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

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

?

Exactly

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Some massively questionable calls by the ref towards the end.

yeah the lions were unfortunate that the calls which went against them occurred at the wrong time. just goes to show they have to be better, so it doesn't come down to a few calls.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Some massively questionable calls by the ref towards the end.

yeah the lions were unfortunate that the calls which went against them occurred at the wrong time. just goes to show they have to be better, so it doesn't come down to a few calls.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

w

Exactly

what's a scrum? is that the thing that occurs before the kick at goal?

 

[Umaga's Witness]

This crowd is trash, booing the decision to go for the sticks

mate, they are laughing when they do it. it's a slightly different culture here, these guys don't expect heir booing to be taken seriously. plus they're drunk students, so yeah pretty much trash

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Losing Banks will be one of the hardest departures from the Highlanders since Nick Evans. Fletcher-Smith is a good player, particularly with ball in hand, but doesn't have anywhere near the level head and pin point accuracy of Marty, no one does actually. He's probably the most accurate kicker in professional world rugby, +90% accuracy every game is astonishing.

If the Blues don't want West, we will take him! I rate West, I think he just needed some confidence in his abilities and continuity. I don't think JK and Tana handled him particularly well. He's only 25, still has room for development.

The Blues 'rejects' have fared quite well down south. Their kind donations of Naholo, Fekitoa and Tevita Li have been most welcomed! It's not just a one way street though. Michael Collins has done well up north and would have found playing time pretty hard to come by down here, even with the current injuries list.

Comparing and experienced first five to a 20 year old in his first year is a bit dangerous

All I mean is if sopanga can get back his form from last year I'll be more than happy with smith on the bench, I think he's over taken quasie in the rankings

 

[MikeTheNative]

This is from the VC playbook of utter nonsense. Biggest is nothing more than decidedly average in all aspects whereas Farrell like it or not (and I'm not his greatest fan) is the current European player of the year (cue moronic slight about European players).
.

I think that's very harsh on Biggar calling him average in every way. He's a 90% goal kicker, with good kicking from hand, as well as good defence. He is average with the ball in hand though and struggles to put others into space.

 

[smartcooky]

This is from the VC playbook of utter nonsense. Biggest is nothing more than decidedly average in all aspects whereas Farrell like it or not (and I'm not his greatest fan) is the current European player of the year (cue moronic slight about European players).

However ultimately I see Farrell as a playmaking 12 rather than a 10. He gives England a much needed extra dimension when playing there and even though he was kind of playing 12.5 on Saturday when he was playing at second receiver the Lions looked good in attack. His defence in both positions is top notch.

I think then on the vision front he's not as naturally instinctive as others but the extra time he gets at 12 is all he needs.

Ask me if I would have Farrell in my team as a 12 and you'll get a different answer. I could see him slip easily into a Crusaders backline at 12 outside Mo'unga or Mitch Hunt. In fact, I fairly salivate at the thoght

IMO, he is a natural 12, but at 10, he seems "forced" and out of place.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I'm getting a bit worried about the narrow defence that the Lions seems to be setting up with and that when NZ turn up they will be able to exploit the acres of space on the wings.

 

[smartcooky]

yeah the lions were unfortunate that the calls which went against them occurred at the wrong time. just goes to show they have to be better, so it doesn't come down to a few calls.

 

[The Jones Boy]

You could tell from Gatlands expression at the final whistle that he was deeply unhappy at the result.
The Lions are good enough to beat a depleted Otago team and they should have won the game on storength of squads, but they fell short, just, and he was not a happy camper.
He knows that winning that one would have helped matters in the camp at least a little bit.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Ask me if I would have Farrell in my team as a 12 and you'll get a different answer. I could see him slip easily into a Crusaders backline at 12 outside Mo'unga or Mitch Hunt. In fact, I fairly salivate at the thoght

IMO, he is a natural 12, but at 10, he seems "forced" and out of place.

similar to dan carter in a way. oftentimes carter didnt have the vision or playmaking ability to make something happen, rarely performing well on attack when without playmakers inside and outside him. however his defence was amazing, he kicked well, and was a better 12 than 10 on attack. farrell is similar to, but lesser than, DC.

 

[Penne Rara]

Not a chance. IMO, all he offers is sharpshooter goalkicking.

If he has vision, I haven't seen it. If he has the ability to effectively take the ball to the gain line on attack, I haven't seen it.

I'd pick any of the SR 10's on show in NZ. I'd have Foley, Kyle Godwin (Brumbies) or Quade Cooper. Hell, I'd have Dan Biggar before I'd have Farrell.

Cooper is hit-and-miss, but you're spot on concerning Foley. He's got it all. Composure, boot, flawless decision making. I reckon he would comfortably start for the Blues or the Highlanders if he was a new-zealander.

 

[Penne Rara]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...highlanders-to-win-over-lions-with-broken-rib

If there wasn't enough evidence of his heroism

 

[Ground We Won]

What's his range like and if short does he take 40+ meter kicks?

