Lions tour

[oldcolner]

13-3 then amazing run from own line by Liam Williams sets up a great try for Lions Farrell misses kick 13-8 38 mins gone

[oldcolner]

53 mins still 13-8 lots of open play now with Itojo on.

[oldcolner]

AB scrum pushes Lions back ball moved to wing for a try in opposite corner 18-8 converted from line 20-8

[oldcolner]

Ends 30-15 with a last minute try from Lions.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

It is very difficult to fathom how a nation with a population of just over 4.5 million people can keep on producing rugby players of this standard. Dan Carter leaves and they replace him with someone who is probably even better.

Unbelievable Jeff!

[malwayne]

It is very difficult to fathom how a nation with a population of just over 4.5 million people can keep on producing rugby players of this standard. Dan Carter leaves and they replace him with someone who is probably even better.

Unbelievable Jeff!

And so it proved. There is no substitute for real quality. Kieran Read lead from the front. You wouldn't have known he'd been out for the past two months. The way he picked up that ball which lead to the try in the corner was oozing with ability. In Reiko Ioane the All Blacks ave found yet another gem of a player. The way he left Daly for dead for the second time on this tour was brilliant. From one to fif**** they were simply unstoppable even though SOB scored an absolutely fantastic try to finish off a move of genuine quality. Speed of thought , accuracy and direct finishing is their hallmark. And yes Bedlington Terrier in Beauden Barrett they have a player who will turn out to be better than Dan Carter. the test series will be all over by 10.30 next Saturday morning and even the Hurricanes could upset the odds on Tuesday as well. The best we have to offer will not be good enough and if the Lions choose to throw the ball around it will come back at them with interest.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I'm not really a great fan of Rugby Union, but I know genius when I see it! Ye Gods!

[malwayne]

I'm not really a great fan of Rugby Union, but I know genius when I see it! Ye Gods!

Genius is the word. 15 of them !!! I have been watching all of these players since the super rugby season started in february and some of the quality I have seen since then had to be seen to be believed. Unlike other rugby playing countries their production line of emerging great players never seems to stop. As you correctly point out it is uncanny how they keep on producing these top players for a country similar in size to Wales. I don't think there is any real secret to doing it. Maybe they just do it better than everyone else. The black shirt with the silver fern means everything to any youngster with any talent.
I will give you another example of progress. The "baby blacks" won the World Junior Championships last week in Georgia beating anyone and everyone including a good England team in the final. Scoring points for fun in the process.in the final they had a youngster who had played for Auckland Blues against the Lions two weeks previously and they had no hesitation putting him in despite his tender age. Somehow don't think that would happen over here or anywhere else in the northern hemisphere.

[sinkov]

Hmmm, I was thinking maybe these ABs aren't quite as good as they think they are, not quite as good as the pundits say they are. I'm not thinking that now.

[oldcolner]

There were flashes of Lions brilliance to offer some hope for the future, a try in the opening minutes inches was away, the best try of the match and the final moments, but the territorial domination of the ABs strangled the life out of the Lions most of the time. If we aren't in their half we aren't going to win. We also need to avoid giving penalties away, the ABs hardly conceded any.
They seem to make ordinary players brilliant. I think full back Best played in Gloucester for a few years without setting the heather on fire. We need to find whatever they do to make the rough diamonds brilliant and do it ourselves,
Looking forward more in hope than expectation.