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

[Ground We Won]

Double.

 

[Larksea]

well done to the lions, wasn't much of a spectacle us kiwis aren't used to watching games which aren't decided by trys. But the Lions defense and kicking game was pretty amazing.

I cant say if it affected the result or not but the Ref was a factor. I think most referees would have given the crusaders more calls for their strength at scrum time and been more consistent and even in applying the offside rules. I think the Crusaders should have learned from watching the blues game that the referee was going to be difficult and unpredictable. I think the blues win was quite remarkable how they managed it despite the referee, watching that game the referee should have concerned the Crusaders and maybe they should have been better prepared.

I think this really highlights maybe the key difference between super rugby and test rugby. An area where the lions - all being test players and being more familiar with northern Refs had a key advantage. In super rugby you get super rugby refs, I think they are good, they talk a lot, warn players before penalizing them, they reward the team going forward, reward strong scrums, I think the super rugby refs learn from each other and have become fairly similar and consistent. I can't think of many super rugby games I have watch this year that I have thought were decided by the referee, some TMO calls can be crazy at times... What I'm getting at is that in test rugby the Ref can be from anywhere and there can be huge differences from ref to ref. I think the experienced test players in the crusaders would be familiar with the experience but would have been a huge shock for young guys in both the blues and crusaders.

That said there is a lot the crusaders could have done better. a lot of passes failed to stick, they needed more patients in that critical period of the game they were right under the Lions posts. I think its fair to say Mo'unga had a poor game, I dont think Ive seen him play so badly. I dont think they prepared as well as they should for Gatlands rushing defense.I think plan A was to go wide and when that wasn't working as well is they had hoped they didn't have a plan B. I think they should have kicked for goal when they had the chance, of course coming from super rugby they will be try hungry but this was more like a test. The lineout struggled a lot and that is a critical platform for scoring trys and should have been better.

On the positive side some very promising players got to experience what really tough test rugby can be like, I doubt players like Mo'unga, Bridge, havili and Goodhue have ever been in a game like that before and they should have learned a lot. A couple of these guys will be All Blacks by 2019 and this was an important learning experience.

From an all black perspective... and looking to the tests. I think this game was a big open window into Gatlands game plan for this series. For them to play so well and so deliberately with their defense, kick chase and kicking game and some of the running plays they used it was all very set and deliberate. The lions aren't all of a sudden going to go into the tests and have a different plan. I think the AB halfback is going to be critical, Smith and Perenara being able to find the space against this defense with kicks and passes and take the pressure off the 10.

my final thought. Was the win over the crusaders so important to the lions that they needed to lay their cards down early to get the win? Will that expose them? Will be interesting, I do think the AB coaches will have learned a heck of a lot about the lions gameplan from this game... Much more than the previous two games. Kinda like yes very much hats off to the lions for the win and very good performance, but give them a wink at the same time if you know what I mean

 

[Groundhog]

No it's because that's what he wanted to be known as up until a season or two ago when he reverted back to Taulupe.

To be fair he did say he didn't mind people calling him Toby because it's easy, but he's always preferred Taulupe.

 

[Jockstap]

If they knew their scrums, then he would have pinged him for boring in. He didn't in the case being discussed.

Wheeling as result of boring in obviously. Listen don't argue with me mate, I hate it.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Europeans call him Tobe because they cant pronouce his real name, but his birth name is Talupe

Weird, my post was eaten an hour or so back. Thanks for that but I knew of him being called Tobe. He was listed as Tangaki Faletau in the graphics for the game which is what I was meaning. I see his full name is Tangaki Talupe Faulatau. Case closed!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

To be fair he did say he didn't mind people calling him Toby because it's easy, but he's always preferred Taulupe.

I'm sure a few years ago he said he only wants to go by Taulupe now - can't find any mention of it during a quick Google now though. Maybe it's just that he wanted the official team sheets/tv graphics etc. to use Taulupe rather than Toby

 

[ratsapprentice]

I think that's the case, Olyy... more that he wanted awareness of his "real" name, than what he normally goes by.

 

[mania]

I see his full name is Tangaki Talupe Faulatau.

faletau?

 

[Groundhog]

I'm sure a few years ago he said he only wants to go by Taulupe now - can't find any mention of it during a quick Google now though. Maybe it's just that he wanted the official team sheets/tv graphics etc. to use Taulupe rather than Toby

Found an article there. Says he made up Toby as a kid for ease, but for official things prefers Taulupe, but still doesn't mind Toby. If I was famous I'd use my Irish name just to **** people off tbh. Another interesting thing I didn't know was that he knew the Vunipola boys growing up in Wales, and they were seemingly quite close.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ru...ontypool-Wales-No-8-Toby-Faletau-himself.html

 

[mania]

Maybe it's just that he wanted the official team sheets/tv graphics etc. to use Taulupe rather than Toby

not that wiki is the fount of all wisdom...but...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taulupe_Faletau

As a young boy, his school friends struggled to pronounce his Tongan name, and so he picked up the nickname Toby.

 

[Ground We Won]

If you watch the replay you'll see what Moody was getting pinged for the whole game. He was boring into the side of Furlong, can't do that poppets. The French know their scrums, it's a huge part of their game.

Incorrect. The call just before HT was ridiculous. After the scrum had set Furlong rose from pressure from Moody. Which resulting in the scrum wheeling. As I said earlier, he was on the wrong side of the scrum to even know what happened. Still, he should have been able to see Furlong rise clear as balls.

The criticism from Smartcookey is legitimate, I don't see a problem with him pointing out some of the mistakes. It was not the reason for the loss - which he also pointed out numerous times. The Crusaders error rate was and the Lions line speed (offside frequently) and their tactical kicking game which Smartcookey also said numerous times



As far as running this forum goes. I'm surprised some users are still allowed to post on these boards. They immediately descend the thread into childlike insults and it ruins any form of critical discussion.

