New Zealand Barbarians v British & Irish Lions, 3 June

First topic message reminder :

New Zealand Barbarians v British & Irish Lions
3 June 2017
KO: 19:35 NZST (8.35am BST)
Toll Stadium, Whangarei, North Island

Live on Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD and SkyGo

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Touch judges: [tbc]
TMO: [tbc]

A. FORM:

These teams have not played each other before.

B. TEAMS:

New Zealand Barbarians 
1. Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty)
2. Sam Anderson-Heather - captain (Otago)
3. Oliver Jager (Canterbury)
4. Josh Goodhue (Northland)
5. Keepa Mewett (Bay of Plenty)
6. James Tucker (Waikato)
7. Lachlan Boshier (Taranaki)
8. Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury)

9. Jack Stratton (Canterbury)
10. Bryn Gatland (North Harbour)
11. Sevu Reece (Waikato)
12. Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato)
13. Inga Finau (Canterbury)
14. Sam Vaka (Counties Manukau)
15. Luteru Laulala (Counties Manukau)

16. Andrew Makalio (Tasman)
17. Tolu Fahamokioa (Wellington)
18. Marcel Renata (Auckland)
19. Matt Matich (Northland)
20. Peter Rowe - vice captain (Wanganui)
21. Richard Judd (Bay of Plenty)
22. Jonah Lowe (Hawke's Bay)
23. Junior Ngaluafe (Southland)

British & Irish Lions
15. S Hogg (Scotland)
14. A Watson
13. J Joseph
12. B Te'o (all Eng)
11. T Seymour (Sco)
10. J Sexton (Ire)
09. G Laidlaw (Sco)

01. J Marler (Eng)
02. R Best (Ire)
03. K Sinckler (Eng)
04. A Jones (Wal)
05. I Henderson (Ire)
06. R Moriarty
07. S Warburton
08. T Faletau (all Wal)

16. J George
17. M Vunipola (both Eng)
18. T Furlong (Ire)
19. G Kruis (Eng)
20. J Tipuric
21. R Webb (both Wal)
22. O Farrell (Eng)
23. J Payne (Ire)


C. PREVIEW

Hopefully we'll tune in after the break.

Not enough nastiness especially from the pack.

mikey_dragon wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:I'm amazed the ref hasn't gone to the tmo once given how many times we got over the line.

Poor half!

I'm not watching... I did warn folk about NZ refs last season though.

Is it this bad? Hopefully we come to life in this half.

ref is not from New Zealand.

LordDowlais wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:kruis tips and farrell are the obvious choices to come on

Is Webb on the bench ?

yeah

Webb, Farrall, Kruis, Tipuric and Daley should all come on immediately in the second half I feel.
Laidlaw, Sexton, Henderson, AWJ and Hogg have not performed.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:I'd actually forgotten how good Faletau is, he'd been so poor the past year but looks back to his best now.

Really? He's had a few big spells out injured this season. Not played much I thought. Good performances on his return only to get injured again.

Not a great start, but it's important not to panic. We knew this game could be a bit of an ambush, our guys are only 3 days off the plane.

Sexton, Hogg, AWJ and Best are all class acts, give them a chance in the second half to show what they can do.

nathan wrote:it's a typical first lions performance. ref has been fine really

Exactly, hard to read anything into it. They are rusty, the ball is greasy and it's only half time. They were starting to put the squeeze on towards the end of the half. It will be a very different score at FT.

They will all get better. There must be a lot of pressure on these guys to put a marker down.

nathan wrote:it's a typical first lions performance. ref has been fine really

Well that's good news I guess.

eirebilly wrote:Webb, Farrall, Kruis, Tipuric and Daley should all come on immediately in the second half I feel.
Laidlaw, Sexton, Henderson, AWJ and Hogg have not performed.

I would stick with the forwards for now, they haven't been bad, they have not dominated as they should either mind you.

Hogg cost us a try, and gifted their try by not competing for the high ball under pressure, again. Sexton has been a shadow of what he is capable of being, Laidlaw does not play heads up rugby, our centers are just running into people, we need some inspiration from somewhere in the backs.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Not a great start, but it's important not to panic. We knew this game could be a bit of an ambush, our guys are only 3 days off the plane.

Sexton, Hogg, AWJ and Best are all class acts, give them a chance in the second half to show what they can do.

Yeah I agree. Wouldnt be hooking people early, its not that desparate and dont want to disrupt morale too early.

dont really buy into the gelling excuse when playing a ba ba's side

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Not a great start, but it's important not to panic. We knew this game could be a bit of an ambush, our guys are only 3 days off the plane.

Sexton, Hogg, AWJ and Best are all class acts, give them a chance in the second half to show what they can do.

yes, I agree, lets see how it goes then.

Sexton is clearly not fit, haul him off...

Much better opening - clever kick Laidlaw

RDW_Scotland wrote:Much better opening - clever kick Laidlaw

But why the kick ?

We had the momentum then, we have just handed possesion back to them now.

LordDowlais wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Much better opening - clever kick Laidlaw

But why the kick ?

We had the momentum then, we have just handed possesion back to them now.

So early in the half there's no need to force things - I suppose the idea was to put them under pressure on their line. Problem is we gave them an easy out!

That bench is class all over.

Farrall on now for Sexton. Good call.

A bit of over excitement from Sinckler there!

Improvements to be made from a low base.
We do need to get some momentum.

itoje and kruis look a shoe in for the tests at the minute. henderson for lauchbury isnt looking like a good choice

Farrell changes things straight away

So much more balance with Farrall at 10. Great stuff and now the try.

Subs have made a difference!

Well that's the 10 jersey then

Time to kick on now

RDW_Scotland wrote:Subs have made a difference!

Farrall has made the difference at 10. So much more balance and composure in attack now. Gatland must have enough proof now.

Sexton must be injured?

And Webb now..huge step up from laidlaw.

Who did Kruis replace?

kingelderfield wrote:Sexton must be injured?

He has to be carrying the same niggle he got during the Pro-12 semi final. If he is then it was stupid to start him in the first place. That said, he was also not in great form the last 2 months.

Is Barnes getting on anyone else's pecks or just mine?

Rugbyjk wrote:Who did Kruis replace?

Henderson

Not impressive that line out drive turnover. That really is basics.

Barnes is a peck

Thanks eirebilly.

compelling and rich wrote:itoje and kruis look a shoe in for the tests at the minute. henderson for lauchbury isnt looking like a good choice

I think that would have been most people's choice. Kruis and Itoje are one of the best 2nd rows' I've seen - they do everything extremely well.

warbs off, cant remember him doing anything

Got to go for the win first and foremost so I understand going for the points.

This has been a dire performance so far against what is largely a 3rd string team...

Gats will have to get Halfpenny in the side for his place kicking?

Quinnell putting Barnes in his place there.

I like that from Moriarty, bit of aggression at last

mikey_dragon wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:itoje and kruis look a shoe in for the tests at the minute. henderson for lauchbury isnt looking like a good choice

I think that would have been most people's choice. Kruis and Itoje are one of the best 2nd rows' I've seen - they do everything extremely well.

agreed, but still think gats would like awj in there

The Great Aukster wrote:Gats will have to get Halfpenny in the side for his place kicking?

Only if he doesn't trust Farrell to take them...

ahh.

AWJ is a shadow of his former self

Been disappointed in the scrum - 2 international front rows should be dominating.

To be fair a NH ref probably would have given some more penalties instead of letting it go.

All very rusty. Ref sets the standard.

play like this against the crusaders and we'll get mullered

If we're not careful here we could lose this