British and Irish Lions 2017
- Thread starter bendeus
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sleaterkinney
Well-Known Member
If he has four Welsh players starting it says it all...
On the last Lions tour Alex Corb was called up from the England tour of Argentina. As I recall he ended up starting the final test and scoring a try. It seems to me that every player in the squad should be good enough to start a test. If they start picking up injuries is Gatland going to draft in players from England and Ireland who will leapfrog those already in the squad? Seems an odd way to go about things.
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
Good performance against an (understrength) Chiefs side.
Some great tries and very good performances from Daly, Nowell and Haskell
Some great tries and very good performances from Daly, Nowell and Haskell
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
Oh, and there was a surreal segment where the commentators were discussing Dan Cole's love of Noam Chomsky! 
bendeus
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Bloomin' eck!Oh, and there was a surreal segment where the commentators were discussing Dan Cole's love of Noam Chomsky!
Balbi
Hey, Dean Yager!
Surrounded by Chiefs fans in the main stand.
They approved of Lawes, even muttering that he'd look good alongside Retallick for them, which is pretty much the highest praise you'll get from a Kiwi
Game opened up a bit near the end, but our defence monstered them all night.
Joe Marler got a good booing, bless him.
Edit: Hika Elliot coming on and playing like he was in a 9 shirt was amusing. I swear he considered a chip and chase at one point.
They approved of Lawes, even muttering that he'd look good alongside Retallick for them
, which is pretty much the highest praise you'll get from a Kiwi Game opened up a bit near the end, but our defence monstered them all night.
Joe Marler got a good booing, bless him.
Edit: Hika Elliot coming on and playing like he was in a 9 shirt was amusing. I swear he considered a chip and chase at one point.
Balbi
Hey, Dean Yager!
Oh, and the bagpiper in the Lions stand who got a round of applause and some cries of 'It's the sodding Highlanders'
The red badge security were pretty hard on Lions supporters standing, they even called the cops up to the stand at one point to keep an eye on them
NZ Rugby has been pushing Tutira Mai Nga Iwi as a chant for the NZ supporters, because All Blacks, *clap clap*, All Blacks, *clap clap* and Let's go All Blacks Lets Go *clap clap* is literally as good as it gets when it comes to atmosphere beyond cheering when a try is scored.
Problem is, Kiwi's don't take to it very well. Lions supporters have worked out the gap between TUTIRA MAI, when the supporters are meant to sing Tatou, Tatou, fits a neat 'LIIONS, LIIIONS' in - to the amusement of the Chiefs crowd.
Bit embarrassing having to get the MC in the crowd and teach them the chant at half time so they could try it out in the second half
The red badge security were pretty hard on Lions supporters standing, they even called the cops up to the stand at one point to keep an eye on them
NZ Rugby has been pushing Tutira Mai Nga Iwi as a chant for the NZ supporters, because All Blacks, *clap clap*, All Blacks, *clap clap* and Let's go All Blacks Lets Go *clap clap* is literally as good as it gets when it comes to atmosphere beyond cheering when a try is scored.
Problem is, Kiwi's don't take to it very well. Lions supporters have worked out the gap between TUTIRA MAI, when the supporters are meant to sing Tatou, Tatou, fits a neat 'LIIONS, LIIIONS' in - to the amusement of the Chiefs crowd.
Bit embarrassing having to get the MC in the crowd and teach them the chant at half time so they could try it out in the second half
bendeus
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Great trolling. Shame Heaslip isn't fit, isn't it?
E2A: and I'll bite: which Welsh players likely to start should be excluded and why?
sleaterkinney
Well-Known Member
AWJ, North, wouldn't be surprised if Warburton starts as well.
Balbi
Hey, Dean Yager!
There's an edge creeping into the one eyed comment pieces over here. They're a bit nervous.
The comment sections are going fecking nuts;
'Little known officials' are the referees, who are cheating. The 'cheating offside tactic' of the Lions. That they're not playing proper rugby.
Hahhahahaha/
The comment sections are going fecking nuts;
'Little known officials' are the referees, who are cheating. The 'cheating offside tactic' of the Lions. That they're not playing proper rugby.
Hahhahahaha/
bendeus
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- AWJ won't start and quite rightly so, the two Sarries locks have been superb.
