Warm Up Match 3: Crusaders v British & Irish Lions (Christchurch)

[big ginger 8]

I'm quite happy for the haka to be performed, although I do wish a response was allowed. Stuff like the French standoff in 2011 is great and not harmful to either side.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

And if the Haka is a welcome why do they also do it overseas?

Different haka's have different meanings.

Either case it's a show of respect be it welcome or prepare for battle as such.

Why do they show the Hakka in the highlights? It's bad enough the players have to endure yet another dull dance no need to make the rest of us suffer.

i don't know i didn't make them.

Fortunately if want you can skip them.....

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I'm quite happy for the haka to be performed, although I do wish a response was allowed. Stuff like the French standoff in 2011 is great and not harmful to either side.

100% agree, a challenge is being laid down and the opposition should be allowed to if they want challenge it.

 

[Truth]

The haka uses up energy. Physiologically, the teams that perform it with intensity before games, are at a slight energy deficit compared to those that just watch.

 

[ALJ]

Ok, apologies to all.

I did not mean to kick this off again.

I'm out.

 

[Goodey]

Looks like it's time to take a break from this forum.

 

[McTallshort]

Get used to it mate, because that is where the Lions want to be. Not making you or anyone else in the world happy they had to sit and watch it. So, turdfests here we come . I am not condoning any of it, least of all the ref tonight, but that is probably typical of how the Lions want their test matches to pan out. Their game will need to be structured, methodical, controlling, solid in defence and error free if they are to have any joy against NZ opposition. Anything else will generally play into the oppositions hands. Crowing about the ref just comes across as sour grapes. He was indeed cat, but I still don't think the Crusaders did enough with the ball in hand, and clearly were lost for ideas themselves at times. Your number 10 (Moala sp?) was a bit lost if I am being honest, and a weak link. The ref wasn't knocking balls on and throwing poor lines outs for the Crusaders either. The history books might yet show the only blemish on the Crusaders 2017 season was a defeat to the Lions in which they were held to just 3 points. Refs notwithstanding.

Well if it's such a turd fest then don't watch it, in fact go to your MP and campaign to stop Lions tours in the future then you can enjoy your own rugby and not worry about anyone turning up and beating you.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

True enough, although isn't this only the second tour that it would have been possible to play the Super Rugby teams?

As a genuine question, why is it more appropriate at Super Rugby level?

I know I'm banging on but I really want to understand what I'm not getting.

Okay explain why isn't it appropriate? NZ are not the only country to perform a war dance pre-game. Samoa, Tonga and Fiji do yet they never seem to face the amount of criticism as NZ do.

The Haka isn't only performed by the international teams.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

You realize this tour is a special occasion and people are making an effort to welcome the Lions and honour them.

People here need a wake up call, I've personally found it rude and ignorant.

And you wonder why people get short with the British.

Are you kidding me? All we've had since the blues game and this one is moaning and criticism from 80% of kiwis on these threads, about the style of play etc and how the lions are and you're having a go at the British? Unbelievable.

 

[ianw16]

I can remember the saffers arranging a zulu (I think) war dance before a game against the blacks some years ago (not by the players, I should add!). Might have been the game where the lunatic ran on the pitch and attacked the ref.

 

[Ground We Won]

Are you kidding me? All we've had since the blues game and this one is moaning and criticism from 80% of kiwis on these threads, about the style of play etc and how the lions are and you're having a go at the British? Unbelievable.

Perhaps you should check my post history.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Perhaps you should check my post history.

I'm not saying that includes you mate, its just a bit silly to bring nationality into this when in the main, the British here have just been discussing the game with an open mind. Check the history of this thread since kick-off if you're in any doubt as to the nationality of the people causing trouble.

 

[munstermuffin]

Ladz who gives a F about wheather haka done or not. Just don't try it in a lineout or POM will steal it off ye

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ladz who gives a F about wheather haka done or not. Just don't try it in a lineout or POM will steal it off ye

Typical Irish trying to steal things, Like Northern Ireland........

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Back on topic please, I don't want to have to close off the thread less than a few hours after the final whistle

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I think we are in dangerous territory of not knowing who is doing Banter and who is being serious.

Fortunately there is the Arch-Bishop of Banterbury on this tour:

 

[The Jones Boy]

Highlights of the Lions game...

Young Farrell looking comfortable at 10 and 13 (and 13?)
Anthony Watson showing some skills and looking comfortable at 15, I didn't know he played there, quite a tour revelation moment.
AWJ showing he still has gas (at least to the 60 minute mark) in the tank and he was worth his inclusion.
Te'o is looking in good form.
The Lions tight 5 giving their best display of the three games so far.
The Lions loose forwards owning the Crusaders for the most part.
The Lions backs lining up to have a go as the opportunities started to come thick and fast.

Both teams were defiant in their defence. Not explosive entertainment but still interesting for the rugby purist.

The Crusaders were competitive but they didn't cope well with the pressure the Lions put them under, particularly in their own backline and that was partly due to the lack of experience in their young players. The young fellas haven't faced a quality rush defence too often. It looked and felt like that style of defence led to te Crusaders making a selection of poor choices, options and handling errors that stymied their attack and frustrated them.
Mounga is not worthy of being bracketed with players like Sopoaga.
The Lions showed him up well and truly. He's still a greenhorn in my book.

Overall it was a great result for the tour which needed the Lions to show their quality and to show they can grind out a win against quality opposition.
They have shown their ability on a tough night and ground out a win that could have had a few tries in it if they could have sorted their handling and options better.

 

[munstermuffin]

Typical Irish trying to steal things, Like Northern Ireland........

We can't even afford that now. Plus they bailing the old Westminister out
Also no stealing just reclaiming

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

You realize this tour is a special occasion and people are making an effort to welcome the Lions and honour them.

People here need a wake up call, I've personally found it rude and ignorant.

And you wonder why people get short with the British.

Given your understandable sympathies with Maori culture I'd have hoped for a bit more cultural senstitivty than labelling the diverse peoples inhabiting the British isles as simply "British".

Seriously, I didn't read all the posts but the ones I did, including mine, did not intend to carry any offence to Maori culture. You should not assume ignorance and rudeness.

Personally I find Polynesia and Oceania fascinating. NZ and Australia were first settled by indigenous populations approximately 50-80,000 years apart from each other, from completely different ethnic groupings. The Australian Aborogines from Africa (via the asian subcontinent) and the Polynesians / Maori from Taiwan (originally Siberia and before that, obviously Africa). From a social history perspective the contrast in how the ethnic Europeans in NZ and Australia treat their respective indigenous populations is interesting (and reflects positively on NZ).

From a rugby perspective the Polynesian prowess at rugby due to their physiology and muscle mass means that we can speculate that Japan, Korea and China will have broadly similar physiologies and can have physical prowess at the sport.

But setting all that completely random information aside, it is still perfectly reasonable for me to raise questionmarks about consistency (or otherwise) in how the haka is used. Just like people might question why the Saudi Arabian football team recently refused to observe a minutes silence in one game for cultural reasons, but have happily done so in the past. If there is no consistency, it is understandable that misunderstandings and confusion can arise.

 

[nik]

Man the Lions really turned it on and totally shut down the Crusaders.

There was a level of cockiness about the Crusaders. They were turning down easy 3point opportunities and going for the try in the first half. They made too many forced and unforced errors.

From an ABs point of view I wonder how they will approach this suffocating style of rugby. Mind you the ABs will have genuine game breakers like barrett smith sbw who can create something from nothing. However is individual skill going to be what separates the teams?