Lions 2013: Gatland Seeks ‘Cleaner’ Breakdown In Second Test
by Paul Cook in Brisbane -
It was an area that was always going to be targeted by Australia, especially given the success the ACT Brumbies had enjoyed the previous Tuesday in Canberra, but British & Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland was far from happy with the breakdown work of both his side and of referee Chris Pollock in Saturday’s blockbuster first test.
The Wallabies threw numbers into the contact area and stifled the ability for the Lions to generate quick ball, the majority of which was down to fine work from the likes of Michael Hooper (before his conversion to centre), Kane Douglas and in particular, debutant Ben Mowen, who gave Lions’ scrum-half Mike Phillips a torrid time at the base of the ruck. But a penalty count of 13-8 against the tourists left Gatland bemused and he was happy to point out s