Lions v Blues
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Very good finish by us, not sure how we won that one. Good to get the win though, especially against a decent team away at altitude.
Perofeta looked silky out there, almost Cruden-like in that 2nd half. Is he the one we've been waiting for? I hope so. He should definitely start next week.
The bench actually added something to the game, which is a rare thing for us.
Akira is on fire at the moment. The Lions were struggling to contain him all game.
I like that we added more wrinkles to our attack for this game. It still looks like a work in progress though, but it's promising to see some creativity for once.
Although we got the win, we still looked very Blues-like for a lot of the game. If this were a derby game, we'd probably lose. You can't go down in the 22 so many times and come away with nothing. Hopefully the win gives us confidence, but we can't be totally satisfied with that performance.
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@stargazer said in Lions v Blues:
SBW is pretty disappointing though.
I've just watched the replay and SBW was poor in the 1st half especially, and only marginally better in the 2nd half. Rieko looked a bit lost at centre in the 1st half too.
Akira I-O-Nee was a beast and deserved MOTM.
The Blues decision to go with a 6-2 bench ended up being the right call as the forward subs all made an impact.
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@dice said in Lions v Blues:
Although we got the win, we still looked very Blues-like for a lot of the game. If this were a derby game, we'd probably lose. You can't go down in the 22 so many times and come away with nothing. Hopefully the win gives us confidence, but we can't be totally satisfied with that performance.
Yes, the first 60 mins was the same old shit, a poorly organised team of individuals. Akira and a handful of others were keeping us in touch and nothing more.
Ruru had 2 or 3 big errors early on but still showed enough to be given an extended run in the starting XV alongside Perofeta.
Parsons demands selection and led the side well. A big test fo Umaga will be what he does when Pulu returns. In 2016 & 2017 he stuck by his favourites for way too long.Perofeta living up to the hype so far. Now hopefully he can back it up.
What that last 20 mins showed is that this squad has more than enough talent to finish in the top 8 of a 15 team competition
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@bovidae said in Lions v Blues:
I've just watched the replay and SBW was poor in the 1st half especially, and only marginally better in the 2nd half. Rieko looked a bit lost at centre in the 1st half too.
Yeah, not for the first time in a Blues jersey SBW looked a bit shit. Also, I'm not convinced by Rieko's defence in the midfield.
I suspect they'll stick with this pair because of the result though. Maybe things click for SBW if Perofeta starts the match. -
@steven-harris said in Lions v Blues:
Gonna throw this out there,Jerome Kaino has been a great player no question,but I suspect he’s a bit off the pace and looking a shadow of himself given he’s heading off shore,do you invest more in a younger more dynamic loose forward mix..?
I'm hoping its the usual Kaino taking a while to build into form and not old age..
A younger more dynamic option? Do you have anyone in mind? Papali'i when he gets back, but he's probably needed at 7 initially. Not sure Tupou adds anything that Kaino doesn't even on current form.
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My comment was related to Rieko rushing out of the defensive line a few times and missing his man. On the wing he has a roving role which makes him more dangerous, particularly from broken play. His 2nd try was a good example of how dangerous he is.
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@duluth Ross Wright is a looshead too...which is what he was signed as I believe, not as a hooker?
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Cool, then we can have Apisai on the bench again!
Good option, but I really hope he stays where he is too
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@KiwiMurph maybe it's time to bring back Sam Prattley?
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Really liked the injection of Ross Wright and Perofeta, they made a helluva difference. Nice touches from the eyeownee bros and SBW plus nye-nye (when they finally got their shit together)
The perofeta/ruru combo worked well. Blues need a steady hand on the tiller, and not the flaky-headedness of Gatland. Hopefully a turning point for T's men. -
@african-monkey said in Lions v Blues:
@KiwiMurph maybe it's time to bring back Sam Prattley?
Haha fml. They really should keep Wright at hooker and fly over an actual loosehead.
I think people are being harsh on the midfield combo. They got better as the game went on and both stood out in the second half.
Rieko put Nanai into a gap in the second half with a beautiful pass.
Realistically who the heck else are the Blues going to have in midfield - Faiane has yet to show anything at this level.
Don't get cute - keep SBW and Rieko together and let them build a combo.
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Ruru made a couple of big mistakes, but he gets to the ball and clears it. Looking forward to his combo with Perofeta. Think we looked better without Pulu.
SBW was very good in the 2nd half. That midfield combo will do some damage when it settles in.
Scrafton and other bench forwards went well. Ofa T was good today.
Great to see Ioane driving a player over the line at the end.
Need to tighten up a bit - less pushed passes in the first half, and tighter defence all round.
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@booboo said in Lions v Blues:
Wey hey. Well done the Bluesers!
Just finished watching the recording.
Felt sorry for the Blues as most of the Lions' tries came from errors.
A win in Africa, at altitude, after travel delays, v Lions.
Maybe T is doing a good job...
What would the odds have been on both the Blues and Warriors winning away in the same weekend/night?
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