Black Wash

[chuchok]

38-19

[Siam_superfly]

great the see the Lions lose 3 - zip.....

any posts from the British posters ? for this thread ...

[chuchok]

09.07.05 9.00pm

By Paul Smith

FULLTIME: All Blacks 38 Lions 19

The All Blacks sealed a 3-0 series victory over the Lions in the third test at Eden Park in Auckland tonight.

The All Blacks scored five tries through Conrad Smith, Ali Williams, Tana Umaga and Rico Gear.

The Lions started strongly for the second week running, but once again were unable to keep up with New Zealand who gradually showed the gap in skill levels between the two teams and always seemed to have a man over on attack.

After a week of incessant rain, conditions were reasonable at kick-off with a fairly strong breeze and a mild 12C, but the showers returned during the first half.

Second-test star Dan Carter was unavailable for the match with an injury, as were Richie McCaw and Aaron Mauger. For the Lions, hooker Steve Thompson was a late withdrawal with a virus, joining a long injury list including Jonny Wilkinson.

A minute's silence was held before the game to remember the victims of the bombings in London on Thursday. Some fans in the capacity crowd of over 47,000 held placards denouncing terrorism.

The All Blacks' first try came after the Lions had taken an early 6-0 lead through two penalties from Stephen Jones and All Blacks captain Tana Umaga had been sin-binned for killing the ball as the Lions threatened to score a try.

But the lead was short-lived. The tourists failed to make a series of crucial tackles and Conrad Smith waltzed in on 10 minutes. Debutante first five Luke McAlister converted.

The second try came three minutes later when McAlister put a grubber through which Lions halfback Dwayne Peel made a mess of collecting to let in Ali Williams. McAlister again converted to give the 14-man All Blacks a 14-6 lead.

Jones scored his third penalty from three before Umaga came back on. Another exchange of penalties then made it 17-12 after a high-scoring opening 22 minutes.

There was a pause in scoring until just before halftime, when McAlister burst through following a scrum awarded for a Josh Lewsey knock-on. McAlister set up Umaga for the try. McAlister converted to give the All Blacks a 24-12 lead at the break.

Marty Holah came on at the start of the second half and Greg Somerville replaced Tony Woodcock on 44 minutes. However, the biggest cheer was for Justin Marshall, making probably his final appearance for the All Blacks.

His arrival came with half an hour left, and within moments he had led a perfectly executed training field move and set up the final pass to Umaga for his second try of the night.

Wing Sitiveni Sivivatu appeared to have scored another try on 53 minutes after a long chase downfield. But play was called back for a late tackle by Jerry Collins which earned him ten minutes in the sin-bin.

At the other end, TMO Andrew Cole ruled there was no try when the Lions drove over but failed to touch down. However, after another two attacks, they successfully pushed over through Lewis Moody.

The conversion from Jones narrowed the gap to 31-19.

The All Blacks continued to look dangerous, only Lions replacement Shane Horgan preventing a try after a several-phase move involving slick passing and lay-offs with seven minutes left.

Gear then finished the series in style, intercepting a pass, kicking through and then kicking on before touching down.

All Blacks 38 (Tries: Tana Umaga 2, Conrad Smith, Ali Williams, Rico Gear tries; Penalty: Luke McAlister; Conversions: McAlister 5)

Lions 19 (Try: Lewis Moody; Penalties: Stephen Jones 4; Conversion: Jones)

[Thomas_Merton]

  great the see the Lions lose 3 - zip.....

any posts from the British posters ? for this thread ...  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The best team won.

[chuchok]

  great the see the Lions lose 3 - zip.....

any posts from the British posters ? for this thread ...   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The best team won.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To be honest TM, I hoped for a closer result.

My mates back home have told me that the Lions supporters are the best they have ever seen.Great company even though thieir team never won. The football supporters in the UK should take note. No problems no fights...just good blokes!!

[Thomas_Merton]

  great the see the Lions lose 3 - zip.....

any posts from the British posters ? for this thread ...  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The best team won.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To be honest TM, I hoped for a closer result.

My mates back home have told me that the Lions supporters are the best they have ever seen.Great company even though thieir team never won. The football supporters in the UK should take note. No problems no fights...just good blokes!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We all had our hopes.

But without doubt this All Black side is one of the best sides I, in 50 years of watching international rugby, have ever seen.

I can't wait to see them up against Australia, what a game that's going to be.

Lions supporters travel to NZ because they know the side to beat is the All Blacks - for generations the greatest at this wonderful game.

When they watch matches and see this fact confirmed again and again, what is there to make trouble over? It's just a reaffirmation of essential truths - the sky is blue, grass is green, God is in His heaven and the All Blacks are the best in the world.

Edited July 9, 2005 by Thomas_Merton

[Siam_superfly]

[the All Blacks are the best in the world.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ahhh no....the All Blacks are a great team.....but to say they are the best team in the world is jumping the gun......

Australia destroyed South Africa tonight......South Africa are no easy beats...unlike the Lions....

[lampard10]

Well done lads. You thrashed the 'Best of British' You must be close to being the worlds best now.

1. New Zealand

2. England (only by virtue of the fact that they are still World champs)

3. Wales

4. South Africa

5. France.

I havn't missed anyone have I?

