British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
Comments
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I am surprised at the number of Welshmen but taken individually all the welsh picks can be justified.
I think the Scots are represented fairly. Their team is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Apart from the 2 picks their remaining their best players are where these is huge strength in the other home nations. Russell is not unlucky to be selected IMO, he would be behind Ford who also did not get selected.0 -
I understand Biggar's selection. He is not afraid to go hard, he can damage without malice, and he communicates ......incessantly.
That's the sort of temperament Gatland wants in NZ.0 -
Pross wrote:Even as a Welshman through and through I'm struggling to understand how he managed to find 12 Welsh players he felt deserve to go. If I were a Scot (perish the thought!), I'd be livid. Typical Gatland, it worked 4 years ago so keep trying it.
If I were Welsh I'd be praying Gatland and Howley get the boot from the RFU and they hire Dai Young!
Being English, I hope they both stay at the WRU for a long time!
With a bit of luck either a Kiwi or one of the tour party will shut Biggar's whinging gob up for ever.
Still can see past a whitewash though.0 -
narbs wrote:Finn Russell is very unlucky, both Jonathans and Biggar are very lucky. Other than that it's a pretty uncontentious squad.
Apart from the omission of Henson, natch.
I cussed when he joined Bristol, but he's been brilliant for us (when not injured...).Cube - Peloton
Cannondale - CAAD100 -
Dorset Boy wrote:Pross wrote:Even as a Welshman through and through I'm struggling to understand how he managed to find 12 Welsh players he felt deserve to go. If I were a Scot (perish the thought!), I'd be livid. Typical Gatland, it worked 4 years ago so keep trying it.
If I were Welsh I'd be praying Gatland and Howley get the boot from the RFU and they hire Dai Young!
Being English, I hope they both stay at the WRU for a long time!
With a bit of luck either a Kiwi or one of the tour party will shut Biggar's whinging gob up for ever.
Still can see past a whitewash though.
To be fair, both Farrell and Sexton make Biggar look like a model of maturity.0 -
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Dorset Boy wrote:Pross wrote:Even as a Welshman through and through I'm struggling to understand how he managed to find 12 Welsh players he felt deserve to go. If I were a Scot (perish the thought!), I'd be livid. Typical Gatland, it worked 4 years ago so keep trying it.
If I were Welsh I'd be praying Gatland and Howley get the boot from the RFU and they hire Dai Young!
Being English, I hope they both stay at the WRU for a long time!
With a bit of luck either a Kiwi or one of the tour party will shut Biggar's whinging gob up for ever.
Still can see past a whitewash though.
What type of luck and what type of shutting up?My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
https://twitter.com/roubaixcc
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Dorset Boy wrote:If I were Welsh I'd be praying Gatland and Howley get the boot from the RFU .
I've been hoping for that since 2013 to be honest. They've shown no ability to adapt tactically as the other teams do. That said the failure of the national team might make the WRU finally wake up to the glaring structural issues in the Welsh game.0 -
Ben Youngs has withdrawn from the Lions squad after learning that the wife of his brother Tom, himself a former Lions tourist, is terminally ill.
Somethings are far more important than sport!!0 -
Another withdrawal, but this time a pretty catastrophic one
Billy Vunipola has withdrawn with a shoulder injury and James Haskell has been called up as his replacement
Vunipola was one of the guaranteed starters and one of players genuinely feared by the All Blacks!0 -
crispybug2 wrote:Another withdrawal, but this time a pretty catastrophic one
Billy Vunipola has withdrawn with a shoulder injury and James Haskell has been called up as his replacement
Vunipola was one of the guaranteed starters and one of players genuinely feared by the All Blacks!
