Lions 2017 - the decider

First topic message reminder :



After months if not years, of debate, arguments and plenty bickering the time has come - The Lions are in New Zealand and the tour has begun!

I think it is fair to say that if you're not a fan of the concept of the Lions then this isn't the thread to bring it up - we have had plenty of that over several months and the debate has been done to death. This thread will hopefully be a positive place where those excited about the tour (like me!) can talk about everything that's going on. That's until Jamie Roberts gets a callup of course...

3 June - Provincial union team (Toll Stadium, Whangarei)

7 June - Blues (Eden Park, Auckland)

10 June - Crusaders (AMI Stadium, Christchurch)

13 June - Highlanders (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)

17 June - Maori (International Stadium, Rotorua)

20 June - Chiefs (Waikato Stadium, Hamilton)

24 June - New Zealand (First Test, Eden Park, Auckland)

27 June - Hurricanes (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)

1 July - New Zealand (Second Test, Westpac Stadium, Wellington)

8 July - New Zealand (Third Test, Eden Park, Auckland)

2005 was a disaster from the off as the squad was split into two groups, test players and midweek players. they even had different buses and were treated very differently plus they didn't share rooms so after training they simply didn't mix with each other and lost out on so much team bonding.

SCW still doesn't think he did anything wrong by doing this.

Pete, do you know when or how Coles was concussed, was it in training? The whole Coles thing has been very strange. Actually the last month or so has been very strange. Damn near every key AB has been 'injured' or 'concussed'. Ok that's hyperbole. And I'm sure Read did break his thumb, as did Squire, and Kaino had his knee op, and Barrett had headaches, and the other Barrett had knee/ankle trouble, and Dagg twisted his knee, and Smith did his ankle, and Naholo did his hammy (no doubt), and SBW injured his knee, etc etc. I'm wondering if injury and concussion is the new rest and rotation?

George Carlin wrote:Nehe Milner-Skudder starts for the Canes again this week.
Was kind of hoping he would be out for longer, selfishly speaking.

Ah that's great news

The Hurricanes were lacking firepower in the backline with just Savea, Barrett x 2, Jane, Aso, Laumape, and Perenara making up the numbers

ebop according to the Canes no one knows how Coles got concussed. They say he is suffering exercise induced headaches, think we've all had that to be fair

marty2086 wrote:ebop according to the Canes no one knows how Coles got concussed. They say he is suffering exercise induced headaches, think we've all had that to be fair

Fact. I nearly chundered after doing my burpees this morning.

George Carlin wrote:

marty2086 wrote:ebop according to the Canes no one knows how Coles got concussed. They say he is suffering exercise induced headaches, think we've all had that to be fair

Fact. I nearly chundered after doing my burpees this morning.

burpees are the work of the devil

marty2086 wrote:ebop according to the Canes no one knows how Coles got concussed. They say he is suffering exercise induced headaches, think we've all had that to be fair

Nah. Never even heard of it.

marty2086 wrote:ebop according to the Canes no one knows how Coles got concussed. They say he is suffering exercise induced headaches, think we've all had that to be fair

Maybe he didn't react well to being told to stop hanging out on the wing...

Yeah marty there's been very little transparency with Coles. Something is going on and we're not being told the story. Coles will be picked in the ABs squad and I bet he'll play.

How's concussion generally viewed down there ebop? It's taken a good while here for it to be seen as serious and not something to be played through, though it still seems to happen. You ahead of our curve on this?

You think maybe they are saving him?

Must be why Ken Owens has been 'injured' too

Nah don't think we're ahead 7.5. I think this year it's ramped up quite a bit but maybe it's just my perception because there's been so many that have sat games out. It's no joke anymore and I think players are being more honest with themselves mid-week. There was a bit of a minor outcry when Piers Francis got knocked out cold two weeks ago and played last week. Many think he should have sat out last week as a default even if he had passed whatever tests he had to or didn't have any mid-week headaches. It's a big deal down here, at the top level, but it can always get better. Can't comment on what it's like at the grass roots club level. There wouldn't be the same support network. Just got to hope players are being honest with themselves.

Good to hear. It's always difficult with movement away from players playing through pain of a broken foot etc which has been celebrated (and fair enough as they know the risks) to taking that choice away from them and placing it in the hands of the medical staff.

Yeah indeed. The brain is a scary thing to have injured. A bone, a ligament, you know the score and roll the dice and it'll probably be ok. Don't know if you've heard of Charlie Ngatai but he's been out for a year or thereabouts with concussion. He's not a young guy, been around a bit, and was making waves and would probably be in the ABs squad because he's a fairly complete player. He made his comeback this year in SR but started getting headaches again. Poor guy, not sure if he'll come right, and maybe time to give the game away. Who knows eh?

Read a little bit about him. It must be soul destroying. Read a piece on Andy Robinson s son who had to retire through it and now can't even go for a run with his dad as it brings on symptoms.

Man that sucks, imagine it??

