B&I Lions 2017
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@Bones Ok, went and listened up to "Hansen has been doing a lot of press conferences lately".
No shit, he is the head coach of a rugby team that is about to enter the biggest three game series of his coaching era, in a country that is a tad crazy about the sport.
In a way I understand people critizing Hansens behaviour, if you take some things he says, out of context, he comes across as arrogant, but when you listen full interviews, and understand he has won everything that has come his way, he isn't arrogant, he is entitled to say basically what he likes.
And this 'two teams' thing he said, remember when Hansen picked the Wallabies midfield last year? He is getting exactly the same response, which he probably expected.This is just my view of him tho, someone will probably disagree, but the way he handles the media and the opposition is second to none.
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@Sapetyvi if the British media arent able to gripe about the Haka, our arrogance, killing Irishmen, dummy runners, poaching or the price of our lamb, what ever would they whine about?
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@Crash said in B&I Lions 2017:
Tuned in to watch the last few mins of Argie v England, and then listened to Monye, Moore and Guscott whine about England players being snubbed and not being included in Gatland's recent call-ups. Did their best to gloss over that this could create some discord within the current Lions squad.
TBH I thought they had a point. Launchbury, Hartley, Brown could have easily slotted in and there is an argument whether they are actually better than their counterparts in the current squad.Are Launchbury, Hartley, Brown et al better than the players called into the squad?
Yes, with the possible exception of Gareth Davies.Would they - especially the forwards - be able to train Sunday and Monday in preparation for Tuesday?
NoCould Gatland have called players up prior to the weekend Tests?
YesWould this have undermined the Home Nations clean sweep of victories?
Definitely -
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@taniwharugby said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Sapetyvi if the British media arent able to gripe about the Haka, our arrogance, killing Irishmen, dummy runners, poaching or the price of our lamb, what ever would they whine about?
FFS TR, i didn't know there was all that shit out there. I hate you bastards even more now.
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@Bones said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crash was that around the same time Moore was having a go at the Argies because they play super rugby and that's why they're shit, because there's no relegation and no consequences?
Well at least we now know why the ABs are shit too.
It's more a comparison to the Italian question up here, rather than a slight on the Super Rugby situation. They get (or used to at any rate) two guaranteed spots in the European Cup (whatever the title might be now, I forget) with no question of relegation out of the reckoning. There is an argument that the lack of intensity has not helped the Eyeties at national level. The same question could have been levelled at the Scots teams a while back but they seem to have turned that round.
The arguments for and against promotion/relegation make sense from both sides. I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer.
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@Rapido said in B&I Lions 2017:
It's really hard to get from Argentina to NZ. It's like 1 direct flight a week.
Maybe via Sydney is more frequent?Oh ffs our Super players do it and deal with the travel. It's hardly like they fly cattle class now is it?
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@MiketheSnow I reckon Launcbury in particular was unlucky to miss the cut in the first place. Hartley (experience/captaincy/lie of the land) Brown and even Care could have been given the nod after the first game against Argie. England still would have won. Warburton not named in the squad to play the Chiefs. Will he be fit for the 1st test?
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@Crash said in B&I Lions 2017:
@MiketheSnow I reckon Launcbury in particular was unlucky to miss the cut in the first place. Hartley (experience/captaincy/lie of the land) Brown and even Care could have been given the nod after the first game against Argie. England still would have won. Warburton not named in the squad to play the Chiefs. Will he be fit for the 1st test?
Definitely to Launchbury.
Jury out on Care
Hartley was 4th choice hooker after 6N
Brown's had two good games in Argentina, but didn't have a good 6N. There were better players ahead of him, and with the exception of Hogg are still there. So not even in the mix, and shouldn't have been one of the players Monye et al were bleating about.England wouldn't have won without Launchbury, Hartley, Care, Brown and Ford if we're sending English players.
Warburton part of the 23 so training and resting.
