South Africa vs British and Irish Lions: Key clashes that could decide the first Test in Cape Town

A rugby team is so much more than the sum of its parts, with each component working in tandem with the next.

A solid scrum counts for less if a productive backline is not able to capitalise on the go-forward ball. Similarly, a massive territorial gain from the boot is only as good as the line-out that follows.

With so many variables at play, Standard Sport’s rugby correspondent Will Macpherson pinpoints some of the key contests that could prove decisive on Saturday as the British and Irish Lions take on the world champion Springboks in the first Test in Cape Town.

Bongi Mbonambi v Luke Cowan-Dickie

Mbonambi is quietly one of the Springboks’ most important players and was described by Lions forwards coach Robin McBryde as their best scrummager. That is why he is one of the players thrust straight in after isolation.

He comes up against Cowan-Dickie, who has played his way into the side and is refreshingly rough around the edges. There is depth on both sides in this position too, with Malcolm Marx and Ken Owens to come off the bench. Jamie George is not even involved.

Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert v Maro Itoje and Alun Wyn Jones

The Springboks are a little bit depleted in this department – but still look mighty strong. RG Snyman is injured, and Lood de Jager is only fit enough to take a place on the bench where, unusually for South Africa, he is the only lock.

Etzebeth and Mostert are rugged, grizzled and old-fashioned in their approach and will be looking to lay markers down all over the park. The Lions need Itoje at his menacing best, but also for Jones to get through the game. He will be tested.

Pieter-Steph Du Toit v Tom Curry

Curry has played across the back row for England, and covers No8 in this Lions team. But he is a pretty traditional openside flanker. Du Toit wears No7, but is an all-round bulldozer of a flanker with many of the attributes – not least size-wise – of a lock.

He was recognised as World Player of the Year when South Africa won the World Cup, and is a menace. Curry will need support from the likes of Cowan-Dickie and Wyn Jones if the Lions are to be a force at the breakdown.

Faf de Klerk v Ali Price

De Klerk is a wondrous one-off, and utterly central to South Africa’s gameplan. He will pepper the Lions’ back three with box kicks that will push Stuart Hogg and Duhan van der Merwe to the edge of their comfort zones.

Price was a surprise selection for the tour, but has forced his way into the starting XV with his high-octane style. Can he handle a severe examination from De Klerk?

Cheslin Kolbe v Duhan van der Merwe

Chalk and cheese. Kolbe gives South Africa their spark, as the Lions learnt the hard way in the A fixture nine days ago. The Lions will have to be extremely precise in their kicking to him, and suffocate him.

Van der Merwe, the adopted Scot, offers very different threats, but could bulldoze his way to the line. The sense is that Kolbe will have been poring over the tape of the Lions’ game against Japan, when Kotaro Matsushima – a similar player to Kolbe, if such a thing exists – had some fun on the outside.

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