- Owens won't start - see above. George gels with both of them
- North probably will. You can't write him off and he tends to save his best for the big games. Let's be honest, Watson aside very few of our wingers have put their hands up and we all know what Gogzilla can do when he raises his game. Who would you have ahead of him and why?
- Warburton if fully match fit should absolutely start. He is simply a better player than SOB and brings more to the game at the breakdown and in defence. Marvellous player, SOB, but can be nullified. Warburton on top of his game less so.
- Faletau - hope you don't want to argue this
- 1/2p. 70% chance of rain. Going to be a tight game. Do we go for someone with a massive boot from hand and from the spot (i.e. the best place kicker in the world), who is defensively impeccable (i.e. arguably the best defensive FB in the world) and who is strong under the high ball or do we go for a prancing showpony who can break the line with twinkling feet? Hmmmm
bendeus
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There's an edge creeping into the one eyed comment pieces over here. They're a bit nervous.
The comment sections are going fecking nuts;
'Little known officials' are the referees, who are cheating. The 'cheating offside tactic' of the Lions. That they're not playing proper rugby.
Hahhahahaha/
I'm assuming they're not presenting a balanced viewpoint by discussing all the cheap shots, obstruction of the kick chaser and outright scrum cheating that they've been merrily indulging in thus far?
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
there was interestingly an article on stuff.nz explicitly praising JG for penalising for obstruction of the kick chaser,calling it one of NZs dirty rugby secrets and hoping this owuld lead to the abandoning of the tactic
Lions tour: Mark Reason: Cheating off the ball in New Zealand rugby has reached epidemic level
Lions tour: Mark Reason: Cheating off the ball in New Zealand rugby has reached epidemic level
Smangus
comatose at a desk
That seems to have gone down well with the Kiwi audience
, cue lots of bleating about the Lions offside defence, shouting at the line out and perfidious Frenchie reffs! lol
sleaterkinney
Well-Known Member
- AWJ won't start and quite rightly so, the two Sarries locks have been superb.
- Owens won't start - see above. George gels with both of them
- North probably will. You can't write him off and he tends to save his best for the big games. Let's be honest, Watson aside very few of our wingers have put their hands up and we all know what Gogzilla can do when he raises his game. Who would you have ahead of him and why?
- Warburton if fully match fit should absolutely start. He is simply a better player than SOB and brings more to the game at the breakdown and in defence. Marvellous player, SOB, but can be nullified. Warburton on top of his game less so.
- Faletau - hope you don't want to argue this
- 1/2p. 70% chance of rain. Going to be a tight game. Do we go for someone with a massive boot from hand and from the spot (i.e. the best place kicker in the world), who is defensively impeccable (i.e. arguably the best defensive FB in the world) and who is strong under the high ball or do we go for a prancing showpony who can break the line with twinkling feet? Hmmmm
Daly in for North who has done nothing on this tour and is suspect defensively anyway.
Warburton is not match fit and shouldn't have been made captain because of that.
1/2p only played himself in last week, before I would had Watson in.
TF is my only nailed on starter.
bendeus
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North's defence has been solid so far. Daly hasn't exactly shone, TBF, and North is proven at this level. I'd still start him but can understand why others wouldn't.
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
Impressive AB team for the first test (was it ever going to be anything but?)
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
woah, genuinely slightly surprised at the Lions squad.
British & Irish Lions squad for first Test
Liam Williams, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Davies, Ben Te’o, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, Conor Murray; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Tadhg Furlong, Alun Wyn Jones, George Kruis, Peter O’Mahony (c), Sean O’Brien, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Sam Warburton, Rhys Webb, Jonathan Sexton, Leigh Halfpenny
New Zealand squad for first Test
Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt).
Replacements: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden/Lima Sopoaga, Anton Lienert-Brown.
British & Irish Lions squad for first Test
Liam Williams, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Davies, Ben Te’o, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, Conor Murray; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Tadhg Furlong, Alun Wyn Jones, George Kruis, Peter O’Mahony (c), Sean O’Brien, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Sam Warburton, Rhys Webb, Jonathan Sexton, Leigh Halfpenny
New Zealand squad for first Test
Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt).
Replacements: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden/Lima Sopoaga, Anton Lienert-Brown.
1927
Funnier than he thinks he is.
Oh the irony of Team Adidas talking about offside!!! LolThere's an edge creeping into the one eyed comment pieces over here. They're a bit nervous.
