Tell us what you thought of today’s match between the Crusaders and the Lions in Christchurch.
Which players stood out? What were the main talking points?
Give the match a rating out of ten and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Loading ...Rate the Match: Crusaders v Lions
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Team for 1st test starting to evolve
Mcgrath
George
Furlong
Itoje
AWJ/Kruis
Stander
Tuperic/OBrian
Falateua
Murray
Farrell
Watson
Henshaw/Teo
Daly
North
Williams
For me:
Vunipola over McGrath
Kruis has to play
SOB offers more ballast than Tipuric
Sexton and Farrell at 10 and 12
Teo at 13
Watson and North on the wings
Unsure between Hogg and Williams at fb
Mako, Kruis, SOB and Teo have outperformed Mcgrath, AWJ, Tipuric and Henshaw respectively.
AWJ was quiet once again and doesnt offer enough when compared to Kruis, Itoje and Lawes.
The backline had good balance this game and I cannot see how Gatland is going to justify playing Warburton.
So a tight 5 with little lions experience. That team would get hammered.
Agree with much of that; I’d start with AWJ and Kruis, Itoje off the bench. And for me, narrowly Vunipola over McGrath to start. Good choices. Things will continue to change though.
The Lions have put their tour back on track however signs showing the Rowley was not a good choice at all for attack coach
Howley, not Rowley; but you’re right I’m afraid; he’ll hopefully be replaced in the Welsh set-up by Stephen Jones fairly soon.
Great result and what a way to answer the critics!
It may not have been beautiful but it perfectly suited the conditions and in the second half some of the Lions attacks were starting to look more fluent.
So much for the vaunted Crusaders and their unbeaten record! The Lions have got to be hugely pleased with that – what a boost to morale and momentum.
What a surprise: The lions played to their only strengths and built their game on a stifling well organised defence and hugely powerful set piece and breakdown and won, even though it was what NZ was expecting! Having Teo to straighten the line made a significant difference and it this that made opportunities out wide (which we worryingly squandered). This has proven, I think, my opinion that the Lions have to be predictable but ensure try play more clinically and with the same intensity to have a chance of winning. They won’t beat the ABs at their own game!
Things to work on:
Taking opportunities – Watson, as one of the world’s fastest wingers should have pinned his ears back.
That terribly dull (when used every time) ‘first receiver to the man behind’ play – to keep the opposition guessing you have to use the short ball decoy every now and then.
Kruis and Maro with Lawes on bench nailed on for tests.
Well that was far from the spectacle it was built up to be, Lions defence was on top but still very little going forward.
My player ratings would be:
Vunipola: 6.5- Scrum was inconsistent but went well in the loose
George: 6- Solid performance
Furlong: 5.5- Pretty quiet but one very good Scrum
Jones: 5- Gave away an intercept and should of been yellow carded for being offside when the Crusaders looked liked scoring
Kruis: 6.5- Solid
O’Mahoney: 6.5- Very prominent in wide areas
O’Brien: 5.5- Quiet night,odd carry but nothing Special (He’s no Hamish Watson)
Falatau: 6- Quieter than last week but still v good
Murray: 7- Lucky to stay on after a viscous elbow :), he is a class above Webb and Laidlaw
Farrell: 8- In a different league to Sexton
Williams: 5- Was poor again today, very inaccurate
Teo- 6- Solid but nothing special
Davies: 5.5- Ran nice lines but very poor pass early on ending any chance of a try. Went off early.
North: 4- Wasn’t that bad, but it was easy to forget that he was even on the pitch
Hogg: 6- Hopefully he is OK, nice feet early on but he was forced off just as he was getting into the game
So from what we have seen so far my Test team would be:
1- Vunipola
2- Owens
3- Furlong
4- Itoje
5- Kruis
6- Stander
7- Tipuric? (Should be Hamish Watson :)
8- Falatau
9- Murray
10- Farrell
11- Seymour
12- Teo
13- Joseph
14- Watson
15- Hogg
16- George
17- McGrath
18- Sinckler
19- Lawes
20- O’Mahoney
21- Webb
22- Sexton….sigh
23- Daly
Not quite sure about your low score for
Mako? He was absolutely class today. Took so much ball and made hard yards, but also did a lot of work without the ball to win it back. Easy to forget he is a prop!! You will not get his work rate from any other prop on the tour.
Dazza- Kyle Sinckler would be pushing closely for work rate
That is a fair point. And I for one would like an England front row of Mako, George and Sinckler for the first test. Inexperienced or not they have performed better and deserve a chance. I suspect that Owens will start though as Gatland won’t want to leave a Welshman on the bench if there is one fit to start!
Barring injury, AWJ, Warburton (captn left out out?) likely to start test. JJ, Hogg won’t stand up to pressure, so prob Teo, 1/2penny. Not so sure Sexton will be left out either.
