Springboks v British & Irish Lions II
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@nzzp I'm all for intensity and passion. A bit of skill beyond "roost the ball" would be nice. Umbrella defences can be unlocked with the right set piece moves but neither side fired a shot.
EDIT: I guess what I'm saying is i appreciate the art of the bomb and the kick chase and the aerial stuff. But not when it makes up 98% of the game.
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Just watched this and must gave seen a different game to the one commentated on here. I thought BOK was extremely good in a hell of a tough match to referee. Kolbe had eyes on ball throughout I thought so not a red in my view.
I thought the game changed directly after the needless niggle from Curry and Itoje. The Boks held their discipline and tried to play positive rugby. Kolisi dominated and should have been MOM. De Allende was huge often popping up strongly when it mattered. Sutherland was the Lions weak link after Furlong played superbly in front row. Only Conan stood up in Lions loosies though. Henshaw was threatening in backs and Biggar and Murray mediocre. Can't remember who else played in Lions backs...
I hope Lions make some changes and try to play expansive rugby and not win by trying to force penalties and cards.
I thought I was neutral at start of series but now swayed by intent to play. -
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@nzzp said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
If I were the benevolent dictator at world rugby, I'd ban support staff from the field unless the ref calls them on.
O'Keeffe was trying to get them off the field and speed up the game, but those guys were like a swarm of bees to honey. It was like watching a RL game where Langer is always in shot. Ridiculous.
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Thought Ben did well. Huge pressure and he handled it without getting excited and followed all protocols.
Boks gave the Lions a bloody nose and rubbed the dirt in their face. The Lions didn't fire a shot at all. Both DeKlerk and Murray are bloody awful halfbacks, aren't they? The game becomes a slugfest with both of them stilfling any kind of momentum and slowing down any kind of bal delivered quickly. They couldn't set a pair of polyester pyjamas on fire let alone a backline. Luckily Pollard did something with the little ball he was allowed to have and Biggar, well he was just Biggar.
Will watch no. 3 with interest though. -
@old-samurai-jack said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
Both DeKlerk and Murray are bloody awful halfbacks, aren't they?
If it wasn't for Faf the Boks wouldn't even be able to fire the limited shots they did. I countered about 4 times where Pollard passed. Kick kick kick kick kick kick kick
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Congrats to the Boks, much better performance.
Lions got the yips a bit in attack.
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Good result. I think the best team on the day won and as to the refereeing, I think the team were superb, Ben O'Keefe in particular.
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@nta said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
Springbok bench forwards are all over the Lions, particularly at scrum and maul time. Can't help but think Gatland has missed the boat on some selections.
Is Sutherland really the 2nd best LHP in this squad?
Nope, that's Mako Vunipola. Unfortunately the best LH is still injured.
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@nta said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
Springbok bench forwards are all over the Lions, particularly at scrum and maul time. Can't help but think Gatland has missed the boat on some selections.
Is Sutherland really the 2nd best LHP in this squad?
No
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@nzzp said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
@kiwiinmelb @nta I get that perspective, but disagree. It's not flair filled, as the offense and defense are so fast to teh breakdown and supporting; technique is top tier. It is a massive tussle, decided by fine margins and occasional brain farts. I've really enjoyed it, love the intensity and the passion. But it's not one to draw in new viewers, that's for sure
If you think that was a good game of rugby you’re a one man band. First half was utterly dreadful. Stop start like gridiron with technical penalties and I hate the tmo protocols now so slow (“back to you on the screen. So just to summarise we have seen…). See soccer and VAR - game flows.
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@billy-tell said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
@nzzp said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
@kiwiinmelb @nta I get that perspective, but disagree. It's not flair filled, as the offense and defense are so fast to teh breakdown and supporting; technique is top tier. It is a massive tussle, decided by fine margins and occasional brain farts. I've really enjoyed it, love the intensity and the passion. But it's not one to draw in new viewers, that's for sure
If you think that was a good game of rugby you’re a one man band. First half was utterly dreadful. Stop start like gridiron with technical penalties and I hate the tmo protocols now so slow (“back to you on the screen. So just to summarise we have seen…). See soccer and VAR - game flows.
I loved it, but I think that was out of pure stubbornness. The Lions only comes around once every four years, and I'll be damned if I'll let a dull match cursed with hopelessly unambitious gameplans, shoddy refereeing and riddled with basic errors spoil my enjoyment.
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@majorrage said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
Kolbe had his eyes on the ball the entire time
Jesus Christ 🤦♂️THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT OK!! THATS THE FUCKEN PROBLEM!!
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Well played the Bokke. Well deserved winners and in truth the scoreboard was kind to us as the second half could have seen more points given the domination SA showed. A few calls went against us but last week we got the rub, so no real complaints there. Our limited game plan and poor execution coupled with the Bok intensity were the reasons we suffered. We lost the aerial game convincingly and given that WAS pretty much the game, it’s kind of QED. It was not just our poor kicking and chasing, not even the inability of our back 3 to catch a cold but where was our defence for the catcher? SA showed how to marshal a kick chase defence with good, legal screening and the catcher not going past that screen. No complaints about O’Keefe’ officiating but plenty about the use of the TMO and the constant pitch invasions and the continued allowing of the Hydrator in chief coaching his team from the centre of the pitch.
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@bones said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
@majorrage said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
Kolbe had his eyes on the ball the entire time
Jesus Christ 🤦♂️THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT OK!! THATS THE FUCKEN PROBLEM!!
Why not?
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BILs changes for next week - apart from a whole new game plan. Wyn Jones if fit with Vunipola on the bench. George to the bench in place of Owens. If Alan-Wyn has anything left in the tank then he starts again with Itoje. Beirne at 6 with Lawes on the bench. Simmonds at 8. Navidi to the bench in place of Faletau. Otherwise no changes. In the backs, we have issues at 9 & 10 and I think the choice of 10 would dictate who plays at 9. I’d like to see Smith with Price but we won’t. Aki for Henshaw. Adams for Watson, Williams for Hogg. VDM stays by the skin of his teeth.
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@majorrage said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
@bones said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
@majorrage said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
Kolbe had his eyes on the ball the entire time
Jesus Christ 🤦♂️THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT OK!! THATS THE FUCKEN PROBLEM!!
Why not?
It's ludicrously reckless, not to mention bullshit. You can't disregard everyone else's safety just because you want to pretend you can only see the ball. Would certainly make for an interesting lineout as you don't even bother to compete and just get the guy at the front to run through the legs of the jumpers as he can't see them.
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@bones
People saying "he never took his eyes off the ball", as if that's a defence.That just confirms it wasn't malicious, but nobody's suggesting that it was.
Not looking where you're running in that kind of situation is reckless.
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@gibbonrib said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions II:
That just confirms it wasn't malicious
Does it though? The only reason why you would pretend to only be looking at the ball in that situation, is if you think there's a risk of taking someone out.
Maliciously reckless?
