Minor point - anyone else notice there was no God Save The Queen at the start? Maybe that helped the Lions 😆
Minor point - anyone else notice there was no God Save The Queen at the start?
Not sure if serious!!
10 out out 10 to Faz senior the defence was great true it got done a few times but it needed great play to breach it.
Itoje was great, Warburton was outstanding as was Davies
Those NZ caps are pretty ugly.
Those NZ caps are pretty ugly.
I quite fancy one 🙂
I think Gatland has proved to be an incredible head coach....I did (still sort of do) question his selections for the first test....but then at the time everyone agreed with POM over Warbs. Only really Kruis in the first test has seemed like an odd decision. Took a lot of guts to name an unchanged 23 for today....and what a decision.
Farrell redeemed his relatively poor game in the loose with his kicking.
JD2
Warbs
Falatau
Itoje
All were immense. So impressed with Jamie George too. Thought Murray was great....everyone really. AWJ....what a guy!
Hard to argue with Falatau as man of the series. George, Itoje, JD2 all in contention I guess?
Itoje lions man of series for me or Davies if they need to have had 3 starts.
Warburton for the back row masterclass second two tests.
The pace of JD to get the tackle after the interception was amazing.
Who threw the pass? Bit high risk 😯
So proud of the Welsh contribution to this tour.
Pretty sure it was another one of Farrell's first half 'moments' Pigface!
How have people's pre tour predictions stood up?
I went for 3-0 NZ in the tests with a 80-100 points difference!!
...and 3 from 7 for us in the warm ups!
As it's finished:
None test 4w 2l 1d
Test 1l 1w 1d!
[i]Not sure if serious!![/i]
About which bit? I thought they had it at the start of the other tests? Mistaken I guess 😆
Tom plenty of us had it 3-0
I am sure the AB's will kick themselves for not being 27-9 in second test (3 kickable penalties missed although bad conditions) and not taking first half chances here.
In the end a great advert for the Lions as this tour is almost unwinnable.
Whilst sad not to see any game live I wouldn't pay Murdoch for the privilege.
Not really a Gatland fan but this is a laugh out loud responce to the NZ press
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Not really a Gatland fan
Tell us something we don't know 🙄
JD2 was everywhere. Rucking, tackling, tracking back, running, passing. He was a one man army in that test, very impressive indeed. I couldn't see past Faletau for man of the series. warbs leadership was great, but both of the Irish flankers played just as well.
Not a Gatland admirer but he has been a good coach and this result means he should be regarded as one of the best (undefeated as a Lions coach is some achievement).
Earlier asked who has impressed from other nations, well JD was brilliant today not a player I had watched too closely but he is a very fine player. Faletau and Warburton are just pure class, and Alun Wyn Jones is immense too.
The player that surprised me most was Teo who I thought was lucky to be there but turned out to be a good call. And when will Itoje's rise stop, he's some player at 22!
JD2 was everywhere. Rucking, tackling, tracking back, running, passing. He was a one man army in that test, very impressive indeed. I couldn't see past Faletau for man of the series. warbs leadership was great, but both of the Irish flankers played just as well.
Three things, not sure I saw JD2 pass much!!
I thought Faletau was a little disappointing compared to how he can be tbh.
I thought Warburton was much better than either SOB or POM.
JD gets voted man of the series.
Good effort for someone who shouldnt have been on the tour according to many on here!!
The best thing I saw was a NZer asked him how he felt to be involved in such an amazing try after the first test and he said Well I play for Llaneli Scarlets we score tries like that all the time!
Ive a new admiration for JD.
Farrell butchered a lot.
Many? Don't recall anything about JD, certainly no English centres that weren't there should have been ahead (jj, teo and Farrell were obviously there) Not sure about the Scottish ones, think the best Irish was there and clearly he's the best Welsh one!
Just be happy a Welshman won player of the season - he like all the other lions will now be shite for the rest of the season...
Well we were up in holiday in Orkney when the 3rd test was on so I went along, with a mate, to Orkney RFC in Kirkwall and we got a very warm welcome, free mugs of tea and a cracking fry up at halftime. So many thanks to a great club for hosting us. 😉
Good effort for someone who shouldnt have been on the tour according to many on here!!
Indeed - I was wrong on that score. 😳
Hats off to Gatland. His record of achievements with Wales/Lions is better than Henry or Hansen. You've gotta hand it to him.
I really had it down for a 3-0 whitewash with each loss being greater than the previous one. I think the SBW sending off was the turning point for the whole series.
Farrell butchered a lot.
I think England would function better with Ford at 10 and Slade at 12 but Farrell is the guy you'd want to be lining up that last minute kick to win the match - so he's hard to leave out.
🙄 ah Farrell's shit again now is he!
He was crap in the third test, and was below his best for the entire series.....but as always, he is not crap.....Ford and Slade at 10-12 for England?! Really can't see it.
Farrell will be a favourite for the Lions tour captaincy next time around.
Warburton will still only be 32!
