| Author |
The Official Rugby Topic |
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
LIONS vs Auckland Result: 17-13 to the Lions
I didn't watch this game but I listened to some of it on the car radio.
Auckland were disappointing. The midweek Lions defense was strong as ever. One try scored by each team. The midweekers have been undefeated on tour against good but understrength and underprepared local teams. The Air NZ NPC had not started before the tourists arrived, so a game against the Lions was the first game of the season for all these teams.
Some changes to the All Blacks forced by injury may make the result closer than the 30 pts of last week, but the AB's should still win comfortably.
|
|
|
WelshTom
Joined: May 20, 2004
Posts: 364
From: Costa del Cardiff Phone: K610i
PM |
nice work on this thread carkitter - very neat and informative!
All i can say is that it is such a shame the way this lions tour turned out. The current All Blacks team is phenominal however i don't believe the lions have once fielded their strongest team. I still think the all blacks would have won the series but the scorelines would have been a lot closer. Sir Clive Woodward has been nothing short of a disgrace in the way he has treated some players. Mertyn Williams for example - was man of the tournament this six nations, played very well in all the midweek games on tour, gets man of the match in the last midweek game and yet still doesn't start?!?! how can you claim to be picking your team on form if plays like this are being left out?! it is disgusting. Cusiter is another fine example, while i dont believe he should be starting there is no doubt that he has outperformed dawson on tour and deserves his place on the bench. Bulloch is another player who has played excellently in the midweek games, was even captain, and yet still isnt given a test place ater both Byrne and Thompson have underperformed in their test games. I feel so sorry for these players who have bust a gut all tour to prove themselves under the impression they could play themselves into contention when infact woodward will only consider the players he has past experience with.
The tour was over after the first game. Fielding a team so largely based on past glory was only ever going to lead to one outcome - a total trouncing. From that point on a very difficult task (beating the all blacks) became almost impossible as you have given the all blacks such a mental boost while damaging spirits in the lions camp. Plus despite the polite and brave faces put on for the media there will have been some very angry players in the lions camp after this team selection.
I could go on and on as Clive Woodward has made so many fundamental c*ck-ups on this tour. But the main point is just that i feel it is such a shame we never got to truely see the BEST of the northern hemisphere Vs the all blacks because it would have been one hell of a game!!!
Tom
|
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
We here in NZ have been awaiting this tour with baited breath.
If you had asked any die-hard All Black supporter for a first test prediction prior to the tour, you would have seen the anxiety in thier face. No-one thought we would win all 3 games, hell, we thought this series would be a war that we would be fortunate to win.
When I saw the Lions score 3 tries in 12 minutes against Bay of Plenty, I must say I was very worried. But as the tour wore on and the Lions did only enough to win, I became puzzled. Why was Sir Clive not using all his players? What were they holding back?
Laurie Mains, former All Black and former AB coach during the 1995 World Cup, said he reckoned this Lions team would get slaughtered and were not up to the task. All the NZ media rubbished him. No-one believed Sir Clive could get it so wrong; he must have something up his sleeve!
It has been a priviledge to host the team and your fellow Brits during the tour. The sports programs on TV and radio have been full of interviews with rugby legends such as J.P.R. Williams and others who are travelling with the team.
It is an event New Zealanders will never forget.
I think problems on tour are par for the course; Graham Henry had problems on the 2001 Tour of Australia. I hope the Lions can overcome these to provide a competitive team on Saturday. I'm sure the events of the last few days will motivate them...
_________________
The Official Rugby Topic
[ This Message was edited by: carkitter on 2005-08-03 05:18 ] |
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
ALL BLACKS vs LIONS RESULT: 38-19 to the All Blacks
Again the All Blacks were unstoppable despite injuries to key players #10 Daniel Carter and #7 Ritchie McCaw. All Blacks scored 14 points with only 14 men, at one stage of the first half, after the sending off of captain Tana Umaga for deliberate illegal play... a harsh call many thought as he had a large Lions Forward on top of him, how was he supposed to roll away? Lions Forward play was much improved with more possession and 3 lineout turnovers going thier way, however the Lions had trouble creating scoring opportunities, unlike the All Blacks.
