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British & Irish Lions Tour 2017

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Lions well beat today, the All Blacks on a different planet at times, they will have to up there game considerably for next Saturday 😀
 
PhilTheFragger said:
Doon , if any Scots were good enough to make the team , would it have made any difference.

To be frank , this constant sniping at anything English ( or non Scottish) is becoming very tedious, please stop it.

Thank you
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If fairness , Scotland 4th best team in World on current rankings and no representation in the team is a sad indictment of a one eyed coach 😥
 
I'm a bit more positive. Yes we deservedly lost, yet the main difference was the quality of the finish. ABs were clinical, finishing everything I can remember. Lions had two golden opportunities at the start of both halves but failed to take them. We also lacked the intensity in the breakdown and the tackling wasn't as good as it could be. These ABs are brilliant but they are beatable.
 
Piece said:
I'm a bit more positive. Yes we deservedly lost, yet the main difference was the quality of the finish. ABs were clinical, finishing everything I can remember. Lions had two golden opportunities at the start of both halves but failed to take them. We also lacked the intensity in the breakdown and the tackling wasn't as good as it could be. These ABs are brilliant but they are beatable.
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Only if they have a bad day and Lions have a very good day,cant see it happening mate. Have to be an exceptional team to beat them.I hope Im wrong.
 
The worrying thing to my mind is that the all blacks weren't even at full throttle and so they've got a lot more to give too if they need it. Granted they lost some players yesterday but I doubt they will be too weak next week and if they really want to go for it full tilt I can't see the lions or any side in the world living with them
 
Piece said:
I'm a bit more positive. Yes we deservedly lost, yet the main difference was the quality of the finish. ABs were clinical, finishing everything I can remember. Lions had two golden opportunities at the start of both halves but failed to take them. We also lacked the intensity in the breakdown and the tackling wasn't as good as it could be. These ABs are brilliant but they are beatable.
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I think the All Blacks have another gear to go up if required - they did what was needed and were clinical.

Can see a couple of changes - Itodje in for AWJ and Warburton for OMahoney , also if they play well Nowell , Lawes and Stander in on the bench.
 
Eden Park has been an AB fortress for 23 years, no shame on the Lions losing BUT they have to be so much better in attack and in the back row in this next must win test.
 
Really sad that Gatland came out and said he did not want to devalue the shirt.

IMO he had a plan, he should have stuck to it. Caving in shows a huge weakness than can only now be exploited. Standing firm, keeping going and saying it's all part of a bigger plan would have shown a much stronger front.

Huge mistake IMO to admit it, I only hope I am proved wrong.
 
ScienceBoy said:
Really sad that Gatland came out and said he did not want to devalue the shirt.

IMO he had a plan, he should have stuck to it. Caving in shows a huge weakness than can only now be exploited. Standing firm, keeping going and saying it's all part of a bigger plan would have shown a much stronger front.

Huge mistake IMO to admit it, I only hope I am proved wrong.
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He already did it by calling up players on geography. To call them up and not play them is a slap in the face for the 6 call ups. To then come out and say he didn't want to devalue the jersey is ludicrous, this guy has no respect for the home nations and I now hope the Lions lose this series (despite the fact I'll still cheer them on the next 2 tests) if anything but to show how much of a rip roaring backside he's made of this tour.
 
Was listening to Talk sport the other day and an interesting suggestion came up. The Lions always tour with the odds stacked against them with lack of preparation time and giving the opposition home advantage. So why not a home Lions tour. 4 match series, one at each home nations HQ and a mid week match against the top team from each nation. Never happen and totally against tradition but an interesting idea that would be massive for promoting rugby in the home nations.
 
GB72 said:
Was listening to Talk sport the other day and an interesting suggestion came up. The Lions always tour with the odds stacked against them with lack of preparation time and giving the opposition home advantage. So why not a home Lions tour. 4 match series, one at each home nations HQ and a mid week match against the top team from each nation. Never happen and totally against tradition but an interesting idea that would be massive for promoting rugby in the home nations.
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Sounds great, which means it will never happen 😟
 
GB72 said:
Was listening to Talk sport the other day and an interesting suggestion came up. The Lions always tour with the odds stacked against them with lack of preparation time and giving the opposition home advantage. So why not a home Lions tour. 4 match series, one at each home nations HQ and a mid week match against the top team from each nation. Never happen and totally against tradition but an interesting idea that would be massive for promoting rugby in the home nations.
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The question is - when do you fit it in ?

Season already pretty busy
 
Every 4 years so not that hard. Autumn international slot or even during the current lions slot as hardly too hot for rugby most years.

Another suggestion is to ditch the warm up matches when on tour in NZ and Aus and play pacific island teams who are desperate for the funding the lions would bring.
 
Personally I think the Lions are fantastic and they have to stay a touring side. Rugby - like golf in a way - still has some great traditions and the Lions, and to a drgree the Barbarians, are well and truly part of those. Yes the odds are stacked against them, but I would say only massively when they tour New Zealand given the quality of the provincial games.

Look at the last few tours - won in Australia, narrowly lost (arguably should have won) in South Africa. I've also seen interviews with the Southern Hemisphere players who've said that playing against the Lions for their respective national teams is the highlight of their careers.

Plus I don't think you'd get the same camaraderie amongst the players and travelling fans from the 4 home nations if the concept changed.

Plus look at the buzz and excitement the Lions generates in SA, Oz and NZ - its totally unique.

But I agree that a way should be found to incorporate the Pacific Islanders into a tour, particularly when it's in Oz and NZ. A couple of midweek matches on an Oz tour would seriously strengthen that one. You could argue the Lions play more than enough against Pacific Islanders on a NZ tour!! 😂😂
 
PieMan said:
Personally I think the Lions are fantastic and they have to stay a touring side. Rugby - like golf in a way - still has some great traditions and the Lions, and to a drgree the Barbarians, are well and truly part of those. Yes the odds are stacked against them, but I would say only massively when they tour New Zealand given the quality of the provincial games.

Look at the last few tours - won in Australia, narrowly lost (arguably should have won) in South Africa. I've also seen interviews with the Southern Hemisphere players who've said that playing against the Lions for their respective national teams is the highlight of their careers.

Plus I don't think you'd get the same camaraderie amongst the players and travelling fans from the 4 home nations if the concept changed.

Plus look at the buzz and excitement the Lions generates in SA, Oz and NZ - its totally unique.

But I agree that a way should be found to incorporate the Pacific Islanders into a tour, particularly when it's in Oz and NZ. A couple of midweek matches on an Oz tour would seriously strengthen that one. You could argue the Lions play more than enough against Pacific Islanders on a NZ tour!! 
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I wouldnt disagree with any of that
 
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