Blue
Andrew Slack (58)
About two tonight I reckon If you discount the three times Ulugia stood up.
Waratahs v. B&I Lions - Saturday 15 June 2013
- Thread starter Braveheart81
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Chunderstruck
Alex Ross (28)
Mitchell and Skelton have stood out tonight. I reckon Deans will be keeping an eye on Skelton, he likes his massive forwards
Blue
Andrew Slack (58)
Now you're getting silly.
Vanuatu Chiefs
Sydney Middleton (9)
Neil Jenkins' school of place kicking a place of perfection.
Halfpenny & Farrell striking the Gilbert beautifully. Could be vital if the Tests develop into an arm wrestle.
Halfpenny & Farrell striking the Gilbert beautifully. Could be vital if the Tests develop into an arm wrestle.
Hairy Test Eagle
Ward Prentice (10)
Has Davies played at 12 before?
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
Lions beat the Tahs in three areas for me:-
1) Wide channels. I don't like the Tahs defensive set up. They offer the opposition the wide channels and just don't move quick enough to cover when they take them. Too many times this year oppositions have made easy metres down the touch lines and they did it again and again tonight.
2)The Tahs midfield leaked quite a few line breaks tonight.
3)Breakdown. The Tahs won a few but on balance the Lions got clean quick ball when they wanted it and the Tahs less so.
4)A second/third string Tahs side did very well in the first half and I don't think it is hyperbole to say that as Skelton tired and dropped his physicality (justifiably so IMO) the Tahs waned as well. My Tahs MOTM followed by Mitchell.
The Bad parts:-
1)As I posted earlier, the scrums were a shambles. Vunipola should have been penalised on every single scrum he packed. It was so obvious the touch judge should have been calling it. It was dangerous and so blatantly illegal.
2)Lions Offside - At nearly every defensive ruck the player in the 13 position for the Lions stands offside by at least a metre.
3)The Lions tactics at the ruck are Crusader and All Black like. By that I mean illegal in case you didn't pick it up. One or two players stand past the ruck and take the space. If a defender tries to bypass these non-bound players and join the ruck they impede them. Also a more than a couple of rucks they will blow the first defender off the ball and then lay on the defensive side sometimes a metre or two from the ruck to impede defenders arriving.
The Lions side is very very good, but they are beatable. Do I think the Wallabies can do it with Deans tactics. No.
1) Wide channels. I don't like the Tahs defensive set up. They offer the opposition the wide channels and just don't move quick enough to cover when they take them. Too many times this year oppositions have made easy metres down the touch lines and they did it again and again tonight.
2)The Tahs midfield leaked quite a few line breaks tonight.
3)Breakdown. The Tahs won a few but on balance the Lions got clean quick ball when they wanted it and the Tahs less so.
4)A second/third string Tahs side did very well in the first half and I don't think it is hyperbole to say that as Skelton tired and dropped his physicality (justifiably so IMO) the Tahs waned as well. My Tahs MOTM followed by Mitchell.
The Bad parts:-
1)As I posted earlier, the scrums were a shambles. Vunipola should have been penalised on every single scrum he packed. It was so obvious the touch judge should have been calling it. It was dangerous and so blatantly illegal.
2)Lions Offside - At nearly every defensive ruck the player in the 13 position for the Lions stands offside by at least a metre.
3)The Lions tactics at the ruck are Crusader and All Black like. By that I mean illegal in case you didn't pick it up. One or two players stand past the ruck and take the space. If a defender tries to bypass these non-bound players and join the ruck they impede them. Also a more than a couple of rucks they will blow the first defender off the ball and then lay on the defensive side sometimes a metre or two from the ruck to impede defenders arriving.
The Lions side is very very good, but they are beatable. Do I think the Wallabies can do it with Deans tactics. No.
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
Don't agree with the criticism of Peyper. I wouldn't say that either side got away with much more than the other.
A few good efforts there from the Tahs.
Mitchell was good, not spectacular like he was a few years ago, but very solid. Starting to improve his form again, just needs to get back the ability to break tackles.
