British Lions 22 South Africa 17 – another take.

Although I have a wide brief to cover all sport for The Rust I must admit straightaway that I only follow rugby (union that is) internationally.

I prefer the rugby of my youth for two reasons.

First modern rugby is about behemoths and those graceful movers I admired – Maso, David Duckham, Gerald Davies and Mike Gibson – would probably not hold down an international place.

Second I enjoy a good tear up.

Physicality is a word much used in contemporary rugby but retrospective punishment and stronger refereeing have sanitised the game.

I have only two comments to add to Sandra’s report.

Firstly, there is kidology – the art or science of putting pressure on an match official before the match.

Warren Gatland did this on Marius Jonker the match referee and official for TMO.

This meant that if Jonker gave a decision for his home country there could be a media outcry.

So two crucial decisions – one to overrule the actual referee’s decision to award Willie du Roux a try the other to disallow the Allande try – went the Lions’ way.

I would also like to mention the contribution of the English players. England had a  poor Six Nations but 4 of their players – Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Owen Farrell – made significant contributions to this victory.