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

[munstermuffin]

No need to check, I actually did while waiting for my dinner to cook
I couldn't be arsed going further back, but I'd be surprised if he's started more at 15 than wing in his career, even if fullback is his main position going forwards.
My point was just that it's a disservice saying he's not a winger, as he's played as much there as fullback (especially factoring in his 26 caps there, which is as many games as a club season).

I think Olyy the real stat everyone wants to know is: what was for dinner??????

 

[Which Tyler]

I think Olyy the real stat everyone wants to know is: what was for dinner??????

Coq Au Vin

 

[TobesHodges]

Is it me or are all Northern Hemisphere teams the same? We are great between the 22's but as soon as we're in our 22 we conceded and when we're in there's we can't get points..

AB's deserved there win, predicting a win for AB next week then they'll field a weird team in the final test and win the series 2-1..

Can't see the Lions doing any better than they did today.. maybe itoje to 6 and Start Henderson, maybe start Bigger with Sexton on bench..

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

...maybe start Bigger with Sexton on bench..

Now you've done it!

 

[TobesHodges]

I hate to say it but he's the only 10 that hasn't had a bad game this Tour..

 

[NDC89]

I hate to say it but he's the only 10 that hasn't had a bad game this Tour..

Didn't he play most of the Blues game? Hardly anyone's finest hour.

 

[Shaggy]

This argument will always come up when the Lions lose. But NZ will always be the hardest of the 3 SH sides to play. I still fancy the Lions chances v the Boks and the Wallabies in the next decade or so. Especially the latter seeing how fast the game is declining over there. ARU will never say no to the Lions touring there as it makes them a tidy profit. Plus Lions fans will always flock there for the weather, beaches etc.

I think most Australian, New Zealand, and South African fans love the Lions tours; while you guys get a tour every four years, we get one every twelve years. They are always competitive, and the fans are something we never see outside of perhaps a RWC.

Our players certainly hold the tours in high regard, as they'll often delay retirement or an offshore move, so that they can play in a series.

.... just heard on NZ Radio sport that the non playing Hurricane ABs are heading to Hurricanes training, so we might see them on Tueday

 

[Penne Rara]

I think Olyy the real stat everyone wants to know is: what was for dinner??????

A bowl of Lions supporters' tears... I mean soup. Yes, soup is grand

 

[galumay]

Exactly the result most non-Lions followers of the game expected. The AB's are in a different league to every other team, they play with an intensity, confidence, accuracy and skill set well above and beyond any other team. The nonsense about SR teams being of a similar level to the AB's was well and truly put to bed.

The Lions have done well to be half as good as the ABs as the score reflected, many top teams will struggle to get within 15 points of the AB's.

Its no easy task at the best of times, cobbling a team together from a collection of countries, at the end of their domestic season, and travelling to the other side of the world to play. Probably more realistic to judge the tour by the results in the games against the provincial teams, because thats a fairer comparison. On that basis the Lions have done OK this tour, but losing 2 out of the six so far is probably not the result they would have hoped for.

Looked like a great atmosphere at Eden Park and the fans were certainly rewarded with a Lions team that played with some adventure and put some good rugby together, really what Lions tours are all about.

 

[Maverick1987]

But Gatland could have rejected the schedule if he wanted to, but he didn't, and further, he supports it

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...can-work-in-their-favour-20170421-gvphz4.html

100% cooky . I was stunned when we agreed to it . I bet NZRU were laughing their cocks off

 

[Kiwiwomble]

What did everyone think of kaino? Watched it in a pub in Melbourne and there were a couple of hundred kiwis who forgot he was on the field and we're very glad to see him sub'd

 

[Larksea]

interesting game. AB's tactics would have taken the lions by surprised but for the most part they worked.
They backed themselves to make ground through the middle and they basically did it at will.
The frustrating thing for me was that many of the AB's pushes up field ended with unnecessary silly kicks and plays when all they needed was some patients.

Ben Smith and Crotty are big losses, the AB's did well to cover and maintain momentum. Selection is going to be very interesting. I think Dagg is much better value for us on the wing than fullback, I think it suits him much better. Does Jordie Barrett come in or does Bauden Drop back and Cruden starts at 10?

pretty convincing win but lions were good too, that try was brilliant and started with one of those poor kicks from NZ(cruden) that I mentioned... The chase wasn't organised and maybe we were a bit complacent and didn't respect the return as much as we should, maybe the AB's simply expected the lions to kick...

As far as individuals go.

Cane was unbelievable, what a game
Retalick was good as always.
Read was very good too but was showing signs of slowing towards the end, the injury toll during the game upset what would have been the normal sub plan
Kaino had a good comeback as well till he had a massive accidental collision with Cane, looked brutal...
Front row were good and had an edge at scrum time, our lineout was under pressure and taylor is going to be under some pressure to improve his throwing.
SBW was great, crotty was great too and he was a loss. ALB was good comming on early.
Ioane was quiet and could have done more on defense at times but in the end he was involved in some critical plays and scored 2 trys.
Aaron Smith did make some mistakes but overall was excellent, and the way he ran the show drawing and distributing to the forwards driving up field really set the platform for victory.

