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

[Jockstap]

Did seem a bit weird to bring Haskell out when you've got Henderson with a lot of experience at 6 and Itoje just won the Six Nations playing there.
#Justice4Launch

Haskell was brought for the DVD.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Haskell was brought for the DVD.

Probably not far off.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Tbf if they're gonna be your last choice back rower anyway and won't be anywhere near the tour side, they don't have a chance of strengthening the team on the pitch so you might as well bring sobdkne who can strengthen the team off it.

 

[Chief Pete]

Did seem a bit weird to bring Haskell out when you've got Henderson with a lot of experience at 6 and Itoje just won the Six Nations playing there.
#Justice4Launch

I read somewhere that their was a rumour that Jake Ball was being mentioned ahead of Launchbury, so Haskell was weird but Ball would have been weirder.

 

[nik]

Smart play from the Highlanders with the small kicks turning the Lions D around.
Surprised Crusaders didnt try this tatic when Plan A wasn't working. Bet the Crusaders are also screaming for an indoor stadium.

All in all it was a good game. Entertaining and impressive from the Highlanders missing so many quality players.

I think the Lions support play is jusy not good enough. They make a lot of breaks and should have scored a couple more tries if there had been more red jerseys following up. When there is support they find it difficult delivering that pass after a break. Credit to Highlanders defence though for scrambling back. They need to take these chances.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Firstly, can mods check the IP of the senile boy and ban whoever it is that's created a second account?

Secondly, how on earth was this a Highlanders turnover after Nowell takes the high ball? (and you can see from the picture that he does)

When you're as big as Osbourne you only need one hand to be in position

 

[Kiwiwomble]

amazing tight game full of drama, I didn't think the highlanders had much of a chance without the Smiths but as soon as I saw the ref I thought they were in with a shot.
In the end it did require some inspiring performances from some guys who are not household names in the rugby world. But I guess that's the great thing about these games, while they are super rugby teams there are some wider training group players involved who are basically provincial players who get a shot for some exposure.

Guys that really made a name for themselves are
Jackson Hemapo who really got stuck in and somehow came out on top in a lot of the physical stuff.
Teihorangi Walden was very handy, some good little kicks, played with a lot of energy and was on the spot when stuff needed to be cleaned up
Kayne Hammington wasn't mistake free but he was important in dictating the tempo and getting the game up to the speed the highlanders needed. He also made some important tackles.

A couple of the highlanders big names came to the party.
Whitelock was brilliant, I think everyone just expected him to be good and he didn't disappoint. He hits guys in tackles often and hard, a very smart player and decent ball carrier.
Naholo was epic, not just his running game but the fact that the lions targeted him with their kicking game and he absolutely turned it against them. IMO there isn't a contest between Savea and Naholo anymore. Naholo has proven to be a far more reliable attacking weapon with a workrate that would make Savea Blush.
Marty Banks legend continues to evolve, he probably deserved to start but it was kinda fitting for him to come on with the scoreboard down and organize the team to somehow come out on top.

One of the big talking points was Fekitoa, started the game with a hiss but faided fast. hardly spotted in the last 2-3 quarters and even made some errors on defense.

The Sopoaga cross kick was obviously a critical point in the game. The kick was on but it wasn't flat or wide enough. I am going to put some of the blame on Fekitoa as well. When you are out to take a kick like that and it clearly isn't good you need to react and either attack the ball or drop back to defend, ignore the ball and position yourself to tackle the opposition player that will get it. you can't just wait for it to come to you.

Some good moments from the Lions as well, I think they had a hard night with players picking up injuries. The Lawes head knock was very bad, one of the worst I've seen. Naholo is the one guy you need to get your technique right with or you will get hurt. Hopefully he recovers ok but you would expect for safety he should be out for a while and probably rule him out of the series. Coming back quickly after a KO like that is like playing Russian roulette.

Funny, as I mentioned earlier I thought he and been pretty rubbish, looked a bit lost. Will have to re watch and see what I missed

 

[Ground We Won]

I thought Walden did really well. Watching it live he didn't really put a foot wrong, had good vision and was great on defense and picked up loose ball.

I'm still annoyed Steve Hansen is picking out off form injured guys like Sopoaga who have been terrible for us all season and expecting us to just play him to "get him ready for the All Blacks" when a guy like Banks has been out performing him by miles. I'd tell Hansen to bugger off if I were the Highlanders management. We have a tournament to try and win.

 

[ianw16]

I thought Walden did really well. Watching it live he didn't really put a foot wrong, had good vision and was great on defense and picked up loose ball.

I'm still annoyed Steve Hansen is picking out off form injured guys like Sopoaga who have been terrible for us all season and expecting us to just play him to "get him ready for the All Blacks" when a guy like Banks has been out performing him by miles. I'd tell Hansen to bugger off if I were the Highlanders management. We have a tournament to try and win.

Console yourself with the fact that the best that we have to deal with is a choice between Barrett and Cruden! Imagine the Lions; best 1st 5 we've got is Faz, and even the nutjob Jones won't pick him there! I'm sorry, but they really do not have a chance of beating the ABs. Nothing behind the pack to worry anyone. Maybe they should have sent Saracens out here. I've heard that they are good. At something? Any team that has still got Schalke on the books must be a top side!

