Lions tour of New Zealand

What I don’t understand is why Halfpenny 2017 shows nothing like the counter attacking flair of Halfpenny 2013 when he was man of the Lions series. Could it be that playing in France has had a negative effect ?
I would be inclined to try Liam W at 15 for Wales and put Halfpenny on the wing - where he played a few years back.

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I’m not a fan of the Top 14. Toulon play a very different game, it’s not counter-attacking. I think his knee injury has been a massive blow.

I had this very conversation about Wales before the 6 Nations. Williams is a more dynamic player at the moment.

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I saw a lot of lost ball from Kruis. I see that Liam can be brilliant! Little Webb did nice at the end! But too many All Blacks got through like knife through. butter. Pack needs to be more fluid. Too too too many penalties. OK because ABs so fast, but we need to be ready for them. Too little tackling actually got the man down! We need two per tackle at least while most ABs can tackle alone! Practice!
OK now all tell me everything I have said is wrong and explain why! :blush:

In 46 years the Lions have not been ready for the All Blacks. No one has at Eden Park since 1994.

Flip it on its head: the missed tackles - ABs running very flat attacking lines with 3-4 support runners.

I think the Lions played well enough to beat anyone else in the world. Just outclassed.

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At the end of the day the Lions were outclassed by the undisputed champs.The AB’s do everything at such pace it causes pressure and mistakes. Eliot Daly is meant to be fast but was left for dead by the AB winger. Lions dropped too many balls. And I can’t see the point of kicking the ball to the AB’s . Let’s keep possession . Some positives - Jon Davies back to form and Liam W must surely start at 15 for Wales in future. Changes for next Saturday ? Maybe give Rhys Webb a start ? Starting pack should be the same I think.

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That is the council of despair! Good job Carwyn and his Lions didn’t think like that! That team played our way and made the whole of New Zealand think. After sinking back into complacency, the WRU, when offered fitness coaching from the son of a Welsh couple in New Zealand who wanted to pass on what he had learned there, said, “We don’t need that for our boys!” I can’t be sure when that was, but we’ve done nothing since to make that statement any more believable!! (The lad was the son of a neighbour of mine who came home and has since gone back!).
To @Richard636363 Yes! Yes! Yes! Especially the bit about kicking! Even into touch (apart from penalties) needs care! Quick throw-ins can be a nasty come-back!

The game has changed. End of. It’s not the 1970s, it’s not amateur anymore. The 1971 Lions were there for 3 months. New Zealand have changed world rugby and they set the pace. Yes we need to improve but we also need to stop harking back to completely different times. Please can we stop making this comparison?

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I agree. The tactic was used by Ireland to great effect but it’s not working here. Liam Williams did set up that wonder try, shame about the high ball at the end.

I think Warburton should start. O’Mahoney had a shot, I think this is where Warburton comes into his own. We can talk about changes at 12, but Te’O’s defence kept SBW quieter than he could have been. Jon Davies has really come back to form.

Totally agree! :sunny:

Wel? Some good Scottish play! Some good runs by North. I thought Halfpenny was very unlucky, one little mistake, just at the wrong time (shown on TV again and again). I still rate Henderson and have problems with a sending off which needed that many views in slow motion to convince the Ref! I honestly think he sent him off in the end to shut the Aussie TMO up! Maybe the Ref wasn’t that sure about the earlier neck roll and thought he owed the Hurricanes?! Now we wait to see who gets picked for Saturday.

Alba go bráth (I think that’s how you spell it?)

Interesting perspective from a Scottish Lion. Also an interesting incite into how decisions are made. Often teams are built on who you know (or who knows you) and not what you do. I’m really looking forward to another Glasgow Warriors appearance in the Pro-12 final. Hopefully against the Scarlets.

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Yeah, pretty shocking that Rowntree should say he ‘hadn’t seen enough’ of a player in the Lions’ camp… it seemed like a bad decision at the time, but that makes it worse…

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Also highlights the lack of reflection and evaluation some coaches do. What’s the worst that can happen if you bring on fresh legs? Vs the potential damage Vunipola could have suffered, the impact on Grant and the impact on the game? Comes back to our opinion on head injuries. Should be expanded to include player safety across the board. A wrecked prop is not a safe player to have on a pitch.

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Yup, strongly, strongly agree.

Meanwhile… bit surprised (but glad) that AWJ got the call… I think there are some intangibles in there like leadership qualities and Gatland’s trust in him. Warburton seemed more likely to me… I think North has been very unlucky to pick up that injury (and I hope that means he’s going to feel he’s got something to prove in our autumn series)… and I think Gatland has flat out got it wrong with Sexton and Farrell.

Having said that, he’s never shied away from big calls, and he gets them right as often as not, so I hope I’m wrong. I’d have gone with Biggar and Te’o, though.

If we lose on Saturday this could be the opening for Biggar - Webb to start the Swan Song.

Yeah AWJ is an interesting choice. I like it, particularly with Lawes on the bench. He’s a real impact player but very similar to Itoje.

I feel for North. Like you say, could be exactly what he needs for next season!

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Could well be (although I’d rather they’d got the roll of the dice for the make-or-break game)…

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Yeah me too

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I am just waiting, with a ‘trying not to look’ feeling of dread tempered with a touch of almost guilty hope. I will be overjoyed to be proved wrong, but it is not the team I would expect to win and I know we must win to even draw the series - oh, OK, we could draw and then win the last game, but…??? I know Gatland is a good coach, but… does he really, deep down in his soul, want us to beat the ABs?

I don’t doubt his desire to win. Just as Sean Edwards wants Wales to beat England every year. These guys are professionals.

Sean O’Brien said the Lions lacked the right attitude to the game. I just think the All Blacks are just too good at the moment.

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That way of seeing it leads to failure by expectation! I refuse to believe the Lions can’t win, if the right combination were fit and picked!