RUGBY ANALYST: Lion coach Ian McGeechan's ability to unearth successful combinations over the coming weeks is vital

SO THE gauntlet has been thrown down. The Bulls rattled up a record score for a Super 14 final by beating the Chiefs 61 points to 17. Along the way the 6ft 7ins Bulls secondrow and captain Victor Matfield has been exceptional. Alongside him has been the best scrumhalf in the world, Fourie du Preez. Together they destroyed the Chiefs. And together they’ll prove the biggest threat to the Lions. But then the British and Irish Lions entered Ellis Park at 1,700 metres above sea level and put 74 points on the Golden Lions. Touché!

Brian O’Driscoll has morphed into the grandad of the Lions, where he looks every bit the village leader, influencing all aspects of proceedings. His centre team-mate Jamie Roberts is clearly in awe of him and thrived in his company last Wednesday. In this mood O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell will more than match Matfield and du Preez. But will the other combinations? Ian McGeechan’s ability to unearth successful combinations over the coming weeks is vital.

Last Wednesday night produced some very fluid ones. That’s why Tomás O’Leary’s absence may affect Ronan O’Gara’s Test slot, with Mike Phillips and Stephen Jones so comfortable. Clearly there are massive challenges ahead where the best combinations will be subjected to severe pressure. But the biggest hurdle for the tourists may be their ability to produce the finest combination of them all, the lineout maul.

The advent of the ELVs was greeted with open arms by most, particularly the detractors of the lineout maul. However, for every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction. Hence the loss of the lineout maul had a major knock-on effect on the tactics employed throughout the pitch. Munster and Leicester, like many other big packs, had to readjust and reinvent. The backline had to adjust also to the demands in attack and defence. And just when we all became accustomed to the new world order thankfully the lineout maul has returned. This of course affects both the Lions and the Springboks but then how important was the lineout maul to the South Africans in the first place? And more importantly, the Springboks know each other intimately and will gel much quicker.

I assume O’Gara and Jones are every bit as comfortable in finding the corner but the forwards must start from scratch. Think of all that must be achieved based on the return to the old law. Firstly, the lineout ball must be won, which takes extreme levels of timing and accuracy which Matfield has developed with both his hookers John Smit and Bismarck du Plessis on 80 international occasions.

Conversely by the opening Test, Paul O’Connell will have had about three matches, if lucky, with his starting hooker. Therefore his Test hooker may have thrown him a total of 15 live lineouts by the opening Test. Not very long to perfect the system! When the pressure is at its greatest the system must not fail. Smit and du Plessis have the advantage over Lee Mears, Matthew Rees and Ross Ford as they have years of experience with both Bakkies Botha and Matfield.

The life of the lifter is even more crucial and requires a symbiotic relationship with all prospective jumpers but he also creates the foundation of the maul. Hence my support for John Hayes’ inclusion in the party. Then the maul must be set and able to withstand the onslaught that will arrive on terra firma. And finally it must be able to bend and twist while going forward. This is not a simple case of everyone piling in over the ball as Connacht and Ireland did so successfully during the Warren Gatland era. It is a very specific skill that all must buy into and only becomes successful over countless matches. To add to this the attacking backlines now have a totally different timing issue that has lain redundant over the months.

If that all sounds a little exhausting there’s more as the Springboks will get their turn too. So a whole set of rules must be learned for when the Lions are defending the Springbok lineout. In most cases the defending team get one opportunity to stop the maul and if they fail it generally is impossible to stop. At least four forwards must target the maul which will also tie in the backrow. All season the tail-gunners could fly knowing the lineout would be pulled down by the tight five if there was a maul. David Wallace and co could take the chance. Now they must stay put to defend the possible maul and its fringes. This will have a huge effect on the defensive support given to the outhalf.

Both O’Gara and Jones will have been accustomed to Wallace and Martyn Williams flanking their inside. The backrow has to be very careful. This may influence the decision on the starting outhalf.

O’Driscoll has bought into the Shaun Edwards defensive style with great gusto, where he led with authority and shut down the Golden Lions’ width time and again. Tommy Bowe’s intercept try resulted from him mimicking O’Driscoll’s defence. Full marks too must go to Jamie Heaslip’s defensive performance, with some monster hits.

But again there will be a reaction to the Edwards style of defence and the skill levels of the Springbok centres may be capable of exposing the outside man leading hard. Therefore, as would be expected of players at this level, they will develop several styles of defence that can be employed throughout each match. But once again with only weeks remaining this will require even more synchronising. Or as Roberts states: “If we can stop teams playing a wide game with our press defence then maybe we can get some more of those interception tries. Happy days!”

That is why combinations will be key to a successful tour. With time at a premium if it works then take it. Obviously Roberts and O’Driscoll gelled immediately, so too Bowe and O’Driscoll, so too Jones and O’Driscoll, and in fact all the 21 players with O’Driscoll gelled! He spoke this week of having total faith in his team-mates. This takes time and can’t be forced. So where combinations are working I expect them to be nourished.

Finally what an achievement for Gordon D’Arcy to have come through a career “break” and make it back to win the Grand Slam and Heineken Cup before finally make the Lions. Getting on the plane has always been his major challenge, but his domestic combination with O’Driscoll could prove very interesting in Africa.