Topic: Lions tour of New Zealand 2017

[Crosby Nick]

Haha fucking hell, was that straight from the restart?

[Rhi]

No not straight from the restart I don't think. Lions won a turnover and celebrated like they thought that was it... then proceeded to lose the ball in the loose and just got done.

Also Lions got back to around 7m from the try line then gave away a penalty.

Impressively bad.

30 seconds remaining and Blues in possession. This is over... wait no it's not. Lions penalty hahahahaha.

Gone for the corner.

[Rhi]

Rory Best comes up with a terrible throw. Blues have won it.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

Hahaha Itoje celebrating winning a turnover with 10 to go was the highlight.

[Rhi]

Hahaha Itoje celebrating winning a turnover with 10 to go was the highlight.

That was hilarious.

[Crosby Nick]

Hahaha Itoje celebrating winning a turnover with 10 to go was the highlight.

Only going off what I've read on here but seems like Maro did well but was let down by the Celts around him. Sound fair?

[bryanod]

Really going to have to improve in the next warm up friendlies before the main event friendlies or we could face a friendly beating.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

Only going off what I've read on here but seems like Maro did well but was let down by the Celts around him. Sound fair?

He had a good game. The Lions forwards did what you'd expect. The difference was luck and skill at the right moment.

[Crosby Nick]

He had a good game. The Lions forwards did what you'd expect. The difference was luck and skill at the right moment.

Seems the cutting edge comes so naturally to all your sides while we still huff and puff. Crusaders next? All the best!

[Molealdinho_LK]

Different brand of rugby down there. Any of the decent Super Rugby teams look to have 5/6 tries in them at times.

The work/build up/energy the Lions put in for a try compared to the NZ teams who play it like its basketball at certain times.

[Ray K]

#BringThemHome

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

Seems the cutting edge comes so naturally to all your sides while we still huff and puff. Crusaders next? All the best!

I still think the Crusaders game suits the Lions best but they're on such a roll now it will be difficult for the Lions to beat them. Their lineout and scrum wont creak like the Blues did and they're a lot better defensively.

[CrasherKid79]

Christ I think this is going to be a long tour. They look so full of running and our lads look either knackered, or more worryingly not good enough. Too early to decide yet but Ive watched enough tours over the years to know these warm up games are a good marker of where we are.

A huge improvement is needed and quickly.

[The North Bank]

This will be a straight forward 3-0 to the all blacks, wont even be close.

[CrasherKid79]

This will be a straight forward 3-0 to the all blacks, wont even be close.

Once in a generation will the Lions have a team capable of genuinely competing in New Zealand. So many things have to align and come together. This team look woefully short of that. Maybe capable of putting up a decent showing in South Africa but not New Zealand.

Speaking purely of standards the All Blacks and Springboks currently are now, not historically.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

This will be a straight forward 3-0 to the all blacks, wont even be close.

I don't think so. We have injuries to key players, some wont have much game time by the time the tests come. And the conditions can play a part. Night games in NZ can be tricky. That may play into the hands of the Lions game, who look forward dominant with good tactical kickers.

[CrasherKid79]

I don't think so. We have injuries to key players, some wont have much game time by the time the tests come. And the conditions can play a part. Night games in NZ can be tricky. That may play into the hands of the Lions game, who look forward dominant with good tactical kickers.

Hope your right mate, would love to give them a run for their money.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

The All Black squad is as follows: (with province and Test caps in brackets. New caps are in bold.)

Forwards:
Hookers
Dane Coles (Wellington, 49)
Codie Taylor (Canterbury, 15)
Nathan Harris (Bay of Plenty, 4)

Props
Wyatt Crockett (Canterbury, 58)
Charlie Faumuina (Auckland, 46)
Owen Franks (Canterbury, 90)
Joe Moody (Canterbury, 24)
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Auckland, 4)

Locks
Scott Barrett (Taranaki, 4)
Brodie Retallick (Hawke's Bay, 60)
Luke Romano (Canterbury, 26)
Samuel Whitelock (Canterbury, 84)

Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty, 40)
Jerome Kaino (Auckland, 74)
Kieran Read, captain (Counties Manukau, 97)
Ardie Savea (Wellington, 12)
Liam Squire (Tasman,

Backs:
     
Halfbacks
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Waikato, 25)
TJ Perenara (Wellington, 29)
Aaron Smith (Manawatu, 58)
     
First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (Taranaki, 49)
Aaron Cruden (Manawatu, 47)
Lima Sopoaga (Southland, 6)
     
Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (Canterbury, 26)
Ngani Laumape (Manawatu, uncapped)
Anton Leinert-Brown (Waikato, 9)
Sonny Bill Williams (Counties Manukau, 33)
     
Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (Taranaki, uncapped)
Israel Dagg (Hawke's Bay, 61)
Rieko Ioane (Auckland, 2)
Waisake Naholo (Taranaki, 12)
Julian Savea (Wellington, 52)
Ben Smith (Otago, 60)

The selectors have also named the following five players as injury cover: midfielder Jack Goodhue, hooker Liam Coltman and loose forwards Matt Todd, Vaea Fifita and Akira Ioane.

[Gerry Attrick]

What happened to Milner-Skudder (?). He looked good at the World Cup in 2015, but haven't heard of him since

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

What happened to Milner-Skudder (?). He looked good at the World Cup in 2015, but haven't heard of him since

Injuries. Been out since the second game of this season but he is in the Maori squad.

[Elzar]

What happened to Milner-Skudder (?). He looked good at the World Cup in 2015, but haven't heard of him since

He's had a few injuries and missed a lot of rugby. Playing for the Maori instead.