Five tries were scored by the AB's, One to the Lions.
For the series:AB's 12 tries/107 pts, Lions 3 tries/40pts.
According to Sir Clive Woodward, it didn't matter anyway. The only difference between the teams apparently was the scoreline... The thing that matters is World Cup Results he said.
Hahaha! What a sore loser. No-one over here will miss him when he leaves to coach football (soccer). The facts show he coached the Lions on thier worst performances in NZ. Ever!
|
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
Hey South African rugby fans, how good is this '05 Springbok team?
2 good wins over the Wallabies this season, yet Eddie Jones reckons the Tri-nations trophy will be heading to the All Blacks this year.
The first AB/Springbok test is only days away, any predictions y'all?
|
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
ALL BLACKS vs SPRINGBOKS Result: 16-22 to the Springboks!
Quote:
|
On 2005-06-21 14:58:48, carkitter wrote:
...The only way the Lions can win is to TOTALLY deny the AB's any possession at all (ala Australia in the 2003 World Cup Semi-final) and frustrate them into mistakes. I can't see it happening though.
|
|
An this was the sort of tactics the Springboks employed against the All Blacks, just as the South African Rugby 7's team did to the NZ 7's team a couple of months ago.
Sir Clive Woodward take note: the All Blacks are beatable if you use the right tactics.
While the AB's lost, there were a number of positive signs from the game though, South Africa had trouble creating try scoring opportunities, the All Blacks created several but handling errors at crucial times prevented them taking advantage. Some of the handling errors were as a result of the excellent defense of and extreme pressure applied by the Springboks.
I thought the referee was decidedly average with several tough calls against the AB's, forward passes missed and no action taken against Viktor Matfield for his late, high, shoulder charge against halfback Byron Kelleher who recieved a concussion and now won't be available for this weeks test against the Wallabies. However the S/A judiciary found Matfield not guilty, so there you go...
Springboks will be odds on to win the Tri-Nations now I think! Will they be as good away from home though?
|
Davo_169
Joined: Sep 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: perth/thredbo
PM, WWW
|
the western force are going to kick some ass this season 
|
JK
Joined: Feb 24, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: S. Africa - JOZI
PM |
We beat the Aussies twice, and the All Blacks!!
YAY!! They finally sorting all their politics with coaches and management!!
Well done Jake White!! |
Davo_169
Joined: Sep 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: perth/thredbo
PM, WWW
|
international rules is starting soon im seeing australia vs ireland in perth
|
JK
Joined: Feb 24, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: S. Africa - JOZI
PM |
And we win again!!! yay! |
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
Congrats to the Springboks, after years of restructuring the hardwork is paying off.
Never underestimate a determined All Black team... 
BTW is there something special about the number 22 or is it just coincidence? 
|
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
WooHoo! 31-27 to the AB's over the Bokkies at the house of pain!
Lookout Aussies...
|
Kryptik
Joined: Jun 24, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Port Elizabeth, S.Africa
PM |
The Ghost of Dunedin strikes again!!! My poor hometeam just can't win there!! Twas a good game though. Personally i don't think either team lost yesterday.
This message was posted from a Nokia |
carkitter
Joined: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Auckland, NZ
PM |
And the All Blacks beat the Wallabies 31-24 to take the Tri-Nations title once again. 
4 Tries apiece, penalties being the difference in the score, that said the Wallabies looked dead and buried in the first half, before capitalising on some slack AB defence and mistakes to come back and take the lead briefly in the second half. However a determined effort from the New Zealand team late in the game saw them home by 7 pts.
Grand Slam Tour coming up later this year: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales on thier own turf... I can't wait!
Go the ALL BLACKS!
_________________
The Official Rugby Topic
[ This Message was edited by: carkitter on 2005-09-29 12:08 ] |
gelfen
Joined: Nov 22, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Melbourne, Australia
PM |
i'm not a rugby fan, just posting for support.
in the australian NRL the tigers beat the cowboys in the GF.
|
|
|
Posted: 2005-07-06 18:20
