Lion-hearted O'Driscoll shows class in defeat

Following Saturday’s dead rubber in Johannesburg, the next time the Lions run out for a test match they will have gone 16 years without a series win.

An epic test match in the Loftus Versfeld saw the tourists edged out by the indomitable Springboks and condemned them to a third straight series defeat.

The losing streak has posed serious questions of the values and approach of modern Lions parties but there has been plenty in the two breathtaking encounters in the last two weeks to offer hope for the future.

The Lions are far from their lowest ebb, things started to go wrong in 2001 when they somehow contrived to throw away the series in Australia having made all the early running and cracks started to appear in columnists penned by touring players.

The side hit rock bottom in New Zealand four years ago when an over-sized tourist party and back-up staff led by Sir Clive Woodward were wiped off the park by an outstanding All Black team.

On the current tour the Lions have again been up against a very special team with an uncanny ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The Lions have produced some outstanding rugby and matched their opponents in almost every area.

They floundered at the last, though, against the unbreakable rock of a South African team that has developed into an experienced and clinical rugby unit which has found the habit of winning very hard to break.

The Boks have also developed an annoying habit of producing precociously talented, game-changing players with that inherent self-belief that South Africans do so well.

Several Lions players, however, have enhanced their reputations massively on tour and can use the experience as a springboard to push on.

Jamie Roberts left these isles as a highly promising utility back and will return as a truly world class centre – the Northern Hemisphere’s answer to Stirling Mortlock.

Rob Kearney produced a definitive performance of full-back play under a barrage of high kicks in Pretoria and Adam Jones will forever be hailed as the man who tamed ‘the Beast’.

There was one man though who confirmed his position among the true greats of modern rugby.

In some of the most competitive and high-class international rugby seen in recent years, Brian O’Driscoll was simply in a class of his own and was always the opponent the Springboks feared above all.

The Irish centre had a dream of a season with Ireland and Leinster and will have been heartbroken that he could not cap it off with a Lions series win.

Lions’ skipper Paul O’Connell admitted after the cruel second test defeat that O’Driscoll’s injury in the second half was the one that hurt them the most, calling him ‘the linchpin of the team’ – something of a brave admission when O’Connell had only just edged the centre in the captaincy selection.

His nickname may be ‘God’ but, unfortunately O’Driscoll’s body is still human
The ferocity of his tackling and his body on the line approach eventually took its toll and you could feel the South Africans’ spirits lift when he went off.

Stuart Barnes pointed to his colossal hit on the man mountain Danie Rossouw as a potential turning point in the manner of Scott Gibbs’ crunching of Os Du Randt twelve years ago.

It proved to be just as crucial but for the entirely opposite reason.

While the sight of a stunned Rossouw being wheeled off may have temporarily raised the tourists’ spirits, O’Driscoll’s departure with suspected concussion a few minutes later left the Lions devoid of one of their most potent attacking weapons and their defensive fulcrum.

If he misses next Saturday’s fixture it will be the second cruel end to a Lions tour for one of the greatest to wear the red jersey and – at 30 – it may be the last we see of him for the special side.

While O’Driscoll may not have another tour in him the likes of Kearney, Roberts and Tom Croft will come again and will be better for their chastening experience.

Australia may not be the world’s greatest team at the moment, they are certainly not in South Africa’s class, but anyone who knows anything about Australian rugby will expect them to put out a more than competitive side when the Lions head down under in four years’ time.

However, despite their defeat, the Lions seem to have rediscovered their core values on this tour and 2013 could be their best opportunity in decades to secure a tour win.