RDW_Scotland wrote:Interesting article on the BBC - Gatland saying that he's keen to not make the same mistake as Graham Henrey did on the 2001 tour by telling the players who were considered to be in line for test spots.  I was quite young at the time but don't remember that tour being overly controversial (Matt Dawson newspaper article aside) - certainly not compared to 2005.

it is positive to hear him saying everyone is going to get a fair chance - whether that happens or not is a different question!

2001 had plenty of problems but they are mainly forgotten because of the train wreck 4 years later. As ever even a train wreck is down to a number of factors and the AB's were pretty good (what a surprise).

TightHEAD wrote:Well at least we now know why so many Welshman were on tour.

     


'The Lions Camp Pride Welsh Choir' are available for weddings, funerals and other special occasions.

... didn't take long before the first WUM..


Been busy and not had time to post recently, but really looking forward to this Lions tour. So well done RDW for a safe haven... pity some will just want to ruin it

Guys, for the next few weeks, can we please remember we are no longer English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh, but Lions fans. If not then take a few weeks off...

No9 wrote:... didn't take long before the first WUM..


Been busy and not had time to post recently, but really looking forward to this Lions tour. So well done RDW for a safe haven... pity some will just want to ruin it

Guys, for the next few weeks, can we please remember we are no longer English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh, but Lions fans. If not then take a few weeks off...

Agree

No9 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Well at least we now know why so many Welshman were on tour.

     


'The Lions Camp Pride Welsh Choir' are available for weddings, funerals and other special occasions.

... didn't take long before the first WUM..


Been busy and not had time to post recently, but really looking forward to this Lions tour. So well done RDW for a safe haven... pity some will just want to ruin it

Guys, for the next few weeks, can we please remember we are no longer English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh, but Lions fans. If not then take a few weeks off...

Does that not mean we're Welsh then?

tigertattie wrote:rousing Welsh hymn sung on arrival in response to a traditional New Zealand welcome of a man waving a stick and sticking his tongue out.

Some of the non welsh boys looked a bit sheepish singing it but they all seemed to give it a shot. According to the BBC the whole squad have song sheets of various hymns from the four nations. I think when they say hymns they mean rugby anthems as we've had the Fields of Athenry. Surely it will be Caledonia from Scotland and probably Jerusalem for England?  

Song sheets or not, its not an easy song to learn and they did sing without the sheets infront of them. So well done to all the non-Welsh lads for giving it a go.

(Took me many rugby tours before I managed to get it right, and to be honest, I still couldn't sing it without others to correct me )

marty2086 wrote:

No9 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Well at least we now know why so many Welshman were on tour.

     


'The Lions Camp Pride Welsh Choir' are available for weddings, funerals and other special occasions.

... didn't take long before the first WUM..


Been busy and not had time to post recently, but really looking forward to this Lions tour. So well done RDW for a safe haven... pity some will just want to ruin it

Guys, for the next few weeks, can we please remember we are no longer English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh, but Lions fans. If not then take a few weeks off...

Does that not mean we're Welsh then?

No9 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Well at least we now know why so many Welshman were on tour.

     


'The Lions Camp Pride Welsh Choir' are available for weddings, funerals and other special occasions.

... didn't take long before the first WUM..


Been busy and not had time to post recently, but really looking forward to this Lions tour. So well done RDW for a safe haven... pity some will just want to ruin it

Guys, for the next few weeks, can we please remember we are no longer English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh, but Lions fans. If not then take a few weeks off...

I let this go as I took it as banter over wumming (a fine line!) and if this is the worst that we get on the thread than that's fine by me!

I saw a funny video where SOB is taking the p out of Haskell who are room mates because Haskell paints his toenails (bizarre).

Anyone know who all other room mates are?

The roommates change pretty much every day apparently- so far from various interviews I've heard of

Biggar and Sexton (who get on well supposedly!)
Haskell and SoB
Hogg and Watson
Sinckler and Faletau
Laidlaw and Teo

RDW_Scotland wrote:The roommates change pretty much every day apparently

So promiscuous.

RDW_Scotland wrote:The roommates change pretty much every day apparently- so far from various interviews I've heard of

Biggar and Sexton (who get on well supposedly!)
Haskell and SoB
Hogg and Watson
Sinckler and Faletau
Laidlaw and Teo

Sounds like car keys in a bowl...........

I feel for whoever gets Haskell as the man is just bonkers! When I was watching the squad singing on arrival in NZ, everyone was pretty much paying attention except Haskell who was filming proceedings on his phone

He is not the full bag of sweets as SOB says.

Haskell is a good laugh, he should room with Farrell.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

No9 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Well at least we now know why so many Welshman were on tour.

     


'The Lions Camp Pride Welsh Choir' are available for weddings, funerals and other special occasions.

... didn't take long before the first WUM..


Been busy and not had time to post recently, but really looking forward to this Lions tour. So well done RDW for a safe haven... pity some will just want to ruin it

Guys, for the next few weeks, can we please remember we are no longer English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh, but Lions fans. If not then take a few weeks off...

