British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand (2017)
- Thread starter waiopehu oldboy
- Start date
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Lions (15-1): Leigh Halfpenny, Jack Nowell, Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Elliot Daly, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, CJ Stander, Justin Tipuric, James Haskell, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, Dan Cole, Ken Owens (c), Jack McGrath. Reserves (16-23): Rory Best, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Iain Henderson, Peter O'Mahony, Greig Laidlaw, Johnny Sexton, Liam Williams
Totally different starting XV in keeping with Gatland's statement he'd give everyone a start in the first three games.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11870008
Totally different starting XV in keeping with Gatland's statement he'd give everyone a start in the first three games.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11870008
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
I'd say because he hasn't been in the top two locks for the Blues this season. I like those two locks Tana has picked to start. They've been a shining light along with Duffie this season
KiwiM
Nev Cottrell (35)
Also Ofa T has been fine his last few games at loosehead. Traditionally he's been better at tighthead but has improved his loosehead play this season.
Dismal Pillock
Simon Poidevin (60)
this forward pack could steamroller the Blues. So fucked. Lineout, rolling maul, try. Rinse & Repeat. Plus the tourists will have their hackles up after shit first game. Lions to treat it as rolling maul practice and win 38-18. Backs have the night off. Blues strategy: quick taps, run it from everywhere, take set piece out of game. Plan falls to shit due to Blues lack of fitness, after 60 mins its oxygen debt, forwards with arms and legs akimbo like they're in free fall from the Hillary Step, Ofa face down in his own chunder, Lions sherpas bolting for the carpark and Akira so confused he's throttling Rieko.
Do you have a GIF of the Ioane brothers reversing back into the building?
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waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
SBW passed fit so Faiane goes to the bench & Nanai drops out've the 23 which just seems wrong but Tana knows best, I s'pose...........
Meanwhile Brodie Retallick is the latest to present with headaches. Won't play for Tribe v 'canes on Friday but will hopefully be OK for the Tests:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11870419
Meanwhile Brodie Retallick is the latest to present with headaches. Won't play for Tribe v 'canes on Friday but will hopefully be OK for the Tests:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11870419
KiwiM
Nev Cottrell (35)
Bear in mind this is a full strength Blues team (with ABs) and the likes of the Highlanders, Chiefs and Canes won't have their ABs for their Lions clashes.
Of the Blues 6 losses this season, only 1 was comprehensive, and that was when Luatua got red carded in the first half v the Chiefs when the game was very much in the balance.
All the other Blues losses were extremely close.
The Stormers loss was controversial while in the 4 other NZ derby losses the Blues were in position late to win each of those games (v Crusaders, v Highlanders x 2, v Canes) but couldn't capitalise.
Whilst the Blues have real struggles closing games out they've been consistently competitive, even against the competition heavyweights.
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Match officials appointed:
Blues vs British and Irish Lions
@ Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal (France), Angus Gardner (Australia)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Crusaders vs British and Irish Lions
@ AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Pascal Gauzère (France)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Blues vs British and Irish Lions
@ Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal (France), Angus Gardner (Australia)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Crusaders vs British and Irish Lions
@ AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Pascal Gauzère (France)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Highlander35
Andrew Slack (58)
Important to note that this should be a much better BILs side in terms of cohesion.
Much of the poor game could be attributed to the starting locks and halfs IMO. Sexton and Henderson had absolute shockers, AWJ isn't capable of 80 mins anymore and Laidlaw plays very differently from Webb and Murray.
Itoje and Lawes, and Webb and Biggar will be much more successful, due to pre-established combinations and overall increase in current form, to a lesser extent, this'll also apply to Henshaw and Payne.
Daly is my favourite English player, and I reckon he's well suited for Super Tempo, and needless to say, Tipuric for Warburton, McGrath for Marler and Cole for Sinckler are pluses for the BILs too, at least from a Starting perspective.
I believe that team should beat the team the Blues put out, but who knows, for Gatland is the Coach against a SH side.
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Much of the poor game could be attributed to the starting locks and halfs IMO. Sexton and Henderson had absolute shockers, AWJ isn't capable of 80 mins anymore and Laidlaw plays very differently from Webb and Murray.
Itoje and Lawes, and Webb and Biggar will be much more successful, due to pre-established combinations and overall increase in current form, to a lesser extent, this'll also apply to Henshaw and Payne.
Daly is my favourite English player, and I reckon he's well suited for Super Tempo, and needless to say, Tipuric for Warburton, McGrath for Marler and Cole for Sinckler are pluses for the BILs too, at least from a Starting perspective.
I believe that team should beat the team the Blues put out, but who knows, for Gatland is the Coach against a SH side.
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Dismal Pillock
Simon Poidevin (60)
WHAT THE FAHHHHHHK. The guy must train like fucken Jonah Takalau. It's as if Tana thinks the Blues are actually fairly certain to win the game and flashy players might be a liability. FLASHY PLAYERS WILL MAKE THE CRUCIAL BREAK AND WIN YOU THE FUCKEN GAME. THE DRONGO BLUES MIGHT ONLY GET ONE CHANCE TO CLINCH IT AND YOU DONT WANT JOAN COLLINS DYING WITH THE FUCKEN BALL OVER THE SIDELINE AS THE FINAL FUCKEN HOOTER GOES.
Brumby Runner
David Wilson (68)
Sure you're right HL, but I have a feeling that the lift in skills and combinations going from a makeshift BaaBaas side to an established Super Rugby side in the Blues will be greater than the improvement the BILs might get from their few changes.
Dismal Pillock
Simon Poidevin (60)
great. Pat T dumped from bench for being late to practice.
So, most dynamic forward and most dynamic back both sitting in the stands #Auckland_Blues_Rugby_why_am_I_not_fucking_surprised
So, most dynamic forward and most dynamic back both sitting in the stands #Auckland_Blues_Rugby_why_am_I_not_fucking_surprised
charity for the lions the nzrfu wants the lions to wins soem games
Dctarget
John Eales (66)
I'm getting such a sick satisfaction from watching the Lions struggle.
Like, if the best of the best assembled from all of Britain and Ireland can't beat the worst NZ super team, what fucking hope do any Australian team have in Super Rugby.
Also makes me even angrier at the J'Burg Lions for their SA conference.
Basically fuck all Lions.
Like, if the best of the best assembled from all of Britain and Ireland can't beat the worst NZ super team, what fucking hope do any Australian team have in Super Rugby.
Also makes me even angrier at the J'Burg Lions for their SA conference.
Basically fuck all Lions.
Highlander35
Andrew Slack (58)
110% offside.
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What? If you mean the Lions most of the time, I agree.
But seriously, yeah, how did the on-field officials miss that Ioane was a mile offside? Pretty hopeless.
Highlander35
Andrew Slack (58)
Complaining about BILs offsides opens the gates to complaining about the Blues at the breakdown, and there's a lot more ammo there.What? If you mean the Lions most of the time, I agree.
But seriously, yeah, how did the on-field officials miss that Ioane was a mile offside? Pretty hopeless.
Gardner demonstrating how awful he is too. No balls.
Team is scratchy as fuck though.
Henshaw going for the Irish Choke tackle at every opportunity, Payne running the wrong lines, gaps in the defence everywhere, and as the final nail in the coffin, the sheer disorganisation from that kick (admittedly, every pro kicker should have kicked that or he doesn't deserve to be on the pitch, but regardless).
More organisation than most Barbarians teams, but that seems to be about the best you can say ATM.
Hard to
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