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

[The Jones Boy]

Gatland clearly feels that Warburton and AWJ have exPerience and leadership qualities that give them the edge over their competition.
It worked last week...

I have a strong feeling this week will be a very different AB attitude.
They're hurting.
They lost a home test in difficult circumstances they will feel they still should have won.
They will be busting a gut to put that to rights.
They are hurt and hungry and this is Eden park.
History will tell us the Lions can do it but if last week was K2, this week is Everest, and Sir Edmund Hillary wore a silver fern.

 

[bazwaz]

No mate.
Cruden used to be dynamite, but he seems to run out of ideas on attack and inevitably kicks possession away with inaccurate kicks. There was a time when he didn't do that...

A 14 man AB team was attacking the 15 man defensive line of the Lions last week and Beauden Barrett threaded an audacious grubber through to Read and it almost came off. Thats the kind of vision I want from my first five.
He's a stand out talent and last week any stand off would have struggled with 14 men for an hour against a quality side.
Yeah he missed a couple of kicks but he also stood out in his running from defensive situations and his uncanny strength in the tackle for a little guy.
I like Cruden but it seems like he has lost a lot of mana from the time when he was the 10 in waiting for Carter to go... then up popped Barrett and Cruden messed up badly getting rotten drunk and missing the plane... he blew his opportunity. Now it seems like he's already thinking about a northern pay check. If he didn't have the caps Sopoaga would have featured.

...piffle

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Surprised/disappointed to see Mako start. Love him but he's had a poor tour, I'd have started McGrath with Market on the bench.
Disappointed Lawes doesn't start.

Realistically, I wasn't expecting any changes (other than mako to the bench) so I have no strong feelings about the announcemen.

A

Thats a stupid statement, one that you will need to retract if we win or loose in a close match, I don't think some people can grasp how hard it is to coach a scratch side to even compete against SA or OZ let alone the AB's

Look at his record against trinations sides with Wales, who arents a scratch side.

 

[valley commando]

I think staying at Wales so long has been a mistake for him. The longer you stay in one place the more people forget the other things you've done in the career and it becomes harder to see you approaching rugby any other way. It's like the equivalent of becoming type cast as an actor! I think this is absolutely the case with Gatland. I wouldn't rule out that he could be successful playing rugby differently with a different coaching job, but it's hard to see past his last 10 years work with Wales which is currently suggesting he knows only one way.

You are right, he is a much better coach than some give him credit for, he has improved the culture and playing standard wherever he has gone, when you look at the resources he has in Wales and had in Ireland regarding player numbers ie 4 teams to pick from and then compare that to what the coach of England, France, New Zealand etc have and you'd have to say he is up there with the best.

So Mako survives indiscipline. No arguments on Tipuric he earned it but still hope its a hammering for Gatland.

Are you serious or are you bitter and twisted ?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Surprised/disappointed to see Mako start. Love him but he's had a poor tour, I'd have started McGrath with Market on the bench.
Disappointed Lawes doesn't start.

Realistically, I wasn't expecting any changes (other than mako to the bench) so I have no strong feelings about the announcemen.

A

Thats a stupid statement, one that you will need to retract if we win or loose in a close match, I don't think some people can grasp how hard it is to coach a scratch side to even compete against SA or OZ let alone the AB's

Look at his record against trinations sides with Wales, who arents a scratch side.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

With Poite reffing I expect ABs to really target Mako in the scrum.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Is this Kieran Read's 100th test?
If it is then thats another motivating aspect for the All Blacks.
They will want him to usher in the century with a win.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Biggest disappointment for me for the All Blacks squad is Savea coming back into the side.

I think Jordie Barrett is the next Dan Carter, so can't be too disappointed with his inclusion.

 

[mania]

Biggest disappointment for me for the All Blacks squad is Savea coming back into the side.
I think Jordie Barrett is the next Dan Carter, so can't be too disappointed with his inclusion.

wow big call on jordie. i dont rate him that highly but i admit he has courage under fire and has some skills about him. but in comparison to dan the man, i dont feel he has the potential to reach that lofty height of imho.
savea has been disappointing for awhile now, a couple of seasons. he's dropped off.
in the lions vs canes game i thought he was really absent. most if not all the kicks to the fullback and savea was no where in sight supporting. he hardly featured that game

 

[munstermuffin]

You are right, he is a much better coach than some give him credit for, he has improved the culture and playing standard wherever he has gone, when you look at the resources he has in Wales and had in Ireland regarding player numbers ie 4 teams to pick from and then compare that to what the coach of England, France, New Zealand etc have and you'd have to say he is up there with the best.

Are you serious or are you bitter and twisted ?

Why. Because I said I hope Lions loose. I'm not fan of Gatland. What's wrong with that?

 

[munstermuffin]

Is this Kieran Read's 100th test?
If it is then thats another motivating aspect for the All Blacks.
They will want him to usher in the century with a win.

