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Gatland takes 'lots of positives' from Blues defeat

By Jack Davies
Lions captain Ken Owens.

British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland insisted there were “lots of positives” to be taken from Wednesday’s 22-16 defeat to the Blues at Eden Park.

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Needing a confidence-boosting win following a nervy 13-7 victory over the largely semi-professional Provincial Barbarians at the weekend, the Lions were ultimately beaten by a stunning Ihaia West try five minutes from time.

The tourists had looked better during the first half but trailed at the break after Sonny Bill Williams pounced on a loose ball following a penalty that rebounded off the posts.

Leigh Halfpenny kicked the Lions back in front in the second period but they were unable to find a way through the Blues defence and West made them pay with a try that owed much to two superb offloads in the build-up.

“It felt like there were lots of positives,” Gatland told Sky Sports. “Our set-pieces were good but we will need to impress on the team the need to focus on the penalty concession. If we can halve that it will make a big difference.

“We need to stop the offload game – we know how dangerous that can be.

“That try on half-time was pretty unlucky. I think if we tighten up in a couple of areas to maintain that pressure we can get that momentum back.

“We have improved from the opening game with the time we have spent together and we will improve again before Saturday.”

Captain Ken Owens added: “I think our discipline lost the game. We gave away a lot of penalties.

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“The speed of the game is quick, but I think we are matching them physically. Our attacking shape was better than on Saturday.

“We are disappointed, but we go on to the next game. We are going to have to be harsh on ourselves and get our tour back on track on Saturday.”

The Blues sit bottom of Super Rugby’s New Zealand conference and the Lions face the table-topping Crusaders this weekend.

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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