stevedog1980 wrote:I bought into the Lions for the first time this year and don't think I will be bothering again in 4 years time. This tour has been horrible on many fronts. Touring to a country that's currently on the brink of a civil war and rife with coronavirus in the first place was questionable at least. Then the negative anti-rugby and lack of fans to salvage an atmosphere at least. Then World Rugby failing to have an adequate contingency plan for any official being ill was ridiculous. Then the Rassie documentary was probably the lowest point for me. Just not a good tour in any way. The thing I'm least bothered about was the loss.
In 4 years time, I'm going to struggle to get back on the bandwagon
Of all the countries and combination of coaches, a SA tour with the SA coaches and Gatland was the wrong set up at the wrong time.
Lions v Oz with an attack minded coach would have seen more tries.
whatisthejava wrote:Kinda feel we will have 4 years of structure from England/Ireland and in 4 years time FR will be back to third choice behind Farrell and Biggar
I expect Smith to be well clear of any England 10s by that point. If not in the eyes of EJ, certainly in the eyes of the Lions coach.
Russell will be approaching 33 for the next tour. I am not sure he will still be a top level international by that point. Ever since his serious injury I have always had a feeling he was in it for a good time not a long time. Maybe it is just his personality and I think his approach is great to be honest. Could imagine him in Japan getting paid a good whack in 4 years time. And Hastings and Thomson if they continue to get better can put pressure on him at that point even if he is still a top level 10.
I dig his attitude. So much better seeing someone having a go rather than adopting a cartoon villain scowl and flapping their arms at the ref every 5 minutes.
Are the Lions run by actual dinosaurs or what? Everything seems so obviously out of touch.
whatisthejava wrote:Kinda feel we will have 4 years of structure from England/Ireland and in 4 years time FR will be back to third choice behind Farrell and Biggar
I expect Smith to be well clear of any England 10s by that point. If not in the eyes of EJ, certainly in the eyes of the Lions coach.
Russell will be approaching 33 for the next tour. I am not sure he will still be a top level international by that point. Ever since his serious injury I have always had a feeling he was in it for a good time not a long time. Maybe it is just his personality and I think his approach is great to be honest. Could imagine him in Japan getting paid a good whack in 4 years time. And Hastings and Thomson if they continue to get better can put pressure on him at that point even if he is still a top level 10.
I dig his attitude. So much better seeing someone having a go rather than adopting a cartoon villain scowl and flapping their arms at the ref every 5 minutes.
Are the Lions run by actual dinosaurs or what? Everything seems so obviously out of touch.
Finn doing his best to endear himself to the Lions attack coach I see. I'm sure that's going to be welcomed come the next scotland camp.
Also effectively coming out and saying that he thinks that Biggar was playing foolishly (which I have to agree with)
Big D wrote:
I expect Smith to be well clear of any England 10s by that point. If not in the eyes of EJ, certainly in the eyes of the Lions coach.
Russell will be approaching 33 for the next tour. I am not sure he will still be a top level international by that point. Ever since his serious injury I have always had a feeling he was in it for a good time not a long time. Maybe it is just his personality and I think his approach is great to be honest. Could imagine him in Japan getting paid a good whack in 4 years time. And Hastings and Thomson if they continue to get better can put pressure on him at that point even if he is still a top level 10.
I dig his attitude. So much better seeing someone having a go rather than adopting a cartoon villain scowl and flapping their arms at the ref every 5 minutes.
Are the Lions run by actual dinosaurs or what? Everything seems so obviously out of touch.
Finn doing his best to endear himself to the Lions attack coach I see. I'm sure that's going to be welcomed come the next scotland camp.
Also effectively coming out and saying that he thinks that Biggar was playing foolishly (which I have to agree with)
Where's that from?
I listened to him on the Scottish Rugby Podcast and he was pretty good. Clearly thought they should have been playing more in all tests but I think everyone would have known that's his view.
Mentioned he'd chatted with Townsend at the end of the series about taking on SA this November and how they'd go about it. I'd be surprised if we didn't try and move them about.
I listened to him on the Scottish Rugby Podcast and he was pretty good. Clearly thought they should have been playing more in all tests but I think everyone would have known that's his view.
Mentioned he'd chatted with Townsend at the end of the series about taking on SA this November and how they'd go about it. I'd be surprised if we didn't try and move them about.
We don't really have much choice. Realistically our pack will not get on top of theirs and set piece will be a consistent battle even on our ball.
Not really looking forward to that game, I think the other games will be more enjoyable to watch. That isn't a slight on SA, they are a very good side, I am just not in a hurry to watch more of their matches.
I don’t think their style of play is that awful to watch in isolation. But trying to defeat it by playing even less rugby than they do is grim as a viewer.
I can understand the temptation to want to avoid any costly errors and cheap points, but it felt like the Lions were trying to beat them by simply accepting that their defence is fantastic and not even trying to stress it.
I’m not at all confident, but for Scotland can see if they can sustain the required level of physicality and accuracy for 80 minutes will be a great test. Not just accuracy in executing attacking plays but the small errors we consistently often give away, knocking the ball loose in a ruck, brainless off-sides and forward passes etc.
I’m really keen to see what GT/ST have taken from the Lions tour. Feels like I’m heading towards a big old case of ‘finally it’s about to click for this Scotland side’ once again.
I really hope Sutherland and Fagerson can continue on their previous trajectory. They had both made huge leaps forward but neither looked themselves this summer and it would be a massive blow if they’ve been too shaken by that.
They didn't change much against Argentina, who were themselves very sloppy. They are going to stick with the dull defensive stuff for the foreseeable future.
Fair play to them, it works and rugby is about different ideas and ways to win. It just doesn't make me want to watch it. I probably will because it is Scotland playing but that is it.
How dull would they have to get before it started hitting them in the pocket. For example, laying down some pinga for TV coverage of the next Lions tour might not be very high on everyone's sporting budget priority list right now. The one just been has probably set the game back about 15 years in emerging markets.
Yeah, I'd love to know how many were trying rugby out for the first time given the absurd media run up. I can't imagine many of them would have stayed long. It was like league/NFL except you're not allowed to shoulder charge people in the face, which is probably the only entertaining thing about it anyway. At least in league they get to the 5th phase sometimes.