To be fair I don't think they'll have needed that as an extra boost but it's some achievement to get 100 caps for NZ in this era in backrow

 

[ncurd]

I feel like father in reference to this Lions team.

I'm not surprised just disappointed.

And that's my feeling of this Lions tour. We had players who could be real showcase of NH rugby that we can play with ambition and we ended up with Gatley Warrenball.

 

[munstermuffin]

I feel like father in reference to this Lions team.

I'm not surprised just disappointed.

And that's my feeling of this Lions tour. We had players who could be real showcase of NH rugby that we can play with ambition and we ended up with Gatley Warrenball.

Exactly my feeling. That it was not all picked on meritband the style really has done it for me and Lions spirit has died a bit because of Gatland and his antics.

Just on All Blacks. I know Jordie Barret deserves his start but fair play to Hamsen throwing him right in to the fire. I like that there none of this dabbling in. As I said earlier this All Blacks team isn't as scary as last few years but admittedly if they click it will be a sight to see in that backline.
The back 3 has a nice balance

 

[fattyforward]

Mako starting is incomprehensible to me. My gast is totally flabbered. AWJ was OK last week so whilst not my first choice it is understandable. Still can't see Lions winning unfortunately.

 

[Red Enigma]

As usual I appear to have a different opinion than most of you guys. I think this is the best AB team picked for a long time, the only key player missing being Dane Coles. Now it is over to Hansen and Co to get the best of their players by not moving Beaudy and by getting Perenara on the paddock for at least 40 minutes alongside Ardie Savea. With Ardie on field and the Canes at 9.10,11,12 and 15 we will finally have an AB backline worth crowing about. We take them for granted with the 'Canes and they deliver the goods game after game behind an average tight five. Sorry Lions fans, but the AB selectors have finally taken a giant stride forward and produced a team than can win by a decent margin even with less than 50% possession. Watch out if they get more than that!

 

[Papsmear]

Going to be interesting (funny) to hear the bleating and excuses from the NZ public and the media when the Lions win.

 

[nik]

Some big selection calls...
J Barrett - good player... however to throw him straight into the cauldron is a brave call. He is brave player and has a good head on his shoulders. His game style and physique is built for test footy as opposed to DMac.

Laumape - Solid on attack, he will be a battering ram ofcourse, up the middle between Farrell and Sexton - meter eater to get ABs over the advantage line and allow guys like A Smith, Barretts to run through a retreating defense. Lions have done well to slow down the ruck by not rolling away quickly enough. I am sure Hanson would want Poite to police that area more closely. But the ABs also need to take their chance well when they do get penalties/advantage, which they didn't in the 2nd test.

J Savea - what has Reiko done wrong to be dropped and what has Savea done to gain selection? Seems like he is selected only based on experience, and that the rest of the backline is relatively inexperienced. Hopefully he has been training the house down.

Our bench hasn't had the impact required. In fact the bench has conceded points in both games. The Lions are lifting their game in the last 20mins in both tests so far and we have not done so as we normally do.

 

[Red Enigma]

" Our bench hasn't had the impact required." - Nik


It was 13-8 when the bench started playing in the first test! Even Hansen, who regularly describes Smith as the worlds best halfback, concedes that Perenara is a better finisher. All the games I've watched between Highlanders and Hurricanes, with the former usually owning possession, Perenara has totally outplayed Smith, scoring multiple tries along the way.

 

[mania]

" concedes that Perenara is a better finisher.

1 major aspect of perenara's game i'm not happy with. he needs to learn to the art of not p!ssing the ref off.
perenara's gotta learn you dont get a break from the ref by p!ssing them off. this is a simple basic tenet of rugby

 

[Nubiwan]

As usual I appear to have a different opinion than most of you guys. I think this is the best AB team picked for a long time, the only key player missing being Dane Coles. Now it is over to Hansen and Co to get the best of their players by not moving Beaudy and by getting Perenara on the paddock for at least 40 minutes alongside Ardie Savea. With Ardie on field and the Canes at 9.10,11,12 and 15 we will finally have an AB backline worth crowing about. We take them for granted with the 'Canes and they deliver the goods game after game behind an average tight five. Sorry Lions fans, but the AB selectors have finally taken a giant stride forward and produced a team than can win by a decent margin even with less than 50% possession. Watch out if they get more than that!

Perhaps, but they are not playing pushover sides like The Reds or the Tahs. Can't think of a single try the ABs scored from phase play in either previous test. Most of them opportunistic efforts, bar perhaps one. My point is the lions are worthy opponents, and if they can maintain solid defence, discipline, and minimize errors with ball in hand, then it might not be the romp you fancy. Heart says lions, but realistically expecting ABs to win. I will remain sheepish on the margin. The first 25 minutes of the last test (prior to the anomaly) would suggest a much closer match in store.

I also reckon the ABs will expect more joy closer to the breakdown before chucking it about the Canes backfield......