Lions Tour: A Fan's View »

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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!!!

  • 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

    Dodgy shoesWith 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.

  • 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.

  • 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…

    YouTube Preview Image

    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!

  • Day 8 Outrunning the Cheetahs

    June 7, 2009 @ 6:25 pm | by tlynch

    The campervanners and I have gone our separate ways and having checked into the comfort of a hotel a different form of touring has been embraced.

    In a reminder of how things were, the lads called me to say that the nearest campsite to the stadium was 12 km away and to ask if they could “park” it in the hotel grounds for the night.

    They managed to abandon it as subtly as they could given it’s a three metre high vehicle, while we enjoyed the novelty of walking to the match, a no no thus far in SA.

    The game itself started fantastically and we partook in our first “Lions, Lions, Lions” chant while sitting with the official tour group. These seemed like a close-knit but welcoming bunch as they had spent the past week together.

    There was an early try by the new favourite for the no.6 jersey, Stephen Ferris. As we romped to a 20 point lead we thought we were in for an easy ride (there may even have been a chant about that too).

    The Cheetahs, apparently the poorest of all the South African Super 14 franchises, are known for their heart and integrity and were true to this as they came back into it after their shaky start.

    In what was viewed as an average enough performance the Lions managed to hang on. Most fans seemed to think that only a handful of the players on display in this match will be in the test side.

    Proceedings were then adjourned to the beer garden set up in the ground. With a band that few were listening to, people’s attention was drawn to the first mob scrums and streakers seen to date.

    Although, realistically it’s quite possible that they weren’t the first I’ve seen, but that I only remember it due to my enforced sobriety.

    Taking advantage of the first real chance of a pub crawl we visited a grand total of three bars/clubs on Second Avenue. Bloemfontein has a surprisingly good nightlife, the best we’ve seen so far.

    We bumped into a group of students in the first bar. They insisted on sharing their local knowledge and bringing us somewhere with a true local flavour, so imagine our surprise when we walked through the door to be greeted by a sea of red jerseys.

    It’s a long time since I’ve danced to “Cotton Eyed Joe” but this seemed to be a particular hit here in Bloem, but given the redneck nature of the town I probably shouldn’t be surprised.

    The lads managed to make their way back to their campervan and, courtesy of a €2 bribe to the attendant, stayed their undisturbed for the night in their makeshift campsite before heading to Lesotho.

    Next stop Durban and sea, surfing and allegedly the best Indian food in Africa. It’s one we’ve been looking forward to since booking the trip, hot temperatures and warm sea. Nice.

  • Day 7: Bloem

    June 6, 2009 @ 12:51 pm | by tlynch

    The tour now brings us to Bloemfontain, the Athlone of South Africa. It’s a slightly more affluent than the other cities visited so far meaning that one can wander some of the streets, well in daylight anyway.

    Only 2% of Bloem’s population have English as a first language. With this in mind and my blond hair, it was probably a mistake to wear a jersey that resembled that of the ‘Boks on the first night out.

    Bloem’ has a reputation of having the cream of South African female talent though I must say that this is grossly over – exaggerated.

    After a week on tour with several late nights etc. the body can feel the mileage. Mine has started to give out in the form of a tooth abscess (it’s the altitude I swear). Dental care here is far cheaper than at home with a consultation costing €15 and the antibiotics another €10.

    Unfortunately this means there will be enforced sobriety for the next week which probably is no bad thing. In an effort to prepare for the beach in Durban the hotel gym has been visited in the vain attempt to get in shape. So instead of a head I had sore limbs, I’m not sure it’s worth it.

    Despite the lack of lubrication last night lasted until 3am with discussions centring on the possible Lions combinations. Second Row and hooker seem to the positions up for grabs with debate raging on whether a grafter is needed in the row.

    The backline issue would appear to be settled with the team who faced the Golden Lions impressing all. Lee Byrne would appear to be the only possible addition at this stage.

