Gatland: Let's get physical
The British and Irish Lions have been placed on red alert for a punishing physical confrontation with world champions South Africa.
Lions assistant coach and forwards specialist Warren Gatland has identified the breakdown area as being pivotal to Test series success.
The Lions will play six games before their opening Springboks showdown next month, starting with Saturday’s tour opener against a Royal XV in Rustenburg.
And Wales boss Gatland knows the tourists must be fearless when it comes to contesting breakdown ball.
“If we are not dynamic at the breakdown, we are going to come up short,” he said.
“That is one of the things we have been working on – it’s a hugely important facet of the game.
“We’ve taken a few clips of the Super 14 and shown the players – the dynamism at the breakdown – and we’ve got to make sure we match that and be prepared to be very physical.
“Every tackle, every hit has to be 100%, and if you are not prepared to do that, you are going to come up short.”
The Lions, whose last Test series triumph came in South Africa 12 years ago, have arrived as most pundits’ underdogs.
But despite limited preparation time and a disruptive build-up that saw Tomas O’Leary, Tom Shanklin and Jerry Flannery all ruled out of the tour injured, Leigh Halfpenny remain at home for intensive treatment on a thigh strain and Alan Quinlan land a 12-week ban, Gatland delivered an upbeat early assessment.
“I think we are a lot further forward than we expected to be after the first week,” he added.
“We have been very pleased – the guys have picked up the calls really quickly.
“If we thought it was hopeless, I don’t think we should be here.
“You’ve got to come with that desire, ambition and self-belief to put a performance together.
“If they (the Lions) can play well for 80 minutes, be accurate and put South Africa under pressure, then they have got a chance of winning.
“We have got six games before the first Test, whereas South Africa might be a little bit under done in the first game, having had (one) run-out against Namibia.”
The Lions reported a clean bill of health today as they continued preparations in bright Johannesburg sunshine to launch their 10-match trip at the 42,000-capacity Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.
Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll, who gave the Lions a shoulder injury scare during Leinster’s Heineken Cup final victory over Leicester last weekend, took a full part in training.
“Brian is still a bit tight and a bit sore, but he has trained fully,” said Gatland.
