I see the Brian O'Driscoll tackle was brought up today. Yes the