.

With Eben Etzebeth, Loads of Lager, Franco Mostert and Siya Kolisi carrying the ball up front and battling in the loose the Boks will always be a force. They have an amazing back line but over the three tests we have hardly seen them, let along in full flow. Yes Cheslin Kolbe scored a try but that was pretty much his only touch of the ball. Yesterday proved how difficult the South Africans are to beat. They defend as if their life depends on it, they strangle the life out of the opposition in the contact areas and power and brute force is key. If they succeed in those areas they simply take the chances presented in the most practical way possible and if that means kick, kick and kick again so be it.

The better side won the series, but only just. This was a tour from hell in terms of bubbles and Covid and changing schedules and, and, and so the Lions should come home with heads held high. They didn’t take the easy option and say “no, we are not touring” like the Aussie and Kiwi rugby league sides have done, they stuck to their task. They came up short and yes they will rue the decisions made but they gave of their all and that is all we the pundits can ask of them.

I also hope that for a country with many issues and challenges this series win can again be a small positive in a nation racked by negatives. I will have a go at further analysis tomorrow, including praise for yesterday’s merry whistle blower.

I think it is fair to say the test series has not been a good advert for our great game. In fact just the opposite. The second half of yesterday’s Bledisloe Cup was however. The first half was littered with basic mistakes with the odd sprinkling of skill. The second 40 minutes was enthralling. Firstly the All Blacks running riot, then the Aussies coming back scoring three good late tries. I’m looking forward to next Saturday and the second game of the series. Many congratulations to Aaron Smith. One hundred All Black caps. What an achievement.

That’ll do as I must now go and read about Leicester City beating Manchester City to lift the Charity Shield. Hoorah!!!!!!

Wednesday 4th Aug: 07:50

As expected Warren Gatland has rolled the dice and made some interesting changes to the 23 man squad for Saturday. Let’s do the obvious ones first. Liam Williams for Stuart Hogg and Josh Adams for Anthony Watson. Actually Adams in was obvious, Watson out was perhaps not so. Duhan van der Merwe keeps his place, somewhat surprisingly in my opinion. I certainly would not have retained the big South African/Scot but as he is in the side the Lions must get the ball to him on the front foot.

The less obvious is possibly Bundee Aki coming in at 12 with Henshaw moving out one to 13. It makes some sense but I fear Aki is more of a ball carrier than a distributor but he does have presence and can make an impact. Ali price for Connor Murray was obvious but I might have been tempted to have Gareth Davies on the bench. Sorry to my Irish friends but Murray has been a shadow of his former self. Biggar at 10 makes sense, especially as Finn Russell is on the bench. If the Lions can get the wildebeest moving Russell coming on as they tire makes sense.

So to the forwards. Wyn Jones starting was the easiest of decisions. He has only missed out thus far due to injury. Ken Owens starting is a little surprising as Cowan-Dickie has done little wrong and Jamie George deserves a chance. Owens has vast experience, he is a leader on the pitch and Gatland has huge faith in him. AWJ and Itoje in the 2nd row would have been most peoples pick. The back row is unchanged. Fair enough but I am surprised that Tadgh Beirne is not in the 23 nor is Hamish Watson. Lawes, Curry and Conan keeping their places is fair enough though I would have gone for Faletau but with hindsight what has Jack Conan done wrong? Nothing!

It is the bench where the surprises are. Sinckler was cleared of any wrongdoing so he warms his bum there until the 2nd half. The selection of Adam Beard is a surprise yet not a surprise. His lineout work is exceptional and he is a good ball handler. Sam Simmonds is another selection that has caught me by surprise. He is a brilliant all round player and this selection ahead of any other indicates to me that Gatland is hoping the game will break up late on and not be an extension of the Olympics’ Greco-Roman wrestling. The bench is completed by Elliot Daly. I am not sure of what to make of this. Farrell nowhere to be seen and Chris Harris out of the 23 too?

Changes had to be made so let’s see what transpires.

