British and Irish Lions can only blame themselves

The British and Irish Lions got it wrong.

South Africa may have played a terrible 70 minutes in the second Test on Saturday, but they proved they are worthy world champions by coming from the depths of defeat to overcome tough opposition.

Granted, Ian McGeechan’s side were dealt a major blow when both their props were seen struggling off the pitch with major injuries, but this is Test match rugby and with such a major emphasis on the front rows going into the second Test, perhaps the Lions management should have considered naming two props on the bench.

Their selection of backline cover fails to grant my understanding as there are five positions to fill in a backline, yet the replacement trio of Harry Ellis (scrumhalf), Ronan O’Gara (flyhalf) and Shane Williams (wing) cover just three specialist positions. While Shane Williams is the current IRB Player of the Year, he has been horribly out of form and was never going to swing the game in favour the Lions if the ball is not going out wide to the wings.

O’Gara is worthy of a place in most international sides but modern rugby is played with 22 men and not 15, plus seven reserves. The Lions failed to see the Test should have been played with a squad and would definitely have been better suited over the full 80 minutes with bench players such as James Hook, who can cover flyhalf and fullback, and Riki Flutey, who can cover centre and flyhalf.

The Lions lost star centres Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Roberts late in the second half due to injury and were forced to play with O’Gara in that position where has rarely played before. The move meant all cohesion in the backline was lost and thus there was little threat on attack and no plan on defence, which directly led to Jaque Fourie’s try.

McGeechan may also have made a mistake in naming Paul O’Connell as captain instead of O’Driscoll. The centre led Ireland to the Six Nations Grand Slam earlier this year. While O’Connell was in that Ireland squad, one cannot deny O’Driscoll has a far bigger presence on the pitch than that of the Munster lock.

Having said that, the Springboks should have been playing 79 minutes of the Test with 14 men on the pitch, as Schalk Burger inexcusably eye-gouged Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald in the opening minute. There is no doubt Burger should have been red-carded.

Trying to blind another person is not by any means an action anyone should condone as coach Peter de Villiers has done. After Burger was cited and given an eight-week ban, the coach still maintains his star flanker is not guilty of any wrongdoing. It is an issue such as this which leads me to conclude the Lions were the ones who lost the Test series rather than South Africa winning it.

De Villiers may have a win percentage of more than 75%, but to put it in context, he is still working with a team which at its core was moulded by Jake White. Of the 2007 World Cup final squad, John Smit, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Juan Smith, Burger, Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez, Frans Steyn, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen remain in the class of 2009. The South African rugby-loving public are yet to see the new brand of rugby De Villiers talked about when he first took over from White after the World Cup.

Essentially, the Lions were the ones who made more mistakes and buckled under the pressure when level heads were most needed.