Maori All Blacks v British & Irish Lions, 17 June

First topic message reminder :

Maori All Blacks v British & Irish Lions
17 June 2017
KO: 19:35 NZST (8.35am BST)
Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua

Live on Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD and SkyGo

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Touch judges: [tbc]
TMO: [tbc]

A. FORM:

Played 8, Maori won 1, Lions won 7

Recently:

2005-06-11
NZ Maori 19 - 13 British and Irish Lions

1993-05-29
NZ Maori 20 - 24 British and Irish Lions

1977-07-13
NZ Maori 19 - 22 British and Irish Lions

B. TEAMS:

Maori All Blacks 
J Lowe; N Milner-Skudder, M Proctor, C Ngatai, R Ioane; D McKenzie, T Kerr-Barlow; K Hames, A Dixon (capt), B May, J Wheeler, T Franklin, A Ioane, E Dixon, L Messam.

Replacements: H Elliot, C Eves, M Renata, L Price, K Pryor, B Hall, I West, R Thompson.

British & Irish Lions
L Halfpenny (Wales); A Watson (England), J Davies (Wales), B Te'o (England), G North (Wales); J Sexton, C Murray (both Ireland); M Vunipola, J George (both England), T Furlong (Ireland), M Itoje, G Kruis (both England), P O'Mahony (capt, Ireland), S O'Brien (Ireland), T Faletau (Wales).

Replacements: K Owens (Wales), J McGrath (Ireland), K Sinckler (England), I Henderson (Ireland), S Warburton (Wales), G Laidlaw (Scotland), D Biggar (Wales), E Daly (England).

C. PREVIEW

ebop wrote:To be fair to the Maori the Lions test side are very good in defence. The Crusaders found that out. It's just their lack of composure, vision and skill sets that limit their try scoring ability that lets them down. They haven't really looked like scoring a try.

Meanwhile across the Tasman....

ebop wrote:To be fair to the Maori the Lions test side are very good in defence. The Crusaders found that out. It's just their lack of composure, vision and skill sets that limit their try scoring ability that lets them down. They haven't really looked like scoring a try.

Try opening your eyes then you'll see more, simples.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

ebop wrote:To be fair to the Maori the Lions test side are very good in defence. The Crusaders found that out. It's just their lack of composure, vision and skill sets that limit their try scoring ability that lets them down. They haven't really looked like scoring a try.

Meanwhile across the Tasman....

Lol, great win today for your boys, well done

Gwlad wrote:

ebop wrote:To be fair to the Maori the Lions test side are very good in defence. The Crusaders found that out. It's just their lack of composure, vision and skill sets that limit their try scoring ability that lets them down. They haven't really looked like scoring a try.

Try opening your eyes then you'll see more, simples.

Maori an embarassment

Looks like they spent more time on the pre match dancing

And there we go...another three. Captivating stuff.

Someone shut Gwlad up!

Maori need to chance their arm a bit more if they don't want to be sitting behind the posts all day.

For the sake of next week let's hope the Lions can put a try or two together, or they'll be run over.

Bit of a cheap shot that.

Yellow.

No or little attempt to tackle, looks like he was trying to dislodge the ball.

Yellow card, fair enough

Yellow card, a bit weak but there you go, a bit of bad luck with that one.

That could have been a red

He was on his knees when he hit, mitigating circumstances

The All Blacks (lite) just can't help themselves can they? They just have to get a cheap shot in. Lucky to get away with the yellow.

Taylorman wrote:Yellow card, a bit weak but there you go, a bit of bad luck with that one.

Seriously? Think it was well refereed and the YC was fair. Very little attempt to tackle, more attempt to dislodge the ball. 1/2p was going down in the tackle but it was a clear hit to the head so YC.

No try, unlucky

I'm absolutely shocked that the New Zealand fans think there was nothing in the cheap shoulder to the face.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:The All Blacks (lite) just can't help themselves can they? They just have to get a cheap shot in. Lucky to get away with the yellow.

Rubbish, the guy fell into it as much as the shoulder came in. Yellow was correct, and unlucky for both players.

Feel like that touched the line but can't argue with the decision.

Pen on the line should be yellow. They were warned.

How many tries have we had disallowed now this tour? Must be about 7!

Taylorman wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:The All Blacks (lite) just can't help themselves can they? They just have to get a cheap shot in. Lucky to get away with the yellow.

Rubbish, the guy fell into it as much as the shoulder came in. Yellow was correct, and unlucky for both players.

You're a laugh.

This could get ugly for the MABs

They scored a try Tman!!!

Penalty try is about the only way we look like scoring one!

We should win this, but it is pretty insipid stuff

ebop wrote:They scored a try Tman!!!

We'll sort of, the one you get when you don't get one. Maori have gone to pieces.

Much better from the Lions and a serious lack of composure being shown here by the MAB's

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Taylorman wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:The All Blacks (lite) just can't help themselves can they? They just have to get a cheap shot in. Lucky to get away with the yellow.

Rubbish, the guy fell into it as much as the shoulder came in. Yellow was correct, and unlucky for both players.

You're a laugh.

It's been said

Now that the game is running away from them I would expect them to resort to more cheap shots and cynical penalties.

Can we start playing some attacking rugby now?

Good on halfpenny

Where's gwlad?

I miss that guy

RDW_Scotland wrote:Can we start playing some attacking rugby now?

Why - did the coach change after the penalty try?

Davies having a fine game, Lions a very good second half (so far).

Maoris have been rather awful IMO. Shows the importance of time together to gel as a team.

eirebilly wrote:Much better from the Lions and a serious lack of composure being shown here by the MAB's

Yep, they've gone to the pack. I'd be a bit concerned about net week though. This side has been together a few days.

If the Lions get too far ahead there will be even more 'no arms' tackles go in.

Wind in the sails now.

Faletau is a serious player, outstanding from him.

Itoje capping off a fine performance with a try. Think the Lions pack has had a good balance to it today, the hooker-lock combination working well at the line-out. Starting front five?

eirebilly wrote:Wind in the sails now.

Faletau is a serious player, outstanding from him.

I think that he is so consistently good that people forget just how high those standards are. After returning from injury he has shown just what Wales have been missing. There are no weaknesses in his game.

1/2p has shown why he is critical to this team.

Now they've got a real try. Well done. Lions have grabbed full control of this match. It ain't pretty, but it's effective.

MABs have been very very disappointing it has to be said. TKB will get a rocket up his ar5e for giving away stupid penalties and then also getting sent off. Silly boy. Lions have been solid.

MAB have actually been disappointing. I guess we should not forget that they are a scratch team as well

We have been transported back to 1977! Only thing missing is the muddy pitch

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Wind in the sails now.

Faletau is a serious player, outstanding from him.

I think that he is so consistently good that people forget just how high those standards are. After returning from injury he has shown just what Wales have been missing. There are no weaknesses in his game.

He really is a quality player and I honestly feel he would have pushed Vunipola to the starting 8 jumper.

Gwlad, where are you mate???

Miss you