 

[ianw16]

I'll posit this question carefully; if you were a NZ Super Rugby team, would you take Farrell as a 10? OK, the Blues are struggling a bit in that position. Any chance of Marty Banks heading up north? Frankly, given Farrell's lack of skill, would any NZ side take him? Could he play the role required? I doubt it. Rather see Foley there, in all honesty. You may disagree. Let's hear it.

 

[Immenso]

One thing that is going for them is that the Maori and Chiefs games are so close together I think that means the chiefs side is going to be seriously depleted How many of the guys in the current Maori Squad will be able to turn around for the Chiefs a few days later, then you expect that many of the All Blacks will be missing too as they are in a separate camp.... You take Messam, Lowe, McKenzie, Cruden, Ngatai, ALB, TKB, Hames, Elliot and Retaclick out of the chiefs and it is well and truly a B team. maybe one or two of these guys will make it in but others will be missing too.

Hopefully the chiefs put a good team together its the one game I have a ticket too

Come on. If the handful of MABs can't turn around 3 days later then, .... come on.

After that they have a 3 week break.

No, they can't play twice a week all season. Yes, they can play twice a week occasionally. Especially with 8 subs. So, as long as they don't pick up an actual injury.

Otherwise the Lions would need a squad of 46 not 41 to protect all the poor little pros who can't play without a 7 day break.

 

[smartcooky]

Where's he going?
Didn't he not turn up to Treviso, stayed playing in NZ instead?

He is going to Treviso at the end of the Super Rugby season.

This is a waste of good talent IMO. I'd sooner see him playing the the AP.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

I'll posit this question carefully; if you were a NZ Super Rugby team, would you take Farrell as a 10? OK, the Blues are struggling a bit in that position. Any chance of Marty Banks heading up north? Frankly, given Farrell's lack of skill, would any NZ side take him? Could he play the role required? I doubt it. Rather see Foley there, in all honesty. You may disagree. Let's hear it.

I think the Blues would take him with open arms, but other than that I doubt any of the others would be interested. I think they'd rather go with who they've already got.

 

[Larksea]

Come on. If the handful of MABs can't turn around 3 days later then, .... come on.

After that they have a 3 week break.

No, they can't play twice a week all season. Yes, they can play twice a week occasionally. Especially with 8 subs. So, as long as they don't pick up an actual injury.

Otherwise the Lions would need a squad of 46 not 41 to protect all the poor little pros who can't play without a 7 day break.

its not an issue around how many times in how many days they play.

the issue is that the chiefs are in camp preparing for the lions. The All Blacks are in camp preparing for Samoa and the MAB's are in a separate camp preparing for the lions as well. The players cant be in more than one place at a time.

There will be some exceptions but I think with the 3 games so close together the Chiefs lineup is going to be the most depleted of the super rugby sides to play the lions.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

The great/scary thing (depending on who you are) is our fourth choice 1st5 ( fletcher smith) has looked really dangerous when he's come on, hope we sign him up long term

 

[GoTheNaki]

I'll posit this question carefully; if you were a NZ Super Rugby team, would you take Farrell as a 10? OK, the Blues are struggling a bit in that position. Any chance of Marty Banks heading up north? Frankly, given Farrell's lack of skill, would any NZ side take him? Could he play the role required? I doubt it. Rather see Foley there, in all honesty. You may disagree. Let's hear it.

Otere Black and Steven Perofeta will be vying for the Blues #10. Both players id take for potential over Farrell.

 

[GoTheNaki]

I think the Blues would take him with open arms, but other than that I doubt any of the others would be interested. I think they'd rather go with who they've already got.

Pretty much double posting, but Otere Black im pretty sure is leaving the Canes. I mean... Why wouldnt he, it would have to be to the Blues. And you have Steven Perofeta already at the Blues. The 10 that started vs the Lions.

 

[The Jones Boy]

I think the Blues would take him with open arms.

You know it, we are struggling at 1st 5. Tana should be chasing this kid.

The great/scary thing (depending on who you are) is our fourth choice 1st5 ( fletcher smith) has looked really dangerous when he's come on, hope we sign him up long term

We'll have him too please.
It's impossible to compete regularly and effectively with the other Kiwi franchises when we have had the worst first fives out of the Kiwi Super rugby teams.

 

[GoTheNaki]

You know it, we are struggling at 1st 5. Tana should be chasing this kid.

..... You wont be for long.... I mean, yeah, i know, "blahblahblah 10 since Spencer" etc. I know. But your 10 is gonna be ABs material in the next 3 years. It just depends who it is.

 

[The Jones Boy]

..... You wont be for long.... I mean, yeah, i know, "blahblahblah 10 since Spencer" etc. I know. But your 10 is gonna be ABs material in the next 3 years. It just depends who it is.

Three years?
At my age I could be dead by then.
Bugger that, grab those Highlander boys now and create a competition camp among the 10's.