Lions Tour: A Fan's View »

• Going out on a high

  July 5, 2009 @ 11:20 pm | by tlynch

  Final blog here folks and I’m delighted to say that the final few days were great fun.

  The night before the game we had a relatively quiet night. Others had no such plans. We were in a bar in Sandton having a few drinks when we bumped into another group of fans. They were by far and away the wildest bunch I’ve met on my trip.

  Among their exploits that night was challenging a group of locals to a dance off. When it became apparent that they were losing, one of them took all of his clothes off and crawled around the circle while the others poured beer on him. It’s called the cow and it took touring to a new level, a step too far for most.

  Match day started quietly until I got a call from the Welsh lads at midday. They had crashed a corporate do and had managed to get me an invitation for it too.

  I arrived to quite a scene. The Welsh really stood out from the crowd, dressed as the Lions 70’s team and were sporting moustaches, wigs, head bands, classic jerseys and shorts. I was feeling quite the poor relation in my ’09 jersey.

  They had managed to get us on one of the corporate buses to the game too which was a great effort. A big thank you must also go to the guys from Utax (below) who ferried us to the match and back and fed us beer and the local staple of biltong, a kind of preserved dry meat. Atypically for South Africans as they were also gracious losers.

  Photo

  As for the match itself, it was a great reward for those of us who hung on for the last game which was admittedly a bit of a dead rubber. None who were at Ellis Park would have believed that though and the locals were very sore to lose this one.

  There were some great performances and some South Africans believed that if Shane Williams had played in all three tests we would have won the series.

  There was a feeling of disappointment at the end as this series must be seen as the one that got away. We won on aggregate 74-63, four out of the six halves and scored more tries, all irrelevant as the Springboks got the cup. It was pointed out that there is also a lot of symmetry with twelve years ago.

  As the Utax guys had been so good to us on the way over we didn’t rub it in their noses, too much. Their compatriots had less restraint, some of whom had claimed prior to the game that the team for the third test was a stronger team than the previous games.

  Celebrations were more heartfelt this time, even more so given it was the official end of tour. Many phone numbers and email addresses were exchanged and groundless promises to meet again in four years for more of the same.

  We also managed to get a photo with Lions legend Gareth Edwards to cap off the Lions experience. Surprisingly the Sky Sports lads made it out, again. It was a great night to cap it all off, possibly the best of the trip.

  The last day over here in South Africa was spent taking a tour of Jo’burg and the township of Soweto. It was fascinating and grounding to spend some time seeing the conditions that some people live in here.

  There are mixed emotions now that the Lions tour is over. Five and a half weeks is a long time to spend following a rugby team but the banter and camaraderie will be enormously missed. It will be strange not to see a multitude of men wearing red.

  With the ending of the tour comes the ending of my blog, again with mixed emotions. It’s been great to be here for the whole tour and meeting with fans of both camps.

  As for me, I’m off to Australia for a month and then New Zealand doing research for my new job of managing a winery in Argentina. Watch out for El Comandante wines! I won’t be back until next year so I won’t be catching up with friends and family so until then; thanks for reading and toodle pip!

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• One last big push

  July 3, 2009 @ 8:11 pm | by tlynch

  Being off tour away from the Lions madness has meant that I’m now refreshed and looking forward to the last test. Arriving in Jo’burg today, there were the iconic red jerseys to welcome us back into tour mode.

  A trip to the mountaintop country of Lesotho, right in the middle of South Africa, was a real highlight of the past few days. Apparently it’s the destination country for a lot of Irish foreign aid.

  We entered from the south through the Sani pass taking a dirt track over the mountains taking an hour to cover the final four kilometres.

  A few drinks were had at the highest pub in Africa along with a tour of one of the villages. How humans settled in this inhospitable part of the world is hard to fathom. I guess that would be the reason for Lesotho’s independence.

  Other than that the lads were on the beach trying to get a bit of a tan before they head back to sunny old Ireland.

  I also enjoyed the delicious novelty of having both a bed and a room to myself for two days, something that hasn’t been experienced in over five weeks. This goes with the territory for a professional fan but a marathon twelve hour sleep was due to the absence of snoring males.

  Once again the two team announcements raised a few eyebrows. Naming the team the Welsh and Wasps Lions wouldn’t be too far from the mark.

