Lions

[wanderingjock]

Not a sensationalist added I like the lions, I'll just say happy they won. All counts, but they are gonna get nailed by the nz press. I'm glad awj is there for his leadership...

[OptimisticJock]

Did you get to watch this one in colour?

[wanderingjock]

Did you get to watch this one in colour?

Haha, yup. Spoilt it really. Haha

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Relax, they'll want to play well but I think everyone out there has proved enough against far better teams to be cut a little slack in the first half of a friendly in a new team against a semi pro side

It's not a bloody friendly. It's the one chance on tour they'll get to play with anything resembling freedom and they were terrible

[Big D]

Thought the tight 5 by and large were awful. Warburton poor too.

Laidlaw was Laidlaw and won't be near test team. In his defence the forwards were standing still off attacking rucks alot so it's not that easy to create quick ball there.

Te'o should have given Seymour at least 2 scoring passes imo.

Hogg was a bit shaky, some ok stuff some poor.

Seymour was solid enough, didn't get too many chances.

[af73]

Just off the plane, aye, but if that's the product of 2 weeks of Howley's attack coaching....what the hell are they going to be like after 4 weeks of it!

The only time they looked the part was taking short passes out of contact. The longer it went on the more individuals looked for chances to be noticed and the support play all but disappeared.

[Cameo]

Relax, they'll want to play well but I think everyone out there has proved enough against far better teams to be cut a little slack in the first half of a friendly in a new team against a semi pro side

It's not a bloody friendly. It's the one chance on tour they'll get to play with anything resembling freedom and they were terrible

I was exaggerating but I do think that saying players have blown their test chance after a half is overkill. They have been picked on performances at a much higher level than this so we know they all can perform in this type of game. Not that it wouldn't have been better to perform.

Also, at the time I assumed they would kick on second half a bit!

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Relax, they'll want to play well but I think everyone out there has proved enough against far better teams to be cut a little slack in the first half of a friendly in a new team against a semi pro side

It's not a bloody friendly. It's the one chance on tour they'll get to play with anything resembling freedom and they were terrible

I was exaggerating but I do think that saying players have blown their test chance after a half is overkill. They have been picked on performances at a much higher level than this so we know they all can perform in this type of game. Not that it wouldn't have been better to perform.

Also, at the time I assumed they would kick on second half a bit!

It's really not overkill. Almost everyone on tour has demonstrated that they CAN perform at a very high level. Therefore if you have a bad game or even half early in the series then you will likely get moved to the midweek team and is not easy to get back from that. Right now Hogg for example probably has no way back given the number of full backs there.

[Jps]

I thought the subs really sent them back to square one, after it had really taken 40 mins to get themselves sorted out. That said, coincidence or not, when Kruis came on and started running the line out, the defensive line out started working WAY better, and it sort of freed AWJ up to maraud, which I thought he did well.

They didn't exactlty sizzle, they left a ton of tries out there, but it could've been a lot worse.

From our perspective Hogg was a mixed bag, as he has been of late, Seymour was good, and Laidlaw was himself, but sweet heavens his service is high and slow.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Bit of a shit show atm.

Faletau and Teo decent, and mini-Gatland having fun.

Aye, thought Faletau had a solid game.

Are you over there?

Sent from my SM-J500FN using Tapatalk

Not this one unfortunately. Get to enjoy the hysterical overreactions from the comfort of my own home. Hogg has blown his chance of facing the ABs... snigger...

[switchskier]

Aye, thought Faletau had a solid game.

Are you over there?

Sent from my SM-J500FN using Tapatalk

Not this one unfortunately. Get to enjoy the hysterical overreactions from the comfort of my own home. Hogg has blown his chance of facing the ABs... snigger...

Just to get in there early, what ever made you think that he had a chance in the first place with this coaching g team?

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Are you over there?

Sent from my SM-J500FN using Tapatalk

Not this one unfortunately. Get to enjoy the hysterical overreactions from the comfort of my own home. Hogg has blown his chance of facing the ABs... snigger...

Just to get in there early, what ever made you think that he had a chance in the first place with this coaching g team?

Haha, fair point Switch, and now with one bad pass and a knock on, I mean, the boy is just toxic.

Oh the humanity.

[wanderingjock]

Haha, fair point Switch, and now with one bad pass and a knock on, I mean, the boy is just toxic.

Oh the humanity.

He's been faecal matter for ages. He should have gone on a real international tour. I mean the lions are just a waste of time, I'm gonna support the opposition. And that starting fifteen should be sent home straight away. Well after being made to walk barefoot through a bramble plantation.

Oh wait...

[whatisthejava]

I didnt watch the game but if Gatland is stupid enough to dump players from the test squad based on that game he is having a laugh, 3 days they have been in NZ,

[Matt Ha]

That was a miserable game to watch, if ever there was one. Backs lacked cutting edge, and more surprisingly the pack failed to impose themselves in any aspect of the game. Also worrying was that the much vaunted bench did little to make an impression. Don't think Hogg was as bad as people have made out. Yup one shocker of a pass, but he was ok around the round the park. I've always thought he's a player people love to stick the knife into.

