[2016 Super Rugby] Lions vs. Highlanders (Semi-Final 2) 30/07/2016

[Aristodemus]

Impressive performance by the Lions, Combrinck continues to look good every time I see him.

 

[Superalexmarket]

This is Rugby Champagne!! Beautiful!!

 

[austingtir]

Game was well over but deff signs of tiring in this Lions team at the end there.

They can totally beat the Canes no doubt about that at all.

 

[Sonic Kiwi]

Damn it, Damn it Damn it. I have to admit.....even though the lions shouldn't be there thanks to conference rules. They are pretty good. DAMN IT

 

[unrated]

That was a good game to watch! The Highlanders really seem to have an all out attack/offload style which made for an entertaining game. Lions was very impressive the final is going to be the tight.

 

[Sonic Kiwi]

Game was well over but deff signs of tiring in this Lions team at the end there.

They can totally beat the Canes no doubt about that at all.

80 MINS, even though the Lions had the game.....did you see the commitment. Ben Smith

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

This is the first season of me looking at Super Rugby and the games today lived up to the name of the league. Barret's performance at 10 last week was the best I've ever seen at any level (howling gale, pouring rain) and he was outstanding again today. Jantjies here was really strong and that is probably the second best performance at 10 that I've seen (admittedly helped by a superb supporting cast) at club level.

Biggest game of the young man's life and first time he's been exposed to that level of pressure, and he executed really well. He:

- scored a try
- counterrucked creating a turnover
- executed a perfect cross kick leading to a try
- broke the line from inside his 22 to set up a try
- took a ballsy quick penalty under his own sticks and broke the line again (should have been a try)
- chipped through perfectly leading to another try
- good penalties/conversions as ever

The lad has a calm head, a thumping boot and is a superb physical specimen for a number 10 in terms of size, strength and speed. He'll do just fine in a Springboks team that may not be dominant if their coach can embrance this new style of rugby.

Highlanders lost their chance when they lost out on top seed in a conference, but it was a brave defence and they actually played pretty decent. A complete howler just before halftime though, I don't think they recovered from that mentally.

 

[Jaguares]

Well done, Lions! A big win to remember. Congrats!

 

[austingtir]

Damn it, Damn it Damn it. I have to admit.....even though the lions shouldn't be there thanks to conference rules. They are pretty good. DAMN IT

I hope your joking regarding lions shouldnt be there. They are like the only overseas team that DESERVED to be there on merit! After this performance nobody can argue otherwise imo. The HL had done a **** load of travelling and I still say under other circumstances they could beat this Lions team (I thought the Lions got a little reffing help at the start) but it is what is. Great win by the Lions.

 

[Sonic Kiwi]

80 MINS, even though the Lions had the game.....did you see the commitment. Ben Smith

I think the Lions are a breath of fresh air........they try and play NZ style, I can see the All Blacks thrashing the Boks if they try that 'expansive' style esp with warm benches. Cometh the man cometh the style

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Game was well over but deff signs of tiring in this Lions team at the end there.

Thought about that but I read it another way: they just relaxed due to the point lead they had. Considering the altitude, the highlanders should be the ones getting tired.

Damn it, Damn it Damn it. I have to admit.....even though the lions shouldn't be there thanks to conference rules. They are pretty good. DAMN IT

You simply can't avoid being a whining sore loser can't you?

 

[Sonic Kiwi]

80 MINS, even though the Lions had the game.....did you see the commitment. Ben Smith

I think the Lions are a breath of fresh air........they try and play NZ style, I can see the All Blacks thrashing the Boks if they try that 'expansive' style esp with warm benches. Cometh the man cometh the style

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Well done, Lions! A big win to remember. Congrats!

Congrats.....in fact I'd say O for awesome

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I hope your joking regarding lions shouldnt be there. They are like the only overseas team that DESERVED to be there on merit! After this performance nobody can argue otherwise imo. The HL had done a **** load of travelling and I still say under other circumstances they could beat this Lions team (I thought the Lions got a little reffing help at the start) but it is what is. Great win by the Lions.

Yes you're right, they do deserve to be there.....I'm just making excuses, DAMN IT

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Thought about that but I read it another way: they just relaxed due to the point lead they had. Considering the altitude, the highlanders should be the ones getting tired.


You simply can't avoid being a whining sore loser can't you?

