British/Irish Lions Tour of New Zealand 2005 Spoiler

[darkboong]

Merts still has the fitness and game head to play at international level. It would be a tremendous send off for a great of the modern era, a true stallwart of NZ rugby.

Agreed. I was gobsmacked the first time I saw Merthens in action. Wilkinson reminded me a bit of Merthens when I first saw him play too. Sadly I don't think Wilkinson's career will be as long as Merthens - he seems to be unable to get over his injuries.

 

[chch_legend]

Agreed. I was gobsmacked the first time I saw Merthens in action. Wilkinson reminded me a bit of Merthens when I first saw him play too. Sadly I don't think Wilkinson's career will be as long as Merthens - he seems to be unable to get over his injuries.

IMHO Wilkinson's international career shouldn't last much longer, he will spend too much time on the injured list. Yet the England selectors will still persevere with him, not giving the like of Hodgson a decent stint at test level.

The next question is "Who is/was the worlds best 1st five eight?" As a true kiwi I'd have to say Merthens, due to the fact that he was a master tactician and could read a game very very well. OK his defense was a bit suss at times but whose isn't?

 

[EoinC]

The next question is "Who is/was the worlds best 1st five eight?" As a true kiwi I'd have to say Merthens, due to the fact that he was a master tactician and could read a game very very well. OK his defense was a bit suss at times but whose isn't?

He went off the boil for a few years there, but wasn't it great when he made his come back. Seeing Mert's back in Black would bring a tear to a glass eye.

 

[chch_legend]

Wilinson and Hensen have been ruled out of the 3rd test, McDonald has sustained a groin strain at training on Tuesday.

The Lions are going to be in alsorts of trouble come Saturday evening. However it is an opportunity for Stephen Jones to put his hand up.

The AB's will have to go to there 3rd string 1st five eights in Nick Evans, it's a great opportunity for him to say he's the natural back up for Carter.

Should be an interesting test match, and I believe the Lions are in for a tough time.

 

[EoinC]

...The AB's will have to go to there 3rd string 1st five eights in Nick Evans, it's a great opportunity for him to say he's the natural back up for Carter...

It's a shame about McDonald. I like his play and his Quiet Achiever style. It will be good to see Evans in action again. He reminds me of a tenascious rabbit. He has had good and bad days, but he can be very quick on his feet.
I'm going to be in the Philippines this weekend, so shall probably miss it. I'll see if I can't find a supportive bar somewhere in between meetings.

 

[limerickman]

The media over this side of the world, while giving kudos to NZ, are now apportioning blame.
David Walsh tells of total disharmony in the Lions camp was apparent early on with Woodward insisting on his reliance of English players.
The Welsh press made the point that Woodward ignoring their players was disrespectful.
Now we hear that there was civil war in the coaching staff with O'Sullivan and Larder not being on speaking terms (both would have been responsible for the Lions backs) and Robinson making a mess of the Lions lineout strategy.

Maybe this is par for the course, people running for cover now that the Tour will go down as one of the worst to ever go to NZ.
The morale in the Lions camp appears to be very low.
Will NZ be compliant and allow a win to restore morale ?
That snowball in hell will melt first (and rightly so, in my opinion, those Lions don't deserve any assistance whatsoever).

 

[Fixey]

The media over this side of the world, while giving kudos to NZ, are now apportioning blame.
David Walsh tells of total disharmony in the Lions camp was apparent early on with Woodward insisting on his reliance of English players.
The Welsh press made the point that Woodward ignoring their players was disrespectful.
Now we hear that there was civil war in the coaching staff with O'Sullivan and Larder not being on speaking terms (both would have been responsible for the Lions backs) and Robinson making a mess of the Lions lineout strategy.

Maybe this is par for the course, people running for cover now that the Tour will go down as one of the worst to ever go to NZ.
The morale in the Lions camp appears to be very low.
Will NZ be compliant and allow a win to restore morale ?
That snowball in hell will melt first (and rightly so, in my opinion, those Lions don't deserve any assistance whatsoever).

Harsh words Lim
I think the Lions had a 15 that could have given the AB's alot more sport but Clive chose not to use them.
It was predictable and shameful that Clive would demean the AB's tour "Black Wash" by harping back to the fact that England where still world champions and stating the AB's could not be considered a good team because they had not won the Webb Ellis. The mans stupidity is unbelieveable.
My hypothesis has always been that England won the world cup because of Johno and 2 - 3 other amazing forwards, and that they done it despite Clive not because of him. I believe that Clive has, with action and word, proven that hypothesis to be true.

As far as the third test.. A much better efort against an admittedly weakened AB's. I actually thought the score flattered the AB's a little. I reaaly like Jones at 8, I think if nothing else comes from this tour the AB's better take notice of Wales as a true contender in '07

 

[darkboong]

Clive's rationale on basing team greatness on silverware is dumb, I'm still a bit stunned that he has reacted so poorly.

My hypothesis has always been that England won the world cup because of Johno and 2 - 3 other amazing forwards, and that they done it despite Clive not because of him. I believe that Clive has, with action and word, proven that hypothesis to be true.

