SOB lays into Gats

[Big_Grumper]

Why not?

I mean it prob ****** him off that it is viewed as a success to draw and that Gatland and his coaching team are deemed as the victors, when they had a real chance of winning the tour in the end.

My issue is with the timing: we are barely into the new season and only a couple of months since the Lions returned home. Perhaps leave it six months - maybe a year - because it just looks petty.

 

[die_mole]

Can you imagine how habitually intolerable, cancerous and mentally deficient the average New Zealand rag publication commenter would appear if they actually lost regularly?
Gats and Howley for NZ Management team.

They'd just stop watching/caring. I think a big part of the appeal to rugby for them is that they almost never lose.

 

[Groundhog]

My issue is with the timing: we are barely into the new season and only a couple of months since the Lions returned home. Perhaps leave it six months - maybe a year - because it just looks petty.

What difference would 6 months make in a tour that happens once every four years?

They'd just stop watching/caring. I think a big part of the appeal to rugby for them is that they almost never lose.

Would they just watch Lord of the Rings on repeat then?

 

[die_mole]

What difference would 6 months make in a tour that happens once every four years?

Would they just watch Lord of the Rings on repeat then?

Idk... what was popular in the 70s, i think they have reached that decade by now.

 

[curtbob7]

I think you mean the new and improved Stu Lancaster... If Jono Gibbes can't do it for some reason!

Bold call not picking the head coach* who'll have won the 2019 RWC with a home nation... Very bold!

*Its not Warren!

Genuinely chuckled at my desk at that. Behave yourself sir!

 

[Sixways Cheryl]

I'm not a particularly big fan of Warren Gatland, but I'm not a fan of this either. At the end of the day a drawn series with a phenomenally good All Blacks side was a more than a creditable result. Don't tarnish it by mouthing off about the management a couple of months later.

 

[ncurd]

phenomenally good All Blacks side

Here's the problem I think 2015/2011 World Cup winning ABs were phenomenally good. The 2003 England side were phenomenally good. There are other great sides of Rugby history. This ABs side is not one of them and we are too much in awe of the ABs history to not recognise they are not as good as they once were.

 

[munstermuffin]

Here's the problem I think 2015/2011 World Cup winning ABs were phenomenally good. The 2003 England side were phenomenally good. There are other great sides of Rugby history. This ABs side is not one of them and we are too much in awe of the ABs history to not recognise they are not as good as they once were.

100% Agree. The 03 England Team and NZ Team from roughly 2010 To 2015. They were miles ahead of rest. Agree the All Blacks of last year were nowhere near that standard and I'd argue are bit overhyped due to the standard overall having declined a small bit.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_...s-coaches-claims-eddie-jones-guide-series-win

I've always liked you Billy!

*Starts deleting old posts*

Edit: "I wasn't there on tour but I guess if he [O'Brien] is saying it and the authority he said it with, he's probably right,"

That is the only quote really worth reading, Jones could have got that 2-1, Joe though... Oh what could have been!

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Perhaps the outcome may have different; we will never know.

Whilst I agree his views echo that of most Lions supporters it smacks of a lack of class. Why come out and say it now?

Agreed. Whether he's right or not doesn't matter.

It's not a case of "what goes on tour....". He was there as a professional and that's not professional behaviour, albeit normal standards don't seem to apply to sport. Wonder if he's contravened his Lions contract?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_...s-coaches-claims-eddie-jones-guide-series-win

I've always liked you Billy!

*Starts deleting old posts*

Edit: "I wasn't there on tour but I guess if he [O'Brien] is saying it and the authority he said it with, he's probably right,"

That is the only quote really worth reading, Jones could have got that 2-1, Joe though... Oh what could have been!

His brother and his cousin went on tour, and his cousin has had to deal with Gatland and his rag tag bunch for a number of years, so I imagine he's got the inside track.

 

[die_mole]

Agreed. Whether he's right or not doesn't matter.

It's not a case of "what goes on tour....". He was there as a professional and that's not professional behaviour, albeit normal standards don't seem to apply to sport. Wonder if he's contravened his Lions contract?

people **** talk their former bosses all the time, it's just most don't have famous ones so no one cares

 

[Groundhog]

That All Blacks side were not phenomenally good. They were very poor by their standards. That was likely a unique opportunity to win a tour against NZ in our lifetimes. O'Brien was in a far better position to see what went wrong and right than we are. O'Brien owes Gatland and Howley no loyalty, and if he has constructive thoughts for the Lions in the future, I'd prefer they're heard now.
For the record if you read the full thing he says they probably didn't deserve 3-0, but could have. He said they should have won the series though.

 

[Sixways Cheryl]

People seem to be picking up on me using the word 'phenomenal'. Fine, take that word out - they're still the best team in the world though & a drawn series against them on home turf is still an achievement. Don't forget the unbeaten run this All Blacks side went on, don't forget the record wins they've had against both Australia & South Africa... if they're not phenomenal, they're still very very very good.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Torygraph's take.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-un...n-has-let-lions-publicly-criticising-coaches/

 

[ncurd]

Well I make a point not agree with with Torygraph on prici0al

But honestly it's just tone as to why are angry. They seem to think we were pretty lucky to draw (we were) but they also don't say that under better coaching we'd have succeeded. In fact they don't seem to explain why Howley didnt deserve any critism other than you shouldn't cruise him. That not an argument it's just nonsense.

 

[ncurd]

I wouldn't say they are the best team in the world either that up for debate, world ranking point accumulated whilst one of the best team ever followed by not losing any because everyone you've played (except Ireland) are currently playing rubbish.

Currently they are as good as Ireland and haven't measured up against England (In equal measure England haven't play3d them so cant say they are the best). The three best teams in the world are NZ, England and Ireland but i wouldnt claim one over the other at the moment.

 

[GarethGriffiths]

Funny thing is he's saying it when it's all over and done.

Why not say it at the time? Or did he fear not being picked for games/branded as a trouble-maker?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Funny thing is he's saying it when it's all over and done.

Why not say it at the time? Or did he fear not being picked for games/branded as a trouble-maker?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

He said he mentioned it to management at the time.

 

[munstermuffin]

He said he mentioned it to management at the time.

To echo this it was rumoured at the time a few players did speak up so I don't think it's a case of only speaking up now.