[chuchok]

Posterity will judge Lions and Woodward harshly

11.07.05 1.00pm

By John Mehaffey

Posterity will not be kind to the 2005 British and Irish Lions. Its harshest judgement will be reserved for coach Clive Woodward.

The largest, most expensive and heavily publicised Lions side ever lost each of their three tests to the All Blacks by handsome margins. If they had played a fourth they would surely have emulated their unlamented predecessors in 1966 and 1983 by suffering a 4-0 blackwash.

Woodward employed 51 players and more than 30 support staff for a visit estimated to cost around nine million pounds ($15.6 million).

The result was disjointed test sides who had never played together as a combination, compounded by Woodward's misguided faith in England players who won the World Cup for him two years ago.

"This tour has been about one person more than any other -- Sir Clive Woodward," said former England captain Will Carling.

"It's his responsibility, his failure. I'm staggered there have been so many mistakes and there are going to be as many questions in the weeks ahead."

Bizarrely Woodward said he considered the tour a success and added he would have liked to take more players to New Zealand and play more games.

Informed of Woodward's comments, New Zealand coach Graham Henry was, for once, nonplussed.

"I'm flabbergasted," he said. "I can't comment on that." The Independent on Sunday had no such inhibitions. "Sir Clive in cloud cuckoo land to the last", was the headline over its match report.

Woodward was on firmer ground when he reminded New Zealanders that the World Cup was still in England and former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick said all blame should not lie with the coaching staff.

"A lot of the players did not front up," he said.

The lack of a single Lion to make any lasting impression on the New Zealand public makes the 2005 side probably the most disappointing to undertake the long trip to the two South Pacific islands.

In 1966 the Lions were dominated by one of the better All Blacks forward packs. But they still fielded Ulstermen Willie John McBride and Mike Gibson, who were outstanding five years later in the only Lions side to date to win a series in New Zealand.

The 1983 side fielded another Irishman in first five-eighths Ollie Campbell who did not play at his best but who would have still been welcomed in the All Blacks side. Flanker Peter Winterbottom, who learned his trade in New Zealand, also won their respect.

This year no Lion would have interested the All Blacks selectors after captain Brian O'Driscoll was injured in the opening minutes of the first test. And up to that stage O'Driscoll had not set the world alight, apart from a dazzling try in the defeat to the Maori.

Former Wales captain Eddie Butler, a member of the 1983 side, concluded that Woodward never had a chance to add to the laurels he won by taking England to the World Cup.

"The All Blacks looked at rugby after 2003 and decided to move on," he said. "The Lions played a rugby that was two years out of date. And it was cruelly exposed.

"Henry has outwitted and outflanked Woodward."

[johnh101]

Well done lads. You thrashed the 'Best of British' You must be close to being the worlds best now.

1. New Zealand

2. England (only by virtue of the fact that they are still World champs)

3. Wales

4. South Africa

5. France.

I havn't missed anyone have I?

Scotland ? ?

But in all seriousness the All Blacks are looking like being the best team in the world again.

[bdenner]

Well done Kiwi's -- But boring.

Bring on the Tri Nations series. Last SANZAS game between Aus and SA was more exciting.

[ozzydom]

Well done lads. You thrashed the 'Best of British' You must be close to being the worlds best now.

1. New Zealand

2. England (only by virtue of the fact that they are still World champs)

3. Wales

4. South Africa

5. France.

I havn't missed anyone have I?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I sat in the Irish Rover Pub at Ao Nang and watched both games, among a dozen large South African tourists. No prizes for guessing who was one quiet ozzy.

[chuchok]

Well done lads. You thrashed the 'Best of British' You must be close to being the worlds best now.

1. New Zealand

2. England (only by virtue of the fact that they are still World champs)

3. Wales

4. South Africa

5. France.

I havn't missed anyone have I?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I sat in the Irish Rover Pub at Ao Nang and watched both games, among a dozen large South African tourists. No prizes for guessing who was one quiet ozzy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, some of those yappies are monsters.The average weight of each forward in that game was 115KGS!!

Edited July 12, 2005 by chuchok

[chuchok]

  great the see the Lions lose 3 - zip.....

any posts from the British posters ? for this thread ...   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The best team won.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To be honest TM, I hoped for a closer result.

My mates back home have told me that the Lions supporters are the best they have ever seen.Great company even though thieir team never won. The football supporters in the UK should take note. No problems no fights...just good blokes!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We all had our hopes.

But without doubt this All Black side is one of the best sides I, in 50 years of watching international rugby, have ever seen.

I can't wait to see them up against Australia, what a game that's going to be.

Lions supporters travel to NZ because they know the side to beat is the All Blacks - for generations the greatest at this wonderful game.

When they watch matches and see this fact confirmed again and again, what is there to make trouble over? It's just a reaffirmation of essential truths - the sky is blue, grass is green, God is in His heaven and the All Blacks are the best in the world.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dunno if this is true TM,but I got this from a rugby web-site

My best mate runs the Hogs Breath Cafe in CBD Wellington. The Welsh

boys in the team were in the cafe/pub. My mate got them to sign a plate

so he could stick it on the wall. They all signed it and wrote something

in Welsh Galic (it that how you spell it). The next day a group of

Welsh Lions fans were in and they wanted to buy the plate for $300 dollors.

My mate asked what is written on the plate in galic and they said it

said all english players are arsholes. "twll dyn pob sais"

can you read galic? Ray Gravell can