British Lions summer school article

LIONS PULL OUT ALL STOPS IN FINAL TEST! The British and Irish Lions dominated South Africa on Saturday in the final test of the series at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. They came off the pitch with a 9-26 victory allowing our heroes to claim a point’s victory over the world champions.

Last week end was a major blow to the lions who lost by three points after a semi concussed Ronan O’Gara gave away a penalty with seconds to go on the clock which Morne Steyn confidently slotted between the posts from 53 meters putting the final nail in the lions coffin. This week however it was a very different lions team, which ran out on the pitch, not just in how the players played, but also in who played.

With star players Jamie Roberts, Brian O’Driscol, Lee Byrn and Adam Jones being sent home injured some players were forced to play in positions they weren’t used to with winger Tommy Bowe starting at centre and 6’3” scrum half Mike Philips joining him after half time when Ricky Flutey was injured. Rob Kearney continued his impressive performance in Lee Byrn’s absence not quite scoring another try but playing solidly in defence preventing the ‘bocks from scoring any tries. Man of the match, however went too last years IRB player of the year Shane Williams who scored to blazing tries slicing through the green defence. ‘The beast was kept under wraps by Stuart Dickinson the referee who made sure he was scrumaging straight and wasn’t allowed to demolish the lions scrum like he did in the first test. Something else missing from the South African front row was Schalk Burger who has been given an eight-week ban after brutally eye gouging Lions and Ireland Winger Luke Fitzgerald during a ruck, which got him a Yellow card despite claims from fans and officials that it should really have been a red.