South Africa vs British and Irish Lions - Test 2

[UlsterRugby2012]

The reality is with the forwards we are merely tweaking than fixing. Sure we could all probably name a better forward pack but it won't be leagues ahead of what we've played. The bench options are all equally fine.

However the problem is tactical and slightly personalle. We don't have a scrum half that's great for high tempo games but that isn't instantly fixed because none of the Lions nations have an international in form who is. Then at 10 *sigh* Biggar os fine but he's never been dynamic and Farrell is far worse. Gatland is never picking a Russell/Smith/Ford type as Ive said all along and fron there its just ****** and nothing is going to fix that unless Gats gets COVID and Townsend is put in charge.

I agree in principal but what's the point of a scrum half with high tempo when the tactic is just to brainlessly kick it?

I'm just so confused. After the type of players selected for the tour in the loose forwards and then the attempt utilise the forwards in a fast paced, ball through the hands play in the early games - what the **** happened to that? What was the point of even trying to play like that in the warm up games?

EDIT: & WTF is the point of having Townsend as the attack coach? Was he just a smoke screen and they smuggled in Howley??

 

[unrated]

Even worse than the second Lions performance will be the South African fans. Literally he WORST winners in world rugby.

This makes you look like a bad loser.

But i dont want it to get there. No **** slinging needed.

We have a test decider coming up and another week of intense speculation. What more can we ask ? If Lions won the series was over. Surely the rugby purists would love that it has now extended to a third week.

But i feel your pain Lions fans. I emphasise for I felt it last weekend. May the final encounter be legendary and may Gatland and Rassie bring us next level entertainment in the press in the coming week.

 

[Jimbo]

I don’t think it really matters what the forwards do under today’s circumstances it was fairly even with SA probably edging slightly but if you lose almost every 50/50 under a constant kick fest your always struggling, parity or not, I thought Curry had a pretty good game, it’s always going to be difficult to stand out in a test of this nature.

 

[unrated]

I reckon it'll be Duhan, Adams, Williams back three

Duhan wasn't great today (yellow card, 0m made) but probably has enough credit in the bank from this tour to retain his spot - and I don't think Gatland would throw LRZ in there

If credit in the bank was a thing then Adams would have started by now.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If credit in the bank was a thing then Adams would have started by now.

Aye, very true

I honestly don't understand him not being there - only thing I can think is they wanted Watson on the wing because they anticipated a kickfest and wanted the extra fullback experience (which, obviously, worked out really well...)

 

[g6mcg]

Aye, very true

I honestly don't understand him not being there - only thing I can think is they wanted Watson on the wing because they anticipated a kickfest and wanted the extra fullback experience (which, obviously, worked out really well...)

Head not in the right place after the baby?

 

[BPM]

This makes you look like a bad loser.

But i dont want it to get there. No **** slinging needed.

We have a test decider coming up and another week of intense speculation. What more can we ask ? If Lions won the series was over. Surely the rugby purists would love that it has now extended to a third week.

But i feel your pain Lions fans. I emphasise for I felt it last weekend. May the final encounter be legendary and may Gatland and Rassie bring us next level entertainment in the press in the coming week.

Does it? I absolutely don’t dispute the Boks we’re the better team today. I have no problem whatsoever in saying that. 100% happy to give credit to the team on the field. My distaste comes entirely from the fans post RWC.

 

[Wasps92]

Does it? I absolutely don’t dispute the Boks we’re the better team today. I have no problem whatsoever in saying that. 100% happy to give credit to the team on the field. My distaste comes entirely from the fans post RWC.

Mate don’t have a look at the Lions Facebook feed, it’s full of them. They’ve all come out of the woodwork, strangely they were absent last week.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Mate don’t have a look at the Lions Facebook feed, it’s full of them. They’ve all come out of the woodwork, strangely they were absent last week.

They were probably all out looting last week.

 

[BPM]

Mate don’t have a look at the Lions Facebook feed, it’s full of them. They’ve all come out of the woodwork, strangely they were absent last week.

Quelle surprise

 

[Abraxaz]

Soo who wants to bet itoje will be the only one cited from that game and given a ban?

Why is our gameplan give it to the ten, kick it into the most contested area and hope our backs magically gather the ball...

We should be kicking for territory and pinning the boks back into the 22 and hoping that itoje or Lawes can steal the line out ball...

 

[BPM]

If we’d resorted to kicking after unsuccessfully trying to break through their midfield or get around them out wide, I could maybe understand it, but it was literally one game plan - kick, kick and kick again, even if it’s clearly not working.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Really ****** off about the DDA Itoje altercation. I was watching the SS coverage which showed it once and never again so I'm just off memory here but it looked a whole lot like DDA punched him twice in the stomach at a ruck, stood over him and dummied another punch to the head.

Would love to see again if anyon has a clip?

 

[unrated]

They were probably all out looting last week.

@BPM and you say Springbok fans are the worst. Ignoring that it's bordering on racist, it was not people who you usually consider core Springbok fans who were doing the looting.

I Should not defend my country men, the looting was disgusting but you are going low.


Edit after reflection : its not racist at all, it was wrong of me to make the insinuation.