  The thus far unimpressive Joe Worsley has been given his chance in the backrow as has Phil Vickery, who most Lions fans thought they would never again see in a red jersey.

  Last time out the selection of Simon Shaw reaped huge dividends so who knows, these might be inspired calls? Possible I’m clutching at straws there.

  Luke Fitzgerald was harshly left out as Shane Williams has been below par all tour and also because he covers so many positions. That aside, it would be great to see the “Bull” Hayes get a Lions test cap though.

  The Springboks have gone for some squad rotation of their own, with only some of it enforced. The general feeling is that these changes somewhat devalue the match on Saturday though everyone would bite your hand off for a test win.

  There are some unfamiliar names in the Bok lineup but it is still a very powerful and formidable outfit. Here’s hoping for one last big push from both players and fans alike and a test win. It would make coming out here all the more worthwhile.

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• Pretoria’s Close Shaves

  July 1, 2009 @ 11:21 am | by tlynch

  The morning of the second test began at an hour we’re used to seeing before bed at this stage, 5am, as we had to get the earliest flight possible from Cape Town to Johannesburg.

  It was to be a long day, but it started well when all the bags arrived safely and we got lift from a couple of English lads from the airport to Pretoria arriving at the ground at 12 which made things easier.

  There was a real sense of optimism before the game. Fans were still raising doubts over the selection of Simon Shaw but I take all I said before the game back. He was absolutely immense and his selection was a masterstroke.

  One of the major talking points was the strong arm tactics of the Bok players. The fact that Schalk Burger didn’t get sent off was a disgrace and we could have been reasonably confident of the win had justice been served. Alan Quinlan must feel harshly dealt with as Burger only got an eight week ban.

  We probably should have won anyway and as an Irish fan we’re all used to moral victories and gallant defeats and we’re all quite sick of them too. But even though they came up just short, it was a heroic performance.

  Even some of the normally one eyed Springbok fans even said they were lucky to win, something we haven’t heard much of to date.

  Given its manner, the defeat was very tough to take. I was absolutely devastated but it did reaffirm my faith in the Lions concept, one which could well be in danger after seven straight test losses.

  How elusive test victories are was highlighted by a fellow tourist from London. Of the seven Lions tours he’s been on he has only seen a test win six times. It’s not the greatest record going.

  It took longer than usual to get over the game. Once the initial disappointment had dimmed we got on to trying to enjoy ourselves. This was a lot of lads’ last night so there were some tearful goodbyes. Hopefully there will still be some fans left for the final test.

  There was a good post match set up in Pretoria with nearby Hatfield Square full of cordoned off bars thronged with revellers.

  A lot later on we ended up playing pool in a bar with Rob Kearney. I don’t know if it was efforts from earlier but Rob and his new nickname “The Kearnivore” had a Ronan O’Gara moment – nearly claiming the win, but unforgivably choking on the black.

  Poor guy, it was his second tough defeat in a few hours and I’m guessing the loss on the pool table hurt more when he woke up on Sunday morning.

  We also managed bump into Tommy Bowe and gave him a personal rendition of his cleverly named theme tune – Tommy, Tommy Bowe. Legend.

  Escaping the sometimes suffocating Lions fever I’m off to Durban for the five days to chill out by the beach. Unfortunately they are having their coldest winter in a while here – only 21 degrees.

  We managed to head on my final safari where I’ve now seen four out of the big five. Those damned cheetahs are still elusive, unless we count Bloemfontein’s finest Super 14 team.

  The body is also giving out with my immune system at an all time low, suffering from the long tour. Only one game to go though and there will be a big push for the final test. Pride is all we have to play for but it would be a shame for the side to arrive home whitewashed.

  It’s the same for most of the others who are hanging around for the last game many of whom are headed to Kruger National park or other safaris, things are definitely winding down.

  None that I know of are hanging around Jo’burg as everyone has been warned off it. One local I was chatting with commented that I hadn’t got the full South African experience here as I hadn’t been car jacked or mugged. I’m going to try and keep it that way too. Touch wood.

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• Second test build up

  June 26, 2009 @ 10:03 pm | by tlynch

  Day 27

  All this rugby has had an exhaustive effect and it was nice to get away from the city for a day and sample some of the local produce.

