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Post by GeneralFaye on May 5, 2021 14:25:32 GMT
Might be a bit early for this considering it doesn't start until July but is anyone else looking forward to The Lions tour? I bloody love it. Anyway, the squad is getting announced tomorrow so will be interesting to see who Gatland takes, especially considering the horrible 6 Nations England had.
I also came across this on YouTube and was a fun watch for anybody interested.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2021 16:24:44 GMT
Yes, really looking forward to the Lions tour. It's something that I have always wanted to go and watch. As you say the make up of the squad will be very interesting this time.
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Post by iancransonsknees on May 5, 2021 16:44:47 GMT
I got a quote for Cape Town last year, test tickets, flights and a week there. £5k for two of us. It's a great city and I was desperate to go (I visited the year after the last tour there, it looked an amazing experience and it was my ambition to go on the next one they hosted) but I didn't book because you could see what was going to happen.
I've got 2 tickets for the Edinburgh test and I've just got my fingers crossed that we get to go.
Fun fact, we stayed in the same hotel that President Xi was in. It was the day after the story broke about Shrien Dewani's missus getting murdered. Pulled up the driveway of the hotel and literally the whole 250 odd metres of it was lined with police cars and armed police with body armour and sub machine guns. Was a bit of a shock. There was airport style security on the compound that Xi was using but we overlooked it, kept staring at the Jackie Chan secret service.
Best food, drink and customer service I've experienced anywhere I've been in this country or abroad was in SA. Highly recommend a safari and shark diving, properly messes with your head when you're only used to seeing them on a screen. It's the sound they make more than anything. If you get the chance go there. Don't listen to all the bullshit press, be sensible and enjoy it while you can.
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Post by franklin on May 6, 2021 10:30:38 GMT
I'm hoping to do the 2025 tour of Australia hopefully I'll have an aussie daughter in law by then so im sorted for a base 😁
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Post by GeneralFaye on May 6, 2021 10:36:18 GMT
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Post by tuum on May 6, 2021 11:13:42 GMT
I'm hoping to do the 2025 tour of Australia hopefully I'll have an aussie daughter in law by then so im sorted for a base 😁 You sound like me. Collecting free accommodation around the globe. I had a map with pins stuck in it of expats I have worked with and their home base + any 2nd homes just in case I was passing through. One guy bought an off plan villa in Barbados on a hill overlooking the sea...infinity pool, big balcony, gated compound etc. We all had our eyes on it offering him a similar duration of stay in Thailand, Spain, Whitehaven etc. Surprisingly, he was less than enthusiastic about the deal.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2021 12:00:51 GMT
Seems a good squad to me - not a lot to argue about really.
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Post by franklin on May 6, 2021 12:04:09 GMT
I'm hoping to do the 2025 tour of Australia hopefully I'll have an aussie daughter in law by then so im sorted for a base 😁 You sound like me. Collecting free accommodation around the globe. I had a map with pins stuck in it of expats I have worked with and their home base + any 2nd homes just in case I was passing through. One guy bought an off plan villa in Barbados on a hill overlooking the sea...infinity pool, big balcony, gated compound etc. We all had our eyes on it offering him a similar duration of stay in Thailand, Spain, Whitehaven etc. Surprisingly, he was less than enthusiastic about the deal. If only I'd known my sons would have bogged off abroad with "foreign" women I'd have had a couple more 😂
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Post by GeneralFaye on May 6, 2021 12:04:16 GMT
I've never rated Bundee Aki but I suppose I can see why he's been picked due to the opposition.
I'm just happy Simmonds has been given an opportunity, a proper 2 fingers up to Eddie.
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Post by mtrstudent on May 6, 2021 15:30:23 GMT
Proper looking forwards to this. England have been a shitshow recently, but I love to see Itoje in his pomp so I hope he's back on form. And it'd be good to see more of Curry at flanker too.
Been watching internationals since my uni days when the posh lads got me into it, but I still can't really understand the ins and outs of all the tactics so I turned to youtube. Anyone else followed Squidge rugby?
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Post by PotteringThrough on May 6, 2021 18:13:32 GMT
Simmonds definitely deserves it.
From an England perspective but surprised May didn’t make it. Underhill would’ve been hard to leave out if not for the injury this year.
