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

[Five Meters Out]

For me this series ended in the manner I thought it would, before the Lions arrived in NZ. Lions defend stoutly and rely on the Ref finding infringements, so they can bang over penalties from around half way. However, I must admit, even in my most cynical moments did I predict that the Ref would award the AB's a penalty with 2 minutes to play in the Final and deciding Test and then, after lengthy consultations with every party, find a way to change his decision.

 

[Five Meters Out]

For me this series ended in the manner I thought it would, before the Lions arrived in NZ. Lions defend stoutly and rely on the Ref finding infringements, so they can bang over penalties from around half way. However, I must admit, even in my most cynical moments did I predict that the Ref would award the AB's a penalty with 2 minutes to play in the Final and deciding Test and then, after lengthy consultations with every party, find a way to change his decision.

 

[munstermuffin]

What would have been different this tour if eddie jones was coach instead of gatland and onv replaced howley?

Part from launchbury getting a call up not the random welshmen

What do people think? Meaning difference in decision making, selection, dealing with media and in game man management? I think gatland failed on most of these points.

EJ for england takes the flak from media. Takes players off at 20 min if thwy playing bad. And other things and howley is just terrible as an attack coach

What do people think?

In my eyes a different coach could've utilised the gameplan better with the weapons available. Been more smart with squad selections. Not just the test but balancing the midweek games too. Like yes some things were spot on. Farrell Sr was top notch for defensive plan. But considering NZ weren't at their best this tour could've been much better than it was in areas.

 

[nik]

I think a more attacking game plan from the Lions would have played the game into the ABs hand. Attack requires taking more risk thus allowing teams like ABs to turnover ball more readily at the ruck and force more errors from opposition, from turnover ball they counter attack at jagged defensive lines which we all know they are best at.

Lions defense has to be the highlight of the series for me. Defense is a sign of attitude and committment. Gatland has done an incredible job here.

Also note that the total tries scored in series was 5-4 to the ABs. However 2 of the ABs tries were oportunistic with codie taylor and 2nd rieko ioane try. Lions constructed all their tries.

As an ABs fan it seemed we wanted to prove to the world that we can win games by scoring more tries than the opposition. A bit arrogant there. That was clearly evident with the very last play of the game when we got bundled to the touch line when we should have been a bit more patient.

 

[Five Meters Out]

I think a more attacking game plan from the Lions would have played the game into the ABs hand. Attack requires taking more risk thus allowing teams like ABs to turnover ball more readily at the ruck and force more errors from opposition, from turnover ball they counter attack at jagged defensive lines which we all know they are best at.

Lions defense has to be the highlight of the series for me. Defense is a sign of attitude and committment. Gatland has done an incredible job here.

Also note that the total tries scored in series was 5-4 to the ABs. However 2 of the ABs tries were oportunistic with codie taylor and 2nd rieko ioane try. Lions constructed all their tries.

As an ABs fan it seemed we wanted to prove to the world that we can win games by scoring more tries than the opposition. A bit arrogant there. That was clearly evident with the very last play of the game when we got bundled to the touch line when we should have been a bit more patient.

Well I hear what your saying Nik, the Lions had to play that way, did it well and are to be commended. However, it doesn't make that style of rugby anymore interesting and I felt by the end they'd run out of ideas and went looking for penalties. That Fullback, Williams, was throwing himself all over the place. He looked like an Italian soccer player.
I don't think the 5-4 scoreline tells the full story. Yes, they scored the try of the series, a "where did that come from" beauty, but the other try in the First test came when the AB's had eased off and the two in the 2nd test when AB's down to 14 men late in the game.
As I say when push came to shove it was always going to come back to Ref decisions and long range kicks. I just don't enjoy that style of rugby and would loudly condemn it if the AB's ever resorted to it.

 

[Nubiwan]

It's all pretty redundant talking about how a Jones coached lions would fare.

Gatlands mandate would have been to go down to NZ and get results. A drawn test series would have been acceptable 6 weeks ago, so very difficult to argue the success of it, and how someone else might have done better or worse.

