All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3
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I am seriously concerned about this game. The AB pack have put in two massive performances, can they do it for the third week in a row? With the way the Lions have been smothering our play all tour there is no reason to think they won't do it again. It's weird feeling all this uncertainty - one I haven't felt for years when it comes to the ABs. Not sure I like it.
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
SBW banned for 4 weeks.
Can't argue with it. Reckless is right, not probably intentional, but stupid.
Sums up some decisions at times. Lack of rugby nous. More widespread than just him to be fair (Codie - I'm looking at you, son)
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@nzzp said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
SBW banned for 4 weeks.
Can't argue with it. Reckless is right, not probably intentional, but stupid.
Sums up some decisions at times. Lack of rugby nous. More widespread than just him to be fair (Codie - I'm looking at you, son)
Also:
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if he was available, I'd pick him next weekend.
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will be interesting to see how SOB goes with the judiciary.
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I'm still pissed about Piers Francis being concussed in South Africa and nothing being done. Consistency? My farking arse.
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Yes, I'm trying to derail the thread. Fark you bastards, I'm projecting
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yea cant really complain about that, did they give him any discounts for pleading guilty, mitigating circumstances, dressing in a nice suit?
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@nzzp said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
@nzzp said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
SBW banned for 4 weeks.
Can't argue with it. Reckless is right, not probably intentional, but stupid.
Sums up some decisions at times. Lack of rugby nous. More widespread than just him to be fair (Codie - I'm looking at you, son)
Also:
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if he was available, I'd pick him next weekend.
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will be interesting to see how SOB goes with the judiciary.
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I'm still pissed about Piers Francis being concussed in South Africa and nothing being done. Consistency? My farking arse.
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Yes, I'm trying to derail the thread. Fark you bastards, I'm projecting
You mean "nothing being done during the game", I assume? Because Treeby was cited and received a 3 week suspension.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
yea cant really complain about that, did they give him any discounts for pleading guilty, mitigating circumstances, dressing in a nice suit?
I don't think the decision has been published yet. From what I've seen online, the judicial hearing took three hours, but no further details.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
yea cant really complain about that, did they give him any discounts for pleading guilty, mitigating circumstances, dressing in a nice suit?
They gave him an extra 2 weeks for callously not sending an apology via twitter. Amateur stuff really from Sonny Bill.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
yea cant really complain about that, did they give him any discounts for pleading guilty, mitigating circumstances, dressing in a nice suit with a silver fern on it?
Fixed
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@KiwiPie said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
@Bones I'm pretty sure that if BB had been hurt in that challenge, it would have been acted upon much differently.
Yeah it's funny how people are saying it's not as bad as it appeared to just glance. Vunipola is very lucky Barrett was half up and almost rolling back already, not moving towards him like SBW/Watson.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
@KiwiPie said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:
@Bones I'm pretty sure that if BB had been hurt in that challenge, it would have been acted upon much differently.
Yeah it's funny how people are saying it's not as bad as it appeared to just glance. Vunipola is very lucky Barrett was half up and almost rolling back already, not moving towards him like SBW/Watson.
I find it difficult to see how anyone can argue that he did not have intent. As you say Bones he was trying to knock BB's block off and Vunipola was lucky he mistimed his hit
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Unless there's another deluge and Laumape has an SBW brain fart and gets sent the abs should win this pretty comfortably. Despite some hyperventilating here, they were bloody close to winning with 1 player down for most of the game. That's an astonishing effort in itself.
I've generally been against selecting Jordie, but his ability under the highball might outweigh his other deficiencies. I'm not sure about him being kicker. He's good, but not THAT good.
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SBW should have got character references from the PM and Hilary Barry
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The injuries in the backline are an issue, but the bigger challenge is how to play the Lions' offside defence. That there were no cards for deliberate offside on Saturday night beggars belief. At one point, Itoje was standing in the AB backline at a lineout, preventing Smith clearing the ball.
As for Barrett's kicking, memories are short. The previous week in Auckland he was getting fan notices for kicking it accurately from everywhere. He's a class act and one semi-off night doesn[t change that.
The one player whose abscence I think has had a real effect is Ben Smith. He provides the leadership in the backs that Read delivers so reliably through the forwards. Just his being there gives Barrett confidence and makes the Opposition think twice about kicking it deep. So juggling things around to make way for Jordie Barrett in a game of this magnitude makes no sense at all.
It seems they'll bring in the more experience Fekitoa as a straight swap for SBW and leave Laumape on the bench. I'd also give the night off to Cruden, who seems to be trying too hard and call up the more reliable Sopoga. With Naholo cleared, you have a few Highlander combinations together.
The first test strategy of keeping it tight through the forwards and exploiting the blind side as much as possible worked well. The rush/offside defence is a pain in the arse, but there's no reason Hansen can't do a Gatland and get in the ref's ear beforehand. Insist on cards if players continue to infringe.
The Lions are winning by playing a spoiling strategy, slowing play down at setpiece, putting in the biff, infringing constantly in their own half and showing they are happy to let the ABs collect points by three. If that's the way the Northern Hemisphere wants rugby to be played, good for them.
But I would dearly love the ABs to run them ragged next weekend, playing and winning with the precision, confidence and flair that makes the biggest draw card in world rugby.