Skelton was good, but cooked after 60-odd minutes. Made a few mistakes with the ball, but provided a lot of impact. Give the big guy another season or two and he could be a real good 'un. By the way, am I the only one that thought that Skelton was in front of the Tahs ball carrier when he ripped the ball for Carter's second try? Glad if he was and the TMO didn't see it.
Foley was good, kicking out of hand was good, led the team around the park OK, provided a running threat.
Betham offers a lot on attack, mixed bag on the other areas. I think he has massive potential, especially if he irons out some other areas.
Horne was quiet, not penetrative on attack, and threw a poor pass to no-one in the second half. Mostly good on defence, that lifting tackle at the start was silly though.
Didn't really see Dennis, wasn't watching for him, so can't say much. On the whole the Tahs forwards competed well but were outclassed in the end.
In the end, the Lions was clearly a few classes above.
I reckon that Youngs must be close to pushing out Phillips.
Warburton was OK, not great. I reckon Tipuric would be better for them.
Not sure who will start in the second row with POC. Parling came straight on and immediately stole a Tahs lineout, like he did vs the Reds.
Sexton did enough to show why he will be the starting 10. Lions lost a bit of shape with Farrell on.
Not sure if Jamie Roberts' injury will be a good thing or a bad thing, for either team.
A few good efforts there from the Tahs.
Mitchell was good, not spectacular like he was a few years ago, but very solid. Starting to improve his form again, just needs to get back the ability to break tackles.
Skelton was good, but cooked after 60-odd minutes. Made a few mistakes with the ball, but provided a lot of impact. Give the big guy another season or two and he could be a real good 'un. By the way, am I the only one that thought that Skelton was in front of the Tahs ball carrier when he ripped the ball for Carter's second try? Glad if he was and the TMO didn't see it.
Foley was good, kicking out of hand was good, led the team around the park OK, provided a running threat.
Betham offers a lot on attack, mixed bag on the other areas. I think he has massive potential, especially if he irons out some other areas.
Horne was quiet, not penetrative on attack, and threw a poor pass to no-one in the second half. Mostly good on defence, that lifting tackle at the start was silly though.
Didn't really see Dennis, wasn't watching for him, so can't say much. On the whole the Tahs forwards competed well but were outclassed in the end.
In the end, the Lions was clearly a few classes above.
I reckon that Youngs must be close to pushing out Phillips.
Warburton was OK, not great. I reckon Tipuric would be better for them.
Not sure who will start in the second row with POC. Parling came straight on and immediately stole a Tahs lineout, like he did vs the Reds.
Sexton did enough to show why he will be the starting 10. Lions lost a bit of shape with Farrell on.
Not sure if Jamie Roberts' injury will be a good thing or a bad thing, for either team.
ChargerWA
Mark Loane (55)
Here's hoping Deans is back in NZ during the EOYT.
Anyhoo, I think the Lions would have to be favourite for this series. I'm tipping the Lions 2-1 with no game decided by more than a try.
Alex
Jimmy Flynn (14)
Sorry for being a pedant, but he went to ground on four consecutive scrums. My have been the Tahs not being able take the hit, but his side did go down four times.
63:25 Hibbard and Corbs go forward but pop up - reset
64:20 Corbs side collapses- Tahs penalised
65:13 Corbs side collapses going forward - reset
66:00 Corbs side collapses - Lions penalised
74:17 Corbs side collapses - Tahs penalised
76:46 Tahs 17 drives up and breaks Hibbards bind - Lions scrum win
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
Like a bolt of lightning cometh a new revelation from Gnostic, oh hang on....
Well done to the Lions and not a bad effort from the Tahs. Seemed a good atmosphere at th game also.
IMO there's not much that can be taken from these non-test games for how the tests will actually pan out.
What I think we can glean though is that the Lions will want to play the game at pace. Their game plan will centre on their loose forwards (the strongest area for them) linking with their hard running backs. If Gatland picks the right halfback I think there is no doubt we will see this high pace game.
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