South Africa's World Cup-winning coach Jake White has said the Lions do not have a forward pack capable of competing with the Springboks on the evidence of yesterday's performance against the Royal XV.
The Lions produced an erratic display in their opening tour match, which they eventually won 37-25 after being 25-13 behind with 14 minutes remaining.
White warned the Lions head coach, Ian McGeechan, that his team will stand little chance against the world champions unless there is a major improvement before the first Test in Durban on 20 June. "One concern for Ian McGeechan and the coaching staff was that that was almost their Test pack," White told Sportsweek on Radio Five Live.
"People in South Africa would have thought that pack they put on the field would be the pack to play in the first Test match and the way they played yesterday was by no means good enough to take on a Springbok pack of forwards in the first Test match.
"I was a bit surprised. I thought it was going to be a one-sided affair. I thought the Lions would dominate the game. There are not too many big names in that Royal XV but you realise that to play rugby in South Africa is a different challenge. I am sure there will be lessons learned for the Lions yesterday."
McGeechan would disagree with White that yesterday's forward pack is destined to play in the first Test, having stressed from the outset that selection will not be made until the week of the game. The Lions were also missing key Test contenders yesterday, including two forwards who could well feature against the Springboks in Euan Murray and Tom Croft.
White added: "It is always going to be an uphill battle to get the combinations right, particularly with the Leinster and Leicester players not available for the first weekend [rested after last week's Heineken Cup final]. That made it a lot more difficult for the coaching staff to get a team together."
White believes the Springboks – boosted by the Bulls' Super 14 title triumph yesterday – will be too strong for the Lions when the Test series begins. "South Africa have got a very special group of players together," he said. "They have won the Super 14 campaign. There are players part of the Springbok set-up who have won junior World Cups, senior World Cups and now the Super 14. There is no reason why South Africa can't win the series with the group of players they have."
White admitted he would always be interested in an opportunity to get involved with England. Before the last World Cup, White was approached by the Rugby Football Union to apply for the job of elite director, which was eventually filled by Rob Andrew.
"England are a team that suits the way I coach and probably suits the way I coached in the past in the Springbok team," said White. "I know England has always been a team I have looked at. They play the same sort of style as South Africa. They have got the best Test record in terms of World Cups. They have played in six and been to the final three times.
"It is one country I have always made it quite clear would excite me."
