Lions Tour 3rd Test: The grand finale

Test one and two are officially done. It all comes down to 18:00 on Saturday’s match in Cape Town that will serve as a curtain call to what has been an exciting and drama filled series against the all star British & Irish Lions and the reigning world champion Springboks.

The on and off field shenanigan’s can be equated to the dramatic incoming 2018 Australian cricket tour to South Africa that end with the suspension of then captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft.

The Lion’s were first to strike blood after they’re 27-9 defeat as coach Warren Gatland announced his matchday squad first, that has seen him make 6 changes to his match day squad.

Perhaps the most bizarre exclusion is England speedster Anthony Watson who started the first two games, and his national captain Owen Farrell who both fell out of the match day squad altogether.

Liam Williams, Josh Adams, Bundee Aki and Ali Price were called up replacing Stuart Hogg, Chris Harris and Conor Murray. Robbie Henshaw will move to number 13 from inside centre to make space for Ackee.

While amongst the forwards Alun Wyn Jones and Ken Owens take over from Mako Vunipola and Luke Cowan-Dickie. In the Bok camp, scrum-half talisman Faf de Klerk and 2019 IRB player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit suffered injuries that saw them come off in the second test, and were not available for selection going into game three.

Cobus Reinach will leapfrog Herschell Jantjies into the starting line-up at number 9, with test two super sub Lood de Jager coming in at five.

The inclusion of Lood will see work mule Franco Mostert shift to a somewhat familiar openside flanker position, a position he plays for in his Japanese club Honda Heat.

An unsung hero I believe for the boks is Sharks captain Lukhanyo Am, who defense has been as excellent as his attacking throughout.

Am has really stepped up in Vermuelens absence, being able to observe, organise, execute and enforce all defence tactics, a role that was expected to be filled by Kwagga Smith.

Steering away from the traditional “12 is the creator, 13 is the crash ball runner” the pairing of de Allende and Am in the bok midfield is proving to be to world class and rock solid.

SA coach Nienabar has also dropped the 6-2 bomb squad switch to make way for veteran Morné  Steyn, suggesting a much more calculated and tactical approach going into this game.

However this time, all pressure will be on the lions after the were emphatically neutralised in all aspects, from tactical kicking at 10 and box kicks from the ruck, often left them scrambling to reform at the back, which may be the reason for dropping Stuart Hogg, who often found himself getting sucked in to the line of defense. It all comes to an end this Saturday.

Will the world champs stand they’re ground, or will the lions of the north roar proudly once more and assert dominance in the southern hemisphere for another four years.  

SPRINGBOKS (vs Lions, third Test, Saturday)

15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 64 caps, 60 pts (12t)

14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse) – 16 caps, 40 pts (8t)

13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 17 caps, 20 pts (4t)

12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 49 caps, 30 pts (6t)

11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 16 caps, 75 pts (15t)

10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain, Montpellier) – 51 caps, 494 pts (6t, 79c, 98p, 4d)

9 – Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) – 15 caps, 35pts (7t)

8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 2 caps, 0 pts

7 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 42 caps, 5pts (1t)

6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 53 caps, 30 pts (6t)

5 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) – 47 caps, 25 pts (5t)

4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 88 caps, 15 pts (3t)

3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 41 caps, 5pts (1t)

2 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 39 caps, 40 pts (8t)

1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 50 caps, 5pts (1t)

Replacements:

16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 36 caps, 30 pts (6t)

17 – Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) – 45 caps, 5 pts (1t)

18 – Vincent Koch (Saracens) – 22 caps, 0 pts

19 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 4 caps, 0 pts

20 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 9 caps, 5 pts (1t)

21 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 13 caps, 25 pts (5t)

22 – Morné Steyn (Vodacom Bulls) – 66 caps, 736 points (8t, 102c, 154p, 10d)

23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 9 caps, 5pts (1t)

LIONS (vs South Africa, third Test, Saturday)

15. Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales)

14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales)

13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)

12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland)

11. Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland)

10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales)

9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)

1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales)

2. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales)

3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, England)

5. Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales)

6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England)

7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England)

8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland)

Replacements:

16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England)

17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England)

18. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England)

19. Adam Beard (Ospreys, Wales)

20. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, England)

21. Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland)

22. Finn Russell (Racing 92, Scotland)

23. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England)  

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