Lions vs Highlanders

Synode

Don't know how we lost that. Had control of the game until after the Warburton try then went to pieces. Very disappointing

sydthebeat

Torn between celebrating a great highlanders win and the disappointment of a headless, ambitionless lions loss.

The areas of strength for the lions were shown up by a weakened landers pack today, scrum and line out were under pressure...

For the Highlanders, ainley and his partner in crime hempo were superb. In an area I thought we'd be weak we were excellent. Hammington was excellent too... Get the ball away from the right and move the lions around the pitch.

The lions are under server pressure now.

irishbucsfan

Buer wrote: »

There's a bit of a gulf between the first 25-30 players and the others.

Yeah, I think it's really glaring in some positions. Particularly the outside backs.

But they should be split out now. Standards will be higher on Saturday.

.ak

Disappointing.

Some good play from the lions, but I feel too many of these losses will sink the ship before it gets going. Can't see anything than a whitewash against the ABs now...

super_furry

#gatlandout

laurie88

Webbs wrote: »

A few positives from that match but again its about the basic mistakes and discipline, cut those out as shown against the Crusaders and will get the result.
A few shocking performances out there as well. Nowell, Seymour, Daly, Joseph none of them played well, even Payne made too many mistakes.
At least Stander stood up in 2nd half after poor 1st half, juries out on Hendo.

the Highlanders play at a speed that forced all those mistakes
Stander had a great carry game
Henshaw put good pressure on their line
At least the ref was an improvement.

ScrubsfanChris

Synode wrote: »

Don't know how we lost that. Had control of the game until after the Warburton try then went to pieces. Very disappointing

Six penalties in the last 20 minutes i think, thats just disgraceful.
I don't think any player bar maybe Henderson put in a much better performance than the first few games.

vienne86

Lions should have won that. Was it tiredness that forced the errors? I though CJ, Warburton and Henderson had good games. Don't think they should have gone for goal with that long attempt. Also Farrel's miss was poor. Entertaining game though.

.ak

Gotta feel for Payne. Looked like an old man out there, some of his knock ons were unforgivable tho...

Buer

From an Irish perspective:

Payne was decent but made some mistakes. Definitely won't be in the test team but I still think has a good shot at 23.

Henshaw was tidy and industrious after an early error. Again, not in the test team but might feature later in the series. Much more one dimensional than Te'o.

Stander was mixed. Story of his tour. A couple of great moments and a bit work rate but also a couple of poor decisions with ball in hand. Playing the 80 tonight suggests he's almost certainly not going to be starting come Saturday. Still a lot to play for though and should pick up a test cap at some point.

Henderson was certainly better than his first showing and got around the park very well. Stripped of the ball at one point in the second half which isn't going to be a fond memory. Probably the least likely to get a test appearance but moves up the pecking order if Lawes (who had a very good 20 minutes) is ruled out.

Best was underwhelming for me. Didn't stand out for any big errors but didn't stand out otherwise either. Almost certainly not going to be involved in the test series unless an injury occurs.

Boscoirl

Is it too late to bring an outside back to replace Hogg and expect them to make an impact on the test side? both Earls and Yarde had good games at the weekend

Buer

sydthebeat wrote: »

The lions are under server pressure now.

Maybe it would be better if they transferred to the long white cloud?

Dick Turnip

vienne86 wrote: »

Lions should have won that. Was it tiredness that forced the errors? I though CJ, Warburton and Henderson had good games. Don't think they should have gone for goal with that long attempt. Also Farrel's miss was poor. Entertaining game though.

This. Thought CJ had a great 2nd half. Henderson had a good game. Henshaw was decent. Payne had some poor mistakes.

radharc

sydthebeat wrote: »

Torn between celebrating a great highlanders win and the disappointment of a headless, ambitionless lions loss.

The lions are under server pressure now.

They showed ambition enough to outscore the Highlanders on the try count. And would have won but for a simple missed penalty. The warm up games are exactly that, it doesn't really matter whether they win them by a point or lose them by a point imo. It's all about using them to learn and prepare for the tests.

Pepp1989

sydthebeat wrote:

The areas of strength for the lions were shown up by a weakened landers pack today, scrum and line out were under pressure...

The first choice line out and scrum showed up very well last Saturday. Reserves just aren't as strong. POM probably needs to be in the test team for the line out.

.ak

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Six penalties in the last 20 minutes i think, thats just disgraceful.
I don't think any player bar maybe Henderson put in a much better performance than the first few games.

I thought best, CJ, Warbs, Hendo, McGrath, Webb, Biggar, Henshaw all looked massive improved.

Seymour, Joseph looked better than last showings; just!

Joseph really mixed the sublime with the poor, so many missed tackles from a 13 is poor form.

Cole was a liability, pretty much gifted them the game.

