B & I Lions
 

Not sure if there is another thread anywhere about the up-and-coming tour, if so my apologies. I'm really excited about it and so looking forward to all the matches. I predict a very one-sided tour with the ABs winning all tests by an increasing margin. I'm even predicting my beloved Crusaders to give them a good going over in 2 weeks time! I also expect the other Super Rugby sides to do similar :)

Re: B & I Lions
 

I would be surprised if it is the walkover you predict. NZ teams will struggle a bit in the forwards I reckon and have kiwi teams forgotten how to win tight matches? As long as the ABs and the Hurricanes win :-)

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I'll be heading down the pub for a couple of games and I'd like to make it into one of the fanzones too - was excellent back in 2005.

I got tickets for one of the tests for a fellow BE member so he'll be happy at the match I expect.

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he will be very happy, bearskin your a star

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Wedding bells for you in June Andrew ?

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yes wedding a week Saturday then travel to nz on 20th june cant wait especially when my tickets arrive from Bearskin.....top bloke who sorted me out from over there

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Good call :-)

Re: B & I Lions
 

Well played British and Irish lions tonight. A thoroughly deserved victory, which could have been a lot more had they been a bit more clinical in the final 22.

George Kruis, best player on the pitch.

No complaints on the defeat. We could have played all night and not score any further points. Best side won....

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Rubbish, they only kicked penalties gifted to them by the bizarre ref. Crusaders were poor in not adapting to the poor reffing, but how can you win the scrum and lose 3 points? Why on earth do we put up with second class Northern Hemisphere referees down here?

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Mwhahahahaha. That's priceless. What a gallant loser.

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I thought the ref was pretty poor. Scrums are hard to call so perhaps the ref saw something close up but it looked as though the crusaders had the nudge on for most of the game. French referees generally kill games and this was no exception - no flow to the game. Bring Nigel Owens over. In saying that, the Lions defended very well and the crusaders had no plan B to deal with the rush defense. I think the Crusaders will be kicking themselves a little as they should have pushed the Lions a bit harder. Great result for the series as it means the Lions are now being taken seriously.

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Oh the ref definitely went to the Steve Walsh school of refereeing but he was bad for all sides throughout the night.
I don't think he's read a book on scrums, couldn't understand the offside rule, failed to spot a blatant penalty goal from Farrell and countless times he missed the Crusaders putting hands on the ball in the ruck.

But it wasn't his fault that the usual successful back row couldnt string a pass or two together without dropping. It wasn't the refs fault that our line out play was dreadful and it wasn't the refs fault that we allowed Murray to dictate the game.

We were poor on the night and deserved the loss. First time we haven't scored a try since 2015 and the first time a try hasn't been scored in a match in NZ since 2013

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One word....boring :(

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since 2013? You mean in crusaders matches or in NZ in general?

Re: B & I Lions
 

NZ in general I believe. I'm sure I heard someone mention that the match was the first time in 4 years that a professional rugby game in New Zealand has not contained a try at all.

It wouldn't surprise me, given the standard of play here

Re: B & I Lions
 

The test series will be a lot closer than people are giving the Lions credit for although I feel they would have been better off with Eddie Jones as coach. They could have really giving the Crusaders a thrashing with better back play.

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Not sure where the Lions fit yet

[IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...pstbifspcc.jpg[/IMG]

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Exciting game in Dunedin.
That's more like it :thumbsup:

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Loved it last night. Dunedins a fantastic place to visit. Pretty damn expensive mind, $13 for a NZ pint of Asahi??????

Forsythe Barr is by far the best stadium in New Zealand..... I prefer the roof open but it made it feel like a poor man's Millennium Stadium with the roof closed. Something the Welsh contigent should have adapted better to.

Can't wait for Rotorua this weekend and see the match v the Maori All Blacks.

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Not classic game V the Maori but sets the 1st test up perfectly. Should be interesting!

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Once again, it's all about converting opportunities to tries.

That second half performance last was faultless against any side but to be faultless against the best team in the world, the points total needs to be at least 30 points...

To keep the Crusaders and the Maori to one try and 13 points is excellent. To do the same again vs the All Blacks is a tough ask.

On the positive side, it's not the complete whitewash the deluded media thought it would be. I wonder if they're blaming the ref or some mystery illness on the Maori ABs defeat?? The reaction after the Crusaders defeat was 5 year old tantrum style

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We're used to that on this forum...

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Good dig Bearskin.

I wonder how complaining about generally accepted poor refereeing is 5 year old tantrum style?

Now, gloating and snide digs is immature - well done :)

Gatland complained about the ref after the Highlanders game. I hear no one calling him names on here?

Re: B & I Lions
 

Decent performance tonight, although I'm sure the expert stuff readers will say it was a bore fest. Funny that when the All Blacks play ugly (aka their win in France last year), it's fantastic, yet any other side win like that against them, it's boring..

They looked a lot more threatening, especially in the second half. However I'd be surprised if any of the starting 15 made Saturdays team.

Also on another positive.

A reserve England team go and win 2-0 with excellent performances in Argentina.
Also glad to see Scotland beating Australia in their own backyard. Deserved after they were robbed at the world cup by some dreadful refereeing...

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May I be the first to say well done Steve Hansen on dropping the out of form Julian Savea

Bold but good decision ad well by Gatland putting Jones ahead of Itoje. Bring Itoje on during the last 20 minutes. The last 20 minutes of a game generally is when the All Blacks put sides away.

Just a shame we don't have a decent referee in Wayne Barnes officiating. Oh well, you can't have every thing.

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Are we playing baseball or rugby? I always thought rugby was payed on a field or ground but "Pitch," I don't think so!

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You could get odds for the B&I Lions to win that payed $4.80 for a $1 bet yesterday at the TAB.
I know.:sneaky:

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Sounds like a good bet, especially if it rains.

Re: B & I Lions
 

This thread has gone a bit quiet! Fantastic match last night, a bit tense in the first half when the Lions played some lovely rugby, if they could have managed it for longer, they may have won. However, they couldn't and the ABs showed their class in a resounding defeat. Perhaps the Lions will do better next week with a French ref to give them a game they are accustomed to....
We'll see - can't wait, in the meantime, come on the Canes!

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Looks like the Kiwi's are going to kick-arse Oracle too!

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Been here before - Oracle will change the rules or put on an outboard engine :-)

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New Zealand is a small country with a population of less than 5 million, but remarkably they currently hold the Rugby World Cup, hold the current WBO world heavyweight boxing title and have only one race to go to hold the America's cup. Go Kiwi's!!

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Americas Cup - Not bad for a small country with not much money?

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You just need one or two millionaires to back them ;)

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Wrong order of magnitude - the entry fee is $1million - they reckon the American team spent $100 million so you need a billionaire (or help from an Airline like Emirates which still left NZ well underfunded). As an example Australia couldn't afford to enter.

Given the next one will be in NZ and the huge income resulting, money well spent

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Well the Canes came bloody close last night - a fantastic match, well done to them! Lions a bit of a shambles regarding the use of the bench, shame for the guys.

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Why does Gatland have that permanent worried look :lol:

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Just back from our hols.

What a tremendous game. So exciting and despite some dirty tactics reminisce of another Lions tour which actually happened right before our eyes , well played.

Lion. Lions. Lions.

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Well done Lions, I don't think you deserved the win, but it's immaterial, it was achieved. Expect to be overwhelmed and annihilated next week.

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Well done Lions, I guess a win is a win!