  One of the major tourist attractions in Cape Town is the wine country so of course a tour was essential. With our cheery guide Bruce we set off for the day and were sampling our first glass at the social hour of half nine in the morning.

  We visited five wineries in all over the course of an eight hour day and opening a bottle of sparkling wine with a sword was a particular highlight, the group was a nice mix of Lions fans and other travellers so we could get away from the rugby for a while.

  It’s amazing to see that everywhere the Lions go the local economy gets a great boost and all wineries were thronged men in red.

  After the wine the entire tour were invited back to a local wine enthusiasts’ house for a party but the memory of that’s a little blurry now. I’m reliably informed that we all had a good time.

  I do remember the team for the second test being announced to general consternation due to the selection of Simon Shaw in the second row. Even the English fans agreed that he hasn’t really performed all that well while out here so we’re all a bit shocked.

  From an Irish perspective it was great to have half the team and with eight mates from Wales arriving for the second and third tests we’re looking to rebrand to the Irish and Welsh Lions.

  This is the result of an accord made in Luigi’s chipper in Ranelagh on the night before the Ireland v Wales match in Croke Park in 2008. We all drunkenly pledged that we’d meet in South Africa and in the spirit of the Lions made plans to get jerseys made and there may even have been talk of tattoos.

  Of course the jerseys and tattoos never materialised but the Welsh lads will be here on Saturday and it will be nice to see the plan come together. Especially on the day that our Celtic countries make up 13 of the starting 15.

  Day 28

  Another touristy day today with a visit to Cape Point. While the number of red jerseys have dwindled a bit with the exodus to Pretoria beginning, the point once circumnavigated by Magellan and Diaz was still painted crimson.

  One of the stranger elements of the tour is the stop off at a naval base called Simonstown which is home to a colony of penguins. There’s something bizarre about walking amongst the little fellahs waddling around in sub-Saharan Africa.

  After that we got some exercise, cycling from the gate of the national park to the Cape of Good Hope and then we hiked up to Cape Point which used to be where the Indian and Atlantic oceans met until a cartographer got creative and changed it.

  The views are spectacular and the day was clear which was a nice change after days of distinctly Irish weather in the Cape. It’s been a great spot, but with shark dives and trips to Robben Island being cancelled due to storms it’s best to visit while it’s the winter at home rather than here.

  As professional fans we are copying the preparation of the players and flying out tomorrow morning to Pretoria to avoid the worst effects of altitude. Apparently you need either less than 24 hours or more than eight days to acclimatise.

  We’ve opted for the former and have a 5.30am start with a flight to Jo’burg at 7 and a drive up to the judicial capital before kick off.

  Everyone knows that tomorrow is really make or break for this tour, especially for those of us who seem to have been here for most of our lives at this stage. People have invested so much time, effort and money to be here and it would be such a shame for it to peter out.

  I’m being swept up in a big wave of blind faith and optimism and think we can actually do it, not that I’d put any money on it.

