Earls shines but Lions fail to see off Emerging Springboks

LIONS’ forwards coach Warren Gatland revealed that Munster star Keith Earls was one of two players who had impressed him most in the tourists disappointing 13-13 draw with the Emerging Springboks at a windswept and rain-lashed Newlands last night.
Twenty-one-year-old Earls scored his second try of the tour when he neatly wrong-footed the opposition defence and created the space for the full-back to scamper over.
It was Earls’ 13th touchdown of the competitive rugby season.
Afterwards Gatland singled out Earls and prop Tim Payne for special mention, just a few hours before the Lions management sit down to decide on who will be included in the 22 ahead of Saturday’s make-or-break second Test with the Springboks in Pretoria.
“There were also some really nice touches from Keith Earls during the game, although there was probably one poor kick,” Warren Gatland said.
“It’s a bit early to say after the game, but I thought Tim Payne had a strong game after coming in for his first game.
“I would need to have another look at the video, but those two were probably the stand-outs. We’ve got difficult selections to make in terms of personnel and a couple of players put their hands up tonight.
“But we have to make sure we’ve not too reactive after the first Test because there were a heck of a lot of positives in terms of territory, possession and the fact we out-scored South Africa by three tries to two.”
The Lions led 10-3 at the interval against the young Springboks, who hit back in the last minute when Willem de Waal converted Danwel Demas’ try.
Stand-in Lions skipper Ronan O’Gara could not hide his disappointment following the last-gasp draw
“They weren’t much of a threat, but we did not put them away.
“Sometimes in conditions like that, you can be better without the ball,” O’Gara said afterwards.
“We would much have preferred a dry day and ball, especially as both mid-week teams were trying to express themselves. There was a good crowd, two competitive teams, but the conditions were very difficult.
“The period in the middle of the game is probably where we should have put them away.
“But at this level, 80 minutes of rugby is what matters. They came back and caught us in the end so we have to give them some credit.”
Ronan O’Gara’s Munster colleague Donncha O’Callaghan did his chances of again being included in the match 22 for Saturday’s second test in Pretoria no harm with an impressive display.
Munster prop John Hayes, who was called into the touring party last week, played for 67 minutes of the game before being replaced.

British & Irish Lions: Keith Earls (Ireland); Shane Williams (Wales), Riki Flutey (England), Gordon D’Arcy (Ireland), Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland); Ronan O’Gara (Ireland) (capt), Harry Ellis (England); Tim Payne (England), Ross Ford (Scotland), John Hayes (Ireland); Donncha O’Callaghan (Ireland), Nathan Hines (Scotland); Joe Worsley (England), Martyn Williams (Wales), Andy Powell (Wales). Replacements: James Hook (Wales) for O’Gara (45 mins), Simon Shaw (England) for Hines (57 mins), Ugo Monye (England) for Fitzgerald (65 mins), Phil Vickery (England) for Hayes (67 mins), David Wallace (Ireland) for Powell (68 mins), Lee Mears (England) for Ford (75 mins).

COLM KINSELLA