As finishes go, it was one for the storybook. A 37-year-old warrior closing in on retirement, five years on from the last time he played a Test, and 12 from when he won his debut series against the same opposition in identical circumstances, kicking the winning points in the death throes of the finale.
But were Morne Steyn’s late heroics in Cape Town on Saturday enough to redeem the British & Irish Lions’ 2021 tour of South Africa? Hardly. It was a series that only a mother could love.
Diehard fans of either side, or those with a strong emotional investment, might think the idea of “entertaining rugby” is a frippery in Lions matches.
Winning is enough, whether it is done in an arm-wrestle, via a push over try, or a series of penalty kicks, or anything more fancy. You want running rugby? Go watch sevens, or the Barbarians.
Fair enough. And it is true that each of the last two Lions series have at least had enthralling climaxes, with all three results possible right until the final play. Each of those two series deciders have been sport at its most compelling.
But surely it is not too much to ask for just a little better than the fare served up in Cape Town?
Because what exactly were the standout moments to treasure in the past three weeks?
Where was the 2021 equivalent of the Ugo Monye breakaway try from 2009, or the George North fireman’s lift on Israel Folau from 2013, or the Sean O’Brien try for the ages from 2017?
Erm, Finn Russell’s kick pass to Josh Adams on Saturday, maybe? At a real push.
Other than that, the salient memories will be spiteful ones. Of two Lions players being accused of biting. Of a 62-minute half in the second Test because the officials were too paralysed by fear of reprisals online to make decisions without the aid of a TV referral.
And, overwhelmingly so, of South African “waterboy” Rassie Erasmus resorting to Vimeo to address perceived injustices.
Sure, all those incidents colour the game, too. Warren Gatland was lampooned in the press four years ago in New Zealand, in a series that was also heated.
The Lions head coach was portrayed as a clown on one front page. He responded by attending his next press conferences with a red nose.
That sort of levity was absent in South Africa. At no point did it feel like the barbs being traded were part of some phoney war, at that there was respect and good humour underlying it all. It just all felt pretty hateful.
The Springboks, of course, have 12 more years to cheer their success until the Lions turn up again. But where do the touring side go from here?
Gatland has left the door ajar for a return in four years’ time, in a similar way to what he did at the end of the New Zealand tour.
And, Saturday’s result notwithstanding, his time in charge of the Lions has been highly successful. A series win in Australia, a draw against arguably one of the greatest sides of all-time in New Zealand, and a late, narrow defeat to world champions South Africa.
Australia 2025 feels, in the present circumstances, like one tour too many for him, though.
For the majority of his tenure, he was as good as embedded with Lions’ ways as he was the coach of Wales. It will be difficult for him to have such a sound grasp of the way the wind is blowing in the UK and Ireland, though, now that he is back in his native New Zealand.
This far out, it is impossible to say who will be best placed to assume the mantle from him.
If the decision was made today, then Gregor Townsend, one of Gatland’s assistants in South Africa, would appear well placed.
He is steeped in Lions lore, having starred in the 1997 win in South Africa, and has been attracting some attention with the changes he has overseen with Scotland.
And, perhaps vitally for the future of the Lions, Townsend might herald a move away from the game of attrition to one where, every so often, they might want to try something more aesthetically pleasing.
Read more about the coronavirus
The five pillars of Islam
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The years Ramadan fell in May
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Brief scores:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
NEW ARRIVALS
Benjamin Mendy (Monaco) - £51.75m (Dh247.94m)
Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) - £45.9m
Bernardo Silva (Monaco) - £45m
Ederson Moraes (Benfica) - £36m
Danilo (Real Madrid) - £27m
Douglas Luiz (Vasco de Gama) - £10.8m
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