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• Day 25 & 26

  June 24, 2009 @ 10:03 pm | by tlynch

  Day 25
  This was the day of the final midweek game meaning that the tour will shortly be coming to an end. After four weeks of touring this is no bad thing, the body could do with the rest.
  One of the lads had a particularly unlucky day. Firstly in the airport, flying from Durban to Cape town, he realised that he had lost his passport. After landing we were informed that none of our bags had made the flight.
  To make matters worse he received an email saying that our hostel in Pretoria, where there are no beds to be had apparently, had cancelled our booking. Finally when he thought that nothing else could possibly go wrong he had his laptop robbed. The poor guy was nearly in tears.
  I went down to watch my cousin play for Kings Hospital against a local side, SACS. In a great performance they drew the game five all and were very unlucky not to get the win.
  Matchdays in Cape Town would appear to be wet and windy as a rule. Maybe it was the result at the weekend but the Lions fans weren’t in full voice at any stage. The game itself wasn’t great, marred somewhat by the conditions.
  The local fans were only in full voice when Phil Vickery was warming up shouting “the beast” at him. He probably still wakes up with cold sweats thinking about last Saturday.
  The Baby Boks never really looking like threatening for 78 minutes of the match and the Lions appeared to be in first or second gear cruising for a victory. What are the odds of attending two games, both being drawn?
  After the match a group of us went back to the hostel to thaw out in front of the fire. A few beers later and we were back in the mood and went to a club. The ever present Sky Sports team were there, Will Greenwood again wearing white shoes…
  A couple of the players were also out, some of whom seem off tour already. It must be tough having to be out here training on a daily basis without any prospect of making the test team.
  Day 26
  Aptly we went to the cinema to see “The Hangover”. It cost less than €1.40 even though we were in the Waterfront shopping mall, the most salubrious in the country.
  Thankfully we got some accommodation sorted for Pretoria even it involves sleeping on floors. I’m not sure we’ll be in a state to notice though.
  The Springboks announced their team and there’s only one change bringing in the fit again Schalk Burger. Hopefully he won’t be match sharp.
  Nobody is brashly confident this time for the next test. People don’t expect that many changes for the team, maybe two or three. If the switches are as expected it will be reducing the amount of English on the team. No bad thing there.
  The local fans don’t seem as worried as they were for the last game. They are wary of our backline but don’t see us getting the amount of possession as we did in Durban. Let’s hope we can take them by surprise, otherwise hanging around for the third test won’t be much fun.

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• Match day blues

  June 23, 2009 @ 7:05 am | by tlynch

  Day 22 match day

  After three weeks of waiting and preparing finally the day of the first test had arrived. Travelling in style, again in the back of a pickup, five of us entered the Kings Park Stadium noisy and confident to a sea of red. This red was swelled by the sunburnt skin, the day was a scorcher.

  Even though we were early enough arriving three hours before kickoff, Lions fans already seemed to have taken over this part of South Africa. Fans put more effort than before into costumes with some individuals impressively decked out.

  The four gents who donned the Mr. Incredible suits and made masks of the faces of Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell, Phil Vickery and Mike Phillips definitely won top marks for effort, they must have sweated buckets.

  In the ground the crowd was about 50:50. Not to be outdone the locals were also in full voice and their anthem was spine tingling, particularly the Afrikaans verse. There was a real sense of occasion from the outset.

  Going ten points down after ten minutes was not the start any Lions fan would have wished for.

  Despite the poor start the fight back gave everyone heart and at the end all felt slightly wronged by the end result given that we knocked on twice over the line.

  In general fans thought that this was a huge chance gone a begging and that some performances were far below what was needed. In some ways the team that finished was superior to the one that started.

  The Boks fans were delighted with the win but they were silent for the majority of the last half an hour when the comeback looked on.

  Afterwards the celebrations and commiserations were held in the ground and car park. These included many beers, impromptu lineouts and scrums along with a streaker climbing the posts of the back pitch – not a sight to behold at all.

  Still feeling slightly wronged after the game a few of us went to a bar to get a quiet drink and a bite to eat. Little did we know that the Confederations Cup game between South Africa and Spain was on.

  The atmosphere was fantastic in the pub as we got to see a completely different side of the country. So far we have been mixing mostly with white Afrikaaners until now. It was great to see that the soccer supporters were as passionate and welcoming as their rugby counterparts.

  Day 23

  This was a designated rest and recuperation day with little going on other than a dip in the sea and a walk on the beach. Springbok jerseys were more visible today, though maybe they’d always been there and the soreness of losing may have made them more apparent.

  We did manage to have a braai (barbeque) of our own inviting a few lads over to the place we were staying in. Though the first few drinks went down like liquid concrete, a meat feast improved matters. Nothing too mad though.

  Day 24

  Monday was another lazy day in advance of our trip to Cape Town for the Emerging Springboks game. We went to the aquarium to catch some of the underwater life that South Africa has to offer – which is sharks apparently, lots of sharks.

  We also caught the cringe worthy dolphin show, based loosely – somehow – on the story of Shaka Zulu.

  Things got more interesting when one of the lads was unwillingly chosen from the crowd to feed stars of the show as part of the story. He got absolutely soaked and was completely mortified, all in front of the injured Stephen Ferris.

  The team selection for the Emerging Boks game seems like a very strong one and already I can’t wait for the team to get back on a winning run. There would still appear to be a couple of second test spots up for grabs so it should be a real contest.

