The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread

[simonokeeffe]

Just read GT in the IT
Warburton, the tour captain, starting a test at 6 or SOB switching to 6 didnt fit inot the narrative so he just ignored it

[olaf the fat]

With the first test almost upon us it's appropriate to sumarise where the lions are at.
1. The lion obviously intend to beat the NZ pack up and limit the amount of possession NZ get.
2. NZ already realise that this tactic might work and have been trying to goad the lions out of their comfort zone.
Rope a dope.
This won't work because if the lions leave their comfort zone they will lose and the lions are aware of this.
Therefore win lose or draw there is no plan B that will work for the lions.
3. Defence is part of the lion's plan A.
Allied to this is the need for speed in the backs, particularly the back three.
4. Losing the wrong players to injury is probably the biggest risk facing the lions.
For example losing Hogg and his shear pace is a major setback. Farrell could be another serious setback.
Gattie needs to be a bit more discerning in the players he calls up. Mistakes here could be very damaging.
Brown is one such mistake.
5. Gattie is right about needing more cannon fodder.
And we don't want Irish players to be that fodder - We can't have it both ways.
6. World rugby needs a lions win.
Will NZ be allowed to brutalise the lions into submission?
Will the lions let them?
The referees will decide.

Good analysis. But I don't agree. The referees will only ensure that the game is not decided by cheating, at which the NZ team are the best in the world.

NZ pack will not be subjugated by whatever pack the Lions select. If the Lions pick the wrong mid-field or back-row, NZ will score at least 30 points.

World rugby doesn't require a NH victory. England, Ireland and Scotland are ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in World Rugby Ranking. World Rugby requires the continued recovery of SA, Aus and France. Wales are an irrelevance if the other three Home Nations continue to improve. Argentina have a clear focus on the World Cup, not the Rugby Championship.

The 2018 Six Nations will be a good contest. NZ will still be the totally dominant team but English power and Irish guile and possibly SA powere will be preparing for 2019.

Even less so now that the Lions are no longer the best selection of players from these two Islands.

[Dave Cahill]

More than the usual amount of Peter O'Flattery going around.

He's a strong personality and all that, but it was a mediocre performance from him and all the fluffers and bluffers coming on and talking about 'unseen work' as a rebuttal to his p*ss-poor numbers [3 carries for 1 metre/1 tackle in 64 minutes] are, to be frank, complaining very much too much.

The game was on TV. There are 6-10 cameras there. We can see what he does. He's not the only Lions forward in mauls, or hitting rucks, or running off the ball, or competing in the air, or any of the supposed 'unseen work' that he's got the blackbelt in. All of them are doing 'unseen' work, and most of them were working harder and doing it more effectively than this chap.

I once saw a man in his 70s make more tackles than that in a rugby match - a match in which he didn't have to make any tackles under the rules. How does one get through an entire rugby game without making more tackles than that, even if only by accidentally running into people

[dropkick]

More than the usual amount of Peter O'Flattery going around.

He's a strong personality and all that, but it was a mediocre performance from him and all the fluffers and bluffers coming on and talking about 'unseen work' as a rebuttal to his p*ss-poor numbers [3 carries for 1 metre/1 tackle in 64 minutes] are, to be frank, complaining very much too much.

The game was on TV. There are 6-10 cameras there. We can see what he does. He's not the only Lions forward in mauls, or hitting rucks, or running off the ball, or competing in the air, or any of the supposed 'unseen work' that he's got the blackbelt in. All of them are doing 'unseen' work, and most of them were working harder and doing it more effectively than this chap.

I once saw a man in his 70s make more tackles than that in a rugby match - a match in which he didn't have to make any tackles under the rules. How does one get through an entire rugby game without making more tackles than that, even if only by accidentally running into people

11 players made 2 tackles or less.
George North made 0 tackles which suggests the Maoris hardly attacked out wide at all but kicked the ball away when they had their limited possession.

[Oldschool]

More than the usual amount of Peter O'Flattery going around.

He's a strong personality and all that, but it was a mediocre performance from him and all the fluffers and bluffers coming on and talking about 'unseen work' as a rebuttal to his p*ss-poor numbers [3 carries for 1 metre/1 tackle in 64 minutes] are, to be frank, complaining very much too much.

