1st test - Australia v British & Irish Lions

[ncurd]

Professional has sanitised the sport too much for Tours like this, you want the potential jeopardy of someone stamping on someone elses head

The Kiwis killed ABH is the sport by trying kill BOD one tour.

 

[TommiG88]

Let's see, from the stats for Keenan

9 carries, 22m made
2 tackles, 1 missed
2 turnovers lost
1 kick
6 passes
Directly responsible for first Aussie try

He scored 0 for everything else, line breaks, defenders beaten etc.

Ah yes, rugby is played on a spreadsheet

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Let's see, from the stats for Keenan

9 carries, 22m made
2 tackles, 1 missed
2 turnovers lost
1 kick
6 passes
Directly responsible for first Aussie try

He scored 0 for everything else, line breaks, defenders beaten etc.

Kinghorn only 1 from 2 for working legs, so unless you're advocating for Marcus Smith to start I don't know what you're angling for

 

[Saintjay]

Let's see, from the stats for Keenan

9 carries, 22m made
2 tackles, 1 missed
2 turnovers lost
1 kick
6 passes
Directly responsible for first Aussie try

He scored 0 for everything else, line breaks, defenders beaten etc.

Is that you Steve? Shouldn't you be preparing for the game against the USA tonight.

 

[Reiser99]

My thoughts as an Aussie:
- blown off the park physically. At least start blokes like Bell and Pollard if our big boppers arent fit ffs.
- OKeefe is the limpest dick the universe has ever seen. Tackle in the air, direct contact to the head with the shoulder, 8+ penalties within the 22, no arms tackle on the try line - no yellow. Get the **** out of here you sheep ******* spastic.
- Lions best back was an Aussie so we still win. Suck my dick.
- only losing by 8 is kind of remarkable. If we get all of our guys back and actually pick LSL we may still be a shot of snatching one.

You're losing by 8 reminds me of when England fans tried to justify losing closely when in reality most of the points were scored after the game was lost.

 

[TommiG88]

You're losing by 8 reminds me of when England fans tried to justify losing closely when in reality most of the points were scored after the game was lost.

1) Borthwick

 

[Rugbyfan564]

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Let's see, from the stats for Keenan

9 carries, 22m made
2 tackles, 1 missed
2 turnovers lost
1 kick
6 passes
Directly responsible for first Aussie try

He scored 0 for everything else, line breaks, defenders beaten etc.

And the Torygraph gave him 7/10. What for?

Rugbypass gave the back three 5 each which was generous.

Rugby isn't that simple. Keenan was solid on a tricky night for a back three player, definitely made up from the headlessness his wings made at times.

The try wasn't his finest moment but you have to question Lowe's cover a bit and just tip the cap to an excellent kick and great chase and challenge from Jorgenson.

15 is a pretty thankless position, going unnoticed is often a positive. Keenan was nothing but solid.

If you have a fit and firing Kinghorn you get him into that back three somewhere, quite possibly for Keenan. But no need to put a player who did well down, Kinghorn is too good to need that.

 

[Groundhog]

Brits trying to tear down Keenan because he owned your fat little asses for 5 years with his frankly gorgeous sculpted ass.

 

[TommiG88]

Scots trying to tear down Keenan because he owned your fat little asses for 5 years with his frankly gorgeous sculpted ass.

FTFY

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

On 5 Live Michael Hooper was quoted as saying both Skelton and Valetini were fit and available for selection.

If that’s right, then thanks Joe.

 

[IT157]

British and Irish Lions beat Australia: Tom Curry answers critics in first-Test win

Tom Curry justifies his selection with a magnificent performance as the British and Irish Lions beat Australia in the first Test, writes Tom English.

www.bbc.com

 

[Groundhog]

FTFY

Thank you for the fix brother

 

[TopTen2003]

On 5 Live Michael Hooper was quoted as saying both Skelton and Valetini were fit and available for selection.

If that's right, then thanks Joe.

Yes I thought that’s what he said also on Sky Sports- whether he meant fit for test 2 I’m not sure?

