1
Lions v All Blacks Third Test: Three things that will happen tonight and three that won't
By Jamie Wall
As we count down to kick off in the third and deciding test of the British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand, let’s look at the things we can count on:
- There’s going to be a ton of kicking. Jordie Barrett is going to get a thorough testing out by Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell. However, the battle for control of the airspace above Eden Park won’t just be restricted to the efforts of the Lions. Beauden Barrett has a distinct penchant for the attacking kick too, and will look to find his brother, Israel Dagg and Julian Savea across the field with his boot.
- The game will be won along the 15m lines. In the first test, the All Blacks used this area as their highway to victory. The interplay between the forwards and the backs was instrumental in the build up to Codie Taylor’s early try, which put the Lions immediately on the back foot. Conversely, the Lions have found their linebreaks out on the edges – Jonathan Davies has been cutting swathes down this channel all tour, plus it’s where Murray scored his crucial try last weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1pkUFJUzjc
- There will be howls of outrage from Lions fans whenever there is the slightest bit of foul play by the All Blacks, from All Black fans whenever there is the slightest bit of offside play by the Lions, and from everyone at how long it takes to get a round of beers at Eden Park.
And here’s three things that probably aren’t going to happen:
- Another red card. I mean, what are the chances? Besides, Discipline wouldn’t have just been drummed into the heads of the All Blacks this week – Mako Vunipola’s yellow card probably would’ve gone down in history as even worse than Sonny Bill’s red if the Lions had lost last week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzdfJvKvoC0
- That All Blacks fans will suddenly find voice and outpassion the tourists with singing, chanting and humorous banter.
- In the event of an All Black victory, bars in central Auckland will be left with surplus supplies of beer because the Lions fans will be too sad to drink.
ADVERTISEMENT
