One big cat fight (Gallo)

Johannesburg - Perhaps the British and Irish Lions coach Ian McGeechan does not have as many problems as Springbok coach Peter de Villiers intimated earlier in the week.

McGeechan’s side ran out 74-10 winners over the Golden Lions at Coca-Cola Park on Wednesday night, and scored ten tries against a side that hardly resembled a first-class outfit.

However, despite the lack of quality opposition, the British Lions looked a better, more motivated side since the win they scraped against the Royal XV on Saturday and there was enough promise to indicate that they have made huge strides in the few days since that rather disappointing show that prompted De Villiers’ remark.

De Villiers was in the limelight for another reason and Earl Rose, withdrawn from the Golden Lions bench hours before the kick off in another controversial and somewhat churlish move by De Villiers, would ironically have had nearly a full match against the tourists.

Golden Lions fullback Louis Ludik was stretchered off with a knee injury in the sixth minute. Shandre Frolick was the replacement for Rose on the bench after the Golden Lions would not accede to the request from De Villiers to change their starting line-up in order for Rose to start.

Within five minutes of Ludik’s departure, both the Lions centres, Man of the Match Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll, had scored. Two breaks by O’Driscoll were responsible for the scores, and at 14-0 after 11 minutes the visiting Lions were in control and two Stephen Jones penalties made it 20-3 after Andre Pretorius had replied for the Golden Lions.

The tourists, hesitant and uncertain on Saturday against the Royal XV, looked sharper in their second match albeit against a side that, especially in the first half, seemed somewhat disinterested in proceedings.

The British Lions ran good lines, supported well and did everything at full pace. And, again with a proviso about the opposition, it was clear that they do, in fact, have exciting backs.

British Lions defensive coach Shaun Edwards, so unhappy about the three tries his charges leaked on Saturday, would have been pleased with the pressure of his backs on the opposition, and also in the way tackled ball was turned around even before formation of rucks.

Against a Golden Lions side that seldom had enough players at the point of breakdown, it was however difficult to gauge their physicality at the rucks, something the tourists regard as very important with a view to the Tests.

With the home side barely getting a touch of the ball, the scoreline of 20-3 was increased after another midfield break by Roberts who moved he ball to right wing Tommy Bowe who fed Ugo Monye on the left. At 25-3 after 21 minutes the word hapless applied in its fullest sense.

It became worse as the scoreline increased to 32-3 after another polished try, this one from Tom Croft.

Still the home side struggled to get decent possession, but with barely three minutes to go Frolic scored a well-constructed try under the posts after good word from Doppies la Grange and Cobus Grobbelaar.

The British Lions, however, went back onto attack and seemingly just went through some training maul moves before moving it wide after a few phases for Roberts to score his second. With Jones again on target, it was 39-10 at the break.

A brace by Tommy Bowe in the first 20 minutes of the second half, both converted by Stephens, saw the British Lions go through the 50-point barrier, and Moye rubbed it in with a try after 30 minutes (60-10).

Two long-range tries – the last by Stephen Ferris after some crunching tackles by the British side that brought a turnover that would have pleased Edwards – saw the score grow to 74-10.

How much of the disappointing performance by the Golden Lions should be pout down to the off-fields goings-on relating to the firing of their coach Eugene Eloff last weekend, is uncertain. What is clear, however, is that something will have to be done before the Currie Cup season and next year’s Super 14 or the paltry 22 000 crown will diminish further even for big matches.

Scorers:

Golden Lions: Try: Shandre Frolick, Conversions: Andre Pretorius

British Lions: Tries: Jamie Roberts (2), Brian O’Driscoll, Ugo Monye, Tom Croft, James Hook, Stephen Ferris. Conversions: Stephen Jones (6), Hook (3).

Penalties: Jones.