@dice said in Lions v Blues:
A bit perplexing that our best lock is on the bench. This will be our 3rd lock pairing in 3 weeks.
Yeah it's odd, Scrafton is clearly the best performing lock (and tight forward) in the team.
Tuipolotu should be on the bench.
@sammyc said in Lions v Blues:
@dice said in Lions v Blues:
A bit perplexing that our best lock is on the bench. This will be our 3rd lock pairing in 3 weeks.
Yeah it's odd, Scrafton is clearly the best performing lock (and tight forward) in the team.
Tuipolotu should be on the bench.
I agree, even more so with this game being played at altitude. It'd also help balance out a bench devoid of impact type players.
It seems to me that they see the 3 locks as interchangeable with 1 of them rotated onto the bench - Tuipulotu was on the bench week 1, GCT in week 2 and Scrafton this week.
Maybe also they think Scrafton on the bench will help balance the second half slump the Blues have been having? Bringing on a hard worker off the pine to help the Blues battle against the altitude?
Proof will be in the pudding.
Finally, the Blues get over the line; excellent try from Akira Aioneee. (What's up with these commentators not being able to pronounce his name correctly?)
Half time: 21 - 10 to the Lions.
Blues are really struggling to get through the Lions' defence. Also giving away a lot of penalties. Gatland-Nock combo not working. I suspect the effect of altitude that will kick in during the 2nd half, will make it even harder for the Blues to catch up.
Gatland's kicking game has been terrible thus far. Not kicking into touch; inaccurate cross-kicks; now also missing an easy penalty kick. Bring on Perofeta!
Geez, and now a pass from Ruru is intercepted and the Lions are over again. 28 - 10.
They showed a stat earlier that the Blues had 62% possession and the Lions a lot of missed tackles, but that's clearly not reflected in the score.
Rieko gets the try after a great pass from Ruru.
Lots of subs have been made in the mean time, including Perofeta.
Wow, another try from Rieko! The subs have had a positive influence and have sped up the game considerably.
Ruru + Perofeta is miles better than Nock + Gatland.
@stargazer said in Lions v Blues:
Wow, another try from Rieko! The subs have had a positive influence and have sped up the game considerably.
Ruru + Perofeta is miles better than Nock + Gatland.
More cohesion and the Team is really moving forward.
@stargazer said in Lions v Blues:
SBW is pretty disappointing though.
Duffie's defence has been suspect, he still comes in and exposes his Wing.
@number9 said in Lions v Blues:
@stargazer said in Lions v Blues:
SBW is pretty disappointing though.
Duffie's defence has been suspect, he still comes in and exposes his Wing.
Not just Duffie's defence. Lions strike back immediately.
35 -24 to the Lions with 6 minutes to go.
Boys chancing their arm, bench has been strong. Lions have been strong at the breakdown. We can get the ball wide, keep the all in hand we can win this.
Awesome! The Blues beat the Lions with a converted try in referee's time! Geez, how much did the Blues improve after the subs came on!
Final score: Lions 35 - 38 Blues
@stargazer your not wrong about the names
@steven-harris said in Lions v Blues:
Brilliant win against a very good lions,there were times I wanted to turn off and go to bed,delighted I stayed up..!,some great impact from the bench..,
I was worried Ruru had been given the TSF curse when his first three touches were ankles/above the head/intercept but he added impetus after that.
@rebound said in Lions v Blues:
@crucial
What about his charge down, it was always going to be a charge down. He and Nanai are the most frustrating, always do something crap mixed with the good they do
With Ruru he may have just edged on the right side of the ledger, but only just.
Do you mean Nye-nye?
I have never understood why Gatland was so highly rated. The times I've watched him he was distinctly underwhelming.
I know several people who reckon he wasn't even the best at HBHS. But his name was excellent PR for them.
Hopefully that's the win the Blues need to get confidence and stop trying too hard.
They were lucky their persistence paid off in the end as they were really searching for things that weren't there.
@rebound said in Lions v Blues:
@crucial
What about his charge down, it was always going to be a charge down. He and Nanai are the most frustrating, always do something crap mixed with the good they do
Can't believe you're including Ruru in a sentence that contains the word 'always'. He's just arrived on the scene. Rookies make mistakes.
SA Rugby In Shock After TMO Correctly Rules In Favour Of The Away Team
Shockwaves went through SA rugby today, when a TMO (television muppet official) correctly ruled against the home SA team for the first time ever in a televised game. Late on in the match, with the Lions looking to close out the match it looked for all money that the Lions had scored with time almost up to put the game beyond reach. Despite the ball clearly having not been grounded, expected transmission began with the assistant referee running in to let the referee know that the ball had indeed been grounded correctly, and he'd had a clear view.
However things began to unravel shortly after, when the referee decided that it was worth another look, leaving all viewers confused. After looking at 3 angles, of which the clearest had correctly been blocked by a spectators head, the TMO then sent seismic waves through the community by correctly saying the ball hadn't been grounded. The Blues then went on to score a last minute winner, although replays clearly showed there were at least 5 potential reasons for the referee to completely fuck up and call it back.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann when asked about the incident was inconsolable and somewhat confused. "I didn't really see it and haven't had time to review it, as like all good coaches I wasn't looking at the 42 live screens in front of me all showing the replays. This is however a huge shift change for SA refereeing, and I'm wondering if there is any point in even having home advantage anymore. Fans don't turn up, and if the referees are going to police things correctly and without bias, then we may as well just play away".
Team captain Warren Whitely concurred, simply saying "it's not my job to comment on referees decisions, but if the home teaming isn't getting all the 90/10's, let alone the 50/50's, it's going to be tough from here on in"
Blues coach Tana Umaga was delighted with the result, the first time in his tenure that his team actually did anything decent. "It's great to get a win against a well coached and strong Lions team, although I don't have time to talk right now, as I've got to help Sonny Bill get a flight to Port Elizabeth - he's got an old pal or something there he wants to catch up with".
SA referees were approached for comment, but politely declined as they, quite rightly commented that like all controversial decisions their view is firmly to have their heads up their arse.
@african-monkey Agree, they were equally as dumb, but the Blues had so many chances in the Lions' 22 and turned the ball over with unnecessary offloads. The Lions should have won it at the end but I feel the Blues were only trailing due to their own ineptitude. The Lions were nowhere near their best and the Blues almost stuffed it up imo.
The Lions really need to find a balance between their all out attacking game plan and a more pragmatic one when closing out games. They never should have lost that in the last few minutes.
@african-monkey said in Lions v Blues:
@akan004 The Lions also showed how not to close a game out. It's as if they can only play at a high tempo pace. Great heart shown from the boys despite our obvious flaws.
Then the French outdid both and gave the ultimate 'not closing' lesson