Seriously?! 😯
Well if fit (and it is an if) he'll be in contention too you'd imagine. I see Hovis very much as being at the peak of his game right now though, whereas with Farrell, I still feel that he can improve even more.
Faletau will only be 30! Not that he's captaincy material
ah Farrell's shit again now is he!
Well he kicked poorly from hand, threw a terrible pass for the interception when the Lions had their best chance to score a try and generally tackled like a girl.
Apart from that, he was great!
Ford and Slade at 10-12 for England?! Really can't see it.
Watch the first test in Argentina.
Watched it, moment of genius to play May in for the try. Otherwise I thought that he was pretty ropey.
Slade hasn't hit the heights of the pre broken leg form, but he's got the ability. I think this year will be his time to shine.
However, Ford is playing great at 10 for England, Farrell just has to be in the team. Teo is surprisingly good, JJ is not exactly shabby and we'll either have Manu back or he'll be done for good (and damn, I want the former!).
I simply can't believe that a few years ago we were playing utter nobbers in the centers, I mean, Jamie Noon, Henry Paul, Stuart Abbott, Andy Farrell, Riki Fluty, Brad Barrett, Billy Twelvetrees, Twinkly eyed ****wit...! Just very pleased that England Rugby is able to have an argument over who's best, not just who's not totally shit.
Still take JD though, and always would have!
Jamie Noon, Henry Paul, Stuart Abbott, Andy Farrell, Riki Fluty, Brad Barrett, Billy Twelvetrees
Shudders at some of those names....Jamie bloody Noon.
The Lions was a success really; I know a draw seems like a bit of an odd way to end it but most were expecting a three nil humping. The AB's made mistakes on Saturday so were proved to be human after all if put under pressure.
It'll be interesting to see what happens now - will Wales adopt a more free flowing game plan under Gatland? Who will loose any form they had this season and who will be broken come September?
England have some interesting calls to make - if Ford keeps playing like he did this summer, surely he is our preferred 10 and if he keeps his kicking stats like that do we keep Farrell at 12 or opt for a natural 12? Will Te'o get more starts? Will George displace Hartley and if he does, will Itoje take over the captaincy?
It'll be interesting to see what happens now - will Wales adopt a more free flowing game plan under Gatland?
They already had if you look at Gatlands last games in charge of Wales.
Kieran Read was 3 yards ahead of the kicker for the last kick off, it should have been a penalty to the Lions, plenty of photos of it on social media.
Thought JD was immense, I thought Gatland's selections were brave and on the most part right. I am certainly not a fan of his but credit where it is due. I love watching the Lions, I don't support them like I do Ireland but the games and concept are fantastic.
Here people still seriously questioning Farrell's ability? One ropey game out of probably 20 or 30 where he's been nothing short of excellent?
I'll allow him that. Ford won't be good enough until he learns to play on the back foot. Breezing through a seriously sub-par Argentina is hardly a great example to use.
Like feeding refs seemed to have given up on being behind the kicker.
Don't forget OF wears a white shirt, nothing more needs to be said.... 😉
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😀
😀
I thought Gatland's selections were brave and on the most part right. I am certainly not a fan of his but credit where it is due.
AA won't believe this but I'm fully behind that statement now we are at the end of the Lions tour.
AA won't believe this but I'm fully behind that statement now we are at the end of the Lions tour.
You mean you are fully behind it now as even comical ali would struggle to give a different view.
I was a never a Gats fan, but I never doubted the quality available to him. Far from not crediting him, I thought his selections were pretty much right. I did, however volunteer that we could beat the AB's after the first test and that they weren't that good. Opinions which were met with broad derision!!!
Can I get on with banging on about england now please?
Just looking at the young talent around;
Genge, George, Sinkler, Itoge, Kruis, Curry (2No), Underhill, Wilson, Billy V, Lozowski, Ford, Farrell, Marchant, Daly, Watson, Nowell. Most of these players haven't even reached physical maturity yet.
Can I get on with banging on about england now please?
Yep, we need to start a new thread so I can get over excited about Gavs return to Wales with the mighty Dregs!!
The privilege is all yours, a_a!
I was explaining the Lions to a German friend of mine who is sports mad, he said "cool, like an all stars team"
I was quite offended but then I guess he is right.
Here people still seriously questioning Farrell's ability?
JUst watched the third test again and I couldn't believe how pish Farrell actually was.
5 times he attempted a high tackle and was brushed off. Twice he came in high as the second tackler and contributed nothing. In sharp contrast to Sexton who bravely threw himself into everything. He makes Dan Parkes look like Jonny Wilkinson.
He kicked twice out of hand - once out on the full and once an up-and-under that didn't go nearly far enough.
Twice he threw poor long passes - one leading to the intercept which ultimately led to the first AB's try.
He also threw a poor offload wasting a promising attack and watched Savea catch a cross-kick then stood there as he ran off.
If you take away his place kicking - as a 12, what does he bring?
Lots. He's bloody brilliant. Warren, Eddie and pretty much everyone with an informed opinion on rugby agrees.
You are right in a way, he does bring mare at 10 though, more (and more consistently) than Ford does.
