Crusaders v Lions match thread

BBDBB

Great kick to touch

dregin

AWESOME kick to corner from Farrell.

Erik Shin

A try would be lovely now

Tigerandahalf

Delighted the ref has an idea of the scrum. Crucaders are clearing pushing across the scrum rather than straight on. Other refs would let them away with that.

dregin

Best half that could have been expected.

Tigerandahalf

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Delighted the ref has an idea of the scrum. Crucaders are clearing pushing across the scrum rather than straight on. Other refs would let them away with that.

Clear as mud

Unclebumble

What's the story with the hooter?
This game and Weds both boing 30secs before clock on Sky?

irishbucsfan

Crusaders didn't look great there...

digzy

Zzippy wrote: »

Don't like him personally but Farrell .

So what? He's a rugby player not your brother in law....it's not X factor or love island.
Dunno how you can have a personal issue with him.....utter nonsense

pajero12

is sexton at 12 or 13? not watching

ScrubsfanChris

What were they doing at that last lineout. Last time that close to the line they made 7-8 metres from a maul. Wasted chance.

Tigerandahalf

Really poor from the Crusaders so far. Sloppy and their set piece is not at the races.

The Lions backline play is showing no improvement. The fact that Teo is the best back says it all.

SOB best forward and Farrell doing the basics very well.

Squidgy Black

pajero12 wrote: »

is sexton at 12 or 13? not watching

Neither, at 10 and Farrell 12

All the Irish going well so far. Murray looking a little tired there at the end but best 9 performance so far on tour.

Defence looking much more organised.

Seanie nailing himself on at 7, makes the call there with Warburton interesting.

Sexton working hard and his distribution is starting to both stick and click. Pom getting through a huge amount of work also.

Furlong doing everything asked of him in the set piece and carrying hard also.

Enjoyable game for 8:30 on a Saturday morning to be fair.

irishbucsfan

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

Neither, at 10 and Farrell 12

Te'o is still at 12 mostly

Al_Coholic

irishbucsfan wrote:

Crusaders didn't look great there...

NZ commentators are blaming the ref it's funny

Al_Coholic

Al_Coholic wrote: »

NZ commentators are blaming the ref it's funny

To be fair, he's rubbish.

bilston

pajero12 wrote: »

is sexton at 12 or 13? not watching

He's at 10. Te'o 12 and Farrell 13. We actually saw the benefit of Farrell's hands in the wider channel a couple of times. Farrell has been very good. Couple of dodgy passes from Murray, but his game management is way ahead of either Laidlaw or Webb. I've been impressed by the back row and the lineout has been very good. Jamie George is definitely putting his hand up.

DDC1990

Really good half from the Lions but little errors like that forced move at the lineout at the end are costing them points.

Really happy with the Irish lads so far. Johnny has looked really hungry since he came on. Murray has already cemented his position in the test squad for me, despite 2 bad passes. Everything else he has done has been really impressive. SOB is playing his best game tgis year. Really fit looking. POM has had a good steal and made a few nice tackles and steal attempts. Furlong was on top early, got butchered at one scrum when it looked like Moody bored in and up.

Outside of the Irish, Farrell, Williams and T'eo have impressed me. Kruis up front looks good as well.

Del.Monte

Lions will tire in the 2nd half - hopefully.

irishbucsfan

Is there any word on Davies coming back? Would be a big blow to lose him permanently

ThisRegard

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Crusaders didn't look great there...

I'm a bit disappointed in their showing today.

irishbucsfan

Basil3 wrote: »

To be fair, he's rubbish.

He's absolutely not

dregin

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Is there any word on Davies coming back? Would be a big blow to lose him permanently

He and Hogg are both gone for the rest of the game.

DDC1990

Basil3 wrote:

To be fair, he's rubbish.

I disagree. I think he's having a great game.

Their big argument is that he's not coaching the Crusaders on when they are offside (because of the language barrier!) and that he is unfairly penalising the Crusaders at scrum time.

I disagree on the scrums and tough luck on the coaching part. Sort yourself out and keep yourself onside and you won't give away penalties. Simple.

irishbucsfan

dregin wrote: »

He and Hogg are both gone for the rest of the game.

That's a game changer. Sexton still looks at 3/4 pace and Farrell is hardly effective at all at 13.

Need territory and penalties now and Farrell hopefully has some sort of natural understanding of defending there from his Dad

Sephiral

Only saw the last ten minutes of the half, but the back line looks so much slicker with both Sexton and Farrell on the pitch.

Surely AWJ and Warburton don't deserve to be near the test team on merit at this stage?

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

That's a game changer. Sexton still looks at 3/4 pace and Farrell is hardly effective at all at 13.

Need territory and penalties now and Farrell hopefully has some sort of natural understanding of defending there from his Dad

As well the risk of having both Farrell and Sexton on for most of the game.

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

dregin wrote: »

He and Hogg are both gone for the rest of the game.

That's a game changer. Sexton still looks at 3/4 pace and Farrell is hardly effective at all at 13.

Need territory and penalties now and Farrell hopefully has some sort of natural understanding of defending there from his Dad

Sexton has looked fine to me since coming on. That said there is no doubt who the form 10 is.

Trekky77

DDC1990 wrote: »

Did Murray take out Hogg?

Conspiracy theorists will say he was trying to make space for a pal form Munster! Zebo should be there IMO. Lions attack lacking a bit of flair

dregin

irishbucsfan wrote: »

That's a game changer. Sexton still looks at 3/4 pace and Farrell is hardly effective at all at 13.

Need territory and penalties now and Farrell hopefully has some sort of natural understanding of defending there from his Dad

Sexton's had a decent game so far. Big worry for me is going the 80 minutes with no replacements left in the backs. Closing out games against NZ has always been a big problem and they'll need all the energy they have. This is going to be exhausting.

laugh

Terrible tackle attempt from Farrell.

dregin

Great line speed and then rucking from O'Mahony.

DDC1990

NZ comms don't have a clue.

'Kicked out of the ruck, thats a penalty, you just can't do that'

No excuse for messing up that lineout

awec

Crusaders can't figure out this ref.

Animal clear out from Seanie.

bilston

The defensive line speed is very impressive. Good spoiling by POM. Shame about the lineout.

elefant

Funny levels of commentary on the ref by NZ television.

dregin

DDC1990 wrote: »

NZ comms don't have a clue.

'Kicked out of the ruck, thats a penalty, you just can't do that'

Haha not enough of it these days! First thing I ever did on a pitch was stepping into a ruck and hooking the ball out of it. The two lads smashing me as it happened saw nothing but my **** eating grin

DDC1990

WTF? Farrell?

AHHHHHHHHHH Big Ben. Did so well but awful pass. That's a try gone.

irishman86

Surely that went over, why didnt they go upstairs

thomond2006

Awful pass

irishbucsfan

dregin wrote: »

Sexton's had a decent game so far. Big worry for me is going the 80 minutes with no replacements left in the backs. Closing out games against NZ has always been a big problem and they'll need all the energy they have. This is going to be exhausting.

Doesn't look anywhere near his best to me

bilston

Ah frustrating from Te'o. He did the hard work but the pass HAS to be better.

irishman86

Farrell playing very well

DDC1990

Farrell making up for the earlier miss with a beauty into the corner.

laugh

I like that Watson chap.

irishbucsfan

When Te'o offloads it's perfect every time. When he passes it under little pressure...