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• Test Match Fever

  June 20, 2009 @ 1:35 pm | by tlynch

  Day 19

  On Tuesday before the game there was a small matter of a three hour journey from the beautiful Plettenburg Bay to Port Elizabeth along which some braver souls took in the highest bungee jump in the world.

  There was such a long queue that they nearly missed the match but our car made the journey in less two hours due to some interesting driving techniques from one of our new arrivals.

  The Southern Kings game was the first in the new Nelson Mandela Bay stadium, apparently the fastest ever built and it was the highest attendance of the tour so far. The match itself seemed to be in the old tradition of warm ups as the local team seemed more keen to take the heads off the Lions players.

  That evening Port Elizabeth lived up to its name of the windy city. That didn’t dampen spirits as Lions fans seemed to be in the majority in most of the bars and there were plenty of sing songs and banter.

  Day 20

  Our own Lewis Hamilton was a less enthusiastic traveller today after staying out drinking with some local characters until midday and he nearly missed the trip to the safari, which won’t surprise those of you who know him. “Never leave a man behind, except…”

  This was a real highlight of the tour so far and we weren’t alone in this as many others fans took this opportunity to sample some of South Africa’s stunning scenery and natural flora and fauna.

  On the safari we quite fittingly saw some lions hunting their prey. They outpaced, outmanoeuvred and finally devoured a springbok, hopefully a sign of things to come!

  The drive was followed by the amusing episode of three of us sharing the honeymoon hut and gazing at the stars, which was most, eh, romantic for want of a better word.

  Day 21 and 22

  On the way to Durban we crossed the wide and diverse African countryside past steep mountains, wide plains, tropical plantations, bustling rural towns and stunning costal beaches.

  This route is called the Wild Coast and it certainly lived up to its name. Beware of potholes, baboons, goats, cattle and locals walking on the road.

  One of the other lads, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Adam Jones, was most upset when he hit a pig crossing the road and the little hog died in his arms. Tragic stuff.

  There was also a slight brush with the law due to our somewhat liberal interpretation of the speed limit, but thankfully pleading total ignorance and a little Irish charm led to a ticking off and polite warning that there was another trap a couple of miles later.

  The excitement has really been mounting for the first test. The Lions XV was along expected lines, even if there were a few surprises on the bench.

  The South Africans don’t seem too impressed with their selection though. As our safari guide commented; they care more about how many of their local team make the squad which is a bit of a Munster mentality really.

  You can’t miss the Lions fans at this stage and many more seem to be jetting in for the business end of the tour, but there are still lots of tickets available and we have been offered many spares. They seem to have out-priced the local fans and it would be a real shame if there wasn’t a sell-out.

  I’m gunning for a victory as if we don’t nick a win here the series could well be over as it’s the only test at sea level. The tradition here in Durban is to have a barbeque (braai) before and after the game in the car park. Food and booze are my favourite combination – I can’t wait!

  Listen out for a rousing rendition of Tommy, Tommy Bowe (to the tune of Daddy Cool) when he first touches the ball. Go on you Lions!!!

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• Days 15, 16 and 17

  June 15, 2009 @ 8:50 pm | by tlynch

  Lions fever has really struck as the numbers of fans have multiplied several fold.

  Waking up on Saturday saw the end of the pristine sunshine and weather that made me regret getting terrace tickets. With the Western Province team really fronting up the Lions were given a real test.

  The tough conditions made it difficult for players to impress. One who shone above the others was my fellow blogger, Tommy Bowe. He had a great game and was serenaded with his own chant – Tommy, Tommy Bowe. The atmosphere was up several notches from previous matches and there was genuine relief to come away with a win.

  After the game we bumped into the Sky Sports commentary team, lovely lads in fairness. Will Greenwood was wearing the most shocking pair of white shoes as you can see below. As there is a safer feel to Cape Town the rest of the night is a bit hazy but I’m informed that there were many renditions of Tommy, Tommy Bowe.

  Dodgy shoes

  With the rest of the lads arriving we’ve now rented a car for the road trip leg of the tour. This appears to be the most popular option among fans and Lions jerseys are appearing all along the route to Port Elizabeth. Sunday saw the wine country visited in a subdued manner. Today (Monday) we drove through the Garden Route with stunning views that reemphasised how different the Western Cape is to the rest of the country.

