[2018 Super Rugby] Round 4: Lions vs. Blues (10/03/2018)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Emirates Airlines Park​

Time: 17:15 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Zero]

Picking the Lions, home advantage and they play strong attacking running rugby, Blues will find it difficult to be able to defend 80 minutes vs that, also the Lions pack is awesome, Ioane vs Whitely will be a good matchup, time to see if Ioane can produce something for 80 minutes and a leaders performance.

I think it will be another Crusaders vs Lions final this year. Early days, but both teams look to be continuing last years form and still look the best teams in the competition currently.

 

[SomeOke]

Always enjoy a good NZ/Saffer game, if the Lions lose I think it's safe to say the Saffer teams are still way behind, it's pretty much the best of SA vs the worst of NZ, at home.

 

[mania]

Lions in SA should be too much for the Blues

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Cracking match. I wonder if it might help the Blues to mentally turn the corner in the future in tight contests with their NZ neighbours.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

This was a very insightful game. During some parts, particularly during the 1H, it was as if the Lions weren't taking the game seriously or something. It was as if whenever the Lions hit the gas pedal a bit they could push the blues at will.

Also, the Lions tend to do considerably better on 2H's (or force their opponents to do even worse; relative wise i mean), while here they kinda lost the plot.

Good result for the blues, but i get a feeling that the Lions have learned a valuable lesson here, at a rather (potentially) inexpensive cost.

 

[SomeOke]

I don't even like the Lions but I'm filled with despair.
Stormers lose the the Highlanders.
Bulls lose to the Reds.
Lions lose to the Blues.

As always I will remain optimistic but it looks like another poor year for us Saffers.

 

[Radsy]

Wild!

For the Blues...

Signature victory and an incredible show of belief. Every player played with true passion in the second half. Akira answered the call and finally showed an 80 minute performance. He ran all game with brutality and purpose. Pulu wasn't missed, and young Nock and Ruru showed better game management despite only a fraction of their captain's caps. Gatland was ineffective and Perofeta showed he won't be taking the 10 jumper off moving forward. Tupou's offload on the second to last try was incredible. Sonny Bill was pedestrian until the last 20 minutes. His defense led to the turnover that created the Tuipolotu try and his offload to Collins before the final try was vintage stuff.

For the Lions....

Lazy game from the contenders, and I agree that this won't cost them much in the long run. They've had early season slips like this every year. Marx was incredible as usual, but that last knock on, his first mistake of the game, was huge. Whiteley was not himself after the early knee knock and he really has to keep the ball in hand when he's charging down the sideline. Dyantyi is a beauty and plays every minute like it's his last. Van Rensburg has been disappointing to start the season in my opinion. He looks too bulky and rarely passes. Cronje, Jantjies, and Mapoe were all class as usual.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

I don't even like the Lions but I'm filled with despair.
Stormers lose the the Highlanders.
Bulls lose to the Reds.
Lions lose to the Blues.

As always I will remain optimistic but it looks like another poor year for us Saffers.

I see your point.
If (arguably) the worst new zealand franchise is better than the best non-nz one, in J'burg, then yes, i can understand the despair. SR would be pointless.

I don't think that's the case tho. Lions just had a very bad 2H.

 

[The Jones Boy]

The Blues beat the British and Irish Lions, they can beat almost anyone except another Kiwi franchise.
A contest like this one will help to show them how to execute a smarter game management plan for future situations but more importantly this result means that their season isn't over after 3 games. The Lions are a top side at home, this was a special result.
Tana deserves a result, he's been trying his guts out to get the Blues more competitive.

 

[Larksea]

the blues are generally a good team, the NZ conference is brutal and ultra competitive. The blues haven't won a game against other NZ sides a long time now but most of the games are under 10 or even under 7 points difference.
This was still a surprise result because of the chiefs game, after losing a game they looked like they were going to win against the Highlanders in week 1 they took a step backwards and lost a home game to a severely depleted chiefs lineup. They looked like they had a lot of work to do and the Lions are a highly respected team in NZ. To be fair the Lions are the only team outside NZ you dont automatically expect a NZ side to beat. More so in an away game.

I didn't see the whole game, just extended highlights.
But you know I have been talking about how Pulu isn't doing well enough as a playmaker for the blues. It seemed like their comeback from 18 points down was all done with Pulu off the field and the replacement 9 Ruru looked like he did a really good job. It makes such a difference when the halfback makes good decisions, it looked to me like Ruru really helped spark the blues attack. This result will likely see him get more gametime.

 

[mania]

This was still a surprise result because of the chiefs game, after losing a game they looked like they were going to win against the Highlanders in week 1 ...

...been talking about how Pulu isn't doing well enough as a playmaker for the blues....

in blues defence they had some yellow cards vs the landers and didnt they also get one vs the chiefs?
blues are a force to be reckoned with. every time they play my canes i'm worried.

ive never been a pulu fan. he doesn't have a great pass and thats your primary role as HB. doesnt show any game management or a decent kicking game. pulu tends to try to run himself out of trouble and its getting a bit telegraphed now.

 

[mania]

the blues are generally a good team, the NZ conference is brutal and ultra competitive.

cant remember who in the Lions touring party pointed out; that only in NZ rugby is a team (the Blues) at the bottom of the table when they've won more than they've lost.

 

[Larksea]

yeah the blues can beat any NZ side on a given day its crazy they have not beaten a NZ side in 2 years?? also true some of those results have been just the rub of the green or the odd critical call going against them. Pretty much all the games are tight. But a lot of the results is on themselves and poor closing out of games, poor skills and tactical decisions. The chiefs had no right to win that game, that last 10min was a good example of the blues blowing this type of result.

Pulu made his name as an impact sub at the chiefs after being a bit of a bully at ITM cup level. I dont think he has ever consistently shown he has the game management and vision to hold as much responsibility as he does at the blues right now. I see him as kinda like the polar opposite of someone like Andy Elis. Elis was physically pretty small and not really a gifted athlete and while his clearance wasn't fast and his pass wasn't awesome either he did have very good vision and understanding of the game and enough ability to put those skills to work.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Glad the Lions got an early wake up call this season, they are beatable at home.
Now to see if they can do some soul searching under the new coach and both first captains out injured.
Taking nothing away form the Blues comeback, they deserved the victory at the end.