Lions tour of New Zealand 2017

[Fuller Pilch]

Australia is the only country that has a prayer of beating the ABs in the near future and that's only if we somehow convince our best kids to play rugby and not league or aussie rules

Won't happen

Australia?

England at Twickenham and South Africa at Ellis Park are far more likely to beat us than Australia. Lightning might strike twice fo Ireland before the Wallabies too.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Lions backs looked quite incisive at times. The loss of Crotty and Ben Smith was quite telling in that regard, although the AB forwards and Israel Dagg were very good. Hope Beauden Barrett's goalkicking radar stays on for the rest of the series

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think sometimes one has to take it on the chin. No Lion had a bad game, but we were mildly lucky to lose by fifteen.

NZ lost two backs in the first twenty five minutes and one barely noticed a difference.

They really are that good. Kudos.

 

[Howe_zat]

George Kruis had a bad game. A fine set piece operator but with O'Mahoney running the lineout he wasn't quite as necessary.

I reckon the tight five were out muscled, lacked a bit going forward given we have to be able to play our own game and that means power. Room for Lawes, IMO.

 

[social]

Australia?

England at Twickenham and South Africa at Ellis Park are far more likely to beat us than Australia. Lightning might strike twice fo Ireland before the Wallabies too.

I'm not talking near term as we obviously arent any good right now.

However, we do have a lot of elite footballing talent in this country with the problem being that the vast majority of it goes to 2 other codes

Take Isaac Heeney (Swans player) as an example - elite junior in lots of sports who grew up in rugby heartland but was signed by the Swans as a 12 yo

Or Angus Crichton - played rugby for Australian schoolboys in 2 consecutive years but was signed by the Rabbitohs whilst at school

Could probably name 20 other cases where the ARU has dropped the ball or simply been outmaneuvered by AFL and League

 

[Burgey]

Australia?

England at Twickenham and South Africa at Ellis Park are far more likely to beat us than Australia. Lightning might strike twice fo Ireland before the Wallabies too.

Talking long term. But I can't see it happening consistently

 

[hendrix]

When I was 14 a friend of mine who went to my school and lived directly across the road from me got a contract with the Bulldogs and moved across the ditch to receive a salary and go to one of those sports schools. He was on a $600K dollar contract (with the Sharks I believe) at the age of 18, without having even played first grade league - funnily enough it hasn't panned out as he's been constantly injured, and I believe is now working as a personal trainer. There's something to the idea that these athletes are a little like racehorses - supremely fast, big and strong but also quite fragile. I remember he had a 6 pack at the age of 12; but I also distinctly remember him getting sunstroke on a hot Wellington day (only about 30 degrees) in which we had athletics.

Julian Savea was a couple of years younger than us and was seen as a similar talent. I think Ardie was in third form when I left school. I'm not sure why those two weren't poached.

In any case, that's what's been happening in NZ - I can't imagine how bad it must be in Australia. Pretty tough for the ARU to deal with that.

 

[hendrix]

There was also a time early on in Ma'a Nonu's career where there were rumours of him changing codes - this was when he was (justifiably) seen as a blockbusting ballrunner who couldn't pass. NZRU top dogs clearly convinced him to stay and coaching teams (and probably Tana Umaga) worked with him, developed his passing game and turned him into a near-complete 12.

If he had been Australian, I can easily see how he might not have had that strong coaching support and a player like Tana Umaga in his ear.

 

[Bahnz]

that was fun for 60 minutes until we ran away with it. good to win, but was hoping for a tight win because im so patriotic like that

lions dropping the ball constantly when they had chances was frustrating even for an ABs fan

I personally am shocked that the All Blacks found a way to pile on the points in the last 20 minutes.

 

[Flem274*]

I personally am shocked that the All Blacks found a way to pile on the points in the last 20 minutes.

yeah lol i know that's the status quo. still, it's nice when we get an 80 minute arm wrestle in something that's not France world cup final 2011 (that was too real)

 

[ripper868]

Listening to Talksport, not near a tv - sounds like Biggar was lucky not to give away a penalty for hacking the ball away and back chatting Poite?

Crazy how Hurricanes have surged since Henderson's Yellow Card!

 

[hendrix]

Sounds like a great game

 

[Howe_zat]

Everyone wants a sweep update, right?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ig8ZNlBokAF-5PopOuPxMFieKaTbMg5lt0LEJK8H-cc/edit?usp=sharing

Marcuss running away with it, don't think anyone will catch him now.

 

[Jarquis]

I did, I just didn't want to ask for it

 

[Jarquis]

Warlorddobby doing well with the two highest scoring players

 

[social]

How the **** is that red?

 

[vogue]

Just sat down with my bacon sarnie and switched on. 3-3 after 26 mins.. thought it would be much worse than that tbh..

 

[fredfertang]

Some impressive rain there

 

[vogue]

Some impressive rain there

We've brought it over tbf...

 

[fredfertang]

We've brought it over tbf...

You've been reading too many ***** posts