Cape Town – British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland said he “did not take too much notice” of the Rassie Erasmus video that dominated the build-up to the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday.
Erasmus posted a 62-minute video on Thursday, highlighting what he believed were a number of errors by Australian referee Nic Berry in the first Test last weekend, which the Lions won 22-17.
The match referee rotates in the three-match series with New Zealander Ben O’Keeffe taking charge of the second Test and Berry operating as one of his assistants.
Breaking his silence on the video just before the 16:00 GMT kick-off, Gatland said it had been “a pretty interesting week in which we did not take too much notice of the video”.
“I am expecting a Test that will be as tight as last week and, after all the pre-Test drama, I hope rugby does all the talking.
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“A good start is very important for us as we do not want to play catch-up like last weekend,” added the New Zealand-born coach.
“The strengths of the Springboks include a defence that is very difficult to penetrate and powerful ball carriers and set pieces.”
If the Lions triumph they will seal a fifth series victory in 14 tours of South Africa, and render the final Test in Cape Town next Saturday a dead rubber.
The Springboks have won eight series since the rivalry began in the 1890s and one was drawn.
Teams (15-1)
South Africa: Willie le Roux; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk; Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt); Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth; Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff.
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Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch, Lood de Jager, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies, Damian Willemse
Coach: Jacques Nienaber (RSA)
British and Irish Lions: Stuart Hogg; Anthony Watson, Chris Harris, Robbie Henshaw, Duhan van der Merwe; Dan Biggar, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Courtney Lawes; Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Maro Itoje; Tadhg Furlong, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Mako Vunipola
Replacements: Ken Owens, Rory Sutherland, Kyle Sinckler, Tadhg Beirne, Taulupe Faletau, Ali Price, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly
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Picture: Getty Images
Source: AFP
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