The Silver Fern

Didn’t see the game as was standing in a passport queue in Porto for most of it. Selections killed us, but fair play to the wobs, love how much they cared

@Mr-Fish said in Wallabies vs Lions III:

@Dodge said in Wallabies vs Lions III:

can't say i think that is the best available XV, on reflection throughout the tests, i'm a bit disappointed by the shoe horning in of Irish players. Genge is better than Porter, not sure what Ryan's done to deserve a spot, think Conan is lucky.

Think the bench is mental, Farrell covers 10 and 12, Earl covers back row and 12 but there's a dramatic lack of cover for the other backline positions. Think Marcus should be on the bench instead of Farrell.

Jones can cover wing, Kinghorn can cover fullback. Don't think Smith's utility value should be enough to see him getting selected over Farrell (though you could argue he's simply a better player).

I would argue that he's a better player, i would also argue he provides more utility value.

can't say i think that is the best available XV, on reflection throughout the tests, i'm a bit disappointed by the shoe horning in of Irish players. Genge is better than Porter, not sure what Ryan's done to deserve a spot, think Conan is lucky.

Think the bench is mental, Farrell covers 10 and 12, Earl covers back row and 12 but there's a dramatic lack of cover for the other backline positions. Think Marcus should be on the bench instead of Farrell.

@Billy-Webb said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:

Thought provoking post @Dodge
The concern I have with Lions Tours is the media circus it has become (my perception - in which I may well be alone, granted).
I think for the players, both Lions tourists and the respective host nation players, it remains something incredibly special. It is likely highly unrealistic, but I wouldn't mind if it returned to being a celebration of rugby, rather than the win-at-all-costs scenarios it now feels like.

As I said - that is my perception and others are well entitled to feel otherwise.

As for future tours, the history of the current set-up works well I think. If they had to fiddle with it, then an Argentina inclusion would be my suggestion. Otherwise, leave a time-tested concept alone.

One aside question Dodge: what did you mean by:
@Dodge said in 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia:

South Africa would likely deserve a tour and I hope they would put more effort into it than they did in 2009

My memory is that it was a tight, enthralling series, with great rugby and it was very well supported in SA. What did you perceive differently?

My memory of the 2009 tour is that the test matches were great (and sorry i wasn't clear that they were and were well supported) but the midweek games etc were hosted in empty stadiums in weird places and players weren't released - it felt so so different from 1997 where every game was a cauldron.

No matter what happens on Saturday I have begun to reflect on this tour and what it means for the future of the Lions. Lots of comments in the Aussie press that the Lions and their fans / media etc had disrespected Aus by suggesting this might be the last tour. Last week's game came close to bursting that bubble but if I think about it, I'm not sure it really did.

Haskell and co are talking about using the Lions brand more in between the 4 year cycles, playing in other countries. The next tour to NZ is the last one currently contracted then its all up for grabs again. As much as it clearly raises huge funds for the hosting nation I think professionalism is gradually undermining the concept of the tour.

So lets assume we tour NZ in 4 years, what then? South Africa would likely deserve a tour and I hope they would put more effort into it than they did in 2009 - obvs last time was hard because of covid. But then Aus again? Lots of talk about the Lions touring France, or even Argentina, although the non tests would be a joke. If they toured France, does it raise as much money? Is it different enough from the 6N? As much as I would love to see Toulouse vs the Lions, would they even want to play and would their players be available? Would the weight of fans travel to France for a tour or would they fly in and out for games?

Then there's talk of building in warm up games against Fiji / Tonga or even the US, etc but i can't see how that would be anything other than a cricket score. There's also talk of a combined SANZAR Panthers side playing against the Lions - potentially across continents including Europe - but that destroys the touring context that clearly the fans who travel love so much - and defy's Jason Leonard's previous point as Chairman of the Lions, that the Lions are first and foremost a touring side to spread the game.

