Test Match 1: All Blacks v British & Irish Lions (Auckland)

[Truth]

Did they ? I saw the ABs in total control for 65 of the 80 minutes probably .....

Yeah I thought the Lions did really well. They improved a lot as a team since their build up games. It was just last quarter where they needed to go another level but just kind of faded out.

Look at it this way - the Lions showed in patches that they can foot it with the All Blacks. I honestly saw that.

 

[Scotty]

Next week would change
Itoje for AWJ
Sexton For Farrell
Marler for McGrath
Henderson second row sub
Stander for Warburton
North for Halfpenny.

Itoje for awj
Keep faz and sexton on bench
McGrath start mako as impact
Keep furlong
Henderson on bench as you said
Keep same back 3
JJ on the bench for impact.

Shout for north to start but only if they are going to use him alot if not keep watson

JGeorge. kruis itoje falatau faz williams daly need to start no matter what all had great game.

Like sinks on the bench he is so powerful, him and mako are such good impact subs with stader or tips on the bench


Think maybe daly at 23 with north in his place? Cant remember which side north plays on.

 

[Skylinerd1]

Lions could make a game of it if they select the likes of Stander, Sexton to start, Itoje... and maybe someone different in the front row as that lot looked incapable of threatening out scrum just as I thought they would.

I dont get how you lot from the north rate Farrell. I just dont see it. Sexton was decent in the Australian lions win.

 

[Penne Rara]

Rather bland win.

I feel empty, nothing extraordinary happened during this match, especially at the end... It started brilliantly but got boring towards the last 15 minutes. Huge credit to the Lions though for trying to expand their game. They asked many questions to the ABs defense and sometimes succeeded in scoring. Very special performance from them.

Crockett and Moody are error prone, but that last one from Crockett is just plain stupid. It put the All Blacks under a lot of unnecessary pressure at the end of the match, and it even led to a Lions try. Peyper already warned him but he still tried to slow the ball down illegally. Needs a word from the coaching staff.

Nice officiating from Jaco, he ruled well around scrums (or is that because front rows were disciplined today?). That's possibly the only time you'll read this from me, but he actually was one of the best refs on tour up until now (with Gardner of course).

I'm disappointed for Bender and Crotty. Hope their injuries aren't too bad. Aaron Smith one of the best players today. His kicking game helped remove a bit of early pressure on the All Blacks and his quick service was instrumental in contributing to break the Lions line. Ioane a promising prospect, was a bit silent during the first half, but is defensively sound and his pace is absolutely lethal!

 

[Reiser99]

Well played AB's speed and pace was impressive and didn't give the Lions any chance to catch their breath. Showed why they are the best in the world.

As for the Lions.
Backs: Williams was fantastic, need his creativity. JD and Te'o worked well. Daly and Watson were good overall, Daly needs to keep concentrating. Murray was his usual self. Faz was better at 10, though didn't have a massive impact. Sexton didn't change much when he came on, though Faz should have gone off. Webb should have come on earlier to snipe sooner. Halfpenny was clearly the wrong choice from the bench. North or Nowell would have been better.

Forwards: Line out was good and stole from the AB's, however lost the breakdown. O'Brien is a better carrier, would Tipuric be better at competing at the breakdown? Warburton was disappointing and should play Tuesday to prove his form. AWJ and Kruis were both poor. AWJ especially looked tired very early. Itoje to start with Lawes probably. I think Lawes and Henderson start on Tuesday, who ever has the bigger impact comes off early for the test. Front 3 were good, if not spectacular. McGrath didn't have an impact, so possibly start him and bring on Vunipola later. Marler wouldn't have much of an impact either. Owens had a pressure throw to start, but didn't have an opportunity. Sinckler is definitely your ideal impact sub.

 

[Saint Matt]

Just as an add on as well, personnel is only part of it for me. We put a good 23 out today but when you're playing against a team that knows each other's games as well as NZ do, you're always, always at a disadvantage and especially against a team who are as good as they are. Yes we made individual errors in terms of dropped balls etc but we left tries out there because runners were waiting for the ball player to make the decision. NZ react and know what the guys are them are doing and that enables them to play quickly and clinically.

Rugby is largely system based and it takes a bunch of players much longer to gel and adapt than it used to.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

In terms of a boxing match, Lions staggered the ABs in round 5, but then ABs got back control of the game and just pummelled them for 6-11. Lions maybe taking the last round on points, but apart from that ABs the better team for 10/12 of the rounds.

 

[Maverick1987]

Lions could make a game of it if they select the likes of Stander, Sexton to start, Itoje... and maybe someone different in the front row as that lot looked incapable of threatening out scrum just as I thought they would.

I dont get how you lot from the north rate Farrell. I just dont see it. Sexton was decent in the Australian lions win.

