THE LIONS will be hurting this morning.
Sport is about winning at the top level and coach Warren Gatland’s side badly wanted to get off to a good start in the First Test.
But now it is important they use this hurt and pain to fire themselves up for Saturday’s Second Test.
The Lions need to use this shattering experience to drive themselves forward to Wellington.
These are the weeks where, as a sportsman or woman, you find out if you really are mentally tough.
The Kiwi media will be merciless. The Lions will be peppered from all sides over the next week and it will not be an enjoyable experience.
But they need to stay strong as a squad and remember that not all hope is lost. There were encouraging signs in their performance.
Here are the areas where I feel Gatland’s men need to focus if they are to salvage the Test series.
FINISH OFF YOUR CHANCES
The Lions created plenty of opportunities. The difference, of course, was that the All Blacks finished theirs off.
Against the best team in the world if you don’t take your chances, you will be punished.
The Lions must be more clinical with the ball in hand.
STOP ALL BLACKS MOMENTUM
When the All Blacks get over the gain line and start making those offloads, they are difficult to rein back.
Once you are on the back foot, you are liable to make mistakes.
The Lions have to make those first tackles. Don’t give them any space. Stop them making the easy metres.
The Lions had only 38 per cent possession. That isn’t good enough.
As a result, they were on the back foot and spent more time defending.
At times, when the Lions broke through their own 22, they lost possession or gave away a penalty. That let New Zealand off the hook.
They played far too much rugby in our own half. The kicking game needs to improve. Also, they need to maintain concentration for the whole 80 minutes.
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BE AGGRESSIVE
The Lions need to be more ruthless and aggressive in defence.
As Ben Te’o showed with his great hit on Sonny Bill Williams, you have to take on the All Blacks physically. Go for the jugular.
Once you stand off and let them play, you struggle.
New Zealand wanted a fast, ball-in-hand game. Not a slow match or arm wrestle. The Lions have to engage them in the latter.
HOLD YOUR DISCIPLINE
The Lions’ penalty count was 11 — and that was far too high. You simply cannot afford to give away so many infringements.
Beauden Barrett hardly missed with his kicks and took advantage of the ill discipline. Maybe it was a case of pressure or fatigue. But the Lions need to retain their composure for the Second Test.
KEEP FAITH WITH PERSONNEL
I would not panic. Injuries and fitness permitting, I wouldn’t make wholesale changes.
The spine of the team is still capable of winning this series.
The back-row combination has performed well on this tour and requires another go.
But I would start with the powerful Maro Itoje next time. And maybe Jack Nowell has done enough to deserve a spot on the bench.
Elliot Daly did well and contested a lot of kicks.
REMAIN POSITIVE
Belief in sport is massive. The Lions cannot lose faith this week.
They have to regroup quickly and look at the positives — not least that they created chances.
Ignore the negativity. Eliminate any of that from the camp.
While the Lions did not show their best, I believe the All Blacks are beatable. But that has to happen in the next Test.
In sport, as in life, you must fight until the very end. And you never give up.
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