Comments on: Coetzee: Boks will dominate Lions physically

By: Londonbokshark

Londonbokshark — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:37:12 +0000

#34 funkyzoo: Sheridan one dimensional. All he can do is push a bit. No skills. He's a big strong beast though...

By: Londonbokshark

Londonbokshark — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:36:23 +0000

By: Sir_Charles_Napier

Sir_Charles_Napier — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 12:00:19 +0000

#31 BrusselsBok: I entirely agree mate. It seems Gatland sees something in Powell that no one else see. He is only an impact player (bench warmer) for his club yet he is being touted by Gatland as Lions test starter. Very strange. What's the weather like in Brussels at the moment? I could do with a 'Sandwich' and a beer from a friterie at the moment.

By: Brentie1

Brentie1 — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:48:56 +0000

Here is a lollipop for any one guessing who the outstanding
lock forward was,think ex Local Lion going south.
With aplogies to the original song writers:
Where have all the Lions gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the Lions gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the Lions gone?
Provinces have picked them every one,one by one
When will the Lions ever learn?
When will Lions ever learn?

By: funkyzoo

funkyzoo — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:07:55 +0000

#33 rich1: Sheridan is inconsistent.

By: rich1

rich1 — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:36:32 +0000

I’m also very surprised Sheridan couldn’t dominate Wicus Blauw, who has been weak in the scums all through the S14. If Blauw had stayed on to the end WP would not have lost today.

By: funkyzoo

funkyzoo — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:29:00 +0000

#30 Big Hit:

It was Moller’s fault in that he didn’t react to the cynical play by his opponent. Murray is not allowed to deliberately stop the loosehead from binding at the hit. That’s a penalty offense, and Murray should have got dinged for that. But Moller should have worked out what the other guy was doing and countered it. Also Moller/Watson should have “asked” the ref if the Murray behaviour was OK in his interpretation.

Bottom line: Experienced test props have an array of tricks that someone like Moller haven’t seen before. And Moller will be watching the tapes with disgust as he realizes that he was tricked.

By: BrusselsBok

BrusselsBok — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:15:42 +0000

#25 bestyearever: Powell is a thug. He's only got one trick and that is to run into anything infront of him. Idiot.

By: Big Hit

Big Hit — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:08:05 +0000

#28 funkyzoo: yes, poor move by Rassie (if he was coaching). Moller looked awful tho, not sure if it was his fault but it looked like it, straight in and down. As a Lions supporter, just glad to come away with the win.

By: Big Hit

Big Hit — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:57:37 +0000

#25 bestyearever: it is, but they usually pick a good one. I believe Will Greenwood was the bolter in 1997. I wonder whether Earls will ever reach Greenwood's level.

By: funkyzoo

funkyzoo — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:56:31 +0000

If WP had kept their starting loosehead they would not have lost.

The reason they couldn’t bind on the loosehead side at the end was that Euan Murray was disrupting Moller’s bind on the hit, by grabbing his upper arm just as he tried to bind. He did this right in front of the ref about 4 times. And got two penalties, one of which cost the winning 3 points.

Whatever about the ref, your props can’t let that kind of thing happen more than once.

By: Big Hit

Big Hit — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:56:24 +0000

#26 Viscount Crouchback: dunno crouchy I'm not convinced. I know Gatland loves his direct power players and I feel he is the one who is really coaching this tour.

By: Viscount Crouchback

Viscount Crouchback — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:50:44 +0000

#24 Big Hit: The breakdowns on Sharks ball were superb. The Lions forced numerous turnovers. And it wasn't far off a first choice Sharks pack. Worsley, Rees and Sheridan have looked terrible in general play. They lumber around the field about two seconds behind everyone else. Powell is little better.

By: bestyearever

bestyearever — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:46:56 +0000

#16 Londonbokshark: I believe it's tradition to pick a young and promising player in every Lions tour group that's not necessarily there on merit.

By: Big Hit

Big Hit — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:42:45 +0000

#23 Viscount Crouchback: I'd say the Wednesday pack has been more impressive because they faced the Golden Lions rabble and the Sharks missing 10 Boks. The breakdowns were far from great against the Sharks either for example.

By: Viscount Crouchback

Viscount Crouchback — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:37:31 +0000

That was a serious effort by the WP pack. Don’t think the Lions Test scrum will be stronger than today’s. It won’t. On paper, it will actually be weaker.

People are barking up the wrong tree by obsessing over the scrum. It will count for absolutely nothing in the Tests. Front rows with Lee Mears in them rarely dominate anybody.

The truth is that the Lions have picked two packs on this tour: a heavy pack that has played on the Saturdays, and a lighter, more dynamic pack that has played on the Wednesdays.

The Wednesday pack has been much more impressive than the Saturday pack, mostly because their greater speed allows them to get to the breakdown quicker. Sheridan might be the strongest man in world rugby but he is incredibly cumbersome around the field.

The Lions are not going to go with beef in the Tests. The scrum will be a complete irrelevance. John Smit can sleep easy tonight.

By: Big Hit

Big Hit — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:33:22 +0000

#19 cab: interesting that you rate him as a threat, I was disappointed in his scrummaging today. Maybe he did slip but if so it happened a lot of times. Most people up here would pick Jenkins, I would pick Sheridan but I find it hard to justify on that performance.

#20 JimT: evening Jim AB supporters have traditionally tried to talk him down so forgive me if I take no notice

By: gunther

gunther — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:28:57 +0000

#20 JimT: thats why he slips his bind he needs wriggle room...

By: JimT

JimT — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:24:48 +0000

#18 Big Hit: I've never rated Sheridan as a loose head prop. His build is all wrong for the position.

By: cab

cab — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:18:16 +0000

#18 Big Hit: too slippery, when he got traction they got a tighthead. if they leave him out, i will certainly fancy the boks chances in the first one.