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British & Irish Lions

WATCH: Lions belt out Welsh hymn after receiving traditional Maori welcome

The British and Irish Lions are welcomed to Auckland
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The British and Irish Lions were welcomed to New Zealand in style on Wednesday and came up with a fine way to show their appreciation.

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Upon arriving at Auckland International Airport, Warren Gatland’s side received a powhiri – a traditional Maori welcome ceremony.

In response, the Lions opted to belt out ‘Calon Lan’ – a stirring hymn often heard ahead of Wales Test matches – with hooker Ken Owens leading the way.

Judging by a subsequent tweet sent by full-back Leigh Halfpenny, the Lions had been practicing. Either way, it all added up to a wonderful spectacle.

https://twitter.com/lionsofficial/status/869725757727223808

 

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Comments on RugbyPass

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Lou Cifer 2 minutes ago
Victor Matfield: 'There's a big hype around him... I just can't understand it'

JVP is not the answer and I know he is injured, but Furbank over Steward every day of the week for me. I can see the frustration with Borthers….his thinking just seems so muddled at best

74 Go to comments
Z
Zac 3 minutes ago
The Springboks are rightly favourites for the World Cup but don't bet against the resurgent All Blacks

The Boks aren't boring..their power is impressive and their backs are excellent. Balance is what the AB'S lack..weak pack esp the tight forwards and x factor backs…we've improved under Rennie but are still not as strong as the Boks.

14 Go to comments
P
POHM 7 minutes ago
Len Ikitau on ‘tough’ Wallabies challenge after latest midfield blow

so now Australian born coaches are undermining your team, what, have you run out of Kiwis to blame, or NSW men.

Maybe Les is a sleeper for League to run Aussie rugby into the ground lol.



...

10 Go to comments
Z
Zac 8 minutes ago
The Springboks are rightly favourites for the World Cup but don't bet against the resurgent All Blacks

I'll wait and see how our pack goes v Eng…Scotland weren't that good…and the Wallabies were limpless.

14 Go to comments
P
PMcD 11 minutes ago
Victor Matfield: 'There's a big hype around him... I just can't understand it'

It shows the bi-polar approach to ENG selection, we’ve picked an athletic attacking back row to play alongside a kick for territory back line with JVP, Ford & Steward.

There’s just no consisteny in selection which leads to these disjointed performances.



...

74 Go to comments
L
Lou Cifer 17 minutes ago
Victor Matfield: 'There's a big hype around him... I just can't understand it'

I see Borthers has picked him @ 8 for the Japan match….lets see👀Appreciate the insights too!

74 Go to comments
P
POHM 19 minutes ago
Half of this All Blacks team deserves praise

back under your bridge troll.

22 Go to comments
P
POHM 21 minutes ago
Half of this All Blacks team deserves praise

what was that, more a stream of consciousness than an actual opinion piece, how Hamish gets paid to write dribble like this is amazing.

22 Go to comments
B
B 29 minutes ago
France forced into bold Antoine Dupont call for Springboks

True actually

71 Go to comments
m
mh 31 minutes ago
England overhaul squad for Japan with 10 changes to XV and one debutant

Exactly, if you’re testing players and letting them have a run before the WC Marcus should be getting a go! Its almost like Boring Borthers is scared to let him play 10 in case he’s any good

3 Go to comments
P
PMcD 34 minutes ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

That’s pretty much it in a nutshell but I think that’s more down to Borthwick being the blockage rather than the RFU. If he’s as controlling as the stories are suggesting, no top quality coach will stay in that environment, which sadly means you have the wrong Head Coach.

88 Go to comments
N
NoLongerARuck 42 minutes ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

When you Look at Englands coaching team and compare it to South Africas or the NZ team you have to wonder whats gone wrong. England are not short of the financial resources required to assemble a world leading coaching panel and yet they are stuck with a fairly limited coaching team.

88 Go to comments
N
NoLongerARuck 50 minutes ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

If Australia lose to Scotland they almost have to beat Wales for their own sakes. If Wales beat Australia it will be truly Apocalyptic for this bunch heading into 2027

88 Go to comments
N
NoLongerARuck 52 minutes ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

Rassie has already prepared Nienabers seat on the plane for the 2027 World Cup

88 Go to comments
P
PMcD 53 minutes ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

Talking of arguments, have you seen the ENG team for WAL? OFFS!! 🥴 One step forward, one step back. It lost me at Steward & Ford. 🫣

With Chessum injured, we may actually looking at the alternative back 5 forwards vs AB’s - Itoje/Martin/Coles/Earl/Pollock but then we have picked JVP/Ford/Murley/Ojomoh/Slade/Freeman/Steward - running back row with a mixed ability back line. You can’t make this up.



...

88 Go to comments
P
PMcD 59 minutes ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

He did at Wasps and in the earlier years with WAL where they worked hard to get the ball and then went at you getting the ball to Shane Williams in space but I agree he has favoured the long kick with FRA in recent years and preferred bigger forwards that could stop you on the gain line and hold territory.

88 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

Shaun has never really favoured ‘fast-flowing counter-attack’ tho. He favours a long kicking game, so you can defend from positions higher upfield. Prb one of the reason France broke with him when they decided to shift towards a more UBB based philosophy…

88 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

I’m pretty sure Shaun lmows more about D than the all the Eng coaching staff put together!

88 Go to comments
T
Tom 1 hour ago
All Blacks 'probably' still one of the biggest names in rugby

“Sonny Bill was probably someone I really enjoyed watching.”

Just noticed he also said this. Clearly he knew whether or not he enjoyed watching SBW. He likely just overuses the word ‘probably’ when nervous. Notice also how in the title of the article RP only put quotation marks around the word ‘probably’ when the whole sentence was a quote and should have been in quotation marks but they chose to highlight the word ‘probably’.



...

4 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Has Steve Borthwick made the right call in overlooking Shaun Edwards?

Sadly yes.

88 Go to comments
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