 

[BPM]

I don’t disagree with you there. That was a particularly low comment.

When you say ‘you are going low’, I assume that’s a collective ‘you’ not me personally.

From a personal POV, I can promise you that if the Lions win the series I won’t be responding to any and every SA rugby post with the winning score and telling you how poor you are in completely unrelated competitions.

 

[unrated]

I

I don’t disagree with you there. That was a particularly low comment.

When you say ‘you are going low’, I assume that’s a collective ‘you’ not me personally.

From a personal POV, I can promise you that if the Lions win the series I won’t be responding to any and every SA rugby post with the winning score and telling you how poor you are in completely unrelated competitions.

Not you regarding the comment. I quoted leg day. Just referred to your comment that it can go both ways. I Don't wanna be too pedantic though and might have been too easily triggered by an online comment such as the one mentioned after a tense rugby game so I will leave it there.

 

[BPM]

Yes. Entirely fair enough and point taken.

Don’t Skip Leg Day definitely doesn’t speak for the rest of us!

 

[Yulia]

@unrated , you're a very polite person (I'd have another reaction to such a post I must admit). Although,the fish rots from the head down,and I'm curious where are the moderators of this forum...

 

[saulan]

From a personal POV, I can promise you that if the Lions win the series I won’t be responding to any and every SA rugby post with the winning score and telling you how poor you are in completely unrelated competitions.

I mean, I get you, that’s really poor form and annoying, but I think that comment is more relative to twitter or Facebook where all the anonymous trolls go out so seek chaos and **** people off.

I don’t think that type of behavior has been happening on these forums from South African posters.

 

[BPM]

Yes. That’s fair. My comment was referring to what I’ve typically seen from SA fans in the last couple of years rather than on this forum.

On reflection it was a bit too much of a generalisation.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Didn't see. But very happy. Up the lads.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

@unrated , you're a very polite person (I'd have another reaction to such a post I must admit). Although,the fish rots from the head down,and I'm curious where are the moderators of this forum...

I mean contrary to popular belief I'm not on here 24/7...

I've already had to remove some quite nasty posts (from both sides), that one has been responded to now so removing it would be to remove a page of the following discussion/multiple quotes etc.

I can remove it if people want, I guess?

 

[Tooting Carmen]

What a truly awful, scrappy match.

 

[Derpus]

Al

What a truly awful, scrappy match.

Absolute rubbish. I regret staying up having too many lockdown beers to watch that.

Someone tell em you can pass the ball. Like for **** sake, this is the best of the best right? This is what we get served at the pinnacle of the game.

No wonder league is tearing holes through rugby at the moment.

 

[unrated]

I mean contrary to popular belief I'm not on here 24/7...

I've already had to remove some quite nasty posts (from both sides), that one has been responded to now so removing it would be to remove a page of the following discussion/multiple quotes etc.

I can remove it if people want, I guess?

Its all fair, we are not snowflakes and Leg day was probably just giving some good banter. (I did not delete my comment because people already commented)

 

[unrated]

On the game: I was very concerned when PSdT, went off and Kwagga came on, at that point the Lions were winning the collisions already and driving our player back on defence. Only by about min 60 or so, I thought ok now we are winning collisions and pushing the advantage line. Lood changed the game from SA perspective. Am was great.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Meh game, but the Boks won’t care about that. They have all the momentum going into next week and Gatland’s a bit stuck between a rock and a hard place......he’ll have realised that we can’t out bok the Boks, so does he roll the dice a bit in either selection or tactics? Surely he has to, doing the same again is only going to end one way.

This Lions team is short of real stardust though and we’re really missing what North and Underhill could have brought. Peak years Tuilagi and Binny would also have been useful.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Meh game, but the Boks won’t care about that. They have all the momentum going into next week and Gatland’s a bit stuck between a rock and a hard place......he’ll have realised that we can’t out bok the Boks, so does he roll the dice a bit in either selection or tactics? Surely he has to, doing the same again is only going to end one way.

This Lions team is short of real stardust though and we’re really missing what North and Underhill could have brought. Peak years Tuilagi and Binny would also have been useful.

Gatland is not one to roll dice and I would be surprised if he does next week. I think he'll again try to out bok the boks by doing exactly the same thing but trying to do it better. I doubt it will work.

Also for all the talk of AWJ leadership being a big reason to select him, it was completely absent in that game.

 

[anderton46]

Gatland is not one to roll dice and I would be surprised if he does next week. I think he'll again try to out bok the boks by doing exactly the same thing but trying to do it better. I doubt it will work.

Also for all the talk of AWJ leadership being a big reason to select him, it was completely absent in that game.

I've never really understood how people can possibly assess leadership. Ever single game one team loses, it doesn't mean the captain of said team had no leadership. How does one measure this facet and why would good leadership mean your team just 'wins'? Personally I think leadership has a very minimal impact in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Derpus]

Al

Absolute rubbish. I regret staying up having too many lockdown beers to watch that.

Someone tell em you can pass the ball. Like for **** sake, this is the best of the best right? This is what we get served at the pinnacle of the game.

No wonder league is tearing holes through rugby at the moment.

And can someone please, pleeeeease do something about these f**king caterpillar rucks.