**Official** 2005 Lions tour of New Zealand

[Tim]

23-6 is an improvement..but this Wellington side is not the same as the Maori side & I reckon they might struggle to beat the likes of BOP & Taranaki with all their key players out.

The fact is though, if the Lions had that amount of possession against the All Blacks they would definately need to convert that into some tries. But quite frankly they never looked like scoring tries except for a good move which involved the half-back & 3 forwards! and a solo try by Gareth Thomas.

I went BBC and I can't believe that the Lions fans are back on their high horse rubbishing NZ after they thought they convincingly beat another weakened NPC side.

 

[Neil Pickup]

23-6 is an improvement..but this Wellington side is not the same as the Maori side & I reckon they might struggle to beat the likes of BOP & Taranaki with all their key players out.

The fact is though, if the Lions had that amount of possession against the All Blacks they would definately need to convert that into some tries. But quite frankly they never looked like scoring tries except for a good move which involved the half-back & 3 forwards! and a solo try by Gareth Thomas.

I went BBC and I can't believe that the Lions fans are back on their high horse rubbishing NZ after they thought they convincingly beat another weakened NPC side.

It's like any sport in any country - the vast majority of fans are idiots.

 

[Tim]

Agreed.

 

[Blaze]

Richie McCaw has never ever played a poor game for either the AB's or Canterbury. He rarely misses a tackle & you can be sure that he'll turn the ball over at least 2 or 3 times in a match.

Australia has not nullified him, that's for sure.

That is true.

And just on your point about Wellington - They will struggle if they cannot get Tialata, Gear and Kennedy back in time for the NPC. Scott Waldrom was also missing. He is a very fine player. Better than Herring IMO. I think they will do alright in the NPC though. The All Blacks will come back after 3 or 4 rounds i presume and Wellington have forged a pretty good record in the NPC over the last 5 years.

In fact in the last 6 years they have featured in the final 4 times

 

[Craig]

Lewis Moody in against Otago.

Lions team to face Otago: G Murphy; D Hickie, W Greenwood, G D'Arcy, S Williams; C Hodgson, C Cusiter; G Rowntree, G Bulloch (capt), M Stevens, S Shaw, D O'Callaghan, L Moody, M Williams, R Jones.

Replacements: S Thompson, A Sheridan, D Grewcock, S Easterby, M Dawson, O Smith, R O'Gara.

No Wilkinson, even on the bench?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Richie McCaw has never ever played a poor game for either the AB's or Canterbury. He rarely misses a tackle & you can be sure that he'll turn the ball over at least 2 or 3 times in a match.

Australia has not nullified him, that's for sure.

2003 World Cup Semi? Admittedly The Crims effectively doubled-teamed him, but he was pretty anonymous. Jerry Collins didn't have one of his better games either, as I recall. Might well have been binned for his tackle on Sharpe.

 

[Tim]

I have never ever finished watching a test match and thought "gee, McCaw played poorly didn't he?". The World Cup Semi was no different.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I have never ever finished watching a test match and thought "gee, McCaw played poorly didn't he?". The World Cup Semi was no different.

No, that's fair enough. You've obviously seen him play more often than me, but Australia certainly reduced his effectiveness in that game, so he can be nullified. Not saying we will or anything.....

 

[JASON]

No, that's fair enough. You've obviously seen him play more often than me, but Australia certainly reduced his effectiveness in that game, so he can be nullified. Not saying we will or anything.....

I agree with you, that was one game where it mattered, the aussies did reduce his effectiveness.

May be there is a lesson for the Lions to take.

 

[JASON]

Lewis Moody in against Otago.

Lions team to face Otago: G Murphy; D Hickie, W Greenwood, G D'Arcy, S Williams; C Hodgson, C Cusiter; G Rowntree, G Bulloch (capt), M Stevens, S Shaw, D O'Callaghan, L Moody, M Williams, R Jones.

Replacements: S Thompson, A Sheridan, D Grewcock, S Easterby, M Dawson, O Smith, R O'Gara.

