Lions thread

[hopwood]

Nervous, but excited.
It’s going to be brutal but fascinating.

I think The Lions will edge it.
But it’s very hard to predict what’s really going to happen.
So many unknowns.

[Rossm]

With Jones the prop now out, Sutherland starts and Mako to the bench, SA have strengthened their scrum.

[hopwood]

Wow. That was underwhelming.
We need a change of tactics.

More intensity.

Gatland needs an Everest half time team talk.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Cagey game, the score is probably an accurate reflection of how its going.

If they'd been in Jo'burg Daly's kick would have gone over. Its amazing how much extra the ball carries at that altitude. I reckoned on taking at least 1 less club when I was there - instead of a 7-iron I was taking and 8 or maybe 9-iron.

[mike909]

Hanging on by our fingertips - not doing anything particularly wrong, playing to the strengths the team has, but the rarity of the line breaks makes it look like a team that's trying, but all off the back foot.

Looks too much like the RWC final where SA were only 9-6 up at HT, but you had that feeling that the game was theirs....

Lions must get some continuity and width and make use of the back three.

[Neils]

Need to shoot the commentators.

[JF]

Conor McNamara is commentating like he's doing football commentary on the radio. There are several other rugby commentators who could do a much better job.

[andermt]

Need to shoot the commentators.

Can’t believe the last comment of ‘this series isn’t over by a long shot’.

It’s the 1st of 3 ffs, that’s the sort of comment you make at the end of the 2nd test when someone levels the series.

[mike909]

Well - that was good.

It shows why I never bet on sports and it also showed the game management that a Gatland team can show - previously demonstrated against England in the 6Ns - is the sort of play that England need to think about......Whilst SA were short of game time, that was a game that needed winning and Gat's Lions did just that by competing in the right places and - unlike England...  - kicking to compete and to a plan.

Any number of good games from many players but really impressed with Lawes

[Neils]

How didn't Lawes not win MoM.

[Neils]

You tend to forget Sky are the EA love in channel.

[mike909]

How didn't Lawes not win MoM.

No idea....That said, Maro had his best game, France excepted, for absolute ages. No patting heads or waving arms....seems working with Gats and having Alun as Capt was a benefit!

[hopwood]

How didn't Lawes not win MoM.

Lawes was absent in first half.
And absolutely colossal in the 2nd.
Gigantic.
Humongous.
Titanic.

Itoje likewise.

[MarleyWasp]

Conor McNamara is commentating like he's doing football commentary on the radio. There are several other rugby commentators who could do a much better job.

That's because he is a Radio Football commentator... I always think he sounds like he's auditioning for the voice over roll on X Factor by doing something painful to increase the pitch of his voice.

Sadly Mullins, Eykin and Cotter will all be involved with the Olympics coverage and Miles Harrison is having treatment for cancer. Therefore it's fairly slim pickings for Sky, unfortunatley.

[hopwood]

I’m not a fan of Sarries or their players.

But let’s give credit where credit is due.
Mako was like a lump of cement in the scrum when he came on. Completely changed the dynamic of the scrum battle...and got his own back on what happened in the 2019 RWC Final. Great job.
Itoje was imperious.
And to be honest, Farrell coming off the bench at the end with the loss of Biggar, calmed the nerves.

I’m slightly torn.
It was a kick-fest. And I want more running rugby in international rugby.
But we won the 1st Test in South Africa...and that feels great.
Maybe hopefully the new rules and regulations will change the approach to international rugby for the better.