B&I Lions 2017
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Got to meet a few of the Lions at work today. A Welsh hooker who looks like Tony Woodcock (I assume all frontrowers look alike), Irish back Robbie Henshaw and English lock Maro Itoje.
They were real top blokes and that Itoje is a behemoth of a person. All seem pretty relaxed unlike the team in 2005 when the players looked on edge the whole time (I was working the 2005 tour for an events team in Wellington so saw the squad around a bit).
@Sneakdefreak said in B&I Lions 2017:
Itoje is a behemoth of a person.
Interesting. I was always under the impression he was a bit small for an international lock
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When do the Blues name their side? Can't be Thursday.
By the way, our mate Stephen Jones mentions in passing in his write up of the Baabaas game that he watched the Saders play the Highlanders and reckons both would be easily accounted for by Saracens.
What must it be like to live in a delusion bubble?
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
he watched the Saders play the Highlanders and reckons both would be easily accounted for by Saracens.
What must it be like to live in a delusion bubble?
This really is the best thing about a Lions tour. Putting these jokers back in their box.
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@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
he watched the Saders play the Highlanders and reckons both would be easily accounted for by Saracens.
What must it be like to live in a delusion bubble?
This really is the best thing about a Lions tour. Putting these jokers back in their box.
@Frye said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
he watched the Saders play the Highlanders and reckons both would be easily accounted for by Saracens.
What must it be like to live in a delusion bubble?
This really is the best thing about a Lions tour. Putting these jokers back in their box.
Thing is though. These guys aren't bad players and they look really good playing in their own comps which is what tricks everyone.
Eddie Jones at least recognises this and has worked to create something good within their limitations that can at least compete and disrupt the faster speed of thought from the faster SH teams.
The Walrus is deluded because he thinks the team cohesion of Saracens is enough to make up for the fact that the few errors they make aren't ruthlessly exposed by their opposition as they would be against any of the NZ super teams including the Blues. -
@Sneakdefreak said in B&I Lions 2017:
Itoje is a behemoth of a person.
Interesting. I was always under the impression he was a bit small for an international lock
@Milk said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Sneakdefreak said in B&I Lions 2017:
Itoje is a behemoth of a person.
Interesting. I was always under the impression he was a bit small for an international lock
Is he tall enough to be a Hurricanes flanker?
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@Milk said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Sneakdefreak said in B&I Lions 2017:
Itoje is a behemoth of a person.
Interesting. I was always under the impression he was a bit small for an international lock
Is he tall enough to be a Hurricanes flanker?
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Milk said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Sneakdefreak said in B&I Lions 2017:
Itoje is a behemoth of a person.
Interesting. I was always under the impression he was a bit small for an international lock
Is he tall enough to be a Hurricanes flanker?
Hard to say. I'd have to size him in up in a cafe or restaurant to be sure.
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@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Milk said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Sneakdefreak said in B&I Lions 2017:
Itoje is a behemoth of a person.
Interesting. I was always under the impression he was a bit small for an international lock
Is he tall enough to be a Hurricanes flanker?
Hard to say. I'd have to size him in up in a cafe or restaurant to be sure.
@Milk said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Crucial said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Milk said in B&I Lions 2017:
@Sneakdefreak said in B&I Lions 2017:
Itoje is a behemoth of a person.
Interesting. I was always under the impression he was a bit small for an international lock
Is he tall enough to be a Hurricanes flanker?
Hard to say. I'd have to size him in up in a cafe or restaurant to be sure.
I hear that around breakfast is a good time as you get shorter as the day goes on.
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Clickbait!!
I stand by my right to be outraged!
Some stretching of points I'd have thought. Some banter from the locals makes us arrogant?
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Clickbait!!
I stand by my right to be outraged!
Some stretching of points I'd have thought. Some banter from the locals makes us arrogant?
@booboo I was extremely arrogant in 2005, but I grew up and now I'm just awesome
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I thought the lions fans were mostly awesome in 2005 the only time I had someone moan to me was a guy I had a beer with after the mid weeker vs Wellington who was understandably gutted about Spiro writing a column about how arrogant lions fans were and some drivel that sounded more like the worst of the fans at Twickenham. When I asked him about Stephen Jones diatribes he thought I meant the welsh first five, got a blank look when I said I meant the columnist.
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Yeah we met a bunch in 2005, all top blokes, rugby fans for sure, met a heap on Saturday night too, great chat, bit of banter, know their stuff. Except one guy, was drunk, abusing people, almost got in a fight, so I think I'll judge all lions fans by him...drunk idiots, just soccer hooligans in different jersies!
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I thought the lions fans were mostly awesome in 2005 the only time I had someone moan to me was a guy I had a beer with after the mid weeker vs Wellington who was understandably gutted about Spiro writing a column about how arrogant lions fans were and some drivel that sounded more like the worst of the fans at Twickenham. When I asked him about Stephen Jones diatribes he thought I meant the welsh first five, got a blank look when I said I meant the columnist.
@jegga said in B&I Lions 2017:
I thought the lions fans were mostly awesome in 2005 the only time I had someone moan to me was a guy I had a beer with after the mid weeker vs Wellington who was understandably gutted about Spiro writing a column about how arrogant lions fans were and some drivel that sounded more like the worst of the fans at Twickenham. When I asked him about Stephen Jones diatribes he thought I meant the welsh first five, got a blank look when I said I meant the columnist.
