Test Match 3: All Blacks v British & Irish Lions (Auckland)

[munstermuffin]

It's actually both.
NZ were always going to drop back from the high of 2015 when all those capped players departed simultaneously.
Great teams are cyclical.
We have had great players come along and help to plug the gaps but there is no Conrad Smith or Nonu and in this series we really missed the mercurial Ben Smith. His elan and experience would have been of grreat value.
So this new look backline of new players will take time to gel and compose itself with familiarity.

Ireland are improving under Schmidt, They can beat anyone on their day.
Wales are capable of beating anyone under Gatland
England are the fastest improvers under Eddie Jones, they are really coming on. They will be the ones to watch in Japan.
Scotland have been resurgent.
Aussie have dropped off
France are climbing back slowly
The Japies look to have turned a corner and they are coming back stronger again.

Great way to put it and agree

 

[Every Time Ref]

Well, after watching it several times again, I edited a subsequent post to say that Farrell was occupied by Daggs run. Farrell had tackled his man, whether it was clean or not, Laumape was going down, Davies' man ran on through untouched. Perhaps I was harsh on Davies, but the passage simply indicates how much better the Abs are in the offload, across their team.

I m still right to question Davies commitment for the 1st try. Just watch himself and Laumape's reaction after the kick. Another untouched try.

I still thought Davies had a great game ad series. You can nitpick bits of everyones game.

I have in turn watched back (drunk I'll admit) and am not convinced. Daggs's run was covered by the defenders inside him and not his responsibility. I have a screenshot to illustrate this but it doesn't want to upload so I'd appreciate it if you'd just take my word for it

 

[Jockstap]

Just so all you non Irish guys know, now that the series is over you're all back on my list of enemies. If I ever meet you, I'm taking you down.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Bit disappointed with the quality of the match - a draw is a bit lame but I think it's fairly reflective of how well (or poorly) the teams played.

Not happy with how that final call was made (somehow Poite changed his mind between finishing talking with the TMO and walking over to Read and Warburton). Could have gone to the Lions anyway for Read playing the player in the air, but it definitely should have been a penalty one way or the other and it looked to me like Poite just didn't have the balls to make a match defining decision at the death of it.

Just a word on Warburton. It shows how good a captain he is when he's yelling at his players to get ready for a tap when plenty of other captains would be whining about the call. He's a great player and I think his strengths go unnoticed by a lot of people (much like Sam Cane, actually).

Would love to see a fourth match but oh well! Great to have the Lions here (both the players and the supporters) and long may Lions tours continue.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Poite could have played advantage, that was going very well for us... but he didn't get that right either.
He could have penalised the third player in the air for deliberately obstructing Read.

Insted he decided it was time for Cafe Au Lait and croissants, so he wandered off on his own.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Gatland can motivate aaaand that's about it in my opinion, not losing this tour is down to Farrell senior's coaching and Sexton and Faz deciding to **** the game plan out the window last week. Gatland with players and coaches who have been shown how to win by other head coaches draws against a very below par NZ, great achievement in the history books but I don't see it convincing anyone outside his home or adopted home that the game passed him by 5 years ago to the point where his team is now best described as "hard to beat"... Come back to me when he has a championship against Jones and Schmidt or beats NZ with Wales and I'll rate him better than bang average because for all the talk of "at the start of the tour we'd have taken 1-1" in the end it was a tour lost rather than a draw gained, pick your best 10 and second row in the first game you would have had a chance, drop your underperforming loose head for the last and you'd likely have won it...

 

[ThebigARena]

Been watching this thread for a while and surprised how bitter some have become, i mean what did people expect with gatland as coach??? really?? He has a record of picking players he has a personality with or lick his ass I should know being welsh trust me, alyn wyn should be nowhere near that team , his god awful form for the ospreys confirms this, but again gats alawys picks his bum boys, I cant shoot warbs down as much but hes nothing special then again I didnt see anyone else claiming that jersey. Thank god liam got the chance to shine at full back and I think overall he was worthy of his selection , JD2 definately deserved his selection without doubt, Im just sick of all the welsh hatred bitterness in this tournament, its not like the WRU appointed gats as coach , its nothing to do with the WRU . Infact its RFU who appoint that call so start blaming yourseleves before anyone else.. also on selection, Scarlets won the pro 12 this year and demolished leinster and Munster in the process and the. Scarlets are predominantly Welsh team, Owens , jon Davies , steff Evans etc, before your English lads go bashing us Welsh it was your rugby union that decides the coach so **** off?.. as far as select too s are merited well we did beat the Irish and lost at the death to an English team in acendancy ,not so bad this ,6 nations was closer than any before so do t make out like England were dominate . England can't say they would beat the all blacks until they play them and until then the ABs are the no1 team in the world still.

