Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

[Cesar Rodriguez]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Super, super excited at the upcoming Lions tour...........precious few things can get me excited like a Lions tour, especially one in New Zealand or South Africa. I'm ploughing through Dan Carter's autobiography at a rate of knots right now in order to whet my appetite.

Bring on Saturday!

[tee rex]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Sadly, I'm dreading it. I'm sure I would enjoy a Lions tour of New Zealand if I weren't actually in New Zealand. The rugby itself could be terrific. But viewed through the cringe-inducing lens of the local media ... oh, please make it stop, even though it hasn't started.

Because our own rugby followers are the dullest fans in world sport, without an ounce of originality, the media flock to the Lions' visiting hordes like groupies chasing a boy band. "Entertain us! Sing and drink, drink and sing!" (as featured in every "news" bulletin for the next month). And of course technology has moved on since 2005, so now we'll have cellphone footage to play with ("Pisshead abuses/assaults somebody in replica shirt") and it'll be nasty, ergo news. You can write the off-field stories already. It's the downside of living in a land where not much happens. If only we had more murders and corruption and Trumps to fill the news instead.

Anyway, the ABs will win 2-0, maybe chuck the third. I'd guess minimum two Lions losses to "Super" sides.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Here we go, the Lions squad to play Barbarians:

Team: Hogg; Watson, Joseph, Te'o, Seymour, Sexton, Laidlaw; Marler, Best, Sinckler, Wyn Jones, Henderson, Moriarty, Warburton, Faletau.

Replacements: George, Vunipola, Furlong, Kruis, Tipuric, Webb, Farrell, Payne.

AWJ has had a name change, bar that no surprises.

[Cesar Rodriguez]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

I can see your point there tee rex.......coverage of such an event can be suffocating when it is on your doorstep.

Thankfully I live in California and I believe most games will be on at midnight or thereabouts......it will be enjoyable for me to stay up after everyone else has gone to bed and watch the rugby with a cup of cocoa.

These are the types of small pleasures I like to avail myself of when I can.

[Ray de Galles]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

A scraped 7-13 win over the NZ Provincial Barbarians is hardly an auspicious start.

I only had half an eye on the game as I'm staying with my folks ahead of the CL Final but it all looked as disjointed and jet-lagged as you'd expect three days off the plane.

Though I presume the opposition were just as much of a scratch side as the Lions, which is worrying.

[Ray de Galles]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Clermont finally win a final in an absolutely breathless, nerve-shredding finish to the Top 14 championship. Defending for their lives as Toulon hammered at their line trying to overturn a 22-16 deficit.

I only saw the last quarter and could barely take the tension. Thrilling stuff.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

I presume that means Rougerie can finally retire.

[Ray de Galles]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

He was shown laughing on the pitch with ten seconds left as Toulon kicked a penalty to the five metre line for a line-out, I think he'd finally lost it.

[ursus arctos]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

They asked him about retirement in the post-match interview and h evaded the question.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

I can't believe he's still playing.

In other news Ken Owens is the surprise choice of captain for the Lions against the Blues, here are the teams:

Blues: M Collins; M Duffie, G Moala, S B Williams or T J Faiane, R Ioane; S Perofeta, A Pulu; O Tu’ungafasi, J Parsons (capt), C Faumuina, G Cowley-Tuioti, Scrafton, A Ioane, B Gibson, S Luatua. Replacements: H Faiva, H Hodgman, S Mafileo, P Tuipulotu, K Pryor, S Nock, I West, TJ Faiane/M Nanai.

British & Irish Lions: L Halfpenny; J Nowell, J Payne, R Henshaw, E Daly; D Biggar, R Webb; J McGrath, K Owens (capt), D Cole, C Lawes, M Itoje, J Haskell, J Tipuric, C J Stander. Replacements: R Best, J Marler, K Sinckler, Henderson, O’Mahony, Laidlaw, J Sexton, L Williams.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

The eleven yet to start a game will be starting against the Crusaders on Saturday, the choice of country pairs might be an indicator of potential test choices.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Leigh Halfpenny seemingly on his way out of Toulon, a move back too Wales appears unlikely with Bath the favourites to sign him.

