At the third time of asking, the Lions have managed to win a midweek match in New Zealand.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The Chiefs were certainly not the high-octane team we’ve come to know and love from Super Rugby as they were greatly hampered by the absence of Nathan Harris, Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr Barlow, Aaron Cruden and Anton Lienert-Brown in the All Black squad, plus Japan flanker Michael Leitch and Damien McKenzie who is clearly on the fringe of Steve Hansen’s group.
What will be pleasing for the tourists though, is the strong finish they managed to inflict on the hosts after the late losses suffered in Auckland and Dunedin.
The Bench stay the Bench
Gatland responded to criticism that he devalued the jersey with his six call-ups for the sake of call-ups by displaying a clear aversion to sending on the new additions.
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Alan Dell was introduced to the front row in the first half while Joe Marler was in the bin, but Kristian Dacey, Tomas Francis, Cory Hill, Gareth Davies and Finn Russell were left to ride the pine in Hamilton.
Clean shirts for most of the bench. Ready to be framed. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
That may keep the stock of the jersey high enough for some, but it must be tough for the players to know full well that they are literally there to make up the numbers.
Our criticism of the call-ups wasn’t so much about devaluing the jersey, it’s that it devalued players. The Test XV will be happy to be kept in cotton wool so they can prep themselves to face the world champions, but what of men like Dan Cole and Rory Best exhausting themselves through 80 minutes in punishing positions today while the cavalry was left cold on the bench?
Players would have to be robots not to let some resentment sneak in to their thoughts, and that will surely begin to show if the first Test doesn’t go extremely well.
Blockbusters
All the talk of New Zealand’s fondness for blocking bore fruit tonight and signalled the need for a bit of a re-think from Steve Hansen.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Jerome Garces was undoubtedly hot on obstruction today and penalised enough of the Chiefs’ screening efforts to clear the road for the Lions to chase.
With the Lions’ set-piece looking like the primary weapon for the tourists, blocks on restarts will be useful to help the All Blacks avoid an abundance of maul and scrums. It will be intriguing to see how they – or the officials – react on Saturday.
Back-line fluidity
It took quite a while, but the multi-nation back-line looked to really hit its straps today with a clear stand-out try of the tour for Jack Nowell.
The Exeter Chief provided the clinical finish to a brilliant coast to coast move that featured a brilliant break up the left flank by Elliott Daly, superb quick hands from Jared Payne and a surging run from Robbie Henshaw.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
With Liam Williams also looking back to his best with scything carrying lines, the midweek men were a more exciting watch than anything the Lions delivered to date down under. Can the Saturday side show that sort of ingenuity in attack.
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Gatland keeps the shirt value steady and more talking points as the Lions get a midweek win
WARREN GATLAND’S LIONS cruised to a 6 – 34 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton this morning. Here’s our match report and below are some post-match thoughts.
Midweek record
At the third time of asking, the Lions have managed to win a midweek match in New Zealand.
The Chiefs were certainly not the high-octane team we’ve come to know and love from Super Rugby as they were greatly hampered by the absence of Nathan Harris, Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr Barlow, Aaron Cruden and Anton Lienert-Brown in the All Black squad, plus Japan flanker Michael Leitch and Damien McKenzie who is clearly on the fringe of Steve Hansen’s group.
What will be pleasing for the tourists though, is the strong finish they managed to inflict on the hosts after the late losses suffered in Auckland and Dunedin.
The Bench stay the Bench
Gatland responded to criticism that he devalued the jersey with his six call-ups for the sake of call-ups by displaying a clear aversion to sending on the new additions.
Alan Dell was introduced to the front row in the first half while Joe Marler was in the bin, but Kristian Dacey, Tomas Francis, Cory Hill, Gareth Davies and Finn Russell were left to ride the pine in Hamilton.
That may keep the stock of the jersey high enough for some, but it must be tough for the players to know full well that they are literally there to make up the numbers.
Our criticism of the call-ups wasn’t so much about devaluing the jersey, it’s that it devalued players. The Test XV will be happy to be kept in cotton wool so they can prep themselves to face the world champions, but what of men like Dan Cole and Rory Best exhausting themselves through 80 minutes in punishing positions today while the cavalry was left cold on the bench?
Players would have to be robots not to let some resentment sneak in to their thoughts, and that will surely begin to show if the first Test doesn’t go extremely well.
Blockbusters
All the talk of New Zealand’s fondness for blocking bore fruit tonight and signalled the need for a bit of a re-think from Steve Hansen.
Jerome Garces was undoubtedly hot on obstruction today and penalised enough of the Chiefs’ screening efforts to clear the road for the Lions to chase.
With the Lions’ set-piece looking like the primary weapon for the tourists, blocks on restarts will be useful to help the All Blacks avoid an abundance of maul and scrums. It will be intriguing to see how they – or the officials – react on Saturday.
Back-line fluidity
It took quite a while, but the multi-nation back-line looked to really hit its straps today with a clear stand-out try of the tour for Jack Nowell.
The Exeter Chief provided the clinical finish to a brilliant coast to coast move that featured a brilliant break up the left flank by Elliott Daly, superb quick hands from Jared Payne and a surging run from Robbie Henshaw.
With Liam Williams also looking back to his best with scything carrying lines, the midweek men were a more exciting watch than anything the Lions delivered to date down under. Can the Saturday side show that sort of ingenuity in attack.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
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