South Africa have made just two changes to their starting lineup, both enforced through injury. Franco Mostert is picked as a back row player with Loads of Lager starting in the second row. This combination worked well during the second half last week so why change it. I personally would have had Kwagga Smith in the back row. Cobus Reinach comes in to replace the injured Faf de Klerk. Jacques Nienaber has gone with a 5-3 split so Morne Steyn comes onto the bench as the extra back.

In club news tickets for the Autumn Internationals have been released for sale. Those eligible to apply for tickets from the club’s allocation will already be aware of the process. I know the RFU are in the midst of a challenging financial situation but you will need a mortgage to buy tickets today.

As has been the case for the 1st & 2nd tests this final and deciding test will be shown live at the club. Remember there are guidelines to follow.

Unless there is Lions/rugby breaking news I will be back on Sunday.

Whilst you wait please wonder why several well researched studies on the negatives of wearing face masks have been suppressed/censored by the media. In fact ask yourself why a well respected journalist has had to retract a simple negative statement about the “uselessness” of wearing masks in most situations despite his article being based on said well researched studies. I’ll give you a clue. We are sleepwalking into living in an authoritarian state where our thoughts and deeds are controlled by those in power. Right now we are ABSOLUTELY CORRECTLY to berate the behaviour of Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko but it doesn’t take much of a leap to see us living in a similar draconian state!!!

Tuesday 3rd Aug: 07:55

Warren Gatland will announce his team for the series decider later today. Before that some more comment on the fall out from last weekend.

At last World Rugby have stirred themselves out of their stupor and will be talking to Rassie Erasmus about his hour long rant about the officials in the first test. Not before time. The more I think about it the more I think his actions were deplorable. There is little enough respect in society as it is and sadly disrespecting officials is creeping into our great game. That cannot be allowed to perpetuate especially by people who supposedly are at the very pinnacle of the rugby world. I am not bothered whether he is a water boy or not. That is simply a demeaning gimmick but abuse of officials is 100% a “no-no!”

I think the description of the last weeks game as “turgid” understates how bad it was. It was awful and if this was an advert for rugby then heaven help us. It was a brutal slug fest with kick after kick punctuated by scuffles between petulant children and long winded chats amongst the officials. A 65 minute first half was appalling, the second half was little better. By the way what made it worse was I said to Mrs Bleater we wouldn’t open the bar until half time. Well you can imagine her face as the game dragged on and on and on.

In terms of the on-field decisions I stick with my almost fence sitting of Sunday but still question the absence of any sort of review of the two reckless tackles which resulted in head clashes. What has come to light are allegations of biting. The pictures of Stuart Hogg are not great but he is fervent in his denials of wrong doing. As he hasn’t been cited, fair enough. Kyle Sinckler on the other hand has been cited for an alleged biting of Franco Mostert. The hearing is today. If found guilty he can expect a lengthy ban as he is no stranger to the headmasters office.

What do we think Gatland will do and what do we want him to do. He has to make changes to the team and the game plan.
Looking at the team who is definitely staying. Tadgh Furlong, AWJ, Maro Itoje, but not necessarily in the second row, Robbie Henshaw.
Who is likely to keep their place. Dan Biggar, Tom Curry
Who is for the shepherds crook. Stuart Hogg, Duhan van der Merwe
Who will definitely be recalled to the colours. Liam Williams, Josh Adams, Wyn Jones

I think there might be a few surprises. There is much talk about the outside half position. Dan Biggar has done little wrong and it isn’t he who has determined the game plan. If the game plan is to change, as it should, if fit will the mercurial and unpredictable Finn Russell start. Who partners Robbie Henshaw? I think Gatland might move Henshaw out to 13 and have Owen Farrell at 12. Then there is the back row. Hamish Watson has to be in with a shout but will Faletau be Gatland’s “go to” man. We will know shortly but for what it is worth he is my team.....
15, Williams, 14, Adams, 13, Henshaw, 12, Farrell, 11, Watson, 10, Biggar, 9, Price, 8, Faletau, 7, Curry, 6, Itoje, 5, Henderson, 4, AWJ (c), 3, Furlong, 2, Owens, 1, Wyn Jones
Not so sure of the bench but Finn Russell will be on it.