 

[smartcooky]

Having reviewed the match this morning (I watched it with the British SKY commentary; we can to this in NZ), I have a few comments to make about the five tries scored in last night's match.

The 1st All Blacks try
Not a forward pass by Dagg to Taylor. Yes, the ball drifted forward, but as we all know the path of the ball over the ground is NOT the criteria, it drifted forward with the forward momentum of the passer. Dagg clearly throws the ball backwards out of the hand.

The 1st Lions try
What an absolute rip-snorter, That has to be right up there with Dan Carter's try down the right side in 2005, and Ian Kirkpatrick's try in 1971 as one of the very best in the history of this series.

The 2nd All Blacks try
Despite what you will read in some media, Kieran Read did not knock the ball on in the scrum. It went forward from a kick by Connor Murray (correctly called by the English commentators, and wrongly called by the NZ commentators who thought it was Warburton). In point of fact, Murray was lucky not be be yellow carded. Not only did he kick the ball while it was still in the scrum - Law 20.9 (g), he did so from an offside position; the non-ball winning scrum half must keep both feet behind the ball - Law 20.12 (c).

The 3rd All Blacks try
Came from kick pressure. Liam Williams missed the catch, it bounced kindly for Reiko Ioane - game over. He was the quickest player on the park. Daly tried hard but couldn't catch him.

The 2nd Lions Try
Came from pressure, partly created by the Lions, but also thanks to some stupid unforced infringements by the All Blacks, particularly Crockett. The All Blacks will be pissed off they let that one in. It made the Lions look closer than they really were.

 

[Skylinerd1]

What did everyone think of kaino? Watched it in a pub in Melbourne and there were a couple of hundred kiwis who forgot he was on the field and we're very glad to see him sub'd

I thought early in the first half Kaino was immense. He fell off a couple tackles before they subbed him so maybe he lost concentration not sure.

He's still the best 6 in international rugby for me and has been for 5 or 6 years hell probably longer.

Our carrys and tackling by our big men up the middle were the best I think iv ever seen from an AB's team in this match. Really was not expecting it to be that good. Kaino featured in quite a few of those.

 

[Maverick1987]

I think most Australian, New Zealand, and South African fans love the Lions tours; while you guys get a tour every four years, we get one every twelve years. They are always competitive, and the fans are something we never see outside of perhaps a RWC.

Our players certainly hold the tours in high regard, as they'll often delay retirement or an offshore move, so that they can play in a series.

.... just heard on NZ Radio sport that the non playing Hurricane ABs are heading to Hurricanes training, so we might see them on Tueday

The lions have only really been competitive because Australia were bloody awful last time round and even then the difference was Beale slipping .... A shake up is needed imo . I'd like to see someone come up to Britain to play us if nothing else but to give our fans who can't afford to travel to the other side of the world to watch a game a chance to see the lions live

 

[Shaggy]

The lions have only really been competitive because Australia were bloody awful last time round and even then the difference was Beale slipping .... A shake up is needed imo . I'd like to see someone come up to Britain to play us if nothing else but to give our fans who can't afford to travel to the other side of the world to watch a game a chance to see the lions live

I could see that working as a tour; perhaps four tests (one in each of the BIL home grounds), and maybe four mid week games against a club side from each of the BIL nations. I guess it would all come down to scheduling and money; if it was going to happen in June/July, it would take the place of a SH home series, so either the sponsorship money would have to be very good, or the whole revenue sharing scenario would have to be revisited. If it was scheduled for November, would a series of four one off matches against the SANZAAR sides be an option, it would weaken the home nations home sides that i would imagine be played at the same time though

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I could see that working as a tour; perhaps four tests (one in each of the BIL home grounds), and maybe four mid week games against a club side from each of the BIL nations.

Man, that sounds really bloody good, I'd be so game

 

[Penne Rara]

I could see that working as a tour; perhaps four tests (one in each of the BIL home grounds), and maybe four mid week games against a club side from each of the BIL nations.

I was imagining the very same format earlier today! But with an even number of tests, how do you pick a winner?

PS: To think of it, the problem's kinda sorted thanks to Brexit. Just call it the British Lions tour and forget about the paddies (pls don't kill me I love you dear leprechauns, it's just good banter)

 

[Shaggy]

Man, that sounds really bloody good, I'd be so game

I'd probably be a starter too (assuming I could afford it) ... i didn't quite make it to your neck of the woods, when I was based in Canada. It would great to see something that hasn't been done before.

I was imagining the very same format earlier today! But with an even number of tests, how do you pick a winner?

A shared series wouldn't be the end of the world IMO ... the successful 1971 lions series was a four test series

 

[Ground We Won]

You've got to check who writes the article before you click it with WOL. If it's Andy Howell, he literally writes sensationalist and nonsense drivel for the sole purpose of clickbait. I'll only read Simon Thomas' work as, for the most part, he is a little more objective.

Yeah fair enough. We have a number of journalists like that in New Zealand, particularly writing for the NZ Herald. Every country unfortunately has this sort of journalism sadly, that cater to people like the 'valley commando'.