Yep! We don't have many that would truly put the wind up NZ but I think Billy V was one of them. I hope Haskell's innate narcissim drives him to the point of wanting to be an awesome lion. When he wants to be, he can be very good indeed but he's not a like for like replacement for Vunipola . . .Wilier Izoard XP0 -
Yeah, big loss. Any rugby team is stronger when it has plenty on Pontypool guys in it
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I had to go to work today so I missed watching the match live which in retrospect seems like a good thing
Having just watched the highlights of the 13-7 win over the Provincial Barbarians, there is a very great deal to improve on and improve they will
Most of the team will be disappointed with their performances, in particular Jonny Sexton, but there were some plus points, notably the performances of Ben T'eo, Kyle Sinckler and Toby Faletau. Also Owen Farrell gave the team control and direction to the game which was notably missing before his introduction
Overall, a 5/10 performance0 -
You're generous in your rating crispybug!
It was worrying how dreadful Henderson, Sexton and Hogg were in particular, and how lethargic Laidlaw was at 9.
However Sinckler had a great game, he has improved massively this season, and Faletau was superb.0 -
Just after half time Lions down by 10 points to 12 and under the kosh from Aukland Blues at the moment - two tmo decisions deny Blues two more tries either side of half time . . .Wilier Izoard XP0
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Halfpenny puts Lions ahead with 71st minute penalty . . . 15-16Wilier Izoard XP0
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Blues win 22-16 : (Wilier Izoard XP0
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laurentian wrote:Blues win 22-16 : (
How up for it are the players? (I've not seen the game so don't know)
They are only playing a club side. Rugby is about putting your body on the line. Are they going to be putting in the same intesity against a club side compared to the All Blacks?0 -
I haven't seen it either, but you'd imagine they should be right up for it. Thet're all trying to convince Gatland that they should be a part of the starting XV against the AB'sCoopster the 1st wrote:laurentian wrote:Blues win 22-16 : (
How up for it are the players? (I've not seen the game so don't know)
They are only playing a club side. Rugby is about putting your body on the line. Are they going to be putting in the same intesity against a club side compared to the All Blacks?0 -
If you get a chance to see it, look at Sinkler and Itoje when Lions won a turnover with aboout 20 mins to go . . . I've never seen such enthusiasm and celebration . . . those two are definitely up for it. Knowle probably played himself out of a test place, Liam Williams came on, got binned, came back on and that was about it.
I think the Aukland Blues are a huge step up from what most of those on the park are used to playing against in their domestic leagues and so am prepared to forgive them this loss at this early point in the tour but they need to bounce back and quickly.Wilier Izoard XP0 -
....."and so am prepared to forgive them this loss at this early point in the tour..." I'm not getting this.
This is the British and Ireland Lions, who by all accounts are the best players that England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales have to offer. They just played the worst performing New Zealand team in the Super 18 and lost.
Surely something is amiss?
The first game was probably the easiest game they will have, and they only scrapped a win.
I think some serious improvement, and a bit more heart is required0 -
. . . sure, there's massive room for improvement. Obviously the Lions have not put out anything like their strongest side yet and that's what the next couple of weeks are about, finding the test team. On that basis, I'll forgive them the loss but its going to be a long tour if they can't string some wins together prior to the tests. I suspect many of the tour party won't be anywhere near the level needed to beat super 18 sides.Wilier Izoard XP0
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Much improved first half against Crusaders - still tight though and the oppo are lightning on the breakWilier Izoard XP0
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12-3 to the Lions
Much better performance, several players inked their names in for the first test, Connor Murray, Owen Farrell, Talupe Faletau and, most surprisingly for me, Alun Wyn Jones who was the my man of the match
Best part of the whole match was Mako Vunipola scratching his ear indifferently during the Crusaders Haka!0 -
23-22 to the Highlanders. There's one that got away. I'm a little surprised after the Crusaders match as they should have been able to"kick" on. But saying I'm delighted with the Highlanders win. Roll on the Maori's0
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32- 10 vs New Zealand Maori's
Better, much better!
Today we saw the game plan for the All Blacks test. If you want lots of running exciting rugby then you're going to be seriously disappointed!
Today was all about the forwards grinding down the pack and stifling the half backs.
It's not rugby for the highlights reel but it may well do the job and if there's a series win for the Lions then no one will care!!0 -
crispybug2 wrote:Today we saw the game plan for the All Blacks test. If you want lots of running exciting rugby then you're going to be seriously disappointed!
Surely we knew that as soon as they put Gatland in charge?0