In terms of game plan the Lions have to be more adventurous. They have to keep the ball alive and away from the contact areas as much as possible. They must be more competitive in the tackle area and they have to be more secure under the high ball. By the way, in my mind there is a case for a curve ball selection and that is Josh Navidi instead of Tom Curry.

The Boks have drafted in more players including the enormous and abrasive Duane Vermeulen. They won’t change their game plan and in a way that is good news. The Lions will know what to expect. They simply have to be much better at nullifying it.

For the sake of the series and the game as a whole we have to have a better spectacle than the ones to date.

Bill has been in touch about The Hundred, cricket’s latest attempt at attracting new audiences. It is still a man bowling a ball at another man trying to get him out. It is still the team with the most runs wins but it has been compelling and entertaining stuff. The grounds are packed, and packed with families with young kids. The games have been great whether they be high or low scoring affairs and the razzmatazz has added a touch of “je ne sais quoi”. It is also on terrestrial TV. No matter whether it be the men’s or women’s games they have all been a darn sight better entertainment than the Boks v Lions contest.

That’ll do for now. Back tomorrow with team news.

Before I go I continue to be appalled by the criminal way the media and Government are using data. Only last week the headline shouted something like “3% of tourists coming back from Spain are testing positive for Covid so Spain must go on the amber watch list”. Please can someone tell me why the headline didn’t read “97% of people returning from Spain test negative for Covid so Spain is now on the green list”.

While you are at it can someone tell me if there is ever a time when it is NOT pigeon mating season!!!!!

Sunday 1st Aug: 09:30

I guess I have to start with Rassie Erasmus and his bizarre and protracted rant at the officials during the course of last week. Obviously the question for many is “did it affect the approach and decision making of the officials yesterday” or was it an “irrelevant sideshow”. I don’t know the answer but I believe it was something that belittled our great game. We must have and must maintain respect for the men in the middle whether it be at the pinnacle of the game or your local golden oldies playing for the 3rd XV.

To yesterday. In my mind the better side won and won by some distance. Tactically and physically they were better across the board. It is easier said than done but I question the approach that you can out muscle the champions of “outmuscling”. Thinking back I am struggling to think of more than one passage of play where the Lions tried to stretch the Boks and get the wildebeest of Greenpoint moving back and for across the savannah. Not only did they go toe-to-toe and sometimes head-to-head with the Boks they continually kicked the ball back to them which simply invited more and more pressure.

The South African game plan was clear to see and whilst it wasn’t executed with excellence in the first half it was in the second. The Lions back three were ordinary at best under the high bomb with Stuart Hogg looking totally at sea for long periods. Anthony Watson and Duhan van der Merwe were not much better. This inability kept the Lions on the back foot and with that came Springbok confidence. The Springboks were able to diffuse Lions persistent kicks, not always with excellence but more often than not. I wondered why van der Merwe and Watson were picked if the plan was to ignore their pace and power.

Let’s now look at some of the flash points and talking points. In no order the van der Merwe trip was disgraceful. It was something you don’t see in the average under 16s game. Then came Connor Murray being taken out in the air by Cheslin Kolbe. There are many who would argue the officials bottled the hard decision by showing yellow. It was a tough one but in my mind Murray helped out by breaking his fall and on balance I can accept it was yellow. I wouldn’t have argued against red mind you. Next up was the disallowed Robbie Henshaw try. This was a close call but as the referee said “on field decision is no try” which left Ben O’Keefe and his band of brothers with little option but to disallow it. There was no compelling evidence the ball touched the ground before being ripped out by Siya Kolisi. Next up was Lukhanyo Am’s try. This could have gone either way. A knock-on is when a player touches the ball and it goes forward and either hits the ground or any other player. Did Am totally lose possession or was the combination of hand and forearm on the ball enough to suggest he was in control. The officials deemed it was. I am sure many supporting the red of the Lions would argue otherwise. Me, I, um, think perhaps it might have been possibly ..............

This uncertainty leads me to ask was Ben O’Keefe influenced by the Erasmus rant? Did he favour the try option as a consequence? I don’t know and we will never know. There were two incidents where I do question the officials. Early on Cheslin Kolbe seemed to recklessly tackle Connor Murray and clashed heads. I was very surprised it was simply dismissed and even more surprised that Kolbe wasn’t taken for a HIA. Later on Murray was again involved when Faf de Klerk equally recklessly clashed heads in what looked to me like something the TMO et al would take a serious look at. It seemed to be ignored. Why? Perhaps, just perhaps Erasmus is having the last laugh.