Buer

.ak wrote: »

Disappointing.

Some good play from the lions, but I feel too many of these losses will sink the ship before it gets going. Can't see anything than a whitewash against the ABs now...

Would read absolutely nothing into the game, to be honest. The last few days have shown there's a gulf between the test team and the likes of Joseph, Biggar, Henderson, Seymour, Laidlaw etc. and the guys who played the Crusaders.

I'd say Gatland isn't concerned at all about this one. That selection was always 50/50 to win.

pickarooney

Earls played well but it was J1 opposition.

irishbucsfan

Stander's first half performance was maybe one of his worst of the year. His 2nd half performance was excellent. Shame that him playing 80 means its unlikely he'll be in contention.

The real mccoy 91

Dan coles brutal again when he came on. I thought Webb was the only back who could be happy with himself Biggar was ok the rest not good enough. Stander done well haskell and warburton were quiet. Henderson not up to it awj wasn't great. On a positive note the lineouts were better

.ak

Buer wrote: »

Would read absolutely nothing into the game, to be honest. The last few days have shown there's a gulf between the test team and the likes of Joseph, Biggar, Henderson, Seymour, Laidlaw etc. and the guys who played the Crusaders.

I'd say Gatland isn't concerned at all about this one. That selection was always 50/50 to win.

Yeah I know what you mean but losing is a rot. Once it sets in it affects the mind set of the 41 squad members. Guys will step out onto the pitch against the ABs thinking "if we couldn't beat all their club sides how are we going to beat the national side?" Winning and momentum are important for the squad mindset I think.

bluedex

sydthebeat wrote: »

The lions are under server pressure now.

You think? What kind of server, human or computer?

In all seriousness, that result won't change the "amount of pressure" at all. Lions should have won it and essentially gifted the game with poor discipline, missed kicks and bad decision making in the last 15 mins. Nothing that can't be fixed easily enough

irishbucsfan

.ak wrote: »

Yeah I know what you mean but losing is a rot. Once it sets in it affects the mind set of the 41 squad members. Guys will step out onto the pitch against the ABs thinking "if we couldn't beat all their club sides how are we going to beat the national side?" Winning and momentum are important for the squad mindset I think.

If they'd lost more than one before this I'd agree, but two losses is not that bad.

They need to target a win against the Maori and they'll be set. Midweek sides won't kill them too much.

awec

I think Biggar showed enough before going off to be right back in contention for the #22 jersey.

Payne won't get near the tests and I am not sure what has happened to Henshaw, he just doesn't offer an awful lot. Running straight into the nearest defender more often than not.

Stander a game of two halves, rubbish in the first and good in the second. Warburton anonymous apart from his try. Haskell just anonymous.

Henderson improved but not by enough to get near a test team.

Best decent but don't see him featuring in the tests either.

Tigerandahalf

The refereeing of the scrum will be very important. The LH was clearly boring in on Cole yet the referee gives the decision the other way. If I was Gatland I would be highlighting this before the tests.

13 position is a big problem. I presume J Davies is in position to start.

Henshaw was good in defense but offers nothing in attack.

Nowell and Seymour lost the aerial battle.

I thought Dan Biggar went very well and Rhys Webb offers something that Murray doesn't have.

Can't see the Lions winning a test unless we get wet conditions.

Disappointed with the Highlanders backline. Were they missing many?

irishbucsfan

awec wrote: »

I think Biggar showed enough before going off to be right back in contention for the #22 jersey.

Payne won't get near the tests and I am not sure what has happened to Henshaw, he just doesn't offer an awful lot. Running straight into the nearest defender more often than not.

Stander a game of two halves, rubbish in the first and good in the second. Warburton anonymous apart from his try. Haskell just anonymous.

Henderson improved but not by enough to get near a test team.

Best decent but don't see him featuring in the tests either.

Haskell anonymous? Thought he was everywhere. That could be the scrum cap he stole from Mauritz Botha but he did top the tackling stats according to Sky.

awec

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Haskell anonymous? Thought he was everywhere. That could be the scrum cap he stole from Mauritz Botha but he did top the tackling stats according to Sky.

Maybe he did lots of unseen work.

Sangre

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Yeah, Joseph. Massive error, no excuses really.

Was it not forward anyway? Didn't catch replay.

Buer

awec wrote: »

Maybe he did lots of unseen work.

He was everywhere in defence in the first half. Faded badly after that. Was probably one of the most prominent Lions players in that opening 40 minutes.

There was a lot of 6/10 level performances out there from a lot of experienced internationals.

awec

Aside from the forward pass and Joseph dropping it, it was a rubbish move to call. Ireland did the same thing against Wales in the six nations, a last minute set piece and they went for the miracle midfield move.

It was in penalty territory and they were only 1 point behind. Should have played it safe.