Smartcookey made some articulate legitimate complaints and was labeled a "twat". Gee, great discussion there.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

not that wiki is the fount of all wisdom...but...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taulupe_Faletau

As a young boy, his school friends struggled to pronounce his Tongan name, and so he picked up the nickname Toby.

Found an article there. Says he made up Toby as a kid for ease, but for official things prefers Taulupe, but still doesn't mind Toby. If I was famous I'd use my Irish name just to **** people off tbh. Another interesting thing I didn't know was that he knew the Vunipola boys growing up in Wales, and they were seemingly quite close.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ru...ontypool-Wales-No-8-Toby-Faletau-himself.html

Well, turns out I was talking out of my bum!
I respectfully bow out

 

[Groundhog]

Well, turns out I was talking out of my bum!
I respectfully bow out

Banned.

 

[Nubiwan]

The Irish blaming a ref after losing a game? Jaco Peyper (ref for the 1st Lions test, by the way), after the 21-9, loss in Dublin? The vitriol (if such it is) aimed at the French guy from yesterday, pales in comparison to what he copped after that game.
This isn't an attempt to start a flame war, by the way, just a bit of tongue in cheek fun, with the intent to point out that NZers get accused of a lot of things that other nations' supporters are equally guilty of. Which they quickly forget.

I thought the ref was dodgy. He was certainly questioned by the NZ commentators on perhaps 2 occasions. The wheeled scrum, the decisions to call mauls when the ball was being carried forward.

I also thought he missed the Crusaders hauling down the Lions line out drive on 2-3 occasions. I'd have to watch the game again.. I saw a couple of Cru players blocking kick chasers.

I heard the crowd baying for offside a lot, but to be honest. if the ball is in hand at the base, then surely that is in play. Not sure I understand why a scrum half cannot be touched as he prepares to kick to the box, with hands on the ball. Refs always shout "leave him". Why? Ball is in play.

The Crus scrum was in ascendency - that was clear. The Lions Line out was better. The Lions pressure was better, and their possession was higher as well as territory. The fact they never scored tries was worrying. The fact they held Crusaders to 3 points was creditable.

Good gritty game with many handling mistakes.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I thought the ref was dodgy. He was certainly questioned by the NZ commentators on perhaps 2 occasions. The wheeled scrum, the decisions to call mauls when the ball was being carried forward.

I also thought he missed the Crusaders hauling down the Lions line out drive on 2-3 occasions. I'd have to watch the game again.. I saw a couple of Cru players blocking kick chasers.

I heard the crowd baying for offside a lot, but to be honest. if the ball is in hand at the base, then surely that is in play. Not sure I understand why a scrum half cannot be touched as he prepares to kick to the box, with hands on the ball. Refs always shout "leave him". Why? Ball is in play.

The Crus scrum was in ascendency - that was clear. The Lions Line out was better. The Lions pressure was better, and their possession was higher as well as territory. The fact they never scored tries was worrying. The fact they held Crusaders to 3 points was creditable.

Good gritty game with many handling mistakes.

Ball isn't out til it's cleared the last foot of last pluer in ruck. Doesn't matter the scrumhalf is touching the ball.

 

[Jockstap]

I thought the ref was dodgy. He was certainly questioned by the NZ commentators on perhaps 2 occasions. The wheeled scrum, the decisions to call mauls when the ball was being carried forward.

I also thought he missed the Crusaders hauling down the Lions line out drive on 2-3 occasions. I'd have to watch the game again.. I saw a couple of Cru players blocking kick chasers.

I heard the crowd baying for offside a lot, but to be honest. if the ball is in hand at the base, then surely that is in play. Not sure I understand why a scrum half cannot be touched as he prepares to kick to the box, with hands on the ball. Refs always shout "leave him". Why? Ball is in play.

The Crus scrum was in ascendency - that was clear. The Lions Line out was better. The Lions pressure was better, and their possession was higher as well as territory. The fact they never scored tries was worrying. The fact they held Crusaders to 3 points was creditable.

Good gritty game with many handling mistakes.

To people who don't really understand scrumaging, Moody was boring in to the side of Furlong all game, tis illegal play. Then to make matters worse, the loosehead who replaced him came on and did the exact same thing, cheeky bugger. Luckily the ref knew what he was doing so no worries mate.

 

[GoTheNaki]

Hmm... Is Connor Murray the best half-back in the world, currently? Graham Henry seems to think so. I think there is room for someone to be better... But between Aaron Smith's passing, the pace he sets in the game, and Perenara's ability to turn balls over, his ability to see things before most leading to line breaks.. Is Murray the best all-round half-back? If you combined the strong features of Smith and Perenara, that combination would probably be far advanced, but neither can kick like Murray. And i wish they could. Thoughts?

 

[Ground We Won]

To people who don't really understand scrumaging, Moody was boring in to the side of Furlong all game, tis illegal play. Then to make matters worse, the loosehead who replaced him came on and did the exact same thing, cheeky bugger. Luckily the ref knew what he was doing so no worries mate.

We'll see how another ref handles it.

 

[mania]

Hmm... Is Connor Murray the best half-back

after that weekend i cant argue. whilst aSmith and perenara are awesome, they are definately in the top 5, but have to say that murray is 1st.

 

[smartcooky]

Smartcookey made some articulate legitimate complaints and was labeled a "twat". Gee, great discussion there.

GWW, you will find this is par pro cursu for this forum. Its one of the reasons I don't bother posting here very often... too many wankers (and that is a real shame, because it never used to be that way)