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  1. #51
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    ^ I sat with a bunch of Brits today and they all were absolutely disgusted.

    As a Rugby fan and watching the Northern Hemisphere Rugby almost daily I was hoping that the talent could be transferred down under.

    Obviously without the Aussie and Kiwi and South African players these teams like the Harlequins, Bath and the other teams including the french teams are pretty much useless without them.

    Well I hope that an entertaining competitive series awaits us.

    And I say that for the good of global rugby.

  2. #52
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AntRobertson
    very few of whom will ever make it to even Super Rugby level.
    Can you arrange to send some of those provincial fringe players over to Oz as we bloody well need them.

  3. #53
    Thailand Expat AntRobertson's Avatar
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    Haha funny you should say that mate... was watching the Brumbies earlier and counting all the Kiwi players

  4. #54
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AntRobertson
    was watching the Brumbies earlier and counting all the Kiwi players
    And the Brumbies still foocked up I expect?

    Did they or not?

  5. #55
    I Amn't In Jail PlanK's Avatar
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    Was so looking forward to this Lions tour. Now it looks like it's gonna be a complete Blackwash. I watched the Highlanders v Crusaders game this arvo... Tense game lost in overtime... That's the level I was hoping for in the Lions v ABs. Guess that ain't gonna happen.
    Some people think it don't, but it be.

  6. #56
    I Amn't In Jail PlanK's Avatar
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    And since when has Ant been back?


    Do his fan boys know he's posting?

  7. #57
    Thailand Expat AntRobertson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Loy Toy View Post
    And the Brumbies still foocked up I expect?

    Did they or not?
    No but they were only playing the Rebels so...

    On an entirely different note, I've just realized that the Barbarians coach is a mate of mine from school.

  8. #58
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plan B
    I watched the Highlanders v Crusaders game this arvo... Tense game lost in overtime...
    Such talent and high quality across the board I cannot believe that this Lions Tour went ahead even though it is going to be an absolute disaster for British Rugby.

    Once again I hope it is competitive but really I fear this tour is a waste of time once again.

  9. #59
    Thailand Expat AntRobertson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plan B View Post
    Do his fan boys know he's posting?
    Yep, conniptions have ensued

  10. #60
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    I thought it was a useful first game for the Lions. Not many of those guys will make the test XV.
    Fair play to the youngsters in the babas side, got off to a cracking start and handled very well considering the conditions.
    Wake up call for Gatland Snr. He did have to pick guys based on the camp in Dublin and rest those from EU play offs and cup games who arrived late.
    Bring on the next session.
    Heart of Gold and a Knob of butter.

  11. #61
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    I wouldn't have paid to watch such a shit 'Lions' side. How embarrassing.

  12. #62
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    Rugby: British and Irish Lions just avoid embarrassing loss against NZ Barbarians


    Lions 13 Barbarians 7


    The Lions got their heavily predicted opening game victory but it was one that saw them reach unimaginable levels of mediocrity.

    It was one that saw them embarrassed by a side that had no business putting them under as much pressure as they did and getting so close to a shock victory.

    If coach Warren Gatland had a worst case scenario in mind for the Lions performance, his team surpassed it. It was, frankly, a ghastly night for them where, with the exception of Toby Faletau and Ben Teo'o, they spectacularly failed to impress.

    And given what lies ahead for the Lions, they'd have to be worried. New Zealand should be worried for them. Maybe even say a little prayer because they need some kind of miracle to survive the next five weeks if what they offered in Whangarei is what they are all about.

    There they were, up against a group of hastily thrown together provincial battlers, and...nothing.

    The big opening statement was never made.

    They couldn't impose themselves. They couldn't find space. They couldn't control the breakdown or determine the tempo.

    It was the Barbarians who had all the answers. Bryn Gatland controlled the game and Josh Goodhue and the rest of the pack gave everything to deliver the most compelling performance.

    It felt ridiculous to be thinking the Barbarians could win but the thought couldn't be eliminated - not when they only trailed by six for most of the second half.




    And while many of the Lions' difficulties could be attributed to the inevitable bedding-in period they will have to endure as a scratch side with limited preparation time, they need to be careful not to think that was at the heart of their inadequacies.

    The bit that will trouble the Lions coaching staff, or it should be troubling them, is that their players didn't have the speed of thought or movement to impose themselves.

    There is a bit of nonsense, as Warren Gatland himself pointed out, written about the set piece, pedestrian nature of Northern Hemisphere rugby. It's not the up-the-jumper stuff of a few decades back.


    But rugby in New Zealand is undeniably breathtakingly quick. And the speed is generated by reaction times - by the awareness of the players as well as their accurate basic skills.

