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It doesn't get better than this
Well done you Lions!
As much as saying that might stick in the craw, and believe me it does, it’s simply the truth. The men in red thoroughly deserved their victory in the 2nd test.
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Playing 14 or 15, red card or not, the Lions were clearly the better side. They did to the All Blacks what had been done to them the previous weekend – smashing defence, determined carries, winning what’s called the contact area, continuing to attack & look for gaps, scoring great tries and forcing the opponent into playing for (pretty much) field position & penalties only.
(Do recall in the 1st test the Lions scored no 2nd half points until that try after the full time siren had sounded).
Suck it up AB fans, we were second best. It’s a wake-up call for the team and equally, hopefully, a reminder to us public too that winning is never something to be assumed by right.
Yes, and we must be honest here, complacency can occasionally become part of our AB fan-psyche. Why? Because we are bathed in success. Almost to the extent we expect it, certainly to the point we demand it, but how often do we take the time to really appreciate it?
Ok. Enough of all that bad stuff. Let’s draw a line right here and move to the good…
This next week is what being an All Blacks fan is all about. There’s only 4.5million of us, we’re a tight-knit bunch related by birth (one deg of separation!), fiercely patriotic in our support, intolerant of failure, unrealistic of expectation yet all the while uncompromisingly loyal to our team. And that’s the key.
We love this team, the world’s greatest team, OUR team. And there is no better All Blacks side than a wounded one. We’re at our absolute best when the world is against us.
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Back us into a corner – we love that. Tell us we’re finished – please, do it again and then one more time after that. Call us boorish, oafish, diss our haka, accuse us of foul play/cheating and bring it loud & proud from now ’til Saturday. PLEASE.
It steels our team is what it does. It reinvigorates our pride. It makes us only more determined to rebound from defeat and be devastating when doing so.
Now then. Think about that for a moment. A more resolute, more committed All Blacks with even more motivation given this is the series decider. That is what we will bring.
No boasting. No chest-beating theatrical press-conference quotes. No fanciful hope or exaggerated hyperbole. We bring a proven, experienced, super-talented, match-hardened team driven by the need to prove & constantly prove we are the world’s best.
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Forget this “fear of failure” tosh. That’s for yesteryear. These current guys don’t need to reference failure because they haven’t had it. I guess being back to back world champions does that to a team. I guess losing just 5 times in 6 years does it too.
We’ve just lost in NZ for the first time since 2009 and now head to Eden Park for the decider. That’s Fortress Eden Park in case you’d forgotten.
Whoever once said “it doesn’t get better than this” was almost right. The only “better” bit will hopefully come Saturday night…
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to comments