AT the risk of tempting fate, it should be said that the British & Irish Lions are in pretty good shape as they prepare for Saturday’s first Test against South Africa. That is not to downplay the dire domestic situation in South Africa, where civic unrest and a renewed Covid crisis have combined chaotically. Gatland has certainly been impressed: twice in the past few days, the head coach has hailed Price’s progress. “We had a few box-kicks which probably went a little bit too far when we wanted to compete a little bit more, so that’s an area we need to tidy up, but he’s looked sharp and when he began to run a little bit he started to put them under pressure, particularly from third and fourth phase. There are lessons that have to be learned from the midweek defeat by South Africa ‘A’, of course, but there were plenty of positives too, above all the domination in the set scrum.

Source: The Herald July 18, 2021 21:00 UTC