Don’t know if 1 game answers critics, just as prev 1 didn’t disprove critics either. Lions had the edge in most phases, esp ‘D’. Gd set piece, but also breakdown speed, numbers. However, the elephant in the room whom none wish to acknowledge too prominently is their attack. Still can’t score tries. Also, both sides kicked aimlessly @ times. Crusaders unlucky to have been denied under the posts which could have changed the complexion of the game, but that’s rugby. Too many unforced errors by both teams too. Need to improve before the ABs.
Please no more talk of AWJ for the tests. Does anyone (who isn’t a Welsh coach) disagree that the 3 English locks are head and shoulders above the rest? Also, why do so many people place such a ‘Premium’ on so called experience (only earned through international caps)? Of ciirse the Welsh players will have more ‘experience’ based on caps; they have nothing like the depth amd competition of the English – Lawes would be a shoe-in for 120 caps if he was Welsh for example. Experience of playing in the AP against teams littered with quality (rather than a the odd marquee player) and two back-to-back European cup wins is certain to provide better ‘experience’ than giving an Italian team a walloping every 3 weeks.
Septimusfiltrum – don’t lower the tone; AWJ is a great lock. I think all 3 England locks are superb as well, but talk about ‘head and shoulders above’ is just daft and does you no favours. Have you read Graham Henry on the subject of AWJ? Hugely impressed – and he does know a thing or two about rugby.
Accepted Taliesin, and I’ve not a bad word to say about AWJ however that is my genuine, purely performance-based, opinion as of this very minute. In no way a slur on a player who’s been a great servant to Wales and WG but as with many sports, when players reach a certain age/mileage the performance drops suddenly, not over time – the performance of the 3 English locks has highlighted this, IMO
Septic
I take it you ain’t Welsh then!? I don’t care either way & an English lock combo could well fit the bill, but a number of pundits (incl English) DO rate AWJ & yes he is EXP. Surely, that’s no crime though. He’s also been made captain by Gatland, who knows him pretty well by now I’d guess. Regds exp, do you recall Lancaster’s banging on about the AB’s having 9 over 30 in their last WC squad? Didn’t seem to have done them any harm.. did it? Exp isn’t nec the only criteria, however, if a player’s been there & done that (e.g. a prev Lions’ tour), he’s less likely to cave under PRESSURE. Recall Itoje for instance in Dublin last up? Anonymous. Despite the Canter game, the AB’s ain’t gonna be a team for green horns to face methinks.
I’m sticking to the theory that the Saracens forwards plus Farrell need to form to core of the Test team. Bit of a shame Healy isn’t on tour as in impact loosehead.
Mako
George
Furlong
Itoje
Kruis
O’Mahony (nobody else offers that lineout poaching ability)
O’Brien
Faletau
Murray
Sexton
? (someone needs to put their hand up – still hope Hogg puts a decent showing in to claim FB, in which case Watson on the wing)
Farrell
Te’o/Henshaw
North
Watson
Owens
McGrath
Sinckler
Lawes
Stander
Webb
Te’o/Henshaw
Daly
I like Watson but over the last 18 months I think his confidence/form has dipped. He’s certainly become a by more solid and secure but, I feel, at the expense of his x-factor and I’m going to score/beat defender attitude. He seems to surrender to half tackles and today should have rolled the dice and backed his speed and head for grass rather than canter so he didn’t leave his only support (Sexton) for dead allowing defence to get back. I would definitely consider Daly for the 15 shirt at this point.
Mako
Owens
McGrath
Kruis
Itoje
O’Brian
Stander
Faletau
Murray
Farrell
Teo
????
Seymour
Nowell
Daly
Reps
George
Sinkler
Furlong
Lawes
O’Mahoney
Webb
Sexton
Hogg
Sinckler and Furlong cover the same position, as do McGrath and Mako. I would also consider Daly at 13 and have a back three of North, Seymour and Watson.
Agreed with Daly a serious 13 option. I think his flexibility makes him better for the xv rather than bench as it gives such a multitude of tactical/impact option
Daly most definitely has the skill set to play 15 but hasn’t done so in a test match and I don’t think he has in a Wasps shirt in a long time with Beale, le roux and Miller preferred. I don’t think a test match against ABs is a fair way to introduce him to international fullback duties!
Completely get your point Henno but I’d rather go for a player who isn’t a regular but has played a fair amount of top level rugby at 15 who I have complete confidence in than someone who regularly plays a position but I have serious doubts over. I think WG could do a lot worse than explore the Daly at 15 option – let’s be honest, there’s every chance he’ll be pencilled in there, depending on circumstances,, as replacement so if WG would be confident to have him cover 15 against the ABs why not to start?
No idea why North is in the frame. Has played one game and been completely anonymous. Mako was terrific today and has to start. Not convinced Furlong is anywhere near nailed down to start. Farrell at 10, Murray at 9, no Sexton, please no AWJ or Warburton. Launchbury continued go make a mockery of his non selection today. Still lots of spots up for grabs.
Don’t agree that North was anonymous, although he was quiet in attack. Defensively quite conspicuous, in a good way.
Re: North. 3 reasons he’s in the squad
A) He’s Welsh
B) His previous (pre injuries) form and he’s still living off his bursting onto the scene reputation from 5 years ago.