Having taken time to watch the match again the Test backrow should be
O'Maoney (Capt.), O'Brien, Faletau with Warburton on the benchAWJ on the bench for Tuesday and I suspect he will be on the bench on Saturday.
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@taniwharugby Scrum penalties, offside lines, entering the breakdown from the side and Gatlands selections?
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@MiketheSnow said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crash said in B&I Lions 2017:
@MiketheSnow I reckon Launcbury in particular was unlucky to miss the cut in the first place. Hartley (experience/captaincy/lie of the land) Brown and even Care could have been given the nod after the first game against Argie. England still would have won. Warburton not named in the squad to play the Chiefs. Will he be fit for the 1st test?
Definitely to Launchbury.
Jury out on Care
Hartley was 4th choice hooker after 6N
Brown's had two good games in Argentina, but didn't have a good 6N. There were better players ahead of him, and with the exception of Hogg are still there. So not even in the mix, and shouldn't have been one of the players Monye et al were bleating about.England wouldn't have won without Launchbury, Hartley, Care, Brown and Ford if we're sending English players.
Warburton part of the 23 so training and resting.
Having taken time to watch the match again the Test backrow should be
O'Maoney (Capt.), O'Brien, Faletau with Warburton on the benchAWJ on the bench for Tuesday and I suspect he will be on the bench on Saturday.
Can't argue with any of that Mike. Telling it like it is. I still reckon that Gatland will go with Warburton, AWJ and North though. To be honest I think he can make quite a good case for Warburton and North. Warburton as he's been playing well but has been a bit unlucky and North because none of the other wingers have really had the chance to stand out and he's been there, done that. AWJ is the hardest case to argue with Itoje and Kris having very good performances.
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@Crash said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Rapido said in B&I Lions 2017:
It's really hard to get from Argentina to NZ. It's like 1 direct flight a week.
Maybe via Sydney is more frequent?Oh ffs our Super players do it and deal with the travel. It's hardly like they fly cattle class now is it?
Not 3 days out, they don't.
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Wasn't sure where to out this but to me seems like a case of pots and kettles.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11879001
Lions seem to be big on obstruction so far in my admittedly biased opinion:
- running a screen in front of their backline. Sure a lot of teams (ahem) do similar but when those players are not in position to catch the ball, continue to advance into the defence and the players in possession run behind them (not just pass) it is obstruction IMO.
- moving a pod of players to a point in front of where the ball is landing at kick off with no intent to actually catch the ball but just get in the way of the approaching players is obstruction
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@booboo said in B&I Lions 2017:
Wasn't sure where to out this but to me seems like a case of pots and kettles.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11879001
Lions seem to be big on obstruction so far in my admittedly biased opinion:
- running a screen in front of their backline. Sure a lot of teams (ahem) do similar but when those players are not in position to catch the ball, continue to advance into the defence and the players in possession run behind them (not just pass) it is obstruction IMO.
- moving a pod of players to a point in front of where the ball is landing at kick off with no intent to actually catch the ball but just get in the way of the approaching players is obstruction
Yep, if we are starting to throw those sorts of things around, I'd be pointing the ref to the MAB game - lots of examples of players joining the ruck from in front of the player with the ball or in front of the players driving past (i.e., from the side).
There were a few crackers in the Maori game where TKB got taken out waaaaay off the ruck too.
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I'm going to predict a Lions win in first test.
I still think NZ are good enough to win the series 2-1.
But will learn a lot about our post-2015 senior leadership.
French ref I think for test 2 (and maybe 3)? Will be fascinating if nz are playing catch up in those circumstances.
I could be totally wrong, NZ can turn it up big time and we've got a game in. But I think it's been a good tour by the Lions. Getting better each week, cohesion and trust is there now.
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@Rapido we haven't lost at Eden Park since Belshazzar was a young fulla. That's a fairly significant mental hurdle for visiting teams to get over.
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@mariner4life didn't think about that.
But, part of the reason our Eden Park record is so good is that it was usually the venue for the tour finale, not the opener.