[Big D]

People bum up Hoggs good games and talk down his average games to awful more than most players.

I'd hope Gatland doesn't totally write off anyone based on that game. Many haven't played for weeks and deserve another run. Especially those like Sexton, Joseph and Hogg who have shown at international level they can be difference makers.

[Spiffy]

Hogg can rise to the occasion (on occasion) and I think he will come OK on tour. He might even get a run as a wing. But the one Scot who should not be there is Laidlaw. His overall slowness and lobby passing just don't cut it at this level. He plays a dreary game. There are at least three better SHs available to Scotland, never mind the Lions.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

People bum up Hoggs good games and talk down his average games to awful more than most players.

I'd hope Gatland doesn't totally write off anyone based on that game. Many haven't played for weeks and deserve another run. Especially those like Sexton, Joseph and Hogg who have shown at international level they can be difference makers.

People are doing something similar with Sexton n' aw. I think that's just the nature of the beast. They went in with big reputations, so are there to be shot at.

Just dragged myself through that shitshow again. Thought Best was very good. Missed one dart though I guess hes fucking shite.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

People bum up Hoggs good games and talk down his average games to awful more than most players.

I'd hope Gatland doesn't totally write off anyone based on that game. Many haven't played for weeks and deserve another run. Especially those like Sexton, Joseph and Hogg who have shown at international level they can be difference makers.

People are doing something similar with Sexton n' aw. I think that's just the nature of the beast. They went in with big reputations, so are there to be shot at.

Just dragged myself through that shitshow again. Thought Best was very good. Missed one dart though I guess hes fucking shite.

Thank Christ you said that. I didn't see the missed line out - perils of watching with a 2 year old - but saw him save our nuts with a number of turnovers.

[morepork]

Hogg can rise to the occasion (on occasion) and I think he will come OK on tour. He might even get a run as a wing. But the one Scot who should not be there is Laidlaw. His overall slowness and lobby passing just don't cut it at this level. He plays a dreary game. There are at least three better SHs available to Scotland, never mind the Lions.

There are about 50 loose forwards throughout NZ that will cut whoever is at 10 in half if Laidsnail is playing 9.

[Lizard]

At about 38 minutes, Laidlaw arced to the right from a ruck a few metres from the PB try line. A gap opened in front of him and rather than gunning it, he panicked and passed to a man in a much worse position. His instincts are just all wrong.

More generally, this was the sort of game where you expect the underdogs (all playing the biggest match of their lives) to come out with a hiss and a roar but for test quality fitness and strength to prevail in the end. It didn't do conditioning could be an issue.

I have personal experience in flying from NZ to London and playing 80 minutes a couple of days later. It might mess with your mental acuity but your basic physical fitness is fine.

Finally, the Lions front row should hang their heads. They hardly dented the oppo at scrum time.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

At about 38 minutes, Laidlaw arced to the right from a ruck a few metres from the PB try line. A gap opened in front of him and rather than gunning it, he panicked and passed to a man in a much worse position. His instincts are just all wrong.

More generally, this was the sort of game where you expect the underdogs (all playing the biggest match of their lives) to come out with a hiss and a roar but for test quality fitness and strength to prevail in the end. It didn't do conditioning could be an issue.

I have personal experience in flying from NZ to London and playing 80 minutes a couple of days later. It might mess with your mental acuity but your basic physical fitness is fine.

Finally, the Lions front row should hang their heads. They hardly dented the oppo at scrum time.

I don't think anyone was blaming that poor performance on basic physical fitness, they looked completely fine at the end of that game fitness-wise. Easy enough when someone takes a knee at nearly every stoppage of play.

I know the Laidlaw miss you are talking about, its fucking brutal. I don't think he panicked, I genuinely think he just didn't see... and that's a lot worse.

[Spiffy]

I could not help but notice that many of these Lions' chaps were wearing white boots, and that includes a number of forwards.
This kind of silly exhibitionism is just not on, and simply draws attention to their large feet dangling at the end of dark socks, while making them appear awkward and plodding and rather duck-like in their gait.
Is it any surprise they played the way they did, with this unhealthy and egotistical preoccupation with the cosmetic effect of the casing of the pedal extremities?
NZ did, after all, win the last RWC with every man wearing plain black boots. You would hardly have noticed they had feet at all and it was quite easy to follow the ball.
Gatland has to act on this - now, before it's too late! The series is at stake.

[morepork]

I could not help but notice that many of these Lions' chaps were wearing white boots, and that includes a number of forwards.
This kind of silly exhibitionism is just not on, and simply draws attention to their large feet dangling at the end of dark socks, while making them appear awkward and plodding and rather duck-like in their gait.
Is it any surprise they played the way they did, with this unhealthy and egotistical preoccupation with the cosmetic effect of the casing of the pedal extremities?
NZ did, after all, win the last RWC with every man wearing plain black boots. You would hardly have noticed they had feet at all and it was quite easy to follow the ball.
Gatland has to act on this - now, before it's too late! The series is at stake.

Jesus man, you've gone completely sideways.

[zer0]

Bryn Gatland pulled off... mental. Injured, HIA or idiocy?

He may be turning out for the Blues tour match on Wednesday.