The Australian tour was 4 years ago .... I'm presuming you never watch NH rugby ? Not being nasty just asking . Because Faz has been brilliant for England and Sarries . Today wasn't his best day to be fair

 

[General Melchett]

Kruis was poor today but his selection was correct given his form leading up to today. AWJ, Warburton and 1/2P are just wasting valuable test 23 places - Gatland has to take responsibility here. Lawes, Stander and Nowell should have been picked instead.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Changes I'd make:
-Owens for George, George did nothing wrong but we need more competition at the break down.
-Itoje for Alun Wyn with Hendo in on the bench.
-Marler for McGrath, he's in better form and brings far more impact.
-Nowell for Halfpenny

 

[GoTheNaki]

You cant change Williams and Te'o... Itoje has to start to set the tone. Hes great, im gonna love to hate him for years to come. AWJ was done after 15mins. Itoje was always there.

Never ever take that kid Ioane off the wing, Hansen, dont you dare. I bet you do though.

I dont think Smith justified why hes starting above Perenara.

 

[Skylinerd1]

The Australian tour was 4 years ago .... I'm presuming you never watch NH rugby ? Not being nasty just asking . Because Faz has been brilliant for England and Sarries . Today wasn't his best day to be fair

I dont care much for english club rugby. You are in NZ and iv seen plenty enough of Farrell and Sexton at international level. I have always been more impressed by Sexton whenever the AB's have played Ireland but maybe thats just me. With that lineout you guys need more field position.

 

[smartcooky]

NZ stats first

Possession -------- 54% - 46%
Territory ---------- 52% - 48%
Time in opp 22 --- 5:30 - 8:27
offloads ---------- 14-10
Missed Tackles ---- 7 - 17
Turnovers Conc --- 15 -16
Handling Errors --- 8 - 11
Penalties Conc ---- 7 - 11
Broken Tackles ---- 21-17
Rucks/Mauls ------ 109-61
Line Breaks -------- 0 - 1
7+ phases --------- 11 - 6

 

[Maverick1987]

I dont care much for english club rugby. You are in NZ and iv seen plenty enough of Farrell and Sexton at international level. I have always been more impressed by Sexton whenever the AB's have played Ireland but maybe thats just me. With that lineout you guys need more field position.

We can agree on the field position part . Unfortunately in my opinion our best kicker from hand in play is George Ford and Gatland didn't pick him ...... if you saw the England/Argentina tour you would know who he is

 

[munstermuffin]

2 points.
1. Is Sexton fading a bit as a player? Might be wrong but he has dipped alot over past 6 months?

2. POM was good but wonder would he possibly be a bench option with Itoje or Henderson starting 6 next week?

 

[Truth]

You cant change Williams and Te'o

Yeah I actually enjoyed that battle. I was hoping for SBW to get Te'o back for upending him (which I thought was a fair tackle, not a penalty) but Te'o just didn't happen to go down Sonnys way. Both 12s played well. SBW did a questionable grubber in the 2nd half and Teo slipped at a bad time. SBW stats would be interesting.

 

[Truth]

I dont get how you lot from the north rate Farrell. I just dont see it. Sexton was decent in the Australian lions win.

You have to watch NH rugby more than they do to be able to make a fair judgement on that one.

In saying that, Id take Sexton over Farrell too.

 

[Reiser99]

NZ stats first

Possession -------- 54% - 46%
Territory ---------- 52% - 48%
Time in opp 22 --- 5:30 - 8:27
offloads ---------- 14-10
Missed Tackles ---- 7 - 17
Turnovers Conc --- 15 -16
Handling Errors --- 8 - 11
Penalties Conc ---- 7 - 11
Broken Tackles ---- 21-17
Rucks/Mauls ------ 109-61
Line Breaks -------- 0 - 1
7+ phases --------- 11 - 6

Curious where you got those stats from, because I'm sure Sky had the AB's with 11 missed tackles at the end of the first half alone. Not saying they were right, but would be curious s to how a big discrepancy came about.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Itoje for awj
Keep faz and sexton on bench
McGrath start mako as impact
Keep furlong
Henderson on bench as you said
Keep same back 3
JJ on the bench for impact.

Shout for north to start but only if they are going to use him alot if not keep watson

JGeorge. kruis itoje falatau faz williams daly need to start no matter what all had great game.

Like sinks on the bench he is so powerful, him and mako are such good impact subs with stader or tips on the bench


Think maybe daly at 23 with north in his place? Cant remember which side north plays on.

Not sure how you can say Faz was great today

 

[GoTheNaki]

Yeah I actually enjoyed that battle. I was hoping for SBW to get Te'o back for upending him (which I thought was a fair tackle, not a penalty) but Te'o just didn't happen to go down Sonnys way. Both 12s played well. SBW did a questionable grubber in the 2nd half and Teo slipped at a bad time. SBW stats would be interesting.

He got him back in one of the next runs Te'o had . But it was 2 person tackle.