[2016 Super Rugby] Chiefs vs. Lions (Round 2) 05/03/2016

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato
Time: 06:15 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[nzlizard]

Got my tickets today, gonna be an epic game.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

The Lions need to have improved drastically from Prince Chichibu Stadium to FMG Stadium if they want more wins on the road.

 

[TheOvalBall]

It was their first overseas outing. And first game of the tournament. They will improve.

 

[TRF_heineken]

It was their first overseas outing. And first game of the tournament. They will improve.

Yup, I think most teams will improve as the season wears on. Remember that this time the teams all had an extended off season because of the RWC so there's going to be more rustiness than usual. Also some didn't play some of their stars for more than 50 minutes during the warm-up matches, so the match fitness might not have been there last week.

 

[back2back]

Lions are a good team, but I think the Chiefs are fairly solid and with Cruden back will be able to edge a lot of tight games. McKenzie is looking great this season as well, unreal talent.

28 - 18 Chiefs.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yeah, I can see the Chiefs taking it by anything from 5 to 15 points. The Lions could sneak it but I'd be surprised. I expect a high scoring game though.

 

[sonnench]

Lions team for Saturday:

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnal Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith
Substitutes: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Fabian Booysen, 21 Jaco van der Walt, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg


Absolutely thrilled with KES old boys Marx and Smith getting a starting run, expecting massive things from both. My head says the Chiefs will edge what will be a cracker of a game, but expecting a much improved showing from the Lions this weekend and would not be all that surprised to see them sneak a win. 40-38 to the Chiefs in a high scoring affair.

 

[back2back]

Any chance Warren Whiteley will feature more for the Springbok next few years? Very good leader and player, the Lions are a tough outfit these days thanks largely to his efforts.

 

[nzlizard]

Picking Chiefs by about 10.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Anyone watching this? I tuned in late but looks to have been an exciting match whatever the outcome will be.

Edit; Wasn't expecting a Lions win. Not the way they played last week. Good 9 points away from home will come in handy as I always saw them as a team that can only win at home. Can't comment on the match as I missed the vast majority.

Next up the Highlanders away, Cheetahs at home which should be a win and the Lions could go into their bye in a decent spot with their travel done and dusted.

 

[sonnench]

Couldn't watch the game, or I did, in fast forward <_<. Absolutely ecstatic with the Lions victory!! Can't comment on performances unfortunately, but heard Lions scrummed well and de Klerk put in a masterful effort. Was a Chiefs try away from being practically spot on with my prediction, and couldn't be happier I was wrong. Lions are looking mighty pretty.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Absolutely atrocious refereeing today. Two sets of rules for the two teams, complete embarrassment.

 

[back2back]

The Lions coach should be Spring Bok coach and Warren Whitely should be a regular, fantastic player along with Crombrinck.

EDIT: The Lions were lucky with a lot of their penalties, the ref allowed them away with murder in the breakdown and scrum. They were lying all over the ball, didn't release tackled players, playing the ball off their feet and not releasing themselves, the ref really wasn't great.

 

[unrated]

Just shows you how unpredictable super rugby is. I thought i was good at superbru but these upsets are killing me! Time for a new approach

 

[nzlizard]

EDIT: The Lions were lucky with a lot of their penalties, the ref allowed them away with murder in the breakdown and scrum. They were lying all over the ball, didn't release tackled players, playing the ball off their feet and not releasing themselves, the ref really wasn't great.

We were at the game and were like 'wtf' every few minutes, hard to see what some of the calls were for. But the crowd was not happy.

 

[back2back]

We were at the game and were like 'wtf' every few minutes, hard to see what some of the calls were for. But the crowd was not happy.

The end of the first half was the worst and ultimately cost the Chiefs the game. Several penalties unfairly awarded to the Lions when they should have gone the other way. The Lions played well and the Chiefs need to work on a few things, but the ref really blew this.

 

[austingtir]

The end of the first half was the worst and ultimately cost the Chiefs the game. Several penalties unfairly awarded to the Lions when they should have gone the other way. The Lions played well and the Chiefs need to work on a few things, but the ref really blew this.

All I know is the Chiefs arent gunna go far with that scrum and getting dominated in the forwards constantly. They'll beat all the teams that cant scrum for crap but soon as they come across this type of committed forward play they are in trouble. Thing is the Lions backs actually turned up as well which probably decided the game.

 

[back2back]

All I know is the Chiefs arent gunna go far with that scrum and getting dominated in the forwards constantly. They'll beat all the teams that cant scrum for crap but soon as they come across this type of committed forward play they are in trouble. Thing is the Lions backs actually turned up as well which probably decided the game.

Hmm disagree, Chiefs are still decent enough upfront that they can compete with nearly any team in the competition, they proved that last week beating the Crusaders who have a strong pack. I just think the Lions are this years Highlanders, bunch of underrated overlooked players who are excellent, with a smattering of world class players like Whitely and Krombinck who really should be leaders in the Spring Bok team, who knows maybe this year SA will wake up to the gems they have.

 

[nzlizard]

Hmm disagree, Chiefs are still decent enough upfront that they can compete with nearly any team in the competition, they proved that last week beating the Crusaders who have a strong pack. I just think the Lions are this years Highlanders, bunch of underrated overlooked players who are excellent, with a smattering of world class players like Whitely and Krombinck who really should be leaders in the Spring Bok team, who knows maybe this year SA will wake up to the gems they have.

Agree, they matched the Crusaders upfront and while they lost a couple of battles they held there own, compared to the Blues who lost what felt like at least 50% of there own lineouts and were just dominated.