Big Karl has played all 6 games also, so I guess he is not on the '6 games in a row max' All Blacks rest protocol? Unless they have allowed him one more game so that the team doesn't have to be without both top props at once (especially with Hodgman also out).
Interesting both this game and the Chiefs v Canes (Jaco Peyper) have SA refs.

Referee Marius van der Westhuizen
AR1 Jaco Peyper
AR2 Ben O'Keeffe
TMO Glenn Newman

Have not seen much of Joe Walsh. Here are some good clips of him playing for the Stags.

15 Tyrone Green, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies (c), 9 Andre Warner, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Ruan Vermaak, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Frans van Wyk, 2 Jan-Hemming Campher, 1 Dylan Smith
Replacements: 16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Len Massyn, 21 Morne van den Berg, 22 Shaun Reynolds, 23 Andries Coetzee

@Daffy-Jaffy pretty sure that's just the same clip over and over for 6 minutes.

Not a bad team. Obvious that the resting means the effects of Goodhue's and Hodgman's injuries leaves us a bit exposed in the tighties.

Blues by plenty

An all Harbour tight 5. That has to be a first for the Blues.

Parsons mentioned the other day that Akira has been hitting PBs in training. Would've been nice if he got in the starting backrow, but he's at least made his way ahead of Lamborn in the pecking order. He now just has to make his way ahead of Blake so that he's in the 23 once Robinson gets back.

Stink news about Telea and Tucker. They would've been handy in a long season.

@Dice good catch. And who would have picked that - must be a first in terms of Blues surely!

@Machpants said in Blues v Lions:

With 5 cases in NZ? No way it would be an over reaction.

stop all those foreigners bringing in thier illnesses!

@Machpants said in Blues v Lions:

@nzzp said in Blues v Lions:

@nzzp said in Blues v Lions:

Anyone think there's a risk of this being played in an empty stadium (jokes about Blues crowds aside)? Pasifika done, ODI and F1 behind closed doors; are we goign the same way?

Well, it's going ahead at the moment. Brave call by Super; I'm going out on a limb and betting that by next weekend the games will be heavily affected; either not being played, or with no crowds.

With 5 cases in NZ? No way it would be an over reaction.

We aren't doing wide testing, we have no idea how many cases are in NZ.

That said, I'm thinking of having a shower in hand sanitser and heading along.

@taniwharugby said in Blues v Lions:

@Machpants said in Blues v Lions:

With 5 cases in NZ? No way it would be an over reaction.

stop all those foreigners bringing in thier illnesses!

Close all the airports to pasenger flights might do that, not stopping rugby games. Oh, by the way, no more medicine whilst we do that as they generally come in on passenger flights. A bit like closing schools, sounds good but school kids are not generally badly effected and all it means is losing half of your doctors and nurses who have to stay at home with the kids!

Actually, if this is true, it is probably best to overreact.

@Machpants said in Blues v Lions:

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Probably should keep the virus stuff to;

Unless directly related to this game. Otherwise the whole forum will be like 28 Days Later.

@Duluth Lindenmuth starting. Karl T late withdrawal

@Nogusta Anything serious?

Not surprised at the tiny crowd given everything going on.

It's pretty wet up Northland, same in AKL?

@Machpants not at my place!!

Parsons FFS. He is brain dead that bloke.

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Lions:

Not surprised at the tiny crowd given everything going on.

South stand is relatively busy

Holy smokes. Jantjies has gone overboard on the roids eh.

nice passage of d there

Nock's service makes such a difference.

nicely wrked try

Any news on why Karl T is out?

@Tim he had a leg issue at the end of last week.

Maul defence!

Nock should be clearing with kicks not passing back to Black 15 metres back

That was worryingly easy.

@Bones said in Blues v Lions:

That was worryingly easy.

Gibson completely run over. Bullied.

Good patience shown by the Lions there. They've looked good so far.

aside from scoreboard, blues dont seem in the game so far.

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Lions:

@Bones said in Blues v Lions:

That was worryingly easy.

Gibson completely run over. Bullied.

Modern centres are the size of open side forwards now anyway.

@antipodean modern as in this century?

@taniwharugby Don't think we've been that bad so far, the Lions have been good. Exits could improve from us.

Telea is brilliant. Now to use that to go forward fella!

@African-Monkey wasnt that they were 'bad' just hardly had the ball, but when they did they score and then almost score...if they can get some more ball they will open the lions up

@Bones Teflonea

Blues throwing away chances.

Sotutu! Notutu!

Gross.