No Wilkinson, even on the bench?

I don't think Wilko will now play till the Lions Test next Saturday.

Out of this Team, I suspect Sir Clive would rest, Murphy, Dawson, Esterby, O'Gara , Thompson at least after this game !!

I suspect next Tuesdays Lions Team would be the weakest Team to date to play minus several Test selections and bench/injury backups (being rested) !!

 

[Tim]

I'd just like the chance to wish Andrew Mehrtens all the best as he heads to Harlequins.
He's been Canterbury's favourite son & certainly my favourite player since the 1995 World Cup.

He was one of the AB's greatest 5/8's and we will miss seeing you turning out for the red & blacks or the AB's....good luck Mehrts.

 

[marc71178]

Interesting that he's signed for a side not in the top division (although only likely to be for one year)

 

[BoyBrumby]

Interesting that he's signed for a side not in the top division (although only likely to be for one year)

I imagine Quins left a wheelbarrow full of money outside Mehrt's house.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Lewis Moody in against Otago.

Lions team to face Otago: G Murphy; D Hickie, W Greenwood, G D'Arcy, S Williams; C Hodgson, C Cusiter; G Rowntree, G Bulloch (capt), M Stevens, S Shaw, D O'Callaghan, L Moody, M Williams, R Jones.

Replacements: S Thompson, A Sheridan, D Grewcock, S Easterby, M Dawson, O Smith, R O'Gara.

No Wilkinson, even on the bench?

Not any more:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4097906.stm

Looking bad for the boy. I hope Charvis gets the nod if Moody's tour's over.

 

[Blaze]

I'd just like the chance to wish Andrew Mehrtens all the best as he heads to Harlequins.
He's been Canterbury's favourite son & certainly my favourite player since the 1995 World Cup.

He was one of the AB's greatest 5/8's and we will miss seeing you turning out for the red & blacks or the AB's....good luck Mehrts.

I agree 100%. IMO he should still be in the All Blacks but that's another issue

 

[BoyBrumby]

Hmm. Very lucky to be level at half-time. Otago had done enough to deserve a 13-6 lead, but went to sleep completely & Charlie H caught them out with a well-weighted cross-field kick to Greenwood. A bit of indiscipline from Josh Blackie in the first place to give the pen, he knocked on deliberately when he really had no need to.

We've looked second best again tho, the way Hickie & then Hodgson fell off tacles on Brew when he made Lee's try was really shabby. Our two best players have been Ryan Jones & Easterby, which probably raises more selectorial problems than it solves. Shane Williams has been quiet, even on the odd occasion when he's had the ball in space.

Saunders has looked quality for Orago, has a good eye for space & Evans has used his ball better than Hodgson.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Much better 2nd half for The Lions. I think Stuart Barnes on the commentary over here summed it up very well, "The Welsh influence added a little bit of magic".

Ryan Jones had the best game anyone has had for The Lions on this tour. If there's any justice in the world & SCW is as radical a thinker as he likes to imagine himself to be he's played his way into the test 22. Maybe the 15 even. Martyn Williams had a better second half, but think Back is still the man in possession @ 7. Shane Williams might just have done enough to make it into the 15, I still have reservations about his defence but if SCW is picking on form & not reputation he'll get the nod.

 

[Tim]

The Welsh contingent are holding this Lions team together if you ask me...nearly all the standout players so far on the tour have been from Wales.

 

[Tim]

Williams played ok, but I don't think he'll make it. I think he'll miss out to Thomas and the reputation of Robinson at this stage.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I reckon you're probably right, I just don't rate Thomas; he hasn't got the pace or the eye for a gap to trouble the ABs. Jase is looking a bit of a shot player just now, if I was an AB fan I'd be happy to see him in the Lions XV.

Just saw SCW's post match interview. Classic Woodward, "You don't beat New Zealand teams, you just happen to score more points than them". That's fighting talk & v unfair as I've always thought NZers are gracious losers considering they don't get a lotta practice in losing!