I can't agree with that, however he has been abysmal this tour. Using players who have retired from international rugby in preference to the players who just won the 6 Nations Grand-Slam style stinks of "Cronyism" and stupidity.

As far as the third test.. A much better efort against an admittedly weakened AB's. I actually thought the score flattered the AB's a little.

The Lions seem to have suffered more injuries.

 

[limerickman]

Harsh words Lim
I think the Lions had a 15 that could have given the AB's alot more sport but Clive chose not to use them.
It was predictable and shameful that Clive would demean the AB's tour "Black Wash" by harping back to the fact that England where still world champions and stating the AB's could not be considered a good team because they had not won the Webb Ellis. The mans stupidity is unbelieveable.
My hypothesis has always been that England won the world cup because of Johno and 2 - 3 other amazing forwards, and that they done it despite Clive not because of him. I believe that Clive has, with action and word, proven that hypothesis to be true.

As far as the third test.. A much better efort against an admittedly weakened AB's. I actually thought the score flattered the AB's a little. I reaaly like Jones at 8, I think if nothing else comes from this tour the AB's better take notice of Wales as a true contender in '07

Agreed : Wales have a good future before them.

As regards CW, I think he lost his way early on and the morale in the party just went downhill.
The AB's were the better team anyhow.
I just hoped that it would have been a bit more competitive.

 

[chch_legend]

I trully think Clive has lost the plot, he's just lost the series 3 - nil and he's saying the AB's aren't that good...what planet is he from. He is stating that the Lions were hampered by injury, well so were the AB's in the 3rd test.

He's also stated that he didn't have enough players in the squad....hello, last week he was stating that the team lacked game time together. Clive your spin doctor has forgotten what he told you to say last week.

He is an idiot and the sooner he disappears to the round ball code the better for rugby in the northern hemisphere. He can say that England has the world cup but I don't think it was his coaching "genius" that made them win.

 

[EoinC]

I trully think Clive has lost the plot, he's just lost the series 3 - nil and he's saying the AB's aren't that good...what planet is he from. He is stating that the Lions were hampered by injury, well so were the AB's in the 3rd test.

He's also stated that he didn't have enough players in the squad....hello, last week he was stating that the team lacked game time together. Clive your spin doctor has forgotten what he told you to say last week.

He is an idiot and the sooner he disappears to the round ball code the better for rugby in the northern hemisphere. He can say that England has the world cup but I don't think it was his coaching "genius" that made them win.

Correct, Legend. Clive "have my cake and eat it" Woodward - we're tired because we've played too much / we're **** because we haven't had enough game-time together... Not very magnanimous in defeat, unlike the Lions themselves. I'm happy - I watched the 3rd test over at a bar in Manila and managed to win the pool for picking the margins of both the AB vs Lions game and the Wobblies vs SA game. Unfortunately I must have put all the money back over the bar as I only had 50 Pesos (about USD $0.54) left to find a taxi across the other side of town to my Hotel. I'm still alive, so it must have worked out OK.

 

[limerickman]

I do think that CW has lost the plot.
I will credit him that he was an effective coach up to a few years ago but he seems to have gone off the rails.
He seems to believe his own publicity these days.

 

[chch_legend]

Now that the Tour is over and the parting comments have had time to filter down through the headlines, I can now take pleasure in relieving my future father-in-law (who is Irish) of some of his hard earn Euro. We had a bet before the tour started that the AB's would win the series 3 - nil.
The line on the lounge floor seperating the AB's from the Lions side of the room can now be removed. Although I am still on the couch until further notice, or the Tour de France finishes whichever comes later.

Throughly enjoyed watching the tour and long live the longer tours, playing midweek games. It's great to see the 2nd division teams take on the might (?) of the British & Irish Lions.

Now looking forward to the All Blacks taking on the the nations individually at the end of the year. Am tempted to make the trip from Australia to Dublin for the Irish test.

 

[ALAN OBRIEN]

Folks,

I know that this is a cycling website but some of you have indicated an interest in rugby and I have been asked to create a thread specifically for the 2005 British & Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand.

This is the itinery of the tour.


Date Opponent Town Venue
4 Jun Bay of Plenty Rotorua International Stadium
8 Jun Taranaki New Plymouth Yarrow Stadium
11 Jun NZ Maori Hamilton Waikato Stadium
15 Jun Wellington Wellington Westpac Stadium
18 Jun Otago Dunedin Carisbrook
21 Jun Southland Invercargill Rugby Park Stadium
25 Jun NEW ZEALAND Christchurch Jade Stadium
28 Jun Manawatu Palmerston North Arena Manawatu
2 Jul NEW ZEALAND Wellington Westpac Stadium
5 Jul Auckland Auckland Eden Park
9 Jul NEW ZEALAND Auckland Eden Park

If you have views on the tour and/or result predictions, feel free to post away.

As a very unsuccessful wingforward/No8 in a prior life, my opinion (for what it's worth !) is that the Lions will be beaten 2:1 by New Zealand.

PITY IT WAS 3-0 LIM.....