No offence mate, I was joking........I'm glad they made it. Mayby you should see the funny side but then again you'd take my word for gospel?

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Anyways, let's just watch real rugby next and see who wins. Congrats Lions......defo conference winners 4 sure

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

No offence mate, I was joking........I'm glad they made it. Mayby you should see the funny side but then again you'd take my word for gospel?

Ahh, they "i was joking" retort when things backfire. Never seen that one before.

Keep telling yourself your jokes are hilarious thou. Kinda cute.

 

[Sonic Kiwi]

Ahh, they "i was joking" retort when things backfire. Never seen that one before.

Keep telling yourself your jokes are hilarious thou. Kinda cute.

Thanks mate, hows Argentina these days? Apparently you guys thrashed the Lions......"no joke"

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Thanks mate, hows Argentina these days? Apparently you guys thrashed the Lions......"no joke"

Actually, I don't think Japan, Ireland or Scotland let alone Argentina have beaten NZ yet......that's the joke, even fumier is that we're called the Brazilians of rugby......do you get it? hahahaha HA

 

[Sonic Kiwi]

Ahh, they "i was joking" retort when things backfire. Never seen that one before.

Keep telling yourself your jokes are hilarious thou. Kinda cute.

Kinda cute when your retorts back fire......me thinks

 

[Ludders93]

Rugby porn from the Lions. The Lions are light years ahead of any other Springbok franchise, and if you could clone people (stupid hypothetical)-would destroy the Springboks!

 

[Jaguares]

 

[TobesHodges]

Savage

 

[Scrum Bum]

jeez the camera angles are bad in the Republic.

I thought the Highlanders would be able to win the game up front but obviously I overestimated the abilities of our forward pack. Chopping and changing works well with the All Blacks but we are not the All Blacks. I think our mediocre forward pack got exposed, in the same way that the Chief's mediocre forward pack got exposed. You can't always rely on a few special backs to win a game of rugby for you.

 

[Nubiwan]

jeez the camera angles are bad in the Republic.

I thought the Highlanders would be able to win the game up front but obviously I overestimated the abilities of our forward pack. Chopping and changing works well with the All Blacks but we are not the All Blacks. I think our mediocre forward pack got exposed, in the same way that the Chief's mediocre forward pack got exposed. You can't always rely on a few special backs to win a game of rugby for you.

One of the best replies on here, that I have read. Whilst piling it on in the last 15 minutes perhaps, it occurred to me how little effect Ben and Aaron smith had on that match. Also, faddes hardly seemed to get a touch until he scored a try on 50 or 60 minutes. Highlanders looked jaded to me, so difficult to tell if it was the opposition, or travel that saw them off. Probably a bit of both. Game was settled in the tight, and early. Highlanders never really got going at all, and were always chasing. Their goal and general kicking was poor in the context of players like Owen Farrel, and I trust the highlanders out half is rated as AB potential, if not already a full cap. Kicking is bang average. If you take 3 pointers in this day and age, then 80-90 % ought be going over. The lions pack certainly had a 6 inch to a foot on each scrum, and enough to upset any highlanders rythmn.

i still cannot help thinking after watching the crusaders and highlanders match that similar games in NZ would have yielded different results. So, not sold on the lions all the same, and it is going to take them to beat a team in NZ for me to be convinced. One thing to acclimatize nifty backs for travel and altitude, but quite another to expect performance from 2 metre forwards and 110 kg props to be sharp. The away team has given up 15 to 20 points in this regard in both the semi and quarter finals in South Africa. The NZ teams have the added demand of altitude which can take well more than a week to overcome at this level. It showed yesterday, as the highlanders looked like they were playing in lead boots for much of the game.

We we shall see how those lions forwards do in wellington against a NZ side that has now had the luxury of 3 weeks of non travel. Perhaps they will surprise me, but I reckon they'll lose.

i am a neutral who is glad to see even competition, but feel the NZ teams have had it rough in the context of the conference system. I suppose it is the only blight on the entire tournament, but my opinion is that neither the highlanders, nor the crusaders are as bad as they have shown in South Africa, and it's not entirely the doing of the opposition.

difficult to know when two sides are competing on an even playing field all the same. Can't call it sour grapes when I am not a kiwi, and just want to see the most even competition possible.

a juicy prospect in store for the final, and one the organizers would have prayed for considering 3 NZ teams in the semis.