I let this go as I took it as banter over wumming (a fine line!) and if it's against anything Welsh than that's fine by me!

Fixed it for you .

Did you not know RDW stands for Rhodri Dai Williams?

Gatland is bonking with Howley....... sorry bunking!!

TightHEAD wrote:Gatland is bonking with Howley....... sorry bunking!!

You had to ruin Friday afternoon didn't you??

TightHEAD wrote:Gatland is bonking with Howley....... sorry bunking!!

Who's on top?

Bunk I mean

What goes on tour.....and all that!

Shhh.....Is that Neil Jenkins coughing up his guts again?

Why can't they afford a room each?

Scottrf wrote:Why can't they afford a room each?

Did you not see how expensive those blazers were?

Plus its better they share just in case one brings a Lady friend back to their room, as there have a ready made witness.

The time for talking is over the Rugby begins,the banter hopefully is friendly
not wum`s.We all have different ideas about the best sides/leagues in the
world etc.
I as an old man have followed many tours,and the joy of seeing a club/provincial
side.Defeat tourists as the four Welsh sides,Counties sides,Munster andFrench
groups.
Or Southland,Otago,Auckland,Wellington,Canterbury,Waikato,Hawkes Bay
did to touring sides to.
I read the soundbites of Warrenball whatever that is.of dominating the
set piece etc,because Ireland won that way.
Take off the blinkers the ABs have an excellent set piece,and mauling
technique,wet weather?there the best mudlarks on the Planet.
No Coles,Read,Kaino,Sam Barrett,SBW,any team that MattTodd,Luke
Whitelock,Brad Shields can`t get a start is hardly deficient.
What personally would do the defectors Luatua,Kerr Barlow,Lowe etc
would be dumped.
Barrett start at full back Savae,BenSmith on the wings,Lienert Brown
and Crotty in midfield,Mouanga at 10,Aron Smith 9.
Moody ,Taylor,Franks,Retalick,Whitelock[capt]Todd,Shields,Whitelock.
Dagg,Sopanga,Pereanara,Faumina,Ardie Savae,Romano,Crockett,plus
another Hooker.

Safe haven time!

What are people's thoughts on the extra curricular activities that the Lions have been doing? It is great to see them going out into the community and hospitals etc. and I like what Gatland's intentions are with all this, and the ceremony at Waitangi was to officially welcome them to NZ, but I just hope that the players aren't overloaded with these kind of things.

Let's face it every single training session is important, and giving the players time off to rest physically and mentally is important and I just hope there is a good balance on the tour. It's all fair and well being popular in the local communities but really this is a rugby tour and we want to win!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Safe haven time!

What are people's thoughts on the extra curricular activities that the Lions have been doing? It is great to see them going out into the community and hospitals etc. and I like what Gatland's intentions are with all this, and the ceremony at Waitangi was to officially welcome them to NZ, but I just hope that the players aren't overloaded with these kind of things.

Let's face it every single training session is important, and giving the players time off to rest physically and mentally is important and I just hope there is a good balance on the tour.  It's all fair and well being popular in the local communities but really this is a rugby tour and we want to win!

Being bored has been an issue in previous tours so I don't think it's a bad thing. This is still resting really, can't sleep for 18 hours!

I think the extracurricular stuff is pointless. To what end? The only Rispict the Lions can hope for is if they beat New Zealand in the tests. And then they will face the inevitable whining about whatever perceived unfairness or injustice lead to the New Zealanders being defeated. New Zealand doesn't reciprocate on the he Rispict front. Even the way they receive a hakka will be criticized to infer a lack of Rispict. I think the Lions should batten down the hatches, go into a siege mentality and come out to do battle against New Zealand; the constant ceremonial hakka shenanigans is just diluting the significance - whatever it is this week - of the hakka anyway.

New Zealand doesnt do rispict.

 Would it be disrispictful of the Blues crowd to do a minutes silence on Wednesday night in rememberance/thoughts of the terrible incident that took place on the weekend in centre of our travelling visitors and guests largest city, killing innocent British people?

I like the getting out and meeting the New Zealand people. It will help ease the pressure on them, which can only be a positive. Happy rugby players play better.

Wales did a very similar thing in 2011 and they did a good job that tournament.

Anything that breaks up a long hard training weeks has to be good news

Doesn't sound good for Dane Coles

Bugger

http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/93390993/all-blacks-hooker-dane-coles-unlikely-to-feature-against-lions

That's a shame, always enjoy watching Coles play. He's really taken that ball handling hooker to the next level along with Brits.

I love that 20 yard pass to set up a try v South Africa.

Better to be safe than sorry when it comes to concussions however.

Real shame for the guy and I hope he can improve and get back to a normal life, never mind be fit enough to play rugby again.

It is certainly a boost for the Lions but not something that should be celebrated.

When you play at this level you want to play against the best. Real shame that Coles is likely to miss out