I suspect it will likely carry on as is given the money situation, but i would worry about the Aus tour in 12 years if the seeming drift of the Aussie public away from rugby continues

@MiketheSnow said in Wallabies v Lions II:

@Dodge said in Wallabies v Lions II:

@MiketheSnow said in Wallabies v Lions II:

No skin in the game for TAS this time, maybe an axe to grind - but don't we all with the laws and their interpretation

Brought up some very interesting points and opinions, especially Australian captain asking the ref to look at the wrong thing

As I mentioned earlier, could easily see both incidents reversed in favour of Australia on any other day

Interesting video, the bit that i find most amusing, is that if we focus on off feet at the final ruck rather than foul play (and its not true that head contact is automatically a penalty) then we should be pointing out that the Wallaby came from an offside position, never retired behind the last feet and didn't come through the gate. The sealing off after that (and whilst i agree technically its a penalty, that's exactly how almost every ruck is cleared out in international rugby) is therefore irrelevant.

I don't think ruck was called. Does that allow him to come in from anywhere?

no, you have to enter a tackle from behind the last foot "through the gate"

3 knock out games in a week that all went to Extra time, no wonder they looked out on their feet. Lucy Bronze is nails. Chloe Kelly is ice cold.

Fair play to England, impressive to win it again

@brodean said in Wallabies vs Lions III:

Would have thought Porter had been penalised out of the game by now. Genge is also dodgy af at scrum time

Porter is always on the angle and i don't know how he gets away with it, feels weird him playing for my team and me having to pretend not to see it, or at least, not scream at the screen that the cheating fuck is boring in.

As for Genge, I think he's a better scrummager, and whilst I would probably have given a couple of pens against him for hinging, you could argue that the Aussie wasn't chasing his feet and was dropping it (I would only argue that because I'm a Lions fan though I suspect)

@game_film said in Wallabies v Lions II:

The brutal truth on this is that it all depends on how Tizzano sold it. If he dives back with his hands raised. 50/50. If he keels over onto the floor and lays still, physio comes on ..100% Wallabies ein.

well quite, as I think i said above, if you watch the ruck immediately before the final one the same thing happens and the Wallaby who's knocked off the ball bounces out and runs back into the defensive line, no one's even mentioned it as its so normal

@MiketheSnow said in Wallabies v Lions II:

No skin in the game for TAS this time, maybe an axe to grind - but don't we all with the laws and their interpretation

Brought up some very interesting points and opinions, especially Australian captain asking the ref to look at the wrong thing

As I mentioned earlier, could easily see both incidents reversed in favour of Australia on any other day

Interesting video, the bit that i find most amusing, is that if we focus on off feet at the final ruck rather than foul play (and its not true that head contact is automatically a penalty) then we should be pointing out that the Wallaby came from an offside position, never retired behind the last feet and didn't come through the gate. The sealing off after that (and whilst i agree technically its a penalty, that's exactly how almost every ruck is cleared out in international rugby) is therefore irrelevant.

If that’s illegal then the whole game has to change, Watch the ruck before that last clear out again, exactly the same thing happened but no Hollywood so no one mentions it.

In the last ruck, the Australian player was never behind the back foot, came in from the side and got cleared out exactly as we would watch any other player do.

It’s either a problem or it isn’t. If it is, then we need to fundamentally change how competing for the ball happens

@Kirwan said in Wallabies v Lions II:

@antipodean said in Wallabies v Lions II:

Poor coaching by Schmidt to have taken off the only two forwards providing front foot ball - the loss of Valentini and Skelton was immense.

Only needed five more minutes from them too.

Don’t know why Valentini went off but Skelton was absolutely buggered.

Obvs I wanted to win and I don’t think that last clear out was a pen, but the series would have been better if it had been. Imagine the row and the niggle going into next week

Fair play to Aus, hell of a step up from last week

Amazing game. I’m shaking

Fucking Hollywood

How low does he have to get! That’s fine!

Get in!

Great try. Power from Genge through the middle, lovely

Gibson Park not having a great game tonight. Lot of balls behind players etc