 

[ThebigARena]

Been watching this thread for a while and surprised how bitter some have become, i mean what did people expect with gatland as coach??? really?? He has a record of picking players he has a personality with or lick his ass I should know being welsh trust me, alyn wyn should be nowhere near that team , his god awful form for the ospreys confirms this, but again gats alawys picks his bum boys, I cant shoot warbs down as much but hes nothing special then again I didnt see anyone else claiming that jersey. Thank god liam got the chance to shine at full back and I think overall he was worthy of his selection , JD2 definately deserved his selection without doubt, Im just sick of all the welsh hatred bitterness in this tournament, its not like the WRU appointed gats as coach , its nothing to do with the WRU . Infact its RFU who appoint that call so start blaming yourseleves before anyone else.. also on selection, Scarlets won the pro 12 this year and demolished leinster and m6unster in the process aymn67d tvb5hat was aUYJHMNUYJHMNOL.

UUUYJHMNRTFGVBRTFGVBWs\xwS\X

 

[ThebigARena]

Scarlets won the pro 12 in great fashion this year and it proves to me what a different coach can do with a welsh team. We smashed Leinster and Glasgow !

 

[The Jones Boy]

I'm not bitter about anything, but I am saddened...
Saddened that we don't have a Tuesday midweek game to wake up to and we don't have anymore Saturday games.
The tour has been a real breath of fresh air and shown some great depth of rugby in New Zealand right from the Barbarians in the first game in Whangarei to the last test at the Garden of Eden.
At the same time it's been a real joy to see different players from England, Ireland , Scotland and Wales show their skills, talent and attitude in the Lions jersey.
On a personal level I've had a chance to catch up with mates and meet knew friends because of the games, folk that I havent seen since the RWC was up here.
It has reignited text discussions etc and encouraged all of us to get together again as soon as the RC games are available to watch.
(Especially the AB's in South Africa because that time zone works well for a gathering in London, and it's always a special occasion when we take on the old enemy, particularly in their back garden)
The positive knock on effects are a real bonus and serve to show just how close this contest was between the Lions and the AB's.

It's a bit of a sad week ahead and the cold realisation that we have to wait another 12 years for this kind of ***anic struggle to reappear in NZ is cold comfort.
This Lions tour has been a huge success not just in terms of the result, they leave NZ on even terms with the All Blacks, they have significantly raised the profile and respect of the Lions insignia.
Long may the Lions continue to be an entity.

 

[nik]

The ABs messed up again this week. We created so many opportunities. Just not clinical enough with point scoring opportunities.

We lacked leadership at the end. Regardless of ref decisions we made our way to the Lions 22m at the very end. We swung it wide trying to go for the jugular. We got close but to line with Jordie Barrett but that was not play. The ball should have stayed in the middle of the field and we should have worked deeper into the 22 for a drop goal opportunity. I dont know if Barrett takes drop goals but Aaron cruden sure can. The game was their for the winning but the risk of going into touch is too high when going wide. We needed to be a bit more patient.

All in all. Great test series. From ABs point of view this is a good learning experience for the likes of Beauden Barrett and several other younger and mid level ABs.

Positives all round. NH teams will take huge confidence and Thanks to the Lions and their supporters for filling up the nz coffers and supporting the future of NZ rugby for years to come.

