v Maori

[Mikey Brown]

I wasn't suggesting anything otherwise. I haven't really been paying attention and wondered if anyone has actually done anything positive. That's all.

I was going to start banging the Seymour drum again really. Given the lack of attacking will his qualities seem like they'd be useful. But I don't see it mattering much.

[kk67]

This has been a great Lions performance, and a great marker for the All Blacks. They could be 40 points up if the Maori were punished earlier for repeated infringing and the Lions finishing was a bit better. I think for a side of their nature people are undervaluing how well they are getting into doing the basics well.

This really is the worst Maori side I have seen, though.

It's a good thing the Lions forwards are scoring tries because the backs look utterly hopeless.
Rob Howley needs to put himself out of our misery. Give him a webley, bottle of scotch and point him towards the library.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Rob Howley needs to put himself out of our misery. Give him a webley, bottle of scotch and point him towards the library.

Fuck off! some of us are kipping in there. Let him do it in the drawing room after the ladies have retired, like a decent chap.

[skidger]

Will Gatland go back to his favourites in AWJ and Warburton?

[16th man]

The game could really have done with Peyper stepping up and using his cards earlier.

Good performance by the forwards, though there were a few instances throughout the game where undermanned rucks got turned over as players stood and watched.

Laidlaw is just breathtakingly poor.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Rob Howley needs to put himself out of our misery. Give him a webley, bottle of scotch and point him towards the library.

Fuck off! some of us are kipping in there. Let him do it in the drawing room after the ladies have retired, like a decent chap.

He'd bloody well miss anyway.

[fivepointer]

The rugby was mostly dire but the result is just what the Lions needed. Maori were desperately poor (the 4th test, really?) but the Lions got control, never lost it and won very comfortably doing a number of things very well. I think you can forget about an all singing all dancing attacking game. This side is built for solidity, containment and pressure. Most of the starters will play next week i imagine. Final back row selection will be interesting with Falateau and SOB surely inked in already. Warburton may have to settle for the bench, while AWJ doesnt look close to unsettling the Saracens lock pairing.

[kk67]

The game could really have done with Peyper stepping up and using his cards earlier.

Good performance by the forwards, though there were a few instances throughout the game where undermanned rucks got turned over as players stood and watched.

Yup. He should have been shouting 'roll away' at the MAB's from the start.

and Yup. Despite my continuing fury at butchered go forward.....the pack were pretty good. Furlong is on it.

[jared_7]

Good second half. Could've been great had they put the Maori to the sword properly, but much better all round.

Sexton and Murray were good. 12, 13 - good. Pack very good. Halfpenny kicked very well...solid even, just not world class, certainly no Farrell anyway.

Maori were crap. Expected much better from them, just like the Crusaders.

Will need a lot more to beat the ABs, unless they fall apart too.

Maori and sanders bad? Possibly, but I wonder if this version of the lions match day team is actually ptettygood at shutting teams down.

Still, both oppositions need to learn to catch a bomb. That would have made a huge difference in both games.

The Lions are playing a very limited, one dimensional game plan. That looks bad when you have average players like the midweek team does, it looks good when you have quality players like the weekend side.

[Stom]

Good second half. Could've been great had they put the Maori to the sword properly, but much better all round.

Sexton and Murray were good. 12, 13 - good. Pack very good. Halfpenny kicked very well...solid even, just not world class, certainly no Farrell anyway.

Maori were crap. Expected much better from them, just like the Crusaders.

Will need a lot more to beat the ABs, unless they fall apart too.

Maori and sanders bad? Possibly, but I wonder if this version of the lions match day team is actually ptettygood at shutting teams down.

Still, both oppositions need to learn to catch a bomb. That would have made a huge difference in both games.

The Lions are playing a very limited, one dimensional game plan. That looks bad when you have average players like the midweek team does, it looks good when you have quality players like the weekend side.

I just feel like, with the quality available, the Lions should be better than they are showing...

I mean, our tight 5 is pretty damn good. Our backrow is quality. We have one of the best 9s... and surely we can scrape a test quality backline out of the home nations?

[kk67]

The frontrow looks like a proper 4's team. The ugly grizzled feck, the 'could be handsome if I dropped a few stone',....and their baby-faced assassin carrying all the puppy fat.

[Banquo]

Starting front 5 were excellent, though Itoje needs to rein himself in a smidge. Faletau was good, but Billy is missed. POM was excellent and SOB's good, despite his handling letting him down through over ambition. I'd be reasonably happy with that pack- our best bet is to strangle the AB's at source.
Murray's kicking is very effective, and Sexton was good today. Personally I'd go with these two, Teo at 12. I'm a bit stumped on the rest....JD2 is a good runner and puts some nice kicks in, but handling is weak; JJ doesn't seem to fit the plan. I'd like Watson and Daly in the mix; Halfpenny was solid, but he has definitely lost pace. Maybe Daly, North, Watson?

[kk67]

George Ford. Lions always gets bound up with size. These Lions backs need Ford.

[Banquo]

George Ford. Lions always gets bound up with size. These Lions backs need Ford.

well he ain't there. Sexton, if allowed to, is perfectly good at running a backline.

[kk67]

They need a bit of magic. Someone, somewhere........

[Banquo]

They need a bit of magic. Someone, somewhere........

Finishing and first phase strike moves seem to be the major bits missing.

[kk67]

They need a bit of magic. Someone, somewhere........

Finishing and first phase strike moves seem to be the major bits missing.

Don't try and codify it,....what's missing is a random knowledge.

[Banquo]

They need a bit of magic. Someone, somewhere........

Finishing and first phase strike moves seem to be the major bits missing.

Don't try and codify it,....what's missing is a random knowledge.

you know about random, perhaps you should nip over.

[kk67]

Ouch.

[ALunpg]

Not sure Ford is really random as good as he can be. Sadly game breaking random hardly exists today it is coached out of them.

That is with the one notable exception Beudan Barret and we saw some of that immense skill against Samoa but in the north the closest is probably Finn Russell.

So maybe Russell will get a chance off the bench on Tuesday to show he should have been there from the getgo.

[p/d]

North shouldn't be anywhere near the team. A spent force, sadly.

[Numbers]

North shouldn't be anywhere near the team. A spent force, sadly.

Hahaha.

[paddy no 11]

No its true, North is a shadow of the north of 4 years ago, sadly

Saturdays game was one of the worst attacking performance of all time.

Lions pack might better their counterparts but that'll be the end of the good news, will lose conceding 3 or 4 tries be lucky to score 1

[MrK]

North honestly shouldnt be anywhere near the test team based on performance so far.

I know he got himself carded, but Williams has looked the most attack minded outside of Watson.

As Joseph hasnt been called up for Tuesday, he may well be involved, is he a wing option? Dont know whether he has ever played there so a genuine question.

[Numbers]

No its true, North is a shadow of the north of 4 years ago, sadly

Saturdays game was one of the worst attacking performance of all time.

Lions pack might better their counterparts but that'll be the end of the good news, will lose conceding 3 or 4 tries be lucky to score 1

Why do people insist on trotting out this sh1te, he was the top try scorer in last years 6 nations ffs.

On saturday he didn't receive the ball in any space, the Lions were playing a more structured back three for defensive purposes which is why Watson did nothing either gut yet no-one seems to be suggesting he shouldn't be anywhere near the squad.

The basic fact of the matter is that North is a World Class player which is why he gets targetted for critcism especially by the opposition as they are wary of him, he also caused Julian Savea a lot of problems last summer before injury so he has form against his opposite number but don't let any facts get in the way of your thinking.