[The North Bank]

Good to see the younger Barrett brother get called up, not from a lions point of view though, hes one hell of a player.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

Lions squad to play Crusaders:

Team: S Hogg; G North, J Davies; B Te'o, L Williams; O Farrell; C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong; AW Jones (capt), G Kruis; P O'Mahony, S O'Brien, T Faletau

Replacements: K Owens, J McGrath, D Cole, M Itoje, CJ Stander, R Webb, J Sexton, A Watson


Crusaders team to play the British & Irish Lions:

1. Joe Moody
2. Codie Taylor
3. Owen Franks
4. Luke Romano
5. Sam Whitelock (C)
6. Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
7. Matt Todd (VC)
8. Jordan Taufua
9. Bryn Hall
10. Richie Mo'unga
11. George Bridge
12. David Havili
13. Jack Goodhue
14. Seta Tamanivalu
15. Israel Dagg

Reserves:

16. Ben Funnell
17. Wyatt Crockett
18. Michael Alaalatoa
19. Quinten Strange
20. Jed Brown
21. Mitchell Drummond
22. Mitchell Hunt
23. Tim Bateman

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

Good to see the younger Barrett brother get called up, not from a lions point of view though, hes one hell of a player.

Pleasantly surprised Hansen went for form over loyalty. Laumape deserves his call up as well, easily been the best 12 in Super Rugby. He is as destructive as Nonu but quicker and with better feet.

[Gerry Attrick]

Injuries. Been out since the second game of this season but he is in the Maori squad.

He's had a few injuries and missed a lot of rugby. Playing for the Maori instead.

Thanks for that.

[Crosby Nick]

Lions team to lose to Crusaders on Saturday.

Vunipola
George
Furlong
Jones
Kruis
O'Mahoney (O'Mahoney, oh whhhy, oh myyyy)
O'Brien
Falateau
Murray
Farrell
L Williams
Te'o
Davies
North
Hogg

Looks quite strong, I think all our tems so far have looked strong, just not strong enough!

[Crosby Nick]

And missed that completely in Trumps' earlier post! Was distracted by the All Blacks squad!

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

Lions team to lose to Crusaders on Saturday.

Vunipola
George
Furlong
Jones
Kruis
O'Mahoney (O'Mahoney, oh whhhy, oh myyyy)
O'Brien
Falateau
Murray
Farrell
L Williams
Te'o
Davies
North
Hogg

Looks quite strong, I think all our tems so far have looked strong, just not strong enough!

The scrum will be of particular interest as the Crusaders scrum makes up a large portion of the AB one. Have the feeling the Lions will play to the 'Saders strengths somewhat, so will have to show more with the ball in hand.

[The North Bank]

Lions team to lose to Crusaders on Saturday.

Vunipola
George
Furlong
Jones
Kruis
O'Mahoney (O'Mahoney, oh whhhy, oh myyyy)
O'Brien
Falateau
Murray
Farrell
L Williams
Te'o
Davies
North
Hogg

Looks quite strong, I think all our tems so far have looked strong, just not strong enough!

This looks close to the best team, with Farell, Murray, North, Hogg and Vunipola. The likes of Sexton and Nowell have already been found out at this level and it goes up a notch against the crusaders, who would probably beat any club side in Europe. Work cut out already and we haven't got to the tests yet.
All blacks squad looks far too superior, especially the depth of quality.

[Ray K]

I watched the game last night (masochist, I know), and a few things struck me about the Lions -
1. The defence was so disorganised. Every Blues attack resulted in a scramble defence and a last-gasp tackle or drop.  I thought this was one thing Gatland could get right: the classic Wasps/Wales push-up in the middle proactive defence to squeeze the space. Completely absent.
2. Related, i think:  The back 3 were completely disconnected from the rest of the team. Nowell was having his own nightmare, but at no stage did any of them look to get involved in a structured attack.
3. The NZ offloading game is on a different stratosphere, but I don't believe that players from these isles are unable to do this: they're just discouraged especially at international level  (Glasgow, Leinster, Scarlets have all won titles this way at club level).
There was every reason for the Blues to be conservative: shitty weather, big occasion, etc. But they're obviously coached to be creative, and a combination of great offloads and glorious attacking angles is impossible to defend.

TL;DR: I'd just love if they really gave it a go. It's obviously going to be a 3-0 series.  Better to live gloriously than die wondering.

[Crosby Nick]

Agree with the last bit Ray. To beat NZ you need 25+ points. They're going to score tries regardless, we have to be able to score several to win a Teat, we won't win a game against them with one try, good discipline and a few penalties (tough I'll be delighted to be proved wrong!).

[Crosby Nick]

Does everyone do a Haka these days? Getting tiresome now!

[jillcwhomever]

Agree with the Haka comments.

If only we could have got that early try what a start that could have been.

[jillcwhomever]

This pitch is very slippery the good news for the Lions is the Crusaders have made mistakes today. Also think the Lions have looked more sharp today.

[Ray K]

Solid start. Murray and Farrell look good together, and O'Mahony's steal in the lineout was just lovely.

[jillcwhomever]

The Lion's scrum is on top at the moment.

[jillcwhomever]

Poor Hogg caught an elbow from Murray there really unlucky.

[The North Bank]

Farell is the best rugby player in Europe. Different lions when he plays. Murray supports him brilliantly too. This partnership will give the all blacks some trouble at least.

[JerseyKloppite]

That looks fucking painful.

[jillcwhomever]

Damn this slippery ball but they are getting past the game line really well now.