  Tomorrows game against the Southern Kings XV should be relatively straightforward. The fear is that players would play for only themselves with the test so close but in fairness they appear to be a much more cohesive bunch than four years ago. Tickets are also very cheap for this one coming in at about eight euro.

  Speaking of tickets, I managed to pick them up for both the first and second tests over the past week. The Sharks ticket office had them for the first test. For the second test in Pretoria they are (or were) on sale on computicket. This is a reflection on the price as they’re costing about a hundred euro making them hugely expensive for the locals.

  In talking to other fans there is a general consensus that the team for the first test will be along the lines of Byrne, Bowe, O’Driscoll, Roberts, Monye, Jones, Phillips, Heaslip, Wallace, Croft, O’Connell, Jones, Vickery, Mears and Jenkins. If that were the case five Irish players is a decent enough representation along with another few on the bench.

  The roadtrip will continue on towards Durban taking in a safari the day after the Port Elizabeth match. As such blogging may become a bit tough – I’m getting my excuses in early this time – so it may be a couple of days til my next one.

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• Days 11, 12, 13 and 14 – oops

  June 13, 2009 @ 10:46 am | by tlynch

  Apologies for the lack of blogging in recent days.

  Overindulgence after the Lions victory and the ending of a antibiotics course are to blame.

  The night before the match in Durban was a subdued but very enjoyable affair. An all you can eat Indian meal followed by a game of poker – which I won due to a couple of lucky hands – topped off a relaxed day.

  This was the night that the disappointing news of Stephen Ferris’ return home filtered in. A real crowd favourite so far, hopefully this doesn’t hamper our chances too much.

  With some impressive enthusiasm between the lads in our hostel and some others we managed to get a game of tip rugby on the beach. This is where the energy levels dipped with some taking a very limited part, you know who you are.

  The South Africans really seem to be taking notice of the Lions now, especially after some impressive midweek performances.

  Wednesday’s game was no exception as the typically confident Sharks fans were put in their place in an excellent performance. With several combinations solidifying their test spots there only appear to be couple of positions up for grabs.

  The game itself was highly enjoyable for us Lions fans, all the more so as some of us got on TV. It feels like a badge of honour at this stage.

  Celebrations in the ground were had as usual and we then headed off to a local bar. After that it gets a bit hazy but I’m sure we visited the casino, and one of the lads has stitches to prove it from trying to climb a fake tree in the lobby.

  Ten of them, silly boy.

  Thursday was a travel day and an absolute write off. Four hours sleep drunken sleep and an early wake up call later does not lead to a happy traveller.

  Cape Town hosts the current leg of the tour now. As it’s the week before the test there’s a huge surge in Lions fans numbers.

  For those of us who have been here since the start there’s a little begrudgery, but in fairnessnot everyone can manage the six weeks. The numbers of my mates here is also swelling as in the next couple of days we welcome four lads over.

  Yesterday saw the iconic Table Mountain conquered on foot, it was no mean feet and the limbs are complaining. Next stop Newlands and adding Western Province to the conquered list.

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• Day 9 & 10: Sunny Durban?

  June 9, 2009 @ 5:46 pm | by tlynch

  Where is the sunshine in Durban? Though balmy the rain here is reminiscent of home. The wearing of shorts and flip-flops is therefore attracting some quizzical looks.

  Yesterday was a particularly unproductive day. It’s the rain, I promise! Three rugby matches followed by two films were on the menu.

  Feeling slightly guilty we decided to go on a pub crawl. The street we were on only had three pubs though so they saw us quite frequently in every stop.

  Then it was off to the casino for some poker. The patience of the dealers must be applauded as the lads weren’t at their sharpest. Explaining the rules repeatedly must be pretty trying.

  One of the high rollers in the group got a bit carried away with themselves and were asked to put a lid on it. Stuart Barnes commented that this same character looked like Adam Jones the Welsh prop. Hardly a complement…

  

  With the Boks releasing a couple of players the Sharks won’t be quite as decimated as feared. The Lions too have a strong side so it should be a good indication of where they are at the moment. As usual the local fans are brashly confident of victory.

  Matchdays in Durban are apparently something to behold. Everybody drives to the game and a big barbeque is had by all in the ground. Bring on the Shark Tank!

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