Fact is, we will never know. Never get to see Billy Vunipola in a lions shirt against the ABs, Gray, Launchbury etc, as well as some on tour who never got close to a test appearance, even though they showed decent form.

I had my beefs about selection throughout, and it got pretty friggin rank in the 2nd and 3rd tests, but hey, water under the bridge. We drew, and even if I feel robbed a little, it's no shame to take a drawn series in NZ. Nothing flash about our approach, but hardly a surprise there. Not sure other coaches would be that much more open with their game plan against the ABs. It's all about controlling tempo as best you can, defending, and territory through kicking. Play to your own strengths, not your opposition's.

Same for the kiwis who moan our style is lousy as a spectacle. My response is that each Lions game was more gripping than many a super rugby clash where each teams end up with 5 or 6 tries a piece. Fact is, outside of NZ derbies, and NZ team games in SA, most super rugby games are blowouts and rather one sided crocks. NZ will continue to face more resilient opposition in future in the form of NH sides, I reckon.

In the end, on a personal level, the lions tour has been more exhilarating than the entire super rugby season to date. Not all that hard to do in reality. 7 or 8 true test match like engagements, and lots of close results. It's been a 6 week festival.

 

[The Jones Boy]

I

In terms of the media i think Gatland's had the last laugh. They've called him a clown, slagged him off and he's turned up to the presser wearing a red nose. A royal two fingers upto the media from him. You can say he's failed on certain points but he hasn't, really. He's succeeded and got a win and a draw against New Zealand with a scratch team. Whether Gatland can take this success and get Wales back on track, though remains to be seen.

It was just the NZHerald that played that obnoxious game and good on Gatland for playing the game back to them.
They were totally out of line printing that caricature.
I'd like to think they learned their lesson but it's the herald, they think they are a law unto themselves.
Any paper that employs Chris Rattue cannot be taken seriously.

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Okay, so now that everyone is over my comments. Let's move on.

What a terrible result for rugby union though. I mean, a draw? The one thing that would completely reverse the awesomeness of the series happened.

 

[The Jones Boy]

I quite enjoyed this Test series. A real arm wrestle with lots of drama. The rugby wasn't the highest quality though.
As a neutral South African a draw was a great outcome. The All Black didn't win another trophy, and the Brits (and Irish) didn't win (sorry Wales, Scotland and Ireland but you're in bed with the Poms and we all know how they are when they win anything).

Great heart showed by the Lions to disrupt the All Black's natural game. That rush defence made them change their approach and it was particularly noticeable in the 3rd Test with the ball being shift away from the 10-12 channel with much urgency.

Now here is what I call an honest post.
I will never give this kind of post a negative, because it's honest.
For those of you who may not be aware, the biggest rivalry in All Black rugby is not the Australians, it's the South Africans and it has always been that way.
We love to beat them and they love to beat us.
If we falter in any way and fall short of victory, it becomes their meat and drink.
They are our most desired victory and no other victory is savoured more than beating the Japies.
It was wonderful to win the RWC final against Aussie in 2015, but the semi-final win over the RSA was the real victory. They pushed us to the limit and we managed to overcome them.
So here we have a gloating Japie, happy that neither team won.

I look forward to the battle to come in the RC.
RSA have done well against France on home turf, now lets see how far their development has advanced.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Okay, so now that everyone is over my comments. Let's move on.

What a terrible result for rugby union though. I mean, a draw? The one thing that would completely reverse the awesomeness of the series happened.

I disagree. I think this is perhaps the best result. It shows that the Lions tour should not be abolished and that the rugby tours are still alive and well. I can't wait for the B&I Lions tour to SA in 2021!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lions defense has to be the highlight of the series for me. Defense is a sign of attitude and committment. Gatland has done an incredible job here.

Andy Farrell was defence coach, not Gatland.
He's probably got the best record against the ABs of any coach: 3 wins, 1 draw, 6(?) losses

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

I disagree. I think this is perhaps the best result. It shows that the Lions tour should not be abolished and that the rugby tours are still alive and well. I can't wait for the B&I Lions tour to SA in 2021!