Decent squad.
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Post by jonah77 on May 6, 2021 21:19:00 GMT
Kyle Sinkler's unlucky to not make the squad. We have got good tightheads but he is top class.
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Post by mtrstudent on May 6, 2021 21:23:14 GMT
Kyle Sinkler's unlucky to not make the squad. We have got good tightheads but he is top class. Him getting knocked out in the final was the start of our collapse.
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Post by iancransonsknees on May 28, 2021 10:18:41 GMT
Just had my tickets for Edinburgh cancelled.
Bit of a wounder but it'll save the best part of a grand in hotels and travel etc.
Reduced the capacity of the stadium to 25% and I wouldn't put it past that poisonous bitch Sturgeon to ban travel from England anyway.
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Post by salopstick on May 28, 2021 22:16:25 GMT
I’m on the piss in Cardiff for the first test. Can’t wait
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Post by tuum on May 29, 2021 0:11:30 GMT
Kyle Sinkler's unlucky to not make the squad. We have got good tightheads but he is top class. Him getting knocked out in the final was the start of our collapse. I like RU but I have never played it. I take my opinions from the many people I watch it with who are very knowledgeable about the game. One thing about the world cup final v SA was the poor interpretation of the scrum by the ref. Everybody accepts that for 35mins SA were absolutely dominant in the scrum and every penalty was deserved. However, what pissed my rugby playing chums off was that England got their act together early in the 2nd half causing SA to collapse the scrum or to illegally disrupt. BUT the ref was so conditioned by what he had seen in the 1st half that he could not believe that England could turn it around and be competitive in the scrum. As a result, 1-2 penalties that should have been awarded to Eng were actually awarded to SA.... or so my rugby playing mates say🤔
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Post by thevoid on May 29, 2021 0:20:10 GMT
Him getting knocked out in the final was the start of our collapse. I like RU but I have never played it. I take my opinions from the many people I watch it with who are very knowledgeable about the game. One thing about the world cup final v SA was the poor interpretation of the scrum by the ref. Everybody accepts that for 35mins SA were absolutely dominant in the scrum and every penalty was deserved. However, what pissed my rugby playing chums off was that England got their act together early in the 2nd half causing SA to collapse the scrum or to illegally disrupt. BUT the ref was so conditioned by what he had seen in the 1st half that he could not believe that England could turn it around and be competitive in the scrum. As a result, 1-2 penalties that should have been awarded to Eng were actually awarded to SA.... or so my rugby playing mates say🤔 That final was lost as soon as we got into an arm wrestle with SA.
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Post by cr4zyd4ve on Jun 27, 2021 9:16:45 GMT
Alun Wyn Jones ruled out of the Tour after 7 minutes of the first match. Could be a massive loss as he was Captain too, and the only really obvious choice as Captain.
Gatland has given the job to Connor Murray which is an interesting choice, he has never Captained Ireland on a permanent basis that I can recall. I hope Gatland knows what he is doing. I can only assume Murray has got the nod as he is the only definite starter of the other candidates.
He will obviously be one of the starting half backs and considering Biggar partnered him yesterday I assume he will be the other. Both relatively small guys who will have to do a lot of work around the fringes. They played well together yesterday, Biggar especially, but SA will play a completely different game to Japan.
It is a blessing in disguise that the Tour has been shortened as all the SA club sides play a physical brand of Rugby so the injuries and fatigue will play less of a part on this Tour.
Tipuric out too!
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Post by tuum on Jun 27, 2021 12:28:11 GMT
I am not too worried about AWJ. There are other players who can fill in. We'll be ok.
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Post by cr4zyd4ve on Jun 27, 2021 15:12:41 GMT
I am not too worried about AWJ. There are other players who can fill in. We'll be ok. As capable of Captaining the side?
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Post by tuum on Jun 27, 2021 16:46:29 GMT
I am not too worried about AWJ. There are other players who can fill in. We'll be ok. As capable of Captaining the side? I have never understood the idea of a good captain. In both football and rugby he is there to speak to or listen to the ref and to toss a coin. There are plenty of leaders in a rugby team capable of giving a team talk. I suppose a Rugby Capt has more responsibility than in Football because they have to decide some on field tactics e. g. when to kick for goal. But, my point remains. These are the best players and many of them will be capable of stepping up to act as Capt if reqd.