 

[Nubiwan]

Gatland can motivate aaaand that's about it in my opinion, not losing this tour is down to Farrell senior's coaching and Sexton and Faz deciding to **** the game plan out the window last week. Gatland with players and coaches who have been shown how to win by other head coaches draws against a very below par NZ, great achievement in the history books but I don't see it convincing anyone outside his home or adopted home that the game passed him by 5 years ago to the point where his team is now best described as "hard to beat"... Come back to me when he has a championship against Jones and Schmidt or beats NZ with Wales and I'll rate him better than bang average because for all the talk of "at the start of the tour we'd have taken 1-1" in the end it was a tour lost rather than a draw gained, pick your best 10 and second row in the first game you would have had a chance, drop your underperforming loose head for the last and you'd likely have won it...

The worse thing about situations like Henderson, Lawes, POM, Joseph, Kruis, Te'o, and those not on the squad for whatever reason, is that we will now never know, outside their national sides, what impact they might have made against the ABs. Considering some serious questions being asked of certain selections, it's hard to assess now what, if any, difference one or two changes would have made. In the end, while gripping, the last test was an awful rugby display of mistake after mistake, culminating in a monster gaff by the ref. Lions were probably that poor decision away from more intense scrutiny, it's fair to say. Results, being what they mean, rather leaves everyone feeling numb, if not somehow cheated. For me, does not take away from what was some of the most intriguing rugby you are likely to see every 4 years. Lions did their reputation no harm, and I cannot recall a test series without big questions over selection. Fair to say the 3rd test just left everyone frustrated.....with no clear winner.

 

[JonoCymru]

Draw was probably a fair result over 3 tests but NZ imo were quite underwhelming in all 3 tests. They should have put the Lions away quite comfortably who, could themselves have won the series with more composure in the final 3rd. Would keep the 3 test series but in future if it's a draw after 3 tests we go into extra time.

 

[Nubiwan]

I'm not bitter about anything, but I am saddened...
Saddened that we don't have a Tuesday midweek game to wake up to and we don't have anymore Saturday games.
The tour has been a real breath of fresh air and shown some great depth of rugby in New Zealand right from the Barbarians in the first game in Whangarei to the last test at the Garden of Eden.
At the same time it's been a real joy to see different players from England, Ireland , Scotland and Wales show their skills, talent and attitude in the Lions jersey.
On a personal level I've had a chance to catch up with mates and meet knew friends because of the games, folk that I havent seen since the RWC was up here.
It has reignited text discussions etc and encouraged all of us to get together again as soon as the RC games are available to watch.
(Especially the AB's in South Africa because that time zone works well for a gathering in London, and it's always a special occasion when we take on the old enemy, particularly in their back garden)
The positive knock on effects are a real bonus and serve to show just how close this contest was between the Lions and the AB's.

It's a bit of a sad week ahead and the cold realisation that we have to wait another 12 years for this kind of ***anic struggle to reappear in NZ is cold comfort.
This Lions tour has been a huge success not just in terms of the result, they leave NZ on even terms with the All Blacks, they have significantly raised the profile and respect of the Lions insignia.
Long may the Lions continue to be an entity.

Enjoyed reading your posts mate. Been registered on here for about 7 years now, and posted rather fleetingly in the super rugby section, which is my predominant source of rugby "entertainment". Of my now 433 posts, I think I made 400 during this lions tour, which says something about how important this lions team is to world rugby. Fantastic institution.

Only very recently has NH rugby become available to me here where I live. Perhaps I will attend to both it, and posting on here, more frequently, thanks to this lions "success". You have been a very fair, yet objective poster, as many posters have tried to be, In this series.

Will look out for you in the rugby championship for sure. Outside the SA game, hard to envision as much of a challenge being laid up for the ABs, which is rather a shame in itself. Travelling to Argentina can have its challenges, and the recent results by the lions, and 6N over SH competition should inspire them. Fair to say that NH rugby is trending upwards while much of the SH is very dependent on the ABs remaining strong.

One last question. "The Jones Boy" - what's that about? Some sort of homage to Ian Jones.

Bit sad these things have to end.....but that's it.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The quality in all three tests was not what it might have been from either side. I suspect that is a tribute to how important both sides felt the series was and resulting nerves. You could argue the Lions players were tired at the end of the long season, but that doesn't explain the ABs performance.

If they don't rediscover their mojo quickly you might even see a Springbok challenge in the Rugby Championship and I'd never have considered that even a month ago.

