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The good, the bad and the rugby – Lions Tour 2017

(Photo by Getty Images)

The dust has barely settled on the insanity that was third and ultimately un-deciding test between the All Blacks and British & Irish Lions. While all the talk today is about the call that Roman Poite made in the dying stages, let’s not let it overshadow what has been a fascinating tour.

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The last month has captured the attention of an entire nation. Here’s some of  the highs and lows of the journey:

GOOD – The crowds. Even though the first game in Whangarei was preceded by the sort of weather that would have Noah rounding up two of every animal for a boat ride, the skies cleared and the people flocked. A full house at Okara Park set the tone for the rest of the series, with every stadium filled to the brim.

BAD – The build up for the Lions. One week together clearly wasn’t nearly enough, as evidenced in their slack start to the tour. The most annoying part about their blundering against the Barbarians and then Blues was that it meant that they completely shut up shop against the Crusaders – a win, yes, but a very turgid watch.

GOOD – The Blues. If anyone should be thanking the schedule-makers, it’s the men from Auckland. They got a disjointed Lions side in the first week of the tour and duly dispatched them in front of their biggest crowd in quite a while. Next week they go back to being the worst NZ Super Rugby team, though.

BAD – The Chiefs. Last year their B team smoked Wales, this year they couldn’t even hold onto the ball for longer than 30 seconds. Taking nothing away from the Lions, though, they treated the home team with the ruthless contempt they deserved.

GOOD – Maro Itoje. Whenever this guy does anything remotely good, we heard his own personalised chant go up. Which ended up being a great many times.

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BAD – Concussions. Courtney Lawes was knocked out cold against the Highlanders and sat out exactly 0 games in the aftermath. Alun Wyn Jones was knocked out even colder in the third test, and somehow returned to the field of play. I’m no doctor, but that doesn’t seem right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5rvbnn7RNE

GOOD – Ngani Laumape. After ploughing through the Lions for the Hurricanes, Laumape found himself starting his first test about half an hour before he should’ve and with one less team mate to help him. After a bulldozing performance in that game, he showed his wider skill set with a more distributing role in the third.

BAD – Gatland being called a clown. It wasn’t funny the first time, or the second. He got the last (and only) laugh out of the joke though.

Warren Gatland hams it up in the final press conference
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GOOD – The Maori All Blacks haka. Spine-tingling, especially through the cloud of mist that rolled in over Rotorua International Stadium as the teams took the field.

BAD – The Maori All Blacks. So the haka was basically the only thing they got right, afterwards they were handed a lesson in physical ball control by the Lions.

GOOD – Jonathan Davies. Not exactly a name that most NZ fans would’ve been talking about too much before the tour, but the big Welshman made linebreaks in every game he played. The road to the Lions’ ultimate successes were paved through the centre channel that he controlled – he was the best player in the test series.

GOOD/ VERY BAD – Sonny Bill Williams. Game winner at Eden Park for the Blues, shockingly stupid red card in the second test. SBW now becomes the only All Black to be sent off on NZ soil, and the first in 50 years to get his marching orders at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9t-7QJ44is

GOOD – This story isn’t finished! A drawn series for the first time ever – and now we have 12 more years to talk about what will happen next. The guys who will be playing in that series will be mostly all in their first year of high school right now, just have a think about that.

VERY GOOD – Lions fans. They’re loud and proud, but friendly and willing to take the good with the bad. No one thought their team could pull level with the mighty All Blacks, and it was their support that helped ensure the Lions can leave NZ with their heads held high.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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