Share

Contrast of styles in Lions v All Blacks in 1st Test

Auckland - The All Blacks and British and Irish Lions meet Saturday in Auckland in the first match of a three-Test series which will present a glaring clash of styles, and may allow the victor to influence the way rugby is played for years to come. 

Lions' Test series in New Zealand are rare and treasured. There have been only 12 since 1904 - making them loom large in the history of the sport - and this is the first in 12 years which adds to the anticipation of Saturday's kick-off. 

Outside of World Cups, few events in rugby take on larger importance than tests between the Lions and All Blacks. 

Players who excel in these series find their names loom large in rugby history: Carwyn James and Barry John in 1971 or Graham Henry and Dan Carter, who engineered New Zealand's 3-0 series win in 2005. 

Errors and defeat can equally taint careers and the current coaches - Steve Hansen for the All Blacks and New Zealand-born Warren Gatland for the Lions - may face a new reckoning of their career achievements when the series is over. 

Under Hansen, the All Blacks have been proponents of the running game - playing a style based on pace, skill and athleticism among both backs and forwards which no team in the world has matched. 

The Lions squad Gatland has assembled is more a team of journeymen, highly adept at their own roles, lacking any real wattage of star power but adept at their chosen style. 

Gatland has tailored a game plan focused on fundamentals which stresses the need for a strong set piece, physicality at breakdowns, accurate kicking and the need to defend against the best attacking team in world rugby. 

Pieces have fallen into place for the Lions throughout their tour. They began looking jet-lagged and under-prepared but have grown into Gatland's style, winning lead-up matches over the last two weekends against the Crusaders and New Zealand Maori. 

There are even intimations in the selection of speedsters Elliot Daly and Anthony Watson on the wings that the Lions will attempt a more attacking style.

They are likely at first to rely on the heavy brigade of Ben Te'o and Jonathan Davies to pound the ball up in midfield but they are determined to be more than one-dimensional. 

"It's about bringing other parts of our game together, which is about playing with some flair and taking some risk and being courageous and bold," Gatland said. "That's the way to beat the All Blacks. A lot of people have speculated about the contrasting style, but I think we've played some lovely rugby."

If the Lions cannot be expected to forego the running game, the All Blacks also cannot be under-estimated at set pieces.

They consistently have had the best scrum and line-out in world rugby in recent years, overshadowed by their attacking game. 

The All Blacks may feel the Lions have been treated generously on tour by referees who will also control the Tests.

The Lions frequently appear to be offside in their rush defence and in their kick chase, seem to pull back on engagement at scrums, particularly on the loosehead side, and use a second tackler to slow the ball at breakdowns. 

The Lions claim the All Blacks block kick chasers and have had success in arguing that case to referees. Gatland also argues that Hansen is worried by what he has seen of them on tour.

"You guys that know me know that I'll tell you all the time that worrying is a wasted emotion," Hansen said. "It's a wasted emotion because if the thing you're worrying about has happened you need to fix it, so there's no point in worrying about it."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2243 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE