In the lead-up to the Lions’ first Test win, Jack Conan had no qualms about admitting that it was the biggest game of his career.
nterestingly, Warren Gatland had identified Conan as someone who gets nervous before games, but last week he sensed he was a lot calmer and more assured in himself. That was certainly reflected in Conan’s impressive performance, as he went about his business in a very effective manner.
The Bray native’s selection over Taulupe Faletau raised many eyebrows, so perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised by the immediate calls to have the Welshman reinstated for this weekend’s second Test.
But there was much bemusement when former Lions and Wales captain Sam Warburton began the campaign on TV shortly after the full-time whistle.
Had the Lions lost, Conan would have been an easy target, regardless of how he performed, such is Faletau’s experience and quality.
However, Conan was part of a back-row that largely gelled well and if there was one man of the trio who underperformed, then the finger should have been pointed in the direction of Tom Curry, who fell short of his very high standards.
Considering Conan, Curry and Courtney Lawes hadn’t played together before Saturday, they did well to outperform a far more settled South African back-row, one that was admittedly short of match-sharpness.
Gatland made a big call by opting for Conan, but there is no doubt the Leinster man justified his selection by delivering a strong, varied display.
With space at a premium throughout, he still managed to emerge as the Lions top carrier (12) for 48 metres, while he didn’t miss any of his six tackles.
Conan is at his most effective out wide, a position he held throughout and got some joy in, but this was a game that was played in the trenches, which the Irish No 8 adapted well to.
He comfortably outplayed his opposite number, to such an extent that it would be a major shock to see Kwagga Smith keep his place in the Springboks’ team for the second Test.
Assured under the high ball, Conan put the Lions on the front foot with his subtle footwork in contact.
As Gatland mentioned afterwards, Conan doesn’t make mistakes, which is partly why he got the nod to build on his excellent tour form.
Off the pitch, he has also made a big impression on the Lions coaches, who have been impressed with his capacity to learn and willingness to ask questions. The Lions were at their most effective when they moved the ball to the wider channels away from the heavy traffic on the inside.
Having run a smart support line, Conan might have profited from a searing Robbie Henshaw break, only for his compatriot to have the ball knocked from his grasp.
Conan’s game is generally defined by game-breaking moments and while he is certainly capable of producing them in the second and third Tests, his performance in the first showed the gritty side of his game. As we have highlighted in the accompanying images, Conan played a key role in the Lions’ first try, in what Gatland describes as the “unspectacular stuff”.
As much as it can be tough to change a winning team, Gatland is likely to make alterations, but Conan should not be in the firing line. Those who want Faletau to start, while firstly forgetting he hasn’t exactly been in good form, are also ignoring the fact Conan was one of the Lions’ better performers.
To drop Conan would be unjust and a needless risk on Gatland’s part, having been rewarded for the faith he showed in the 28-year-old.
The challenge for Conan, should Gatland stick by him, is to back it up against what is sure to be a ferocious response from the Boks on Saturday. Prior to last weekend, Conan had never faced South Africa, but he went toe-to-toe with the behemoths of world rugby and came out on top.
Those calling for him to be dropped, are allowing their predetermined views on Faletau to cloud the reality of the situation.
Conan was deserving of his place in the Lions’ first Test team and he deserves to start in the second Test too.
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Jack a master of the unspectacular
Warren Gatland nicely summed up Jack Conan as a player who doesn’t make mistakes before going on to say: “He does a lot of the unspectacular stuff that you need in a forward pack to get the balance right.” Although Conan was the Lions’ top ball-carrier, Gatland was correct in his assertion that much of the No 8’s unseen work was hugely effective, and that was typified in his key role in his side’s all-important try.
1: Conan’s first job from the five-metre lineout is to get a strong back-lift on Courtney Lawes, who jumps well to win the ball. Keep an eye on Conan’s excellent body position as soon as Lawes lands and the Lions set up the maul.
2: Eben Etzebeth is a notorious maul destroyer and having identified his threat, Conan’s next mission is to ensure the Springboks lock does not halt the Lions’ momentum. Conan stands his ground to the right of Lawes, as the Lions pack expertly put the wheels in motion.
3: Crucially, Conan doesn’t change his bind and his strong body position forces Pieter-Steph du Toit and Steven Kitshoff to fall off the maul (blue), and thus takes away two of the Boks’ power players. Again, note how Conan is refusing to wilt under the huge pressure exerted by Etzebeth.
4: Etzebeth is relentless in his attempts to swim through the maul and bring it to ground, but Conan is not for budging. The Lions’ maul is motoring now but Conan’s work is not finished yet.
5: For the second time in the move, the Lions’ power shoves two strong defenders, Du Toit and Frans Malherbe (blue), to the side. The Boks are really struggling now. Etzebeth can see Luke Cowan-Dickie (green) with the ball and as he makes one last desperate attempt to stop him, Conan maintains his strong left shoulder.
6: The Lions crash over for a really well-worked maul try, but not before Franco Mostert questionably pulls Conan to the ground. Mostert’s cynical play is too little too late, however, as Conan has already been devastatingly effective in what Gatland describes as the “unspectacular stuff”.
