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

[The Jones Boy]

It's a juggling match for Gatland, it looks like he's opted for players who can counter effectively, and Halfpennys running game has not been what it was a year ago.
He looks like he's been off the pace.
Gatland is picking players who can create something out of nothing. That may be the key to getting a sneaky try.
With Sexton and Farrell, Gatland has plenty of precision kicking skills in his bag already.
He doesn't need Halfpenny for his kicking skills and his pace has been lacking, so other options are more attractive for this test.

 

[Shaggy]

New Zealand's radio sport just reported that Cruden gets the bench spot ahead of Sopoaga

.... and confirmed by TVNZ

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/spo...ess-test-named-bench-all-blacks-against-lions

 

[Nubiwan]

Hello

It still surprises me in this day in age, that some still see that if a player isn't named in the starting XV,that they are somehow deemed to be "unlucky" or that it's some kind of indication that the coaches and selectors see them as inferior to the starting player in some way. To me, it's just an indication that some players are better suited to the tighter/wearing the opposition down phase of the game,and others are better when the starting players start to tire, and can provide more of an impact.

I thing both camps have got it right with regard to the likes of Anton Lienert-Brown and Maro Itoje; both are great impact players. I'm not saying they aren't great starting players too, but they are probably better impact players, than the starting player in their likely position.

In a similar vein, if a player isn't named in the starting 23, it doesn't mean that they have suddenly been discarded, just that the selected side is better suited to the game the coaches want to play against that particular opposition. I doubt that Naholo or J.Savea see their paths blocked towards being selected.

Where I come from, if you don't get selected then good chance the coach has no clue at all.

 

[Penne Rara]

Where do you come from mate? France?

 

[Mike88]

With Sexton and Farrell, Gatland has plenty of precision kicking skills in his bag already.
He doesn't need Halfpenny for his kicking skills and his pace has been lacking, so other options are more attractive for this test.

True but Sexton isn't starting either. Farrell has yet to hit his usually excellent kicking form so I maintain that it is a risk leaving out Halfpenny. Let's see what happens Saturday but if Farrell flops his kicking we will lose as tries will be difficult to come by.

 

[TW27BA]

Disappointed for Itoje and JJ not making the starting lineup. AWJ needs the game of his life.
I hope I'm wrong, but I can't see any combination of those 23 beating the AB's.

 

[General Melchett]

True but Sexton isn't starting either. Farrell has yet to hit his usually excellent kicking form so I maintain that it is a risk leaving out Halfpenny. Let's see what happens Saturday but if Farrell flops his kicking we will lose as tries will be difficult to come by.

Fair points but 1/2P's lack of mobility could potentially cost us a try or two if he's left with a one on one against a back with gas or quick footwork.

For me the difference between 1/2P and Farrell isn't great enough to warrant his inclusion. Farrell's last miss was down to his eagerness to take the penalty without having touched the ball. He should have left it Laidlaw and taken the next one.

 

[ALJ]

True but Sexton isn't starting either. Farrell has yet to hit his usually excellent kicking form so I maintain that it is a risk leaving out Halfpenny. Let's see what happens Saturday but if Farrell flops his kicking we will lose as tries will be difficult to come by.

The point for me is that if you want Halfpenny for his kicking then he has to start.

Tbh, I wouldn't have complained if he had been picked at 15 (was expecting it really).

But if the coaches have decided they don't need him in the starting XV, then his kicking isn't seen as crucial and I see far better options for the bench in terms of what they can add to the side when coming on.

 

[The Jones Boy]

True but Sexton isn't starting either. Farrell has yet to hit his usually excellent kicking form so I maintain that it is a risk leaving out Halfpenny. Let's see what happens Saturday but if Farrell flops his kicking we will lose as tries will be difficult to come by.

Fair point but aren't you forgetting that young Daly can apparently kick a bit as well, so there is another kicking option to add to the mix.

 

[Mike88]

That's a fair point. But Farrell would have to miss a few before Daly was given a chance. At least with Halfpenny you can virtually guarantee he will score. Gatland has either total confidence in Farrell's kicking or he believes the way to win is by scoring tries. Let's see what happens.

 

[Ground We Won]

Can't wait for the match!

Pretty happy with the team. Hansen countering the the highball tactics with smart selections. I thought Naholo had done enough to make the side, he's been great under the highball this season. Ioane is in terrific form though.

Deep running, kicks in behind and flat balls to counter their defensive line speed. Can see SBW getting a lot of offloads off.

Predicting it's going to be tight. The Lions have the best bench of any team the All Blacks have ever come up against, so I don't think the usual blow out in the last 20 minutes is on the cards. Expecting it to come down to a few clinical plays.

I think we have an edge in the set pieces, I'm surprised Itoje isn't starting and I thought Nowell did enough to get a spot too. The loose very good though.

Going to go with a 22 - 17 All Blacks victory.

Good luck to the Lions.

 

[ncurd]

That's a fair point. But Farrell would have to miss a few before Daly was given a chance. At least with Halfpenny you can virtually guarantee he will score. Gatland has either total confidence in Farrell's kicking or he believes the way to win is by scoring tries. Let's see what happens.

We won't win by just scoring penalties that much I'm certain of.

Also Farrell needs to have a exceptionally bad day for his kicking percentage compareed to 1/2p to really effect the match. You need something like a 15-20% difference before it might actually start losing you games on a regular basis. Farrell bad days aren't like Ford's where he instead of kicking everything he misses them all.

We put way too much emphasis on kicking % all the time.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

We put way too much emphasis on kicking % all the time.

Agree 100%.

It's also funny how Sarries have a (pretty unfair, these days) reputation of being a boring side kicking territory and edging the score up to win in multiples of three, yet take Farrell out of a Sarries shirt and suddenly he needs another kicker to hold his hand.

 

[ncurd]

Agree 100%.

It's also funny how Sarries have a (pretty unfair, these days) reputation of being a boring side kicking territory and edging the score up to win in multiples of three, yet take Farrell out of a Sarries shirt and suddenly he needs another kicker to hold his hand.

Also the fact in England's a unbeaten run he was pretty much the kicker in most games.

 

[Truth]

Can see SBW getting a lot of offloads off.

Well I hope so but I'd be surprised if the Lions fail to contain what SBW does best and thats the offload. I would've went for Laumape because he's obviously in form but also because the Lions haven't played against him yet. The Lions are aware of the dangers SBW poses and so Im kind of expecting the Lions to keep him quiet.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think everyone's been aware of the threat SBW poses ever since he made his Union debut for Toulon, but it doesn't stop him being able to do it.
Hansen had a great little soundbite about saying he was like an old meat pie because he attracts all the flies, leaving space for everyone else.
Can definitely see Farrell/Teo/Davies being a bit naive in that regard, and leaving gaps outside (rate them all as tacklers, but not necessarily as a defensive unit)

 

[welshglory]

Time for Teo to use his rugby league defensive skills and go for ball and all tackles on SBW. I reckon thats a factor in his selection.

 

[MarkyH]

Quite excited, procrastinating at work today too, trying to find more previews and lions bits to read...

Anyone got anything interesting?

 

[Jakedood]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p056ngb1

Havent listened yet, but I think Matt Dawson is a cracker to listen to, so I'd imagine it'd be good to hear

 

[Jakedood]

Actually the podcast was class until Mehrtens said that " I wouldnt start Itoje, as he's a standout player, and French referee's dont like that, they want the limelight all to themselves" then goes on to slag the french referees as a whole