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Lions diary: Test weekend Two

June 29 2009

I thought the Durban Test - King's Park has a reputation in SA for being the best venue - would be the best atmosphere. I was wrong.

What a day at Loftus! We arrived at around 10am and headed down towards the unmistakeable smoke and smell of a braai, but found an absolute treasure: a huge screen set up right by a bar and braai upon which to spend the pre-match watching New Zealand struggle past Italy and Australia wallop France. Bliss!

It was the perfect place to meet all manner of fans, including the ones in the animal suits (not entirely sure how a big bumblebee fits into a South African theme, mind), the ones in the pith helmets, spanking bright red jackets and grass skirts, and the charming couple who had got married not one week before and for whom Pretoria's Test day charms constituted an integral part of their honeymoon. What a woman!

Then there was the match itself: a benchmark for all other Tests this year

During the match, the unity of the Lions fans was clear for all to hear. We started with a chorus of 'Guide me oh though great redeemer' as the Lions charged into the lead, navigated our way through 'Fields of Athenry' and gave a belting rendition of 'Swing low, sweet chariots', all interspersed with the classic 'I'd rather be a Lion than a Bok' from the conclusion of the 1997 'Living with Lions' video.

The first three have stood the test of time already, but that last one is sure to be added to the tour anthem list - as soon as some creative soul manages to get the extra syllables in 'Kiwi' and 'Wallaby' into the tune anyway...

On that note, as it were, I was not the only one to miss Scotland. There have been a few kilts, there has been the wailing of bagpipes in bars at the end of evenings, but sadly on Saturday there was neither hair nor hide of Ross Ford, meaning the Scots are yet to have had a Test representation this tour.

I know from canvassed opinion on Saturday, that I am not alone in my impatience to have the Scots back in the mix, one can only hope that the next four years brings them greater luck under Andy Robinson so that Australia 2013 will feature 'Flower of Scotland' in the Lions medley.

After the match, the press conference was a spicy affair. Peter de Villiers' comments have been dealt with elsewhere on this site, but instead of looking at the controversy and getting all heated, let's look at a question that will win 'Most Delicately Phrased Question On A Controversial Moment' award for the tour.

There was no mention of Schalk Burger. No mention of a gouge. No mention even of Luke Fitzgerald. Merely: "Ian, are you surprised you played the match against fifteen men?" Suggestion is always the best way!

Mystery surrounds the Pretoria accommodation policies. I had heard on Tuesday from an Irish journalist that he had called ahead to confirm his guesthouse room, only to be told it had been double-booked and that he was out on his ear. He ended up on someone's floor.

Unfortunate. Bad luck does strike (this chap had also lost his passport and had his laptop half-inched on the same day). But I had heard that story no less than four times from four different groups of fans by the end of Saturday night. I have tried to contact Pretoria's tourism office without luck so far, but if there's anybody who can shed any light on this - or indeed, anybody who has suffered the same lunacy, please do get in touch!

Two soundbites from Saturday's press conference: Is Mister de Villiers a mite geographically challenged?

"We have played the best of Europe and come out on top," he said after Saturday's clash, ignoring the fact that a fair few French and Italians who might claim to be in that group were nursing sore bodies in Sydney and Christchurch respectively.

Question after question was fired off at the Lions about altitude and the side-effects thereof this week, but only once was it mentioned in the post-match by the Lions.

Simon Shaw's performance over all 80 minutes was thunderous and fully deserving of the man-of-the-match award. Not once did he seem to be shorter of breath than his peers. The reason?

"He's a bit taller than other lads, I don't think altitude really affects him," quipped Ian McGeechan.

Finally, while failing to acknowledge the Lions in his post-match analysis, Peter de Villiers left nobody in any doubt as to how he was feeling after the game.

"I feel grrrreat, I feel rrrrreally good!" he exclaimed at one point - rrolling his 'r's with relish about thirty seconds after calling Schalk Burger's gouge "a part of sport."

There's been a few column inches devoted to P.Divvy's (That's the current favourite South African epithet for their coach) lack of graciousness in victory and I can't say I disagree too much.

But this should go on the record: they are excellent at the pre-match needle banter, they can get under your skin with the one-eyed observations and occasional lack of cold-blooded game analysis, but every South African I have met this weekend has, to a man, been terrific value, all appreciating the wonder of Saturday's clash, all lauding the Lions' efforts and all agreeing that the Lions is still the most special event in the world of rugby (there's a fair few who believe it is more special than the World Cup itself).

So to all South Africans: thankyou for your hospitality and your grace and adherence to rugby's spirit. On the pitch and in the stands, if not in the coaching box, you have been worthy adversaries and winners. And where your coach consistently falls down in his ambassadorial role, you are more than compensatory with many of your efforts.

But you won't win in Johannesburg. You're not good enough and you just keep getting lucky.

Journal kept by Richard Anderson