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

There was nearly a riot outside Walkabout in Leicester. At 10:58am they still hadnt opened the doors even though people had booked tables for 10:45am. A girl was hoovering the entranceway oblivious to the fact that 25 people were desperate to get inside.

 

[retired9]

I’ve just seen the S4C highlights but got the general idea overall.

Tight 5 seemed good, Curry and Beirne showed their quality when they had been taking some heat.

9-12 very good, Jones a little bit overkeen to impress but he’s a real threat. Back 3 particularly the wingers not a great showing, Lowe has looked slow all Tour has he put on weight?

As I said further up I think Farrell went with the least risky selection to get the job done first time out. I think there is space for a Kinghorn and even Graham in the next game, don’t think he will play 5 from 7 Scottish backs but it needs to be better in attack.

I think 9/10/12 stay, maybe ringer at 13 if fit, get Darcy on one wing and probably Blair on the other. Keenan is fine to stay at 15 for now, kinghorn would give VDM size and pace plus other skills on the wing.

I would question Itojes input (from what I have seen), I think there are other locks who can offer more/have shown more, Chessum and Cummings have been noticeable in the warm ups for their contributions.

Front row looked immense, the bench didn’t seem to add much though I think George and Schoeman would be a better option.

What a difference international level rugby is though, even in an uninspiring game overall.

 

[BrokenWing]

Wouldn't Graham have to be there for that to be feasible?

My mistake, didn’t realise he’d been called up.

 

[xenosys]

I said pre-match this should be a game that the Lions 'should' win by 20-25 but will probably end up winning it by 8-10 points, and that's how it ended up playing out.

They should have really been out of sight by half-time and up by 25. A few butchered opportunities with Lowe not passing it out-wide when he should have, the Jones 'no try' and Russell's kick that probably would have been picked up had it been anyone else but a lock chasing it down. It's not like the Aussies were doing much themselves either. They effectively scored off a 50/50 up and under, which was their first proper foray into the Lions 22.

Then the Lions scored immediately in the 2nd half, started benching players and then slackened off. The Aussies did improve from about 50 minutes in, but the Lions were playing like they already had the game wrapped up.

On player performances, I thought Curry and Beirne were very good, and Curry was playing right on the edge throughout. His work rate was unreal but he did overstep a couple of times. His good stuff far outweighed the bad though. JGP and Russell were excellent in the 1st half and were a little quieter in the 2nd. Tuipulotu looked like the class 12 that he is today. Carried with power into contact, made gains, and also made himself useful around the park with some nice touches.

'Most' of the starting XV will probably be retained for next week. Ringrose might replace Jones, as I think Huw had a good match but not a great one, but I don't think Aki's going to displace Tuipulotu now. I hope George is brought onto the bench for Kelleher as the line-out went to **** the moment he came on.

Keenan will probably be kept on now even if Kinghorn is fit, who could be a useful bench option as he can cover most of the backline.

Freeman may be replaced by Hansen, and Lowe's place might have been in danger had the Lions not had a guy that turns like an oil-tanker as his backup.

The likes of Earl and Chessum might find their places on the bench in jeopardy.

 

[Hmmmmmm]

Did I expect a pasting? Thanks for letting me know! Don't think that's reflected in anything I've said but I will defer to your expertise

I thought Lions would win reasonably comfortably barring an Australian ***anic effort, which they did. They weren't within a score of Australia from 10 minutes on.

Trying to take positives from that as an Australian is…. Interesting. The Lions were poor. Australia are a shadow of the team they once were though.

I’m taking positives because there were positives to be taken. 12 months ago I would’ve expected the Lions to put 50 on us and many of you on this thread fully expected that as well. We got better as the game went on. I can’t say the same of the Lions. They were more ill disciplined than the Wallabies and should’ve been showed at least 1 yellow.

 

[xenosys]

That was a seriously flat test match. Felt like a warm-up game in the first half. An average Lions side beat a poor Wallaby side. The Lions will win the series, but only because they are the better of two fairly poor teams. If this Lions squad was touring NZ or SA I don't think they would win a test match.

The same NZ that were pushed twice at home by a French B side?

This isn't a vintage ABs side by any means.