    That's where the Lions were well off. They were so slow to react. They took an age to transition from defence to attack.

    They were so slow to see where the threats lay and more worryingly, they couldn't think quickly enough to take advantage of the opportunities that came their way. When they did eventually realise where to run, they butchered a raft of opportunities simply by not being masters of the not so complex process of pass and catch.

    For the entire first half they were clunky beyond all expectation. They were beaten across the park, left to chase the game and wonder how on earth they were going to get into it given the magnitude of their problems.

    It also looked as if a few of their players were a bit shell-shocked, trying to make sense of why they were failing to live up to expectation.

    It wasn't supposed to be like that for the Lions. They had come to Whangarei with the best squad imaginable and universal predictions they would enjoy a gentle hit out to ease their way into business.

    So when what they actually got was beaten up at the breakdown, smashed around in the contact areas and ripped apart on the wider fringes, there was an element of panic coming from them.

    No brain explosions or anything like that, just a sense frustration was building at their ineptitude.

    NZ Provincial Barbarians 7 (S. Anderson-Heather tries; B. Gatland cons)
    British & Irish Lions 13 (A. Watson tries; J. Sexton, G. Laidlaw pens; O. Farrell cons)

  13. #63
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic View Post
    I wouldn't have paid to watch such a shit 'Lions' side. How embarrassing.
    they are not shit at all.

    They will give the AB's a huge push....

  14. #64
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Beaudon Barrett will eat the Lions.

  15. #65
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chassamui
    I thought it was a useful first game for the Lions. Not many of those guys will make the test XV.
    But those same guys are supposed to be part of the cream of UK rugby.

    I wonder what the players that missed the tour back in the UK thought whilst watching that horrid performance.

    Once again I hope the first Lions side put up a show against the AB's but one thing for sure the side doesn't have depth among their reserves.

  16. #66
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic
    Beaudon Barrett will eat the Lions.
    I was relieved when Dan Carter retired from international rugby and immediately this guy turns up.

    What the hell do they feed these Kiwis?

  17. #67
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    ^Weetbix

  18. #68
    Thailand Expat
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic View Post
    Beaudon Barrett will eat the Lions.
    We have to remember that these guys have only been here for three days, after a long flight.They will get better.

  19. #69
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    Quote Originally Posted by Loy Toy
    one thing for sure the side doesn't have depth among their reserves.
    Yet when the replacements came on, who were unavailable for the Dublin training camp ........

    This is why the Lions have warm up games. This was a good warm up and a reminder of the standards required to compete in NZ.

    Don't read too much into it LT. I am sure Gattland left some great players behind, due to his ignorance, and loyalty to the Welsh who served him so well in Oz.

    Fala tau didn't even start the last Wales game and he was one of the few success stories last night.

    Hopefully lots more to come from the Lions squad. All 41 of them.

  20. #70
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    I sincerely hope the lions come out and kick the AB's arses.

    Whilst my arse points to the ground I cannot see it Chas but wondrous things happens.

    Let the games begin!

  21. #71
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    My only concern is that Gatland's obvious bias has left quite a few gems back in UK.

  22. #72
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chassamui
    has left quite a few gems back in UK.
    I agree Chas he has left better players back home as per my last post.

    The lions tour has been spoiled by politically correct wrongful selections.

    You know what I mean,

  23. #73
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    The selection was an absolute joke with only 2 jocks originally picked 3 now with Laidlaw while 12 Welsh who got destroyed by Scotland in the second half in the 6N. 4 Welsh back row forwards and none from Scotland only have to watch the game to see what a joke the selection is. And how one or both of the Gray brothers aren't there another joke and Bigger ahead of Russel. I actually hope the all blacks destroy the lions so Gatland never gets near the Lions again.

  24. #74
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by buriramboy
    I actually hope the all blacks destroy the lions so Gatland never gets near the Lions again.
    A foregone conclusion.

  25. #75
    Thailand Expat AntRobertson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chassamui
    Fala tau didn't even start the last Wales game and he was one of the few success stories last night.
    Yep one of two standout players, one born in Tonga (Faletau) and the other in NZ (Te'o).

    They (Lions) were on a bit of a hiding to nothing though really. It was a game that they were expected to win and anything less than domination would've been seen as failure - which is exactly what happened.

    LC's right though, not really a whole lot that can be read into that game. It served its purpose as a warm-up/first hit out and they'll come away better for it.
    Quote Originally Posted by buriramboy
    I actually hope the all blacks destroy the lions so Gatland never gets near the Lions again
    That's the spirit!

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