Western Province 23 British and Irish Lions 26:Tommy Bowe was the catalyst for the fifth straight victory of the tour, a win eked out in miserable conditions that weren't conducive to enterprise. The Ireland wing provided two moments of genuine quality on an afternoon when the Lions barely got past page one of the playbook.
Table Mountain provides a stunning backdrop to Newlands but it was not visible, shrouded in thick black clouds that periodically emptied over the stadium.
The presence of a strong swirling wind, a sodden surface underfoot and a genuinely gutsy Western Province side that lasted the course of the match rendered the contest a more searching examination than the Lions might have anticipated.
The weather was obviously a factor but once again the Lions adopted a conservative, patterned approach that focused almost exclusively on a kick-chase game supplemented by trundling forwards around the fringes and also in midfield. Ian McGeechan has previously spoken about keeping gambits back to be sprung in the test series and on the evidence of the last few matches he must have plenty in store.
In analysing the three tries scored by the tourists, two were directly attributable to Bowe’s skill set and physique. They weren’t crafted and polished beforehand, didn’t come from training ground moves that opened up the opposing defence.
When the Irishman received Rob Kearney’s accurate flat pass on 29 minutes, he had about two metres of space in from the touchline and the Western Province defence had plenty of numbers on hand. As soon as he received the ball, Bowe pirouetted out of one tackle, forced his way between two more tacklers and then through a final defender, demonstrating his strength to roll from his back and touch the ball down.
His second intervention came six minutes later when he arrived from the blindside wing and basically careered through a tackle. On finding his path blocked on the Western Province 22, he demonstrated deft hands in putting Ugo Monye away and the England wing touched down in the corner.
These fleeting glimpses of class were in marked contrast to the general huffing and puffing of the Lions display, a performance pockmarked by basic errors and an at times poorly directed and executed kicking game.
Bowe would have been in most observers test team before Saturday; this game merely confirmed his excellent form that extends so far beyond scoring four tries in three matches. He has been the architect-in-chief for as many more again.
Sitting on a table in the bowels of the stadium he was studiously avoiding any suggestion that he’ll make his test debut against South Africa in Durban on Saturday. He’ll be oversubscribed for advocates though and that number will include the management team.
Bowe admitted: “I can’t take anything for granted and it would be silly if I did. I am really enjoying my rugby, have got myself into a bit of form and a position to be in contention for a place in the first test. I like having the ball in hand, like taking on defenders and am just trying to be hungry for work.
“That means coming off the wing and taking ball where I can find it. The ball didn’t come my way very often so I decided to go looking for it.” He won’t be unduly concerned when Saturday comes. “This is the pinnacle of your rugby career. If you don’t relish it then you shouldn’t be here.”
Before the match several players described it as a final trial in the jostling for test places and one player who certainly advanced his case is Donncha O’Callaghan. The Lions threw almost exclusively to number two in the lineout where the Cork man won seven throws, managing to pinch one of the opposition.
He carried ball and hit rucks, discharging the mundane duties with his customary diligence. In direct comparison with Nathan Hines, O’Callaghan was the more effective performer. Andy Powell had his best game of the tour, Martyn Williams linked play well, while Andrew Sheridan, and when introduced from the bench Euan Murray, contributed some key moments.
Behind the scrum Kearney was enjoying a decent afternoon at fullback before suffering a dead leg, while the three quarter line possession was strictly rationed and therefore difficult for anyone to excel.
Stephen Jones endured a mixed afternoon in most facets of the game. Place-kicking was horrendously difficult but there were a few game management flaws that weren’t apparent in the victory over the Golden Lions. Harry Ellis was another to produce a fine performance under pressure.
Western Province will reflect on what might have been but can be proud of the way they competed to the bitter end. The cultured boot of outhalf Willem de Waal caused the visitors consistent problems and not just in terms of place-kicking.
His early penalty and a neatly taken drop goal cancelled out a brace of penalties from Jones and the crowd of 34,176 roared their approval when the home side had the temerity of take the lead with fullback Joe Pietersen’s drop goal.
When Bowe and Monye scored tries – Jones kicked a brilliant touchline conversion for the latter – it looked like the Lions would kick on but instead de Waal’s injury time penalty saw the home side trail by just 18-12 at the interval. The outhalf posted another two either side of William’s try as Western Province simply refused to buckle.
When Pietersen scampered over for a try on 63 minutes history beckoned but the decisive moment was provided by Welshman James Hook. Having missed a penalty minutes earlier he thumped one home from 50 metres, a wonderful kick in the circumstances and conditions, and ultimately the difference between the teams.
Scoring sequence
5 mins: de Waal penalty, 3-0; 6: Jones penalty, 3-3; 10: Jones penalty, 3-6; 19: de Waal drop goal, 6-6; 27: Pietersen drop goal, 9-6; 29: Bowe try, 9-11; 35: Monye try, Jones conversion, 9-18; 40(+4): de Waal penalty, 12-18. Half-time: 12-18. 47: de Waal; penalty, 15-18; 55: M Williams try, 15-23; 60: de Waal penalty, 18-23; 63: Pietersen try, 23-23; 76: Hook penalty, 23-26.
Western Province:J Pietersen; T Chavhanga, M Newman, P Grant, G Bobo; W de Waal, D Duvenhage; W Blaauw, T Liebenberg, B Harris; M Muller, A van Zyl; P Louw, D Vermeulen, L Watson (capt). Replacements: G Aplon for Chavanga 39 mins; De Kock Steenkamp for Muller 64 mins; Zandre Jordaan for Louw 73 mins; JD Moeller for Blaauw 75 mins.
British & Irish Lions:R Kearney (Leinster and Ireland); T Bowe (Ospreys and Ireland), K Earls (Munster and Ireland), R Flutey (Wasps and England), U Monye (Harlequins and England); S Jones (Scarlets and Wales), H Ellis (Leicester and England); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks and England), M Rees (Scarlets and Wales), P Vickery (Wasps and England, capt); D O'Callaghan (Munster and Ireland), N Hines (Perpignan and Scotland); J Worsley (Wasps and England), M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), A Powell (Cardiff Blues and Wales). Replacements: R Ford (Edinburgh and Scotland) for Rees 56 mins; E Murray (Northampton and Scotland) for Vickery 56 mins; S Shaw (Wasps and England) for Hines 56 mins; J Hook (Ospreys and Wales) for Kearney 64 mins; T Croft (Leicester and England) for Worsley 69 mins.
Referee: M Lawrence (South Africa).
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