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Post by cr4zyd4ve on Jun 27, 2021 17:19:49 GMT
As capable of Captaining the side? I have never understood the idea of a good captain. In both football and rugby he is there to speak to or listen to the ref and to toss a coin. There are plenty of leaders in a rugby team capable of giving a team talk. I suppose a Rugby Capt has more responsibility than in Football because they have to decide some on field tactics e. g. when to kick for goal. But, my point remains. These are the best players and many of them will be capable of stepping up to act as Capt if reqd. A Rugby Captain undoubtedly has more responsibility than a Captain in a Football team. I would suggest that any series against SA will need a very strong person in that role, managing the referee is going to be massive in this series. I would suggest that someone like Farrell does not perform this task well at all, it will be interesting to see how Murray gets on. Red Cards are becoming common place in Rugby with the recent law changes, whoever works out how to play close to the line without overstepping it too often, is going to be the likely winners of this series. SA are past masters at that and adapting their game to suit the Ref's interpretation of the laws and dare I say it, playing the Ref!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2021 5:15:06 GMT
Some good points raised above and personally I think AWJ is a big loss. The point about "playing the Ref" is very valid. It's always been an important aspect of the game, knowing just how far a team can go without risking overstepping the line. Against a team like SA "playing the Ref" has huge significance. AWJ has the stature to do this IMO, but I'm not sure many others in the squad can do this, and I'm certainly not convinced Murray is up to the job. Gatland must have seen something in him to make him confident he can manage situations when required.
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Post by franklin on Jun 28, 2021 19:02:39 GMT
Some good points raised above and personally I think AWJ is a big loss. The point about "playing the Ref" is very valid. It's always been an important aspect of the game, knowing just how far a team can go without risking overstepping the line. Against a team like SA "playing the Ref" has huge significance. AWJ has the stature to do this IMO, but I'm not sure many others in the squad can do this, and I'm certainly not convinced Murray is up to the job. Gatland must have seen something in him to make him confident he can manage situations when required. I was surprised with Murray too but let's see we should have 3 or 4 captains on the pitch at any one time.
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Post by GeneralFaye on Jun 28, 2021 21:53:56 GMT
Think picking Murray is a clear indication the talk around Itoje being a potential captain was nonsense.
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Post by cr4zyd4ve on Jun 29, 2021 7:40:02 GMT
Think picking Murray is a clear indication the talk around Itoje being a potential captain was nonsense. I don't know, I am not sure how much experience Itoje he has had as a Captain either, about the same amount as Murray I would guess. He is a hell of a player though!! I am not sure he is a guaranteed starter, which sounds crazy after the last tour. However he has started to give a lot of penalties away and I am not sure if that is because he has started to overstep the line or because he is no longer flying under the radar and Ref's are starting to spot his over manipulation of the Law's. I think if he takes a slight step back, cuts out some of the penalties and proves that he has in the tour matches leading up to the main event, he has to be one of the starting Test locks!!
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Post by cr4zyd4ve on Jul 5, 2021 12:39:38 GMT
Two very impressive performances from the Lions so far, apparently the other Lions that they played are the weakest SA Club side, but a decent performance all the same! Adams has literally sprinted out of the blocks to put his name on the 1st Test team sheet! Murray isn't set to start on Wednesday having not been in the squad on Saturday! I can only assume he is firing on all cylinders in training already and doesn't need to get up to speed!!
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Post by prestwichpotter on Jul 6, 2021 17:08:28 GMT
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Post by professorplump on Jul 7, 2021 16:27:49 GMT
I have severe doubts that this series will take place. It seems as though the bio secure bubbles have been breached. To be honest I would prefer it if they postponed it to next year. Lions tours are always special and to have it played out behind closed doors would be a real shame.
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Post by iancransonsknees on Jul 7, 2021 17:24:23 GMT
I have severe doubts that this series will take place. It seems as though the bio secure bubbles have been breached. To be honest I would prefer it if they postponed it to next year. Lions tours are always special and to have it played out behind closed doors would be a real shame. Tonight's match is on. I agree but still think it'd have been a stretch in SA next year.
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