I'd love to see him at the Scarlets, could the WRU help bring him back?

[Ray de Galles]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

That wasn't very good at all. Thud & blunder set piece rugby with next to no offloads or line breaks and a different class of handling, passing and running from the Blues who, as we're continually reminded, are NZ's weakest Super Rugby side.

Had the Lions somehow nicked the game with the final line-out (instead of Best overthrowing it horrifically) it would have been an act of larceny.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

You've been more pessimistic than the media Harry, was it really that bad?

The Crusaders on Saturday with Gatland promising the eleven non starters that they will start. Most off the media say this will be the closest side to the test team as well. I've not worked out who the 11 are but from memory I remember Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Farrell, Murray, Tipuric, O'Mahony, Kruis and George.

[Ray de Galles]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

The Lions were effective within the very narrow gameplan they had and were always competitive but the fact remains they created next to nothing in open play. They had set piece dominance but that counts for little if the opposition can create tries when you can't.

I'm not going to judge a tour from two games and we all knew the fixture list was a very tall order for the Lions but it hasn't started well. Saturday will be more of an indication if it's closer to the pencilled in test side, it's just been announced :

15 Stuart Hogg – Glasgow Warriors, Scotland, 783
14 George North – Northampton Saints, Wales, #792
13 Jonathan Davies – Scarlets, Wales, #778
12 Ben Te’o – Worcester Warriors, England, #815
11 Liam Williams – Scarlets, Wales, #832
10 Owen Farrell – Saracens, England, #780
9 Conor Murray – Munster, Ireland, #790

1 Mako Vunipola – Saracens, England, #787
2 Jamie George – Saracens, England, #818
3 Tadhg Furlong – Leinster, Ireland, #817
4 Alun Wyn Jones (capt) – Ospreys, Wales, #761
5 George Kruis – Saracens, England, #819
6 Peter O’Mahony – Munster, Ireland, #833
7 Sean O’Brien – Leinster, Ireland, #796
8 Taulupe Faletau – Bath Rugby, Wales, #779

Replacements

16 Ken Owens – Scarlets, Wales, #829
17 Jack McGrath – Leinster, Ireland, #827
18 Dan Cole – Leicester, England, #794
19 Maro Itoje – Saracens, England, #825
20 CJ Stander – Munster, Ireland, #831
21 Rhys Webb – Ospreys, Wales, #820
22 Johnny Sexton – Leinster, Ireland, #791
23 Anthony Watson – Bath Rugby, England, #816

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

The Crusaders team: I Dagg, S Tamanivalu, J Goodhue, D Havili, G Bridge, R Mo'unga, B Hall, J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, L Romano, S Whitelock (capt), H Bedwell-Curtis, M Todd, J Taufua.

Replacements: B Funnell, W Crockett, M Alaalatoa, Q Strange, J Brown, M Drummond, M Hunt, T Bateman.

That's a rather impressive team and good news that the provincial sides are picking their strongest sides.

[Gangster Octopus]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Antepli Ejderha wrote: That's a rather impressive team and good news that the provincial sides are picking their strongest sides.

How do you know that?

[ursus arctos]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Champions Cup draw for next season

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Gangster Octopus wrote:

That's a rather impressive team and good news that the provincial sides are picking their strongest sides.

How do you know that?

Not sure I understand your question GO.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Pools 2 and 3 are nuts, the Scarlets should be really happy getting an Italian side.

[Gangster Octopus]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Just wondering how on earth you have such a knowledge of club sides from the other side of the world. Not knocking it, mind.

[ursus arctos]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Dunno about you, but we get three Super Rugby matches every weekend over here.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Gangster Octopus wrote: Just wondering how on earth you have such a knowledge of club sides from the other side of the world. Not knocking it, mind.

Not so much knowledge just reading the rugby news on a few sites GO.

[Janik]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Fantastic game of power and running rugby between Argentina and England, decided by a debut try from Denny Solomona which turned a 3 point deficit to a 4 point advantage in the last two minutes, which epitomised both the power and running elements.

[longeared]

Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

Absolutely breathtaking game; daft of Argentina to kick a drop goal with three minutes left - especially given that they had advantage. Even taking a penalty would have wasted some time.