The comment sections are going fecking nuts;
'Little known officials' are the referees, who are cheating. The 'cheating offside tactic' of the Lions. That they're not playing proper rugby.
Hahhahahaha/
Balbi
Hey, Dean Yager!
1927
Funnier than he thinks he is.
Cheating off the ball by Team Adidas reached epidemic level when I was still in short trousers! As much as they may be admired I don't buy into the hype, Graham Mourie was a cheating cunt, and he along with the likes of Andy Haden should have been ostracised by world rugby a generation ago.
Balbi
Hey, Dean Yager!
AB's thoughts...
Big game for Rieko Ioane on the wing, be interesting to see his defensive work as well - he's had a lot of help from Collins and Duffie at club level. No Julian Savea in the squad is interesting to say the least.
Crusaders v Canes earlier this season showed Barrett can fluff when under sustained pressure, and the Crusaders defence wasn't as active as ours.
If Kieran Read goes 80 mins then I'll be surprised, he's been out 2 months. Same for Kaino, one game back from knee surgery. I can also see Crotty taking a walloping and being replaced by Anton Leinart-Brown.
Got to hope Dagg has one of his curiously regular off days under the high ball.
Lions thoughts...
Let's hope Taulepe doesn't get hurt. No immediately obvious 8 replacement on the bench.
Williams earned the spot, he's got the gas that 1/2p doesn't. I assume Farrell goes into midfield or Daly comes in if we need to make a change in the centre, and 1/2p and Sexton come on later in the game.
Maro off the bench? Yeah sure, ok. AWJ has the nous, but Lawes has got to be somewhere near the Test team for 2nd or 3rd.
Big game for Rieko Ioane on the wing, be interesting to see his defensive work as well - he's had a lot of help from Collins and Duffie at club level. No Julian Savea in the squad is interesting to say the least.
Crusaders v Canes earlier this season showed Barrett can fluff when under sustained pressure, and the Crusaders defence wasn't as active as ours.
If Kieran Read goes 80 mins then I'll be surprised, he's been out 2 months. Same for Kaino, one game back from knee surgery. I can also see Crotty taking a walloping and being replaced by Anton Leinart-Brown.
Got to hope Dagg has one of his curiously regular off days under the high ball.
Lions thoughts...
Let's hope Taulepe doesn't get hurt. No immediately obvious 8 replacement on the bench.
Williams earned the spot, he's got the gas that 1/2p doesn't. I assume Farrell goes into midfield or Daly comes in if we need to make a change in the centre, and 1/2p and Sexton come on later in the game.
Maro off the bench? Yeah sure, ok. AWJ has the nous, but Lawes has got to be somewhere near the Test team for 2nd or 3rd.
Balbi
Hey, Dean Yager!
- AWJ won't start and quite rightly so, the two Sarries locks have been superb.
- Owens won't start - see above. George gels with both of them
- North probably will. You can't write him off and he tends to save his best for the big games. Let's be honest, Watson aside very few of our wingers have put their hands up and we all know what Gogzilla can do when he raises his game. Who would you have ahead of him and why?
- Warburton if fully match fit should absolutely start. He is simply a better player than SOB and brings more to the game at the breakdown and in defence. Marvellous player, SOB, but can be nullified. Warburton on top of his game less so.
- Faletau - hope you don't want to argue this
- 1/2p. 70% chance of rain. Going to be a tight game. Do we go for someone with a massive boot from hand and from the spot (i.e. the best place kicker in the world), who is defensively impeccable (i.e. arguably the best defensive FB in the world) and who is strong under the high ball or do we go for a prancing showpony who can break the line with twinkling feet? Hmmmm
1/2p on for the closing stages to beat them back. I think Gats has subbed 1/2p's boot for Farrell and Daly from distance. Eek.
1927
Funnier than he thinks he is.
I can't disagree with the selection on form, but my only comment would be that the team doesn't strike me as a team to set up to play what we have come to think of as Warrenball. Defence has been substituted for attack, flair has been given a chance over reliability. I wonder whether any changes were made after seeing the Team Adidas side!
Smangus
comatose at a desk
Wots this? Rattue showing some respect?
Chris Rattue: Lions expose soft underbelly of New Zealand rugby
Chris Rattue: Lions expose soft underbelly of New Zealand rugby