    Saturday’s game would appear to be the toughest so far as the Cheetahs are only missing a couple of their international players.

    The typically confident locals reckon they can do it this time and get only their second win ever over the Lions.

  • Day 5 & 6 Pilanesburg Jo’burg and Lions v Lions

    June 4, 2009 @ 4:54 pm | by tlynch

    The tour really kicked off today with the match in Ellis Park against the Golden Lions. Arriving at the stadium early before the games seems to be key for meeting up with other fans and getting in the mood.

    A beer garden was laid on for fans and there was plenty of banter and beer flowing. This was the chosen option for many as both before and after the game removing the need to find a friendly bar.

    There already seems to be a great feeling of community among the Lions supporters though occasionally one has to point out the Irish element to the British and Irish Lions.

    Rumours of the full house proved to be well wide of the mark and reliable sources indicate that this will be the case until the tests. The half empty stadium meant it was easier to be noticed leading to a few of the lads being shown on TV no less than six times.

    The game itself was a far better than the tour opener only a few days ago. While it was pointed out that the Golden Lions weren’t close to the Springboks at least a marker was laid down.

    The defeat was taken well by our hosts who have proved generous at every turn. There have been many stories of locals inviting tourists to their homes for a braai (barbeque).

    Parking the campervan at the hostel we thought we might have slightly nudged the gate. Returning later that night with fourteen packed into a seven seater taxi the gate lay strewn on it’s side. Oops.

    Yesterday was spent on safari on the lookout for the “big five”. If watching the Lions versus the Lions wasn’t enough, we got a close up of two more taking a nap.

    Tomorrow will be spent on the road again with a 400+ km drive to Bloemfontain – “Bloem” to the locals – before Saturday’s match.

  • Day 4: Pilanesburg and Sun City

    June 2, 2009 @ 3:50 pm | by tlynch

    For those looking to get away from the city based Lions experience for a couple of days Pilanesburg National Park provides the perfect escape.

    We weren’t alone in this decision with many fans occupying themselves in the same fashion between the games in Rustenburg and Jo’burg, neither being particular appealing.

    Upon checking in to the campsite and chasing away the baboons from the campervan, one is able to enjoy the wildlife that comes with the African bush.

    Part of this excursion involved a trip to the somewhat tacky Sun City. Being in the middle of winter most of the main attractions were closed so we proceeded to use our free bet.

    As yours truly doesn’t have a clue in casinos I decided to waste my bet as soon as possible and put it all on the Roulette table (O’Driscoll’s 13 to be precise). You’ll never guess which number came up…

    Some of the winnings were spent on buying a monkey teddy which will now be our tour mascot, symbolising us beating the house/Springboks. Named Marius after our surly waiter from the night before, we are now in search of a Lions jersey for the little guy.

    There is now talk of the game in Jo’burg being sold out. Hopefully this reflects the increased attention for the Lions tour. On TV last night was the live announcement of the Springbok squad coupled with an hour long analysis programme!

  • Day 3: Sleepy Rustenburg

    June 1, 2009 @ 10:45 am | by tlynch

    This morning I awoke with my nose only a couple of inches from that of one of my fellow travellers as we shared our first night in the campervan. To say it was cosy would be very much the understatement.

    To recover from our exertions the night before we took it easy today achieving little other than finding the local shopping mall along with shops which were closed for the (Sunday) afternoon.

    Finding internet cafes have proven to be a tougher task than anticipated so I had to settle for driving the campervan into the car park of a hotel and pilfering the wireless internet access.

    Tomorrow will see us taking to the road again heading and taking a mild detour from the Lions itinerary in the direction of Sun City, the South African equivalent of Las Vegas. This should prove to be a completely different proposition to Rustenburg which is famous only for its mines.

    Lions fever has yet to really kick in but this is expected to change over the next few days as we go back to Jo’burg to play the first Super 14 side, the Golden Lions – and hopefully some people will come and watch this one!


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