C) He ran in a couple of tries (Inc one from half way) against an Italian team, who already had the wooden spoon and were well beaten, in the 6N.
This from someone who predicted Crusaders by 11 ? suggest you leave the selection to the professionals ?
Quite true Stesco – I guess all the ‘professionals’ backed a lions win?
Are you in disagreement? I’d love to hear, and respect, your opinions.
In fairness Stesco, the professional who led the ‘Lions/Crusaders prediction’ post made a prediction that was a whole entire point closer than I (“Crusaders by 10”).
Don’t believe he’s a professional m8, probably just a guy who inputs on this forum and has a decent knowledge of rugby, I would term a ‘professional’ as someone who is currently playing, or, more importantly in this case coaching high class rugby. For what it’s worth I thought Crusaders would narrowly win the game as I suspected it was too early in the tour to win against such a high class team. Extremely happy the Lions proved me ( and you ) wrong. Think it bodes well for the rest of the tournament ?
As long as you don’t mean Barnsey (the man who suggested Hogg may step up for a long range penalty on Saturday, 25 mins after he’d been replaced)! FWIW. Highlanders by 3
Septimus, silly comment altogether. OK, you don’t like Welsh players being there – but don’t let your prejudice cloud whatlittle knowledge you possess.
We’re getting news of the likely (only likely I stress) 1st test side (yes, we do have a ‘mole’). Viz:-
McGrath
Owens
Furlong
Henderson
Alun Wyn Joes
O’Brien
Faletau
Warburton/O’Mahoney
Murray
Sexton
Farrell
Henshaw
Davies
North
Williams
Halfpenny/Hogg
Brilliant bunch – let’s hope injuries don’t intervene too much.
Mike – that caused a deep pain;-). I’m a great supporter of Welsh rugby (and as a result their personnel) although if one was to try and apply a xenophobic analysis of my (purely performance-based) opinion then one may opine I possess an anti-Welsh pro-English player sentiment. BTW – over the course of the tour ‘my test team’ has consistently included Owens and at times Warbs, North, Tips, JD and Williams. Always looking enjoy and respect reading your opinions Sep
With that team we would need the 16th man you have selected (I assume Farrell was mistakenly included)
North needs to get more involved and look for more work in attack.
But he was superb in defence. Good enough to make me want him in the test side having previously thought he shouldn’t even be on tour.
And we’ve not seen good enough performances from the other wingers to suggest anyone else should be there in his place
Do you so under rate Gatland’s judgement then? Do you think he’s made Warburton & also AWJ, captains for fun? Why on earth would he do so if, barring injury, sudden dip in form, he, himself, doesn’t rate these guys? Perhaps you’re a bit ‘English’ happy?
At Last the Lions are starting to play to their potential. Watson left a try out there. He dummies and goes himself ,he’s in. Farrell has to start as test 10. Awj, Williams and Cruiz standout efforts. I see Itoji and George as part of a great impact bench.
This is what Ireland did to the AB’s in Chicago, defensively oppressive and limiting their attack ing options.
After that performance, the pressure is on the rest of the squad to perform at the very very top of their game. Brilliant.
Sharpy
You make some sense; regrds AWJ & Kruis; likely test starting combo? However, I wouldn’t write Sexton off just yet. He may play WITH OF, but for me Farrell is, like most, ok when going fwd, but he is fundamentally still a tackler & a goal kicker. A Barry John he ain’t. He needs to pull a few more rabbits out of his hat other than kick it v NZ. He’ll not get the time or room or possession to fritter it as v Canter. The lions need tries. 2 in 3 ain’t gonna cut it, so is Farrell likely to fix this Achilles heal? Maybe, but not seen it yet.. unless he’s holding it back for the tests? Might be better with JS inside him.
Can I just record my view that Murray’s box kicking is excellent and just the right length as opposed to Care,Young’s,and Webb which is consistently 10 metres too far and annoys the hell out of me.So bloody basic and simple.
seconded. I would also add that he made the right decision between put it in touch or in play but contestable
Agreed. Nearly in the same class as Richard Wigglesworth. I thought Care did well against Argentina, looking extremely sharp. Would have rather had him in NZ than Laidlaw.
Why is no-one mentioning Cole as a bench player for the tests? Looks back to his best, has been rock solid in the tight and not giving away his customary silly penalties.
On what has been seen so far. Test squad
15 Watson
14 Daly
13. Joseph/Davies
12. Te’o
11. North
10. Farrell
09. Murray
01. Marler
02. Owens
03. Furlong
04. Kruis
05. Etoje
06. Stander
07. Warbuton
08. Faletea
Bench. Vunipoa; Geroge; Sinckler; Lawes; Moriarty; Joseph/Davies; Sexton; Webb
Not sure that we have seen much evidence of anything so far from Daly, Joseph, Davies, North or Warburton, Big Dia. Still a lot of places wide open imo, but Warburton certainly needs a huge game on Tuesday to get a start. The fact that WG is starting with Payne at 15 on Tuesday almost certainly means that he is not considering Watson at full back.