 

[Ospervat]

Jonathon Kaplan gets it right.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/in...ree-call-in-all-blacks-v-lions-series-decider

IMHO - I have never had much faith in Poite as a top class referee and have regularly been an outspoken critic on his ability. He has been involved in more controversial decisions in recent times than any other international referee that I can think of. I suspect he just doesn't have the "big match command & control" when under pressure.

Kiwis can feel dissatisfied not with the decision but the manner in which it was made.

Kiwis should also remember they have gained match winning advantages from some of Poite's dubious decisions in the past- probably most notably the first yellow to Bismarck for his legal tackle on Cater (Sept 2013) which ultimately led to the red and SA playing half a game with 14.

Swings and roundabouts - it shouldn't happen but it does.

 

[Nubiwan]

I have in turn watched back (drunk I'll admit) and am not convinced. Daggs's run was covered by the defenders inside him and not his responsibility. I have a screenshot to illustrate this but it doesn't want to upload so I'd appreciate it if you'd just take my word for it

Well, I have been sober the entire time, so I must be right

 

[General Melchett]

I really hope that a drawn series doesn't put Gatland in pole position to be head coach in South Africa. I give him credit for creating a team that put a lot of pressure on the ABs which clearly affected their performance but the geographic 6 and discarding players like POM, Kruis for one below par performance while the likes of AWJ and Warbs kept getting second chances was really poor. The survival of the Lions isn't down to series results but rather these sorts of antics which simply goes against galvanising the four home nations. If he does somehow get the gig in 2021 then the Lions committee need to insist that each of the four nations has representation in the coaching team i.e. no Howler as head attack coach.

Personally I think he has his work cut out with Wales what with England and Ireland being the top two and a resurgent France and Scotland. If he fails to beat both France and Scotland in Cardiff then it'll be a poor 6N campaign. Dislike incoming from the dragon tinted spec wearing loser

 

[Nubiwan]

Me too, England really put it together in the last 5 minutes and they took the plaudits but it was a great test match with both teams pushed to their limits. We did actually manage to put Ireland away a few weeks later though with a great all around showing.

All I'm trying to say is that Wales take a lot of heat around here, some deserved and some not. They performed well in the two games against what are considered the number 2 & 3 in the world (rightly so too), so while there is clearly things to moan about Wales (it has been a hobby of mine since 1989), they aren't quite the turgid mess that some seem to peddle.

Reckon it was a poor clearing kick by Davies which allowed England to counter and score in the corner. If memory serves me. Not sure England didn't dominate more of the game than the score line suggested, but it certainly went down to the wire.

 

[Nubiwan]

Been watching this thread for a while and surprised how bitter some have become, i mean what did people expect with gatland as coach??? really?? He has a record of picking players he has a personality with or lick his ass I should know being welsh trust me, alyn wyn should be nowhere near that team , his god awful form for the ospreys confirms this, but again gats alawys picks his bum boys, I cant shoot warbs down as much but hes nothing special then again I didnt see anyone else claiming that jersey. Thank god liam got the chance to shine at full back and I think overall he was worthy of his selection , JD2 definately deserved his selection without doubt, Im just sick of all the welsh hatred bitterness in this tournament, its not like the WRU appointed gats as coach , its nothing to do with the WRU . Infact its RFU who appoint that call so start blaming yourseleves before anyone else.. also on selection, Scarlets won the pro 12 this year and demolished leinster and Munster in the process and the. Scarlets are predominantly Welsh team, Owens , jon Davies , steff Evans etc, before your English lads go bashing us Welsh it was your rugby union that decides the coach so **** off?.. as far as select too s are merited well we did beat the Irish and lost at the death to an English team in acendancy ,not so bad this ,6 nations was closer than any before so do t make out like England were dominate . England can't say they would beat the all blacks until they play them and until then the ABs are the no1 team in the world still.

Top post mate. I've had my digs at selections and you've basically agreed with me there, but I can't argue the rest of it. Felatau, Davies and Williams all worthy of their selections. Thought AWJ and Warburton did well in the third test. I am just not sure we'd have suffered any had it been other players chosen. Other than that gripe, you are spot on.