Where was the game won. Eben Etzebeth was instrumental in victory. He was a pain in the ass from start to finish. The decision by Jacques Nienaber to bring on Loads of Lager when the Boks were losing most lineouts was inspired. The Springboks defended as if their lives depended on it. They were able to live on the edge of legality and in most cases got away with it. They won the battle of the breakdown and their scrum was solid for the main part. They were the better side.

Where was it lost. The Lions tactics have to be questioned. We saw in Japan with both Wales and England you can’t play that type of game against the Springboks. It was lost under the high ball. The Lions scrum creaked. When they had chances they didn’t take them. The errant lineout throwing, the wayward kicking and the penalty count. Despite their excellent defensive work it wasn’t enough.

Without doubt momentum is with the hosts and the Lions will have their work cut out if the test series is to be salvaged. Changes will need to be made. More on this tomorrow, or Tuesday as I’m at the club tomorrow morning.

Wednesday 28th Jul: 19:10

Morning. First up a correction. When I wrote my last missive I erroneously stated Hamish Watson had been a liability. Actually that was doing him a total dis-service and very inaccurate. An inaccuracy which I am happy to put right. Thank you John for challenging me on the point I made. Watson was reckless in his tip tackle against a much lighter man and should have seen yellow but what I hadn’t realised was this was his only international penalty conceded in 2021 which is amazing for a back row forward. There were plenty of other miscreants such as Curry and Daly who put the Lions on the back foot thanks to penalties conceded. Watson has been excellent throughout and is unlucky, as are Williams and Adams, to find himself in the stands on Saturday.

Congratulations to Fiji beating New Zealand in the Olympic 7s final. A cracking 14 minutes of 7s rugby. Great Britain fell short losing to Argentina.

The Rassie Erasmus anti-social media saga continues with him now admitting he is close friends with TMO Marius Jonker so is baffled by his appointment. Aren’t we all!!

By the way thank you for the continued support for my rants about Covid. Not everybody agrees as I am not as adept at brainwashing as our government and the media have been. It is probably a copyright infringement but I couldn’t resist reusing the excellent Matt cartoon which sums up the pathetic nature of the way stats are used by Boris et al to keep the paranoia going.

Oh and yesterday’s photo was the tour guide from the day I did the Robben Island tour.

Looking ahead to Saturday some of you might be asking why the tests aren’t being played in the spiritual home of rugby. Newlands is a 50,000 seater stadium originally opened would you believe in 1888. It has undergone many refurbishments but remains old in its layout versus the modern Greenpoint Stadium, which also is in a great city location.

Newlands as a suburb of Cape Town is very exclusive and sits in the shadow of Table Mountain. As you wind up out of the city past Newlands you arrive at Constantia, a very exclusive upmarket suburb where the rich white folks live. Table Mountain is the most iconic of Cape Town’s landmarks rising to 1086m above the city with amazing views across the area. You get to the summit via the cable car which has been in operation since 1929. I didn’t get to go up the mountain but did meet up with old friends in Constantia and yes it is another world.

Out to the North West of the city you find Stellanbosch, a beautiful colonial town in Dutch architectural style. Founded in 1679 and “a cradle of Afrikaner culture”. It is a stunning area of outstanding beauty and best known as a centre of wine excellence. Before the office was moved to central CT it was based here. As the bulk of our business was in Cape Town that is where I stayed so to get to the office you travelled along the N2 passing some of the most condensed, deprived and distressing townships of CT, in fact of South Africa. It is an unacceptable contrast to the opulence of Newlands and Constantia, something I consistently struggled with.

That’ll do. Back on Sunday unless there are any late changes to the team before kick off.

