Australia vs British and Irish Lions 2nd Test (Melbourne)

[Bullrush]

Fantastic post, Bullrush. There were numerous points during the game where I thought the Wallabies were going to let it get away from them, but they always found a way to regroup and shift the momentum. They looked a lot more like scoring tries than the Lions did, and even if the other guys were "better" (and I do think the Lions were the better team in a bunch of key areas) that capacity to overcome adversity and still win was huge.

That Gill steal at the line-out was just freaking unbelievable. The last time I saw something that made me jump off the couch like that was the McCaw pilfer he got while being flipped over the top of someone. Just a moment of sheer brilliance.......I'm close to tears just thinking about these two feats at the same time!!

It's like thinking about a beautiful sunrise or your first love or a newborn baby.......just special moments of pure wonder and beauty.....

 

[Richo]

That Gill steal at the line-out was just freaking unbelievable. The last time I saw something that made me jump off the couch like that was the McCaw pilfer he got while being flipped over the top of someone. Just a moment of sheer brilliance...I'm close to tears just thinking about these two feats at the same time!!

It was the Helmet Catch of the Lions Tour 2013.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

How Gill did that and not cough the ball up baffles me. Fantastic play.

 

[Zander]

I thought Kepu had a decent impact for once when he came on.

Liam Gill's pilfer is Justin Harrison stuff.

 

[Bruce Ross]

But even if we lose the Lions series, can't beat NZ or SA in TRC and fall to pieces on the EOYT, I want Deans to stick around because I want the 2 years of experience since the RWC to not be for nothing.

I have to presume, RC, that you have been very enthusiastically celebrating the victory right up until when you typed this comment.
.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Fantastic post, Bullrush. There were numerous points during the game where I thought the Wallabies were going to let it get away from them, but they always found a way to regroup and shift the momentum. They looked a lot more like scoring tries than the Lions did, and even if the other guys were "better" (and I do think the Lions were the better team in a bunch of key areas) that capacity to overcome adversity and still win was huge.

Yep and agree on the praise for Bullrush's post. Couldn't have said it better myself.

These boys don't lack ticker, that's for sure. The thing that has frustrated me over the last couple of years is that Wallaby teams are playing with tremendous heart and courage, but a lack of system. God if we could ever get some great attacking lines going we'd bloody dominate. They go hard, I'd just like them to go a bit smarter as well.

 

[barbarian]

Great win, even if it was a fairly scrappy game.

Forget about JOC (James O'Connor), Deans, Clive Woodward. We're going to fucking Sydney, and it promises to be fucking AWESOME!!!!
.

 

[Zander]

Palu 13 runs for 48m, 1 offload and 12 rucks
Mowen 4 runs for 15m, 5 rucks

(no tackle stats atm)

Yep, lazy.

 

[cyclopath]

Man...some of you really are bitter.

That was a great game to watch. A really really great game to watch and some of you are acting like it was a loss. Some of you are saying that the better team lost. Some of you are saying that you won only because of some individual brilliance. Guess what...who cares?!? You won!!

How many game do the ABs win that you think exactly the same things? Where they were out-played for large portions of the game but somehow still managed to grab the win? Some people think France was the better team on the day at the RWC final. The 2nd Irish Test last year. I remember a couple of years back when a dash of Israel Dagg brilliance in the dying minutes of the game got us over the line against the Boks. But the main aim of the game is to win. And tonite you guys did. Can I say that maybe for a little bit of better luck last week, you probably would have won that one too?

Winning games you maybe should have lost is a mark of a good team.

You guys have so many things to be excited about with this team but you want everything to click and fall into place on every game. It just doesn't happen like that.

Again, O'Conner wasn't perfect at all tonite but I thought he was at least as good as Sexton if not better - in just his 3rd (4th?) outing as a Test 10. Will he get better? I don't know but RD obviously sees something more in him - and this is a guy who's coached Merhtens, Dan Carter and Carlos Spencer - so who knows how good he could get? Your scrum overall has been pretty bloody good. You have some great finishers and some amazing x-factor. Your defence didn't let in any tries (and hardly any line breaks). And this is a young team with years to play together.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this team beat the ABs this year at all.

As good as Hooper is, I still think Pocock is the missing key to your forward pack. George Smith might be a great call for Sydney.

Awesome tour..I can't wait for the 2017 one now - might have to start saving to make a special trip home around then!!

Whaka yeah!!!
OK, I might be pissed, but who could not not love the theatre of that game. Superb.