That last bit sums up his importance over here
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@jegga said in B&I Lions 2017:
I thought the lions fans were mostly awesome in 2005 the only time I had someone moan to me was a guy I had a beer with after the mid weeker vs Wellington who was understandably gutted about Spiro writing a column about how arrogant lions fans were and some drivel that sounded more like the worst of the fans at Twickenham. When I asked him about Stephen Jones diatribes he thought I meant the welsh first five, got a blank look when I said I meant the columnist.
That last bit sums up his importance over here
@Catogrande said in B&I Lions 2017:
@jegga said in B&I Lions 2017:
I thought the lions fans were mostly awesome in 2005 the only time I had someone moan to me was a guy I had a beer with after the mid weeker vs Wellington who was understandably gutted about Spiro writing a column about how arrogant lions fans were and some drivel that sounded more like the worst of the fans at Twickenham. When I asked him about Stephen Jones diatribes he thought I meant the welsh first five, got a blank look when I said I meant the columnist.
That last bit sums up his importance over here
Yeah, Spiro is the same here.
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Yeah we met a bunch in 2005, all top blokes, rugby fans for sure, met a heap on Saturday night too, great chat, bit of banter, know their stuff. Except one guy, was drunk, abusing people, almost got in a fight, so I think I'll judge all lions fans by him...drunk idiots, just soccer hooligans in different jersies!
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I'm going to a fundraising dinner this Friday ahead of the crusaders v lions game
Guest speakers are Stephen jones and Chris rattue!
I'm really looking forward to it actually. I wonder whether these guys take themselves that seriously.
@SammyC haha, that will be interesting, make sure you report back if they are truly cnuts or not
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@taniwharugby remember that clown that was promoting the barmy army? I walked past his marquee that he set up on the Wellington waterfront, it was empty apart from him and the barstaff .He must have lost a shitload on that hahaha.
@jegga I was at Eden Rugby Club who had the marquee on thier fields for the Eden Park test and it was pretty full
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http://www.the42.ie/warren-gatland-warrenball-lions-2017-3427544-Jun2017/
THE PHRASE âWARRENBALLâ has come to be a derogatory term used by Warren Gatlandâs detractors, a tag that signifies the perceived limits of the Lions head coachâs tactical approach.
Gatland, rather unsurprisingly, doesnât have too much time for the idea that his philosophy on the game is a negative one.
Winning collisions and being direct are simply part of the game, according to Gatland, but not the entire picture.
Gatland is of the belief that the phrase âWarrenball,â which was coined by former Ireland international and England attack coach Brian Smith, is a simple means to criticise him after his successes with Wasps, Waikato, the Lions and Wales.
Asked about the perceptions around his tactical approach today in Auckland, Gatland responded with obvious irritation and bit back with a query as to when people had started talking about âWarrenballâ.
âI kind of look and go, âWas is it when we were successful at Wasps or when I was coaching Waikato in the Air New Zealand Cup?â I donât know, when did a certain style change?
âLook, a few years ago Brian Smith coined the phrase âWarrenballâ and I donât know whether that was because he was jealous of how much success we had.
âWe had a group of players who came through Wales at the time who ended up being pretty big physical players.
âThe modern game of rugby is about getting across the gainline, trying to get front-foot ball and playing to space if that is possible.â
Warren Gatland Gatland speaks to Jared Payne at Lions training.
Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Gatland said he doesnât worry too much about those perceptions, but his apparent frustration suggested otherwise.
He pointed to the Lionsâ tour of Australia in 2013 for evidence of one of his teams disproving the âWarrenballâ tag, with the touring squad having convincingly beaten the Wallabies in the third Test four years ago.
âI think in a way it is an opportunity for people to want to be critical,â said Gatland. âWe experienced that four years ago when people decided to be critical and a lot of people got caught with their pants down afterwards, didnât they?â
While the Lions didnât display a clinical edge against the Provincial Barbarians on Saturday in a 13-7 victory, Gatland again stated that he is backing his players to operate with freedom in attack on this summerâs tour.
He is hopeful of seeing more of that against the Blues at Eden Park this week, and against the All Blacks when the Test series rolls around.
âWe know we didnât play so well on Saturday and it gives us an opportunity to go out against the Blues and be positive. The message to the players is that we want to play positive rugby, we want to be able to move the ball and shift it and create chances.â
Warren Gatland in the team huddle during training
Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
âTo match the All Blacks, you have got to display a bit of x-factor and if that x-factor means an offload or doing something that is a little bit outside the box, the players are being encouraged to do that.
âBecause that is what we are going to need to beat them, and express themselves, back their skills and back their ability and we donât want to be prescribed and we donât want to play by numbers.
âThese players are being encouraged to develop their level of skills and to go out there and to do that. Hopefully, we can show that on Wednesday and the players can do that and perform to what they are being encouraged by the coaches to do.â -
When he coaching Waikato I always thought Warrenball, or Gatlandball I think we called it back then, was:
Step one: Give all players gym membership and programming
Step two: Institute rush defense.
Step three: Lose a season teaching the players how to do it and building combinations
Step four: Profit
Step five: Get figured out