Tuesday 27th Jul: 16:30

Firstly thank you for your emails, most about the 1st test, some about you know what. There was significant agreement that the Lions were not at their best in the first half but certainly turned it around in the second. There was also agreement that changes made by the Boks didn’t work whereas Gatland’s changes had a significant impact on the latter stages. There was some comment about the referee and TMO, not all being positive comments. It was remiss of me not to mention the Hamish Watson’s tip tackle. They got that wrong. It should have been yellow, and some have argued it could have been red. It wasn’t just a penalty.

In the press there has been some criticism of the alleged use of social media by Rassie Erasmus. If true it is pretty childish behaviour by a World Cup winning Head Coach.

The Lions team has been announced. My good friend PK makes the excellent point that Warren Gatland has a very good track record in terms of getting selection spot on game by game. Here however are my observations. I am surprised that Hogg has kept his place and Liam Williams is nowhere to be seen. I would have had Williams at 15, his ability under the high ball is excellent. Elliot Daly being dropped to the bench comes as no surprise and I think Chris Harris deserves his chance. Daly gets the nod ahead of Williams on the bench as he can cover everywhere from 12 to 15. Van der Merwe keeps his place. I would have gone with Josh Adams.

Ali Price can feel rightly aggrieved at being relegated to the bench as Connor Murray has not been at his best on this tour, nor in the run up to it. Price will however give you “va-va-voom” when he comes on, especially as the game breaks up late on. Murray partners Biggar subject to Biggar coming through the HIA protocols.

Up front Wyn Jones is not fit so Mako Vunipola replaces Rory Sutherland who was definitely a little out his depth last weekend. Cowan-Dickie gets the “benefit of the doubt” and is selected ahead of Ken Owens. A mistake in my view. The remaining forwards remain unchanged. Fair enough.

The only other change sees Hamish Watson losing his spot on the bench to Taulupe Faletau. This is a safety first decision. Watson was a liability at times last weekend. The rest of the bench is made up of Farrell, Sinckler, and Beirne.

South Africa have also made a number of changes. Kitsoff starts as does Malherbe. I find this surprising as both were outmuscled by the Lions after they came on at half time. Jasper Wiese starts at No.8 instead of Kwagga Smith who is on the bench. The Boks have gone with a 6-2 bench. That is mmmm, maybe no surprise.

What to watch out for before kick off. Training injuries, Biggar failing the HIA protocols and more S African whingeing on anti-social media. If Biggar fails then will Finn Russell be fit or will we see Marcus Smith make it on to the bench with Farrell stepping into fly half?

The game is on at the club. Get there early and remember the revised guidelines are still in place.

Sorry folks but a few words on the Covid situation. This bull has to stop. Savid Javid having to apologise for saying what many are thinking: “we should no longer cower from coronavirus”, is a disgrace. He is spot on!

I cannot believe what I hear when people are blithely accepting Covid passports. This is as my mate Simon says an infringement of our civil liberty and is decisive and discriminatory, the latter something this country of ours has been fighting against. It is also the first step down a very dangerous road in what I believe is still a liberal democracy.

Thanks PK for also pointing out the appalling way the data is being manipulated. More than 50% of patients currently being admitted to hospital are only testing positive to Covid AFTER admission. This is a crass and almost criminal misuse of statistics. This confirms my long standing suspicion that yes people are dying but the key reason is everything other than Covid.

On top of this several people, and I can’t disagree with this, believe Boris Johnson is deliberately distorting the data and possibly worse, lying.

That’ll do except to say I don’t support the anti-vaxx movement but I do 100% believe that people have the right to make up their own mind and forced vaccination especially of the young is an abuse of people’s human rights.

Rant over. I might do a Cape Town missive tomorrow but won’t promise.

Sunday 25th Jul: 09:00

The minute the final whistle went I dashed to the kitchen to get a big spoon. What? Yes, I needed a big spoon to eat my words and the large portion of humble pie on the side. Courtney Lawes was magnificent and more than justified his selection ahead of the plethora of other back row forwards available to Warren Gatland. Under normal circumstances he would have been man of the match but for Maro Itoje pipping him for that honour. Itoje was simply magnificent from start to finish.

