Warm Up Match 4: Highlanders v British & Irish Lions (Dunedin)

[MarkyH]

What if the HL didnt bomb 3 tries? HL should of won this easily.

What if Seymours first was actually given. What if the tackler was penalised instead of Nowell... WHAT IF MAN?!

 

[Skylinerd1]

You poms are so easy to wind up its ridiculous. LOL.

 

[Stumpy]

In terms of the lions I genuinely have no idea how they didn't win the game; they looked so comfortable after the warburton try and really thought they could pull away. The 30 minutes after that was just a blur of errors, I'm not really sure what happened!

My feelings exaxtly

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

When both players catch the ball simultaneously (which is what actually happened) and then go to ground, its not a tackle, it come under Law 14... Ball on the Ground - No tackle. Both players are supposed to release the ball, but if neither of them do, you cannot fairly penalise either. The ball is then unplayable, and the scrum is awarded to the team going forward. It was an unusual situation, but the referee got it exactly right.

It's amazing the way you just see what you want to see. Nowell clearly had the ball

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Wonder what Gatland will do for the Maori game.

Can see it being
1) Vunipola, George, Furlong
4) Itoje, 5) AWJ
6) POM, 7) SOB, 8) TF
9) Murray, 10) Sexton
12) Henshaw, 13) T'eo
11) Watson, 14) Williams, 15) Halfpenny

16) Owens, 17) McGrath, 18) Sinck
19) Kruis, 20) Moriarty
21) Webb, 22) Faz, 23) Daly

 

[curtbob7]

Well this tour isn't quite going as planned is it.

Laidlaw is so out of his depth its comical. Wyn Jones poor, Nowell having a mare and Haskell up to his old tricks.

On a sidenote the ref was atrocious second half.

 

[mosfeldt]

That was pretty disappointing, I didn't really understand rushing Farrell on to take a kick. Also that crowd was woeful, if there's one thing I hate in rugby it's when spectators make a big hoo hah during an opposition kick. Maybe you can say it's home advantage or whatever but I'm used to the dead silence given during Munster matches

It's still game on I feel, it was nice to see some tries scored but the gap between midweek and Test team is growing ever larger. Kind of disheartening to just see players not show up. That said though Webb + Biggar had a good game. I really don't see can't see anything past 2-1 at the maximum with 3-0 being the expected result. The schedule is too brutal, and the reserves are just not up to scratch. The drop in quality from POM to Haskell for example, it's just too big. We still don't have a great backline.

I dunno guys, Gatland has a very big task ahead of him.

 

[GoTheNaki]

It's amazing the way you just see what you want to see. Nowell clearly had the ball

Bit like the Crusaders winning those scrums and forcing the Lions up .

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Well this tour isn't quite going as planned is it.

Laidlaw is so out of his depth its comical. Wyn Jones poor, Nowell having a mare and Haskell up to his old tricks.

On a sidenote the ref was atrocious second half.

Agree but on the latter, it has to remain an absolute side-note. When the result doesn't go your way I think you have to look at the opportunities your team had to rectify it, and the lions made more mistakes in decision making and execution than the referee did. The Highlanders played with amazing all-black like resilience when the game seemed to be going away from them, and unlike the lions, managed to keep up their intensity for the full 80.

 

[smartcooky]

duplicate

 

[MarkyH]

Yeah. Not disappointed. Played well at times, we looked more dangerous. Some players today not good enough and won't be near the test team. Warbs much better in 2nd half and Henderson gives us WAY to many good options in the 2nd row. JJ dangerous in attack too.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Nowell, on this current form, is not up to international standard, so I can understand why you left him out.

Yeh he is good at NH style rugby but he has been found out against these super rugby wingers.

Think if he was in a NZ super team they would of looked to play at 13 more by now.

 

[Papsmear]

Well this tour isn't quite going as planned is it.

Laidlaw is so out of his depth its comical. Wyn Jones poor, Nowell having a mare and Haskell up to his old tricks.

On a sidenote the ref was atrocious second half.

HAha. Ref was excellent.

Thought that guy on the wing marking Naholo was useless.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wonder what Gatland will do for the Maori game.

Can see it being
1) Vunipola, George, Furlong
4) Itoje, 5) AWJ
6) POM, 7) SOB, 8) TF
9) Murray, 10) Sexton
12) Henshaw, 13) T'eo
11) Watson, 14) Williams, 15) Halfpenny

16) Owens, 17) McGrath, 18) Sinck
19) Kruis, 20) Moriarty
21) Webb, 22) Faz, 23) Daly

Krutoje 2nd row, Surely
AWJ just played like 130 mins in 4 days, he'll die if he's gotta play again this week

 

[Papsmear]

Yeah. Not disappointed. Played well at times, we looked more dangerous. Some players today not good enough and won't be near the test team. Warbs much better in 2nd half and Henderson gives us WAY to many good options in the 2nd row. JJ dangerous in attack too.

Keep dreaming man.

 

[MojoPin]

A few decent performances but a few stinkers as well. We created more chances but it almost seems like no on is capable of finishing them off. Which is a very Welsh characteristic, funnily enough.

Jared Payne had a shocker in particular today, as did Alun Wyn Jones - couldn't believe how many daft penalties he gave away. Henderson was hugely improved though. Seymour looked good on occasion but not great for the most part, and Nowell still hasn't clicked yet. Real problem in our back three today. Sam Warburton had a good second half too, getting better with each game.

 

[Papsmear]

Lions 3 Tries vs 2 Highlanders. Moral victory. Basically all that matters. Boring going for the sticks...

Spoken like a real loser.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Krutoje 2nd row, Surely
AWJ just played like 130 mins in 4 days, he'll die if he's gotta play again this week

Yeh your prob right.

Suspec gatland was only going to play him for 20 mins today. But things changed.

 

[MarkyH]

Keep dreaming man.

Not sure what I'm meant to be dreaming about but thanks man!

 

[Stumpy]

Krutoje 2nd row, Surely
AWJ just played like 130 mins in 4 days, he'll die if he's gotta play again this week

Maybe because we see so much of Krutoje Gatland feels he doesn't need to use it and can test other combos. If Itoje has a good game Saturday I would want Krutoje to be involved in the first test.