Lions starting to roar - O'Driscoll
Lions skipper Brian O’Driscoll tonight praised his team after they returned to winning ways with victory over Wellington at a windswept Westpac Stadium.
Beaten by the New Zealand Maori five days ago, O’Driscoll and company could not afford another defeat as the countdown gathers momentum towards next week’s first Test appointment with the All Blacks in Christchurch.
Tries in each half from Wales internationals Gethin Jenkins and Gareth Thomas saw the Lions home, while fly-half Jonny Wilkinson booted 13 points to see off a weakened Wellington 23-6.
“I was pretty pleased,” said O’Driscoll. “Total satisfaction might be a little bit over the top, but I thought we came back well from our defeat to the Maori.
“It wasn’t flawless, but there were some good aspects to our game. We were probably one pass away from scoring another three or four tries, which was a little frustrating, but we didn’t allow it to affect us.”
O’Driscoll agreed that conditions were hazardous for fluent rugby – a blustery wind and strong rain hampered both sides’ best attacking efforts.
“The ball was like a bar of soap, and I haven’t seen a wind swirling like that since I have been at Lansdowne Road. It was difficult, and the unforced errors both sides made showed how difficult it was to put five or six phases of play together.
“We are 10 days and two games away from the first Test. There is plenty to concentrate on before the Test, but today wasn’t about trying flamboyant moves. It was about coming together as a unit and putting together a team performance.”
The Lions monopolised territory and possession against a team minus their current All Blacks quartet Tana Umaga, Jerry Collins, Rodney So’oialo and Conrad Smith, but were guilty of wasting numerous scoring chances, even allowing for the weather.
The Lions coaches will meet tomorrow to assess all their selection options, although there were improvements from the Maori game, especially at breakdown and contact areas, where flanker Neil Back was at his bustling best.
“We are pleased with the control of the game. I thought the pack played very well, and we were just one pass away from some fairly significant scores,” said Lions coach Ian McGeechan.
“There are still things to work on, but I think there were some significant steps forward in the contact area and our support work.
“I don’t think the weather or the pitch was conducive to strong back-play. Doing the same things in drier conditions and with drier hands, we would probably have got players free.”
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