DESPITE THE fact that their side had lost the third and final Test to the Springboks, neither Lions manager Frank Cotton, nor coach Ian McGeechan were in downbeat mood after the match. They knew their players had achieved the primary objective, winning the Test series, and they were not going to allow anyone to forget it.
The mood in the Springboks camp was one of relief rather than exultation. Their personable coach Carel de Plessis knew well what the consequences of a third successive defeat in the space of a fortnight might have meant. He is also aware that a Tri Nations series is about to begin, the All Blacks and the Wallabies are on the horizon.
"I thought we played well and we certainly did not get from that match what we put into it," said McGeechan. "We did not deserve to lose by 19 points. We missed chances at crucial stages in what I thought was a great game of rugby.
Right on the first two points, use of the term great might be interpreted as being, well, a bit over the top, which, at times, the Springboks forwards were, without always being penalised.
McGeechan did not bite when asked a leading question about the performance of referee Wayne Erickson, his wry smile, however, spoke volumes. A canny answer from a canny Yorkshireman. It is not the done thing in rugby to criticise a referee at a press conference. McGeechan knows well the unwritten rule. "We did the job we came to do, but we wanted to go out with a win. We were in that match with five minutes to go, gave away points and lost momentum," he added.
Lions captain Martin Johnson, who was presented with the trophy for winning the series after the match, looked like a man ready to go home, contented with his lot and his pot. "We had a great chance at 23-16 and should have scored at that point," he said. "We did not take our opportunities, they took theirs."
It has been a very long and hard season for Johnson who, on Saturday last, played his 51st match since last August. He now returns to England to undergo an operation to rectify a groin problem. Centre Jeremy Guscott and wing Tony Underwood both of whom had to go off, must also undergo medical treatment. Guscott broke a bone in his left arm, Underwood has a torn thigh muscle.
Cotton, never a man to hit the wall instead of the target, hit the bull's-eye with his initial comment. He was not going to allow anyone to forget who had won the series.
"We came out here rated as no hopers," said Cotton. "The Springboks were rated as five to one on to whitewash us." To his great credit, Cotton never forgets the Irish involvement in Lions teams. "This tour and this series has been very important in the development of British and Irish rugby and I hope it will be seen in that context," he said.
The convention of silence has never been on our Fran's agenda. "In my view, Andre Venter was an extremely fortunate man to have been allowed to stay on the field." Cotton was referring to Venter's stamp on Rob Wainwright.
Lions forward coach Jim Teifer, who did a superb job on the tour, put his finger on a Lions problem in the match. "We ran across the field too much and their defence was able to cope with that. Our forwards played very well and it is a pity that this team must now break up, but that is the nature of Lions rugby. But I hope all four countries will benefit from the tour," he added.
Du Plessis stressed the importance of the win for the Springboks. "We cannot forget that we lost the series, but the win was very important for us and for the confidence of the team and the young players we have brought into the side. We needed the win with the Tri Nations tournament just ahead," said du Plessis. "The Lions have now proved they are right in the top four with New Zealand, Australia and South Africa."
Springboks serum-half Joost van der Westhuizen, revealing the perception off the field he so often shows on it, said: "Let us be frank, the Lions surprised us. They were badly underestimated. They are a very good side and deserve great credit for the rugby they played on the tour and for winning the series."
