A perfect Autumn evening in Johannesburg. Not too hot, no wind, and no threat of rain.

Perfect that is until the Blues from Aukland spoilt it all for the vast majority of the 26 532 people at Coca Cola Park in downtown Johannesburg.

Of course, many more knowledgable observers will argue that the Lions themselves spoilt the evening for their supporters.

Four one on one defensive blunders coupled with four basic errors in judgement at the instance of the final scoring pass cost the Lions this evening’s game, and that’s not my opinion, but none other than the Lions Head Coach John Mitchell.

Speaking at the after match press conference Mitchell lamented the fact that the one on one defemce was at times poor, as well as the fact that four try scoring opportunities were missed either by poor passes, or by players choosing not to make the pass when other Lions players were in better positions to score.

Much had been made about the team selections made by Pat Lam during the week, but one can only admire what was ultimately consumate professionalism in this area by the soft spoken Islander.

Lam intimated after the match that after having played at altitude a number of times as a player,he realised that it was imperative to have the teams most experienced and best players on the field during the last quarter in order to carry the day through.

As it panned out the Blues’ management planned and executed their thinking to perfection.

As has been the case with the first two games of the Lions Super Rugby campaign this season they started at breakneck speed, but as has often happened in past years, they conceded an early and somewhat soft try, and were immediately under pressure to play catch up Rugby.

From the what has now seemingly become the normal long kick off by the Lions a bit of arial ping pong was followed by a Lions line out deep in their own half.

From the line out a deep clearing kick by Jantjies was fielded by the ever dangerous Joe Rocokoco who steamed up field breaking through the first couple of tackles and sending the Blues back line on a sweeping move that streched the Lions defence across the width of the field and back again.

A line out ensued just inside the Lions 22 which after a couple of consecutive drives by the forwards, the Blues sent the ball spinning down the backline at speed.

Two skip passes and some hard straight running caused the overlap and Rocokoco touched down in the far corner. McAlistair nailed the conversion from the touchline and suddenly the home team were seven points down with only three full minutes played.

Maybe it was too early in the game to intimate that the Lions needed to play “catch up” Rugby, but there seemed an almost deperation in the Lions play that saw them running the ball from deep in their own 22, and sometimes even from beneath their own posts.

At times it seemed that the Lions of 2010 were back with little disregard for structured defence and a “devil may care” attitude on attack, but this group have a lot more composure inn execution than the team of last year and in the 10^th minute a break out by Warren Whitely from deep in his own half saw his attempted pass to his captain knocked down by a Blues defender. The Jackal like Jano Vermaak was on hand to chip the loose ball forward, and as is sometimes the case, the ball jumped up and the diminutuve Scrum Half dotted down in the far corner.

Suddenly the Jo’burg faithful had something to shout about.

Jantjies set the ball up for the conversion just half a metre in from touch and some 30 metres out on what is the “wrong” side for a left footed kicker.

After somewhat poor displays with the boot in the previous encounters by the young pivot there were more than a couple of anxious Lions fans as he prepared to kick, but any fears were soon dispelled as the youngster calmly slotted the difficult conversion to tie the game up at 7 points all.

The status quo was to short lived though as another poor deep kick by the Lions once again found the All Black Rocokoco in space. The big winger carved his way upfield, produced a magnificently weighted chip kick over the defensive line, gathered the ball and after making good ground passed inside to the supporting forwards who set up the ruck, blindingly quick ball was recycled, and with the Lions defence all at sea centre Jared Payne went over for the Blues second try which was converted by McAlistair.

Thirteen minutes played, and already 21 points scored.

Penalties were traded by Jantjies and McAlistair, and with the first quarter of the game concluded the Blues led 17 – 10.

However the lead was to be short lived. The home team again ran the ball from deep inside their own half, the backs showed slick hands to open up the visitors’ defence, and with the young 8^th man Warren Whitely ranging up in support on the outside of Waylon Murray, the Springbok gave a perfectly weighted pass to send the loose forward in from 20m out.

Jantjies nailed the conversion to level the scores. McAlistair kicked directly out from the restart and the from the resultant scrum in centre field, the Lions drove from the base and immediately won a penalty from the ensuing ruck when Blues flankerLuke Braid pulled Vermaak into the ruck.

Jantjies was successful again, and the Lions led for the first time in the match.

It was from another McAlistair kick straight into touch that the Lions would fashion the last score of the half. A scrum unsued that saw the Lions combine forwards and backsin a move upfield.

The defence held out but in the 38^th minute referee Kaplan ruled that the Blues had infringed in the red zone with a professional foul and subsequently sin binned Kurtis Haiu.

From the resultant penalty the Lions set the line out and after securing their own ball, combined the forwards and backs well to send Doppies le Grance over for the try.

Jantjies was unsucessful with the difficult conversion, and the Lions went into the hut 8 points to the good.

Half time score: Lions 25 – Blues17.

The mood around the stadium at half time was bouyant.

The Lions were scoring points seemingly with ease, the backs seemed to be finding gaps, the support play of the forwards was good, and generally the talk was of breaking the long run of defeats.

But Rugby Union is nothing if not unpredictable, and few of the Lions fans in attendance could have foreseen what the next 40 minutes would bring.

After the restart the Lions immediately put the Blues under pressure, but with the try line at their mercy in the 42^nd minute Kaplan adjudged that Jantjies had held on at the ruck and the Blues were able to ease the pressure.