The first half was pretty turgid with the Lions conceding way too many penalties, being second best in the contact areas and unable to string any cohesive passages of play together. The Boks did what the Boks do best, they were brutally efficient especially in defence and played to their strengths. Some of the tackling was a little suspect and I am surprised Nic Berry didn’t insist arms were removed from the neck area. The Lions set piece was certainly not rock solid with both scrum and lineout below par. At half time the stats (unlike our governments) didn’t lie, the South Africans deserved to be ahead as the sides headed to the changing rooms.

From the very first minute of the second half it was clear that the Lions had changed their game plan. The early Cowan-Dickie try set the tone and the men in red gradually but surely got the better of their opposition. The ball was kept alive keeping the South African defence moving around the park. The 50/50 collisions started to go the Lions way and it was the hosts who now got on the wrong side of the referee. The penalty count rose as did the errors. It wasn’t all sunshine and light for the Lions as South Africa had two tries ruled out. The Willie Le Roux effort started with a forward pass, although the TMO said it was ok, then he was ruled in front of the kicker, which seemed obvious to most but in the slowest of slow motion replays turned out to be a very tight call. The Mapimpi effort did start with a clear Kolbe knock-on so this was less controversial. The Faf de Klerk try was clearly a try but my question is why wasn’t du Toit stopped in his own half. That was poor Lions defensive work.

The Lions fitness came to the fore as the game wore on. When Ken Owens and Mako Vunipola came on the scrum become a decent source of good ball and as the clock ticked away the win for the visitors was there for the taking, which is exactly what they did.

Gatland should be pleased with how his squad deprived South Africa’s back three of possession and how they stood up to the power game of the Boks thus wearing them down. He will be disappointed with some of the basic errors and indiscipline in the first half, Tom Curry’s late hit on de Klerk for example. The second half turnaround will have pleased him as will his selection. Not a classic by any stretch but gripping stuff, especially that second 40 minutes.

Lawes and Itoje will start next weekend, as will Alun Wyn. Wyn Jones will be back if fit and Ken Owens might get the nod over Cowan-Dickie. Ali Price will keep his place, as will Biggar. Stuart Hogg might find himself replaced by Liam Williams and Josh Adams could well replace van der Merwe. Only time will tell.

South Africa have work to do. Their fitness was suspect and I am not sure changing the entire front row at half time was a good move. The three starters definitely had the upper hand in the first half. The Boks had their best chances when they abandoned their forward dominated game plan and put width on the ball. They will also need to review their kicking strategy as the Lions managed that pretty well. Don’t write them off however.

That’ll do for now except to say if you haven’t watched The Hundred, the latest format for cricket give it a try. BBC have some games. It’s good stuff. I’d like to watch the Olympics but I am finding it hard to get motivated with no crowds cheering on the participants and the coverage is rubbish. The BBC are hamstrung as the Olympic Committee sold the rights to Discovery+ and the bits you can get on Eurosport are pretty ordinary.

Friday 23rd Jul: 07:10

The Lions team was confirmed pretty much as leaked with the only change being Liam Williams on the bench not Iain Henderson. A 5-3 bench is more balanced and the safer option. As Williams is on the bench I am a little bemused how Hogg was picked ahead of him. Hey ho! My good friend Ken has put me right with regard to Jack Conan’s selection. He advises according to stats compiled by WalesOnline Conan has been the highest tackler with zero missed which is extraordinary. Metres made has also been impressive as have carries. Fair enough, and that is why he starts. Gatland is worried about lineout efficiency and this justifies Courtney Lawes selection. His lineout prowess is well known. Not long now.

Don’t forget the game is live at the club. Please check the new guidelines if you plan on visiting.

The only other rugby news is the announcement of the European Champions Cup for next season. It is awfully complicated. There are two pools of 12 teams. Each pool is subdivided into four tiers of three teams. Teams from tier 1 play teams from tier 4 and tier 2 face tier 3. A team cannot play another team from their own domestic league. Still with me. This stage will whittle the teams down to the top 8 from each pool who will then go into a 16 team knockout stage with home and away fixtures. Sky Sports website explains it best.

I was going to bombard you with Covid stats that government is not giving you. They are a stark contrast to the continued paranoia inspiring nonsense you are getting via the news media today. PLEASE don’t take everything you are told on face value.

That’ll do before I get cancelled. Back on Sunday. Go Lions!!