The Lions have relied heavily on their second half performances to get them their victories this season, but against one of the most clinical and organised teams in the Super Rugby competition they were never given the chance to do so again.
Their inability to build on a solid start against the Brumbies at Ellis Park on Saturday is what ultimately cost Johan Ackermann’s team.
The 30-20 defeat, just their third in more than two months of rugby, means the Lions now have a mountain to climb if they’re to finish inside the top six and feature in the play-offs.
While the Lions didn’t play nearly as well as we’ve come to expect of them this season, let’s take nothing away from Australia’s leading side.
Stephen Larkham’s men were clinical in all departments but they were especially good at the breakdowns and in defence and, after 80 minutes, this was the difference between a win and a loss.
The statistics show the Lions had more than enough ball and territory, and opportunities to ask more questions than they did, but the Brumbies were, in a word, better in all areas of the game.
The Lions bested their opponents in the number of ball carries (119 to 94), in the metres made (527 to 402), in the number of defenders beaten (33 to 16) and in the number of passes made (129 to 113). But they lost the battle at the breakdown, conceding 23 turn-overs to the 10 of the Brumbies.
“They put us under a lot of pressure at ruck time and they capitalised on our mistakes,” said Lions skipper Warren Whiteley.
Indeed, the three first half tries by the Brumbies – scored in the space of eight minutes around the midway point – left the Lions with plenty to do to win the game. Ackermann’s men came back strongly against the Highlanders the week before but it was just a matter of time before their slow starts caught up to them.
“Against the top sides you have to be more consistent in the first half and ultimately over the 80 minutes,” said Whiteley.
Ackermann also lamented the inability of his side to build on their 6-0 lead early in the game.
“We can’t keep leaving it until late in the game. The stats will show we were good in the scrums and line-outs, but we again lost the ball at crucial times, in key moments,” said Ackermann.
“We just didn’t control the ball well enough and when you’re up against a team that plays a very good game tactically, that kicks the ball well and holds on to the ball you’re always going to struggle.”
The defeat leaves the Lions in eighth position, but having played a game more than most of the teams around them (because their second bye is on the last weekend of the round robin phase) there’s every chance now they can be hauled in and eventually finish outside the top 10.
It’s been something of a fairy tale season for the Lions up to now, but one shouldn’t forget that none of their seven wins have been by more than five points.
And, they’ve had to fight extremely hard in their second stanza to stave off what at times have looked like certain defeats.
Ackermann will now be praying his side can bounce back and finish strongly, as they did last year when they picked up five-point hauls in their last three games.
They next face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, who’ll be just as desperate to pick up the win after being humiliated by the Highlanders on Saturday. - The Star