Lions 2017 [MOD WARNING IN OP]

Former Former

Each ref has a warm up game prior to the test so the Lions should at least get a preview of them.

Garces is the best ref around IMO, Poite is very good. I honestly don't remember what I thought about Peyper before November, but he's clearly part of some SANZAR conspiracy to shaft the northern hemisphere.

swiwi_

Former Former wrote: »

Each ref has a warm up game prior to the test so the Lions should at least get a preview of them.

Garces is the best ref around IMO, Poite is very good. I honestly don't remember what I thought about Peyper before November, but he's clearly part of some SANZAR conspiracy to shaft the northern hemisphere.

Actually, he's employed by the NZRU. I read it on an internet forum somewhere, so it must be true.

Clegg

Zzippy wrote: »

I'm sure he'd be targeting a test spot and not the dubious honour of midweek captain this far out. Watching the rugby highlights show on BBC on Sunday and Guscott reckoned POM for a midweek captain. Bit of a backhanded compliment at this stage...

He'll absolutely be targeting the test jersey. Vunipola is still the favourite but has been out for so long that it'll take a while to get back to fitness and form. Faletau isn't back to.mear his best either. Heaslip comes back in a few weeks and puts in some good performances he'll be in the mix. He has a stronger body of work this year than either Vunipola or Faletau.

iancm25

.ak wrote: »

... He's Welsh?

Didn't stop him reffing one of the games in the 2009 series.

Buer

iancm25 wrote: »

Didn't stop him reffing one of the games in the 2009 series.

A midweek game, not the series. The midweek games were shared by South African referees and referees from Britain and Ireland.

The tests were all refereed by officials from neutral nations.

pickarooney

Are there any Japanese refs or ones from the Americas on the circuit?

Yeah_Right

Buer wrote: »

A midweek game, not the series. The midweek games were shared by South African referees and referees from Britain and Ireland.

The tests were all refereed by officials from neutral nations.

I was about to ask about this. I assumed that the provincial games would be reffed by local officials. How can us kiwis expect to get away with injuring the key Lions players with neutral refs?!?! The plan was to load all the Super Rugby sides with thugs and hit men to hand out high shots, late tackles, shoulder charges and the occasional spear tackle with local refs we would have kept 15 players on the field but with neutrals guys will get cards :mad:
Well, I suppose we have to give the Lions a chance to win one or two games


How was it done in Australia in 2013?

Buer

Yeah_Right wrote: »

How was it done in Australia in 2013?

All neutral aside from the game against the Combined QLD/NSW select which was Steve Walsh....who is only technically an Australian but not really.

The Lost Sheep

pickarooney wrote: »

Are there any Japanese refs or ones from the Americas on the circuit?

No at least at higher levels anyway

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I was about to ask about this. I assumed that the provincial games would be reffed by local officials. How can us kiwis expect to get away with injuring the key Lions players with neutral refs?!?! The plan was to load all the Super Rugby sides with thugs and hit men to hand out high shots, late tackles, shoulder charges and the occasional spear tackle with local refs we would have kept 15 players on the field but with neutrals guys will get cards :mad:
Well, I suppose we have to give the Lions a chance to win one or two games

How was it done in Australia in 2013?

haha
So load super rugby sides with guys who cant normally make the side then;)
Having games reffed just by local officials isnt good enough and you need a at least the main team of 3/4 to be completely/somewhat neutral for benefit of the sport.

razorblunt

Ah Angus Gardner, I keep calling him Bryce Lawrence for some reason!

buck65

No wonder he doesn't turn around.

bilston

I see Wales are playing Tonga in Auckland on 16 June. How convenient.

Buer

bilston wrote: »

I see Wales are playing Tonga in Auckland on 16 June. How convenient.

Rumours are that Shane Williams has been buoyed by his recent fitness training in Donegal and is set to feature.

thomond2006

bilston wrote: »

I see Wales are playing Tonga in Auckland on 16 June. How convenient.

Lions A vs Tonga you mean surely?

