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'Control your teams': Yellow cards fire-up Lions-Boks first half

(Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

The second Lions versus Springboks Test was always likely to be tempestuous following the angry build-up to the rematch in Cape Town and it didn’t disappoint from that perspective, even though the quality of the tryless first half rugby left much to be desired. A warning was issued to both skippers – Alun Wyn Jones of the Lions and South Africa’s Siya Kolisi – following an early all-in dust-up as the Lions sought the win that would see them clinch the Test series with a game to spare. 

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This was followed by the sorry sight of Pieter-Steph du Toit going off with an injured shoulder after getting hit in a bruising tackle by Duhan van der Merwe that went unchecked by the officials. However, referee Ben O’Keeffe was soon dipping into his pocket, brandishing a 23rd-minute yellow card to van der Merwe for a foot-trip on Cheslin Kolbe and then despatching Kolbe to the same sin bin two minutes later after he took Conor Murray out in the air.  

In the review of the van der Merwe yellow card incident, O’Keeffe told TMO Marius Jonker: “I want you to put the last play on 14 green on the screen please and we are going to make a decision. I have seen a foot-trip and believe it is a yellow. We just want to confirm it… Okay, so he has clearly foot tripped him, nowhere near the ball, it is not a kick.”

Video Spacer

Matt Dawson on the 1997 Test series winning Lions tour to South Africa

Video Spacer

Matt Dawson on the 1997 Test series winning Lions tour to South Africa

Test centurion referee Nigel Owens reacted to this decision, commenting on Sky Sports: “That is a fair call. He [van der Merwe] goes to kick the ball but he gets it wrong and he has kicked the player accidentally and it is a yellow. That is good teamwork by the officials. It’s a sensible decision as well.”

This yellow card for the Lions winger came just minutes after van der Merwe, who was accused by Rassie Erasmus of getting away with a first Test spear tackle, had been involved in the tackle that injured du Toit and put him out of the game. Sam Warburton added: “It is frustrating for the Lions. 

“You wonder whether van der Merwe’s emotions are just a little bit too high. He had the tackle on du Toit which is why he has gone off. I thought he was quite lucky there that that [the tackle on du Toit] didn’t get looked at and he has cost the Lions with that trip. You just can’t do that. Any trip is going to be cynical. You just can’t do that at all.”

Owens continued: “Sam is right there. They are lucky the officials didn’t take a further look at that because he followed through and he didn’t really need to. As a tackler, you know the ball has gone there. It was a needless act to make so he is very fortunate it didn’t get looked at.” 

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With van der Merwe binned, it wasn’t long before O’Keeffe and his officials were again reviewing foul play as Kolbe clattered into the aerial Murray on 25 minutes, sparking a bust-up involving multiple players with the score 6-3 in favour of the Lions at the time. 

Owens commented before the decision was reached: “Even though Conor Murray puts his hand out to save himself if the actions of Kolbe are enough to warrant a red card, the fact that he hits his head or shoulder first is irrelevant. If that is going to be reckless, that is a bad fall. The only thing they will take into consideration is Murray put his hand out to break the fall but that shouldn’t be relevant really.”

In the end, O’Keeffe decided: “Marius, the first decision is we have got an act of foul play. We have got 14 coming in and he takes the player dangerously… he makes contact dangerously and he [Murray] falls on his back so it is going to be a yellow card.”

The referee then addressed the rival skippers: “I have made it clear we are not going to have any of that. If we didn’t have that collision in the air we would have had penalties… if we keep getting touches like that players will go off again. We have a yellow card for both teams now and I am very happy to keep going with yellow cards or even further, so I need you both to control your teams.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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