It definitely shouldn't be abolished. But without a win, the whole thing was pointless. They honestly should be refunding tickets.

 

[TRF_heineken]

It definitely shouldn't be abolished. But without a win, the whole thing was pointless. They honestly should be refunding tickets.

To who?

I think everybody got their money's worth. Just because they share the spoils doesn't mean that it was a poor series and that everybody should be refunded. It was a spectacle to behold this past couple of weeks. A lot of people watched the series from all over the world, and sold out stadiums for the series shows it was a success.

I think due to the fact that there was no out and out winner, makes this series one of the best yet...

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Andy Farrell was defence coach, not Gatland.
He's probably got the best record against the ABs of any coach: 3 wins, 1 draw, 6(?) losses

Agreed, it's another are where my boi JSex's contribution was highly undervalued too, he's sitting on a rather handsome 2-1-5 record against these fellas too and has put to bed any questions over who Ireland's best ever 10 is at this stage.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lawes and Farrell both played in England's win over NZ so they've gotta be on similar too

 

[munstermuffin]

Andy Farrell was defence coach, not Gatland.
He's probably got the best record against the ABs of any coach: 3 wins, 1 draw, 6(?) losses

What I love about Farrell Sr. is his motivation too. He is 1 of the best at firing guys up and a class act.
He can adapt to various plans too.

 

[Genghis]

This series will be great for the All Blacks. Running in 78 points against second tier teams doesn't teach a team anything. Equally, playing a harm scarum Super Rugby type game against sadly weak teams (compared to their former glories) like Australia and the Springboks doesn't build new experiences or facets of your game.

New Zealand faced a team who weren't over respectful of them, who were brutal in defence and who kept their heads under extreme pressure. The All Blacks learned that they may not run in 5 tries against everybody, and they need discipline and a good kicker.

This series will be really helpful to them. And they will be stronger at the next World Cup for it

 

[Nubiwan]

To who?

I think everybody got their money's worth. Just because they share the spoils doesn't mean that it was a poor series and that everybody should be refunded. It was a spectacle to behold this past couple of weeks. A lot of people watched the series from all over the world, and sold out stadiums for the series shows it was a success.

I think due to the fact that there was no out and out winner, makes this series one of the best yet...

Great series, but at the final whistle, you could sense the entire stadium and players on the field were thinking "now what? What just happened?" Perhaps they were all still stunned by the refs 180 degree. But, it was like no one really knew what to do next. It was somehow anti climatic ..... Been a terrific series, but would have been nice to see a victor. Final test was also possibly the worst actual rugby game of the tour, if not the most dramatic. Riveting, but disappointing. Not sure how I felt.

 

[Nubiwan]

This series will be great for the All Blacks. Running in 78 points against second tier teams doesn't teach a team anything. Equally, playing a harm scarum Super Rugby type game against sadly weak teams (compared to their former glories) like Australia and the Springboks doesn't build new experiences or facets of your game.

New Zealand faced a team who weren't over respectful of them, who were brutal in defence and who kept their heads under extreme pressure. The All Blacks learned that they may not run in 5 tries against everybody, and they need discipline and a good kicker.

This series will be really helpful to them. And they will be stronger at the next World Cup for it

Top post. I fear for the other Super Rugby provinces after the Lions tour. I really do. 6 weeks of pretty gritty rugby in NZ, while the SA and OZ provinces have been off for a month.

 

[JonoCymru]

This series will be great for the All Blacks. Running in 78 points against second tier teams doesn't teach a team anything. Equally, playing a harm scarum Super Rugby type game against sadly weak teams (compared to their former glories) like Australia and the Springboks doesn't build new experiences or facets of your game.

New Zealand faced a team who weren't over respectful of them, who were brutal in defence and who kept their heads under extreme pressure. The All Blacks learned that they may not run in 5 tries against everybody, and they need discipline and a good kicker.

This series will be really helpful to them. And they will be stronger at the next World Cup for it

Nail on head. It will now be an interesting Rugby Championship. Are NZ wounded or will they again take it upto new heights? RSA seems to be on the mend. Springboks will be well up for this championship.