There followed a period of play that ebbed and flowed, with the Lions for the most part on the attack, and when theyt took a quick throw in at a line out the resultant sloppy knock down was gathered. Murray took a sneaky little grubber kick which Vermaak gathered and with a two man overlap the try was on.

But the little scrummie decided to have a go himself, and susequently buchered the move.

This was not to be the last time the Lions let themselves down, and ulimately threw the game away.

At this stage Pat Lam decided it was time to start making the tactical switches, the first and probably most significant of which was Rene Ranger coming on for left wing Sherwin Stowers.

The dangerous All Black has closed games out before, and today was to prove to be just such a day.

Just 3 minutes after entering the fray, Ranger was to round pff a move by the Blues that had the Lions defence at sixes and sevens, and after McAlistair knocked the conversion over, there was only 1 point in the game.

The Lions again surged towards the Blues goal line and after a tap penalty managed to get the ball over the line. Kaplan went to the TMO Shaun Veldsman and asked the question “Try / no try?”.

The replays were shown over and over on the big screen, and the Lions supporters were convinced it was a try, even if the journalists present were not.

The spectators were to be disapointed, as were the players who had all retreated to the halfway line, with Jantjies having already set the ball up for the kick at goal, as Veldsman adjudged that the try had not been scored.

From the resultant scrum, the Lions were unable to take advantage and the Blues cleared upfield.

With the last quarter fast approaching the Lions must have thought that the altitude should soon start to take effect, but it was not to be

The Blues were soon on the scoresheet again after a scrum infingement by the Lions saw McAlistair break seemingly with ease and alfter a couple of quick passes Ranger went over in the corner again. McAlistair converted and the Blues were 6 points ahead.

The Lions fought back though and the hard working Joshua Strausswas rewarded with his first Super Rugby try in the 65^th minute after a backline move that saw Jamaes Kamana, on for Jaco Taute weave his way downfield before offloading brilliantly in the tackle to the support, who set up a ruck from which the score was made.

The conversion was again made by Jantjies,but shortly after the restart the youngster was to make a cardinal error in front of his posts that would seal the fate of the game for the home side.

After the kick off the Lions secured posession and Kokett passed back to Jantjies who, under no pressure at all knocked on just toi the left of his own poles and just 5m out.

The Blues scrum was firm and the resultant 8, 9 move saw the Lions defence open up like the Red Sea for Alby Mathewson to be able to cross untouched and dot down under the poles. With the conversion good, the Blues had a 9 point lead with just 9 minutes to play.

The Lions, as they had in the previous two games were determined not to give up though, and eventually forced their way into the opposition 22.

With several penalty advantages already accrued, and another penaly awarded, the Lions who were camping under the Blues’ crossbarwith 75 seconds left on the clock, the Lions inexplicably decided to run the ball again.

The chances of the home team scoring twice in that time were slim, and the chance of making yet another tactically inept play were good. The kick would have given the Lions a second bonus point which, who knows may be important come the end of the competition.

As it is, the Blues defended as if their very Rugby existence depended on it, and as Killian dived over the goal line with time officially up, it was that man Rene Ranger that would knock the ball out of his hand and so deny the Lions the 2^nd bonus point.

Final score: Lions 32 – Blues 41.

And so back to the beginning,

At the after match press conference, Pat Lam was glowing in his praise of what John Mitchell has done with the Lions players. But hey, why shouldn’t he be? He was the tactically more astute coach on the night, his players held their nerve better and executed the game plan better.

Mitchell made no excuses for the poor one on one defending or the wrong tactical choices shown at times. He reiterated that the team is still a work in progress and that things would get better as the players grew to believe more in the game plan and structures.

But Rugby Union is a harsh mistress, and despite more than 26 000 people coming out to watch tonight, if the results don’t start coming the crowds will dwindle and interest will erode.

For the Lions Doppies and Waylon Murray again had solid games,and both Killian and Taute carried the ball well from the back.

I personally still have doubts about Lionel Mapoe’s defensive abilities, and am sure that if James Kamana could be accomodated in the starting 15 it would help the defence as well as add a little more bit to what is already a decent back three.

The loose trio were again excellent and Wikus van Heerden had a solid game in the second row.

For me though, there were too many tight forwards loitering with intent on the outside of the backline and spoiling potentially try scoring moves. I know the modern game isn’t the same as when I played, but if a prop and a hooker are sitting in the tram lines waiting for the pass from the outside centre, then who’s doing their work in the tight loose.

Oh and by the way, I’d put money on a winger beating a winger one on one far quicker than I would a prop or hooker. Just a thought.

Those who know me well will know that my love of classical music is surpassed only by my love of fast motorcylcles and Rugby (Union) Football.

So as I climbed into the car to drive home I put Classic fm on the radio, and was greeted by a relaxing if somewhat sad Sonata by Paganini, closely followed by a short piece of music called “The last throes of summer” by a composer I didn’t recognise.

Those two pieces made me think, “I hope they’re not indicvative of the Lions Super Rugby campaign for the 2011 season. Somewhat sad, and perhaps in it’s last throes (as far as the playoffs are concerned).

I hope not. This young team shows so much potential, and yet seem so far from their potential.

Next up for the Lions is a trip to Bloemfontein to take on the (already) injury hit Cheetahs. Mitchell, vd Merwe and co will, I’m sure be eyeing that game with at least four points in mind.