The game was on TV. There are 6-10 cameras there. We can see what he does. He's not the only Lions forward in mauls, or hitting rucks, or running off the ball, or competing in the air, or any of the supposed 'unseen work' that he's got the blackbelt in. All of them are doing 'unseen' work, and most of them were working harder and doing it more effectively than this chap.

I once saw a man in his 70s make more tackles than that in a rugby match - a match in which he didn't have to make any tackles under the rules. How does one get through an entire rugby game without making more tackles than that, even if only by accidentally running into people

11 players made 2 tackles or less.
George North made 0 tackles which suggests the Maoris hardly attacked out wide at all but kicked the ball away when they had their limited possession.

Stating the obvious and I didn't see the game but if you have most of the possession then you don't have to tackle.

[paddyor]

[simonokeeffe]

hand clap tm

[Ruckedtobits]

If we could assume objectivity about a game, that Chiefs pack should be totally demolished by the Lions eight this morning. We shall see.

[backrower8]

Looks like the Lions are about to ignore the best combination for the kick-chase game plan.

I think that Gatland will go for Farrell-T'eo at 10-12 and later in the game perm Sexton, Farrell at 10-12.

Given that we are almost certainly going to play a kick chase game then I have no doubt that Henshaw would so a much better aerial job than T-eo and I would perm the Irish half-backs with him given we are the masters at this 'style' of game.

One-eyed I know, but it is a shame that Henshaw has not got a chance with the A-team. He got that opening match (farce of a fixture off the plane) and then faced Sonny-Bill. Who has T'eo faced? T'eo has done well, but lacks polish.

I would have Williams and Watson on the wings with HP as all 3 have lots of aerial skill as occasional FBs. North would be a mistake on current form.

[Dave Cahill]

Sonny Bill will be lot more worried about facing a player that has completely emptied him a number of times than the other way around. Teo has had the indian sign over SBW any time they've matched up in the past.

[cormac]

Good to see our old friend P Try having such a fine tour.

[Ruckedtobits]

If we could assume objectivity about a game, that Chiefs pack should be totally demolished by the Lions eight this morning. We shall see.

Definitely a weaker pack than the NZ Barbarians or Maori. Hardly a contest when you consider how weak their lineout has proved. Signs of individual Lions getting more confident but don't let anybody believe this a great team performance because of the scoreboard.

[CiaranIrl]

They are peaking at the right time. Gives me a lot of confidence that they won't lose any test by more than 20 points. I could be wrong and overconfident though.

[Dave Cahill]

If we could assume objectivity about a game, that Chiefs pack should be totally demolished by the Lions eight this morning. We shall see.

Definitely a weaker pack than the NZ Barbarians or Maori. Hardly a contest when you consider how weak their lineout has proved. Signs of individual Lions getting more confident but don't let anybody believe this a great team performance because of the scoreboard.

Haskell made 14 tackles in 70 minutes despite the weakness of the opposition. Just sayin'.

[simonokeeffe]

Cory Hill is good enough to be called up but not good enough to play while Lawes has a HIA

[Ruckedtobits]

The pre-match hype of Lawes and end-match accolades of Cole, coupled with the excessive compliments to the Lions mid-field defense of Lions is way over the top and does not reflect the inexperienced Chiefs team.

Any of the Irish Provinces would have been disappointed not to beat that Chiefs Squad. Plenty of hard work but very little high-level skills or teamwork from the B&I team.

[Ruckedtobits]

Paddy Power has NZ at 1/5 for Sat or 10/11 with 10 point margin. A 17 point NZ margin gets a 32.5 return. Now there's a bet worth making.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

They are peaking at the right time. Gives me a lot of confidence that they won't lose any test by more than 20 points. I could be wrong and overconfident though.

[Raydollard]

If the Lions win the first test, now a distinct possibility given the upward curve in performances and the improving acclimatisation, this site will go mad.

[neiliog93]

If we could get Seanie in any way consistently fit and his form was as good as it is now, it would be a serious coup. Based on his minutes played over the last couple of seasons, it would almost feel like a new signing. And Healy seems to be coming back to some form too.