Blues v BI Lions
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Just watched that last 6-7 minutes again and Lions definitely had their chances to win it. Some schoolboy errors when hot on attack were very costly.
The Lions attack was rubbish for the most part. Midfield a huge problem for this Lions squad. In past tours they've had plenty of talent to choose from.
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The body language from the Lions in the last 20 minutes tells me many of these guys are going to struggle taking everyone's best shot game after game.
Mentally you can only be switched on for so long. Who knows if they will lose the remaining fixtures - but they will certainly be in a dog fight just to get a win every minute of this tour. These guys need to get out to a good start in a couple of these games or they will be mentally fried by the first test, let a lone the third.
Unless Gats is keeping some powder dry similar to Hansen at the last RWC where the game plan was restricted the test series is as good as over. The only question mark for me is who gets released/injured in the lead up to Canes and Chiefs and whether the Maori can gel and have the same motivation if the Lions have already lost a couple on the trot.
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Yet again Best causes me to doubt the theory of nominative determinism. Now, if he was called Choker...
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@rotated said in Blues v BI Lions:
The body language from the Lions in the last 20 minutes tells me many of these guys are going to struggle taking everyone's best shot game after game.
Mentally you can only be switched on for so long. Who knows if they will lose the remaining fixtures - but they will certainly be in a dog fight just to get a win every minute of this tour. These guys need to get out to a good start in a couple of these games or they will be mentally fried by the first test, let a lone the third.
Unless Gats is keeping some powder dry similar to Hansen at the last RWC where the game plan was restricted the test series is as good as over. The only question mark for me is who gets released/injured in the lead up to Canes and Chiefs and whether the Maori can gel and have the same motivation if the Lions have already lost a couple on the trot.
I wish this was the case. I mean it couldn't be more restricted. Stand a forward at first receiver, run into the nearest defender, repeat.
Then I remember it's Gatland and Howley in charge of the attack, and all hope evaporates.
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My favourite blog comment of the day:
"But I thought apart from the ABs it was all just going to be a cakewalk for the fake 'team' created & sent to earn money.
The Lions are an insult to rugby. A cobbled together cash cow that are not a real team who people actually believe have the right to just turn up & win agaist professional teams who have played together for years as a team.
To think, the Blues were supposed to be one of the easy games according to the rugby 'fans' here lol
Cannot wait for the tests to watch the ABs destroy the commercial creation whose fans have no clue nor respect nor humility.
The Lions are rubbish & they're going to be humped like fake creations are always humped by the real deal."
Running a close second was this pearler:
"I don't know why people keep talking about the Lions as a composite team. They've known about this tour for years."
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@Pot-Hale wow that is just bollocks. only a complete F Tard would think that.
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That was cool. Obviously I'm cheering for all the NZ teams this tour but I keep remembering the regret I felt for cheering for England when they whitewashed the Aussies, because they later went on to share the test win record. So now I'm sitting here like the Beautiful Mind guy trying to work through permutations that would lead to me regretting hoping the Lions get crushed.
Just a couple of thoughts:
That screaming during opposition lineouts is pretty obnoxious aye? I know all teams like to make a racket but this was something else.
Have they not cracked down on cracked down on contesting in the air up North? I agree those calls on Williams were harsh, if I'd seen them last year... but even that first one would have been a yellow in Super Rugby 2017.
That early maul call on the Blues try line annoyed me.
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Just watched that last line out again for a laugh and I think the hooker is being hard done by copping the blame for that. The Lions come into line late and Itoje makes a call to himself while Marler is no where near ready. Whether Itoje should have checked or Marler should have been ready is kind of a moot point. They were the ones that fucked it up.
The call was clearly to Itoje and if the lifters had got him up quick enough the throw was fine the front two line out players had peeled around to start the maul.
Looks like it was Marlers fault to me. he wasn't paying attention -
@booboo said in Blues v BI Lions:
Am still buzzed about that last try.
Farking! That was awesome
I've watched it now about fifty times. The front-on angle especially. The running lines & timng were executed so brilliantly it brings tears to me eyes. Beautiful to watch.
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@Milk said in Blues v BI Lions:
That was cool. Obviously I'm cheering for all the NZ teams this tour but I keep remembering the regret I felt for cheering for England when they whitewashed the Aussies, because they later went on to share the test win record. So now I'm sitting here like the Beautiful Mind guy trying to work through permutations that would lead to me regretting hoping the Lions get crushed.
Yeah , im a bit the same , supporting the NZ sides ,
But for the good of rugby want this tour to be a success , pull ya fingers out Lions
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@MiketheSnow said in Blues v BI Lions:
Thoroughly deserved from the Blues. Stuck to the task and clinically and brutally exploited the Lions lack of pace and spatial awareness.
With a bit more precision and YCs being shown it could easily have been 5 tries to 1.
5 mins either side of halftime killed the Lions.
Luatua, Williams and Ioane played themselves into contention.
As mentioned earlier Owens, Tipuric, Webb, Halfpenny in the box seats for test match 23.
Big competition for prop.
Itoje will be in test 23, Lawes won't.
Stander had a good match but not good enough to oust Faletau.
Biggar shithouse. Sexton not much better. Gatland's decision to select Farrell as an outside half borne out.
Centres never got a chance and you still have to fancy Te'o, Joseph and Davies to be vying for the test spots
Daley is class
Nowell played himself out of contention
Liam Williams will have to do something remarkable to even get a look inI thought Webb was pretty terrible myself. Kicked so much aimless ball away. If you think Collins, Ioane and Duffie can run the ball back, there are better back 3s available to NZ.
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@Billy-Tell
I agree on Webb his box kicking was very poor -too far and just gave the ball to the blues. Then when he did get it right the chase was poor. Hopefully Murray is fit and ready. -
@Billy-Tell said in Blues v BI Lions:
@MiketheSnow said in Blues v BI Lions:
Thoroughly deserved from the Blues. Stuck to the task and clinically and brutally exploited the Lions lack of pace and spatial awareness.
With a bit more precision and YCs being shown it could easily have been 5 tries to 1.
5 mins either side of halftime killed the Lions.
Luatua, Williams and Ioane played themselves into contention.
As mentioned earlier Owens, Tipuric, Webb, Halfpenny in the box seats for test match 23.
Big competition for prop.
Itoje will be in test 23, Lawes won't.
Stander had a good match but not good enough to oust Faletau.
Biggar shithouse. Sexton not much better. Gatland's decision to select Farrell as an outside half borne out.
Centres never got a chance and you still have to fancy Te'o, Joseph and Davies to be vying for the test spots
Daley is class
Nowell played himself out of contention
Liam Williams will have to do something remarkable to even get a look inI thought Webb was pretty terrible myself. Kicked so much aimless ball away. If you think Collins, Ioane and Duffie can run the ball back, there are better back 3s available to NZ.
Certainly kicking wise he didn't have a good game but the poor chase made a poor kick worse. Webb is a better player than he showed today and I'd back him to be a nuisance on tour.
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Shit just got very real for the Lions, and doesn't get any easier on Saturday, they need to pick themselves up off the floor quickly.
Hopefully Gatlands call that they don't care about any matches other than the Tests is still true, cos surely the players wont be keen to lose games, even with the end goal.
