Off Topic The lions are here

Ominous!! The All Blacks are on a different level.

 

Lions caught cold there, not looking good 10-0...

 

Ball handling is the difference, as usual, too many promising situations let down by dropping the ball...

 

Great try, they got this one right...

 

Fantastic Lions try!!

 

Strong finish to the half there, the All Blacks actually looked rattled...

 

Breathless first half. Good to see the Lions just about holding their own. Shame Farrell missed the conversion.

 

Great stuff from the Lions, Davies and Watson playing out of their skins...

 

We've just brought Rufus Brevett on.

 

Class off-load from the ground leading the AB try. The Lions has switched off when the penalty was awarded and paid the price. Too far behind now.

 

That could be the killer try, 20-8, a long way back now...

 

How many balls can the lions bloody drop

 

Lions not looking the same after the replacements were introduced. In danger of getting a right hammering now.

 

Sexton is a shadow of the player he used to play.

 

Shame as the score doesn't reflect the overall play. Between the Lions' try and the 2nd All Blacks' try we had them rocking a bit, but if you keep spilling good opportunities they'll punish you and they did. A late consolation try doesn't paper over the cracks, we'll struggle to get anything in the next two Tests on this showing...

 

I was hoping for something, but this was sadly predictable. I doubt that the outcome would be any different with another coach, but I really think Gatland is well past his time (watch Wales win the Grand Slam if he goes back there, such is my uncanny insight).

Talking with an Irish mate last night, massive rugby follower and very knowledgeable and he like me finds it difficult to get highly enthused by the Lions compared to our national teams. You want them to win, but......More excitingly my mate was telling me about the Irish bid to win the World Cup in 2023, all games to be played over there (Republic and Northern). I never realised how many big Gaelic sports stadia they have, well distributed around the country as well. The facilities are great, as he said the infrastructure less so, but imagine the fun to be had. They have to see off the French in the bidding. Come on you Irish!

 

Had they taken the opportunities they had they would have won
As it is I think they are the first team to score against the abs after sixty minutes in about twenty games

 

I actually think that Jones's full strength England would give the All Blacks a run for their money, especially at Twickers.

 

When the All Blacks get the ball, they keep it, ball handling is exceptional, and the move forward relentless. Beauden Barrett huge talent