I honestly don't know but usually when people post amazing kicking stats for a player I discover that the stats are a bit inflated. Dan Parks for Scotland was the master at this year after year they'd brag he had the highest kicking % of any nations player. But if you watched he'd take all the kicks you'd expect most players to make but anythign mildly difficult he would hand the tee to someone else. This his stats were great but no really indicative of how good a kicker he was.

Marty kicks every kick, he's got good range, 50m. Since the Highlanders score a lot of tries through their backs, the kicks are mostly from the touch line. He's incredible.

 

[Nubiwan]

If I can make what might be considered a slightly controversial comment, on now having seen 4 matches on this tour, all of which the lions could arguably have lost. I suggest to you that there are simply not enough winners in this lions squad. Past lions tours have come on the heels of better overall 6 nations performances by both Wales and Ireland, while England have been the most consistently competitive side, if not winning the 6N as regularly as that comment would suggest. The result has been better overall quality of players throughout the squad.

While it is clear the side that beat crusaders is perhaps slightly better, it is still fair to say they still rather could not put the requisite distance between themsleves, and a weakened NZ provincial side, to win comfortably. Both victories and defeats have been close. Perhaps this is a decent measure of their chances in tests, but I just don't see the Lions being able to step it up, the required level, when it comes to the tests. It's going to be intreresting to witness, but on evidence, the outlook is not great. The lions makeshift 15 losing to a pretty makeshift highlanders outfit, is pretty damning, in my book.

There were some ok lions performers last night, but just not enough mettle in the side to secure a comfortable spread. In the end, the lions were masters of their own downfall. In quick succession, a howler of a knock on by Payne on the restart, let the highlanders back into it. The subsequent missed touch from a penalty by Biggar, and AWJ caught offside at a line out, put paid to them being unable to secure the necessary field position.

Yeah the ref may have influenced one or two things last night, but the lions were poor again in the tight 5. Not as dominant as I we might expect in a lions side. Henderson and llawes were ok, but behind the front 3, they start most of their game on the back foot, as does the back row. I actually like Haskell, but he is a good performer In a good England side, but not a leader for a lions side. As for warburton, I just don't think he's got the required quality. His first touch of note, came on the 34 minute mark. Someone will point to his try, but the graft had already been done. Thought him invisible. No authority and lost in a crowd in this type of match. Stander far more obvious with touches and runs. Thought our centres ok last night. Joseph looked dangerous at times, but his pace is rarely exploited by the lions tactics. In a NZ team, he'd be better utilized. Our wingers are just average. Not sure I rate any of them. Same with our full backs. While I am not a fan, I think a player like the England fullback (Brown) would have given the side last night an added dimension. Instead, outside Joseph, it was all a bit average out wide.

Before the game finished last night, my conclusion was that, even if the lions had won, this was still not a good enough performance. Credit to the opposition must be given. The Lions have no easy games on this tour, so difficult for them to stop and take stock at any time. Injuries also starting to mount up too. Things are not going to get any easier.

As for player I'd expect to see in tests, based on what I have seen, in 4 matches.

Front row - honestly do not know - perhaps Vunipola, but not because of his scrummaging. Owens line out throwing has been accurate.

Locks Itoje

Back row Felatau,Stander and SOB have stood out

9 Murray
10 farrell

Centres T'eo and Joseph on evidence.

Not sure the other positions will be filled with players who believe they can win when they go on the park.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I had a look last night, not shared IPs with anyone else. They're using a Netherlands IP (obviously forwarded, but makes it impossible to check who it is).

It's probably skylinerd so maybe see if they ever come online at the same time. I wouldn't usually call a user out without evidence but skylinerd has had zero intention of doing anything besides winding others up.

 

[Penne Rara]

It's probably skylinerd so maybe see if they ever come online at the same time. I wouldn't usually call a user out without evidence but skylinerd has had zero intention of doing anything besides winding others up.

Best thing to do is to be smarter than he expects us to be and ignore his comments.

 

[Nubiwan]

Marty kicks every kick, he's got good range, 50m. Since the Highlanders score a lot of tries through their backs, the kicks are mostly from the touch line. He's incredible.

Occurred to me last night that Banks is like a very good Northern Hem style player. At least that is my opinion when I watch him in Super Rugby. Something not NZ about him.... dunno why I think this......

A ford or Russell would of been good for the obvious midweek squad IMO.

Totally agree on Ford. Nothing flash, but a steady eddie, no nonsense, no panic, player. Also part of a winning England squad. Makes a big difference to mentality many of these players have brought with them, in my humble one. Irish and Welsh players who have all lost to Scotland for instance. How confident can they really feel. The class shows in their good players (Felatau, SOB, Omahiney etc.), as much as the resident doubt in probably half of this Lions squad.

****, Mike Brown would have improved over Payne last night. Brown might make some major cock ups, but he's got a bit of x-factor which, quite frankly, outside of Joseph last night, appears to be absent in our back 3 (wingers and fullback).

 

[Nubiwan]

That was an interesting game, didnt watch it but from what I've heard and listened too, some players stuck their hands up, more showed they really are just fringe players

Bla bla bla omitted

Could have Liam Williams too, which would be a very very welsh team

The last line. Why does half the world think that this is the underlying Gatland plan? And, I dont mean Williams.