Yeah_Right

I'd back Tonga to win that. Weakened Wales and Tonga basically playing at home.

dub_skav

Yeah_Right wrote: »

How can us kiwis expect to get away with injuring the key Lions players with neutral refs?!?! The plan was to load all the Super Rugby sides with thugs and hit men to hand out high shots, late tackles, shoulder charges and the occasional spear tackle

But Peyper is reffing one of the tests, the above shouldn't be a problem :P

Yeah_Right

dub_skav wrote: »

But Peyper is reffing one of the tests, the above shouldn't be a problem :P

Good point. First test and the Maori game :cool: We'll win both those games and I'd guess at least half a dozen Lions players should be injured out of the tour after those two matches

bilston

One Pro 12 game isn't likely to sway Gatland but last night's Connacht Glasgow game really illustrated concerns about Hogg's defence. I've had him inked in at 15 for a while but if last night had been a tour game he would be under a bit of pressure IMO.

He is brillant going forward, probably the best attacking player available to the Lions, but the likes of Savea and Smith would be licking their lips if they saw him defend last night.

Buer

I've already said it but nobody should be surprised if Halfpenny is at 15.

The warm up games this time aren't against dud teams. No Combined Counties or Rebels etc. Maori and the Super Rugby sides who are set to have their test players available. If Hogg gets exposed in those games, he'll be making do with the 23 jersey.

sydthebeat

Former would have a canary.

Lot of teams seemed to be playing with a six nations hangover this weekend. Wouldn't read too much into it.

Former Former

sydthebeat wrote: »

Former would have a canary.

You have been warned.

Ah look if he goes, grand. Chances are Gatland is looking at L Williams as a winger, Kearney's chance is probably gone with this injury and Brown didn't set the 6N on fire either, so the field is pretty narrow.

pickarooney

I'd nearly put money on Daly starting at 15 at this stage.

twinytwo

errlloyd wrote: »

Amazingly across their whole careers, Sexton is actually more accurate than Halfpenny (and everybody with a decent sized sample).

This list was compiled by a guy on reddit and uses statbunker stats. Considering Sexton has never really had a "hard kick easy kick" relationship with anybody (ie someone taking the long ones), it is pretty remarkable he's on top.

http://linebreakrugby.com/2016/06/rugby-kicking-stats/


EDIT: Did not realise this was already being discussed above.

Except you can compare kicking now, to what it was 10/12 years ago. A top end 10 today is always going to have higher %. Considering the changes in pitches, balls, training methods etc.

Buer

twinytwo wrote: »

Except you can compare kicking now, to what it was 10/12 years ago. A top end 10 today is always going to have higher %. Considering the changes in pitches, balls, training methods etc.

I think you really need to go back further than that. In 2007, kicking was a well established science. I'd say you need to go back to the 90s before the methods were notably different.

The emergence of the likes of Jonny Wilkinson and Dave Alred in the late 90s was the end of the old school element. Kicking coaches became fairly regular from 2000 onwards.

Mark Tainton was working with the Irish players since 2003, for example. I think what has really changed has been the mindset towards kicking. It is now seen as a critical element of the game whilst back in the 90s it was seen as an added bonus by many.

bestleftfull3

Is anyone here travelling over to NZ for the lions!

Been living in Melbourne almost 3 years so heading over the 16th June taking in the warm up games in Rotorua and Hamilton and then back to Auckland (ticketless) for the first test.

Be good to meet up with some Irish supporters along the way

Elvisjuice

http://rugbylad.com/wales-legend-stephen-jones-names-his-lions-2017-squad/


anyway Jones can be banned from the internet ?

Buer

Elvisjuice wrote: »

http://rugbylad.com/wales-legend-stephen-jones-names-his-lions-2017-squad/


anyway Jones can be banned from the internet ?

Look at the date of the article....

thomond2006

Please don't give that site any clicks.

wp_rathead

thomond2006 wrote: »

Please don't give that site any clicks.

Never thought I'd find a site worse than Pundit Arena but that one gives it a run for its money