 

[Dai bando]

Not sure about that, but I'm glad it was decided 1 try to 0

We didn't seem to have a game plan, other than try and win the breakdown and let 1/2 penny kick his goals, no width to our game played it in our half instead of looking for field position, with a 6 point lead we seemed happy to just defend, cant do that, first half even.
Second, you cant defend the whole half and expect to keep a side as good as Australia out. no second row cover on the bench and three 6s in the backrow come the end, warbs I hope has finally showed you what he can do with a little help from the back row, that should be a unit not three individuals with their own agendas. Gatland got the team selection completely wrong, Hopefully Howely will talk some sense into him,
As I've already said well done Australia, POC was a huge lose, Parling not in his class unfortunately, also hope Horwill wins his appeal, next week want to beat your best side Ymlan Cymru

 

[doleq]

Wonderful tense game. There may have been a bit of dropped ball but was just so happy to get the win. Poor old Vunipola is surely on the pine next week. The better half thought she could see my hair greying in front of her eyes. Roll on Sydney.

 

[Bowside]

If we had our act together as a rugby nation this series would have been done and dusted by now.

JOC (James O'Connor) is not a 10. We knew that going into this series and now it's on show for the world to see.

But none the less great to see the green and gold get a win.

 

[Zander]

Actually, it has nothing to do with JOC (James O'Connor) at 10. If Lealiifano didn't get knocked you'd have won the series by now.

 

[Brumbieman]

Again, O'Conner wasn't perfect at all tonite but I thought he was at least as good as Sexton if not better - in just his 3rd (4th?) outing as a Test 10. Will he get better? I don't know but RD obviously sees something more in him - and this is a guy who's coached Merhtens, Dan Carter and Carlos Spencer - so who knows how good he could get? Your scrum overall has been pretty bloody good. You have some great finishers and some amazing x-factor. Your defence didn't let in any tries (and hardly any line breaks). And this is a young team with years to play together.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this team beat the ABs this year at all.

As good as Hooper is, I still think Pocock is the missing key to your forward pack. George Smith might be a great call for Sydney.

Awesome tour..I can't wait for the 2017 one now - might have to start saving to make a special trip home around then!!

I understand your point, but it's far deeper than that. I'd choose Sexton's involvement over Bieber's, every day and three times on Sundays.

Deans maybe have coached those three players, but he's also the guy who benched Mehrtens late in his career and basically told him to fuck off. He was on the bench, for the Brumbies 2004 Super final win, another of Deans selctions brilliance moment. Spencer doesn't really count, as Deans was assistant, and Dan Carter has been a better player since Deans left.


I would be VERY surprised to see this team be NZ this year, for the same reason we're sturggling to win right now. We have no clear, and experienced player, directing play from 10. Lealiifano proved what having a solid kicker can provide, but we knew that from Beiber and Beale's numerous kicking performances that have won us games we had no right to win.

What we're lacking, is the general. Our pack is going well, and any issue we have right now can not be attributed to any particular, player, or lack thereof.

Our backline is a totally different story, and whilst I will continue to support our players, I will never support this fucktard coaching us.

O'Connor is not a 10, and if ANYONE other than Deans ever thought he was, the Lions tour is NOT the place to debut him and put him in the spotlight.

 

[Zander]

Sydney's media need to turn the whole forthcoming week into a massive rugby festival. Every single newspaper, radio and TV station need to be talking about Saturday's game. It will be the biggest sporting event on Australian soil since the 2003 RWC final.

 

[Athilnaur]

What a relief. Was a magic but tense atmosphere. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was on the sidelines at the end looking very sore, full credit to him he was one of the last guys to leave.

Bit dark on the errors in the last couple of minutes that almost cost us but otherwise a promising effort in a rusty way.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

what was said?

That he was better.
I actually thought he was worse - perhaps for no other reason than that he had no injury excuses.

 

[No4918]

I thought me missed digbys in tight running thats why i think cummins needs to start next week. Tomane is to much like Izzy they both like space to work in where as digby and the badger love it in tight.

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I'd say most of the guys would prefer it in tight.

 

[Braveheart81]

My perception at the game was that Hooper and Palu were our best two forwards and Genia and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) were our best backs.

The backs struggled to get many opportunities and dropped ball killed a few of those chances.

Accuracy at the breakdown was an issue and Warburton having a strong game emphasised that with numerous turnovers.

Lilo's goal kicking got us home and his calmness under pressure was brilliant.

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[Inside Shoulder]

Look at that absolute sitter that Beale dropped right when The Wallabies were starting to get some good momentum and pressure and field position. Is that RD's fault somehow?!? This was a game where opportunities were few and far between for both teams - that was one of them and I don't know how Robbie f**ked that up??

RD's blame for this comes from the fact that our playmakers are under constant pressure to produce the match winning flash of one on one brilliance.
We dont build pressure or play ourselves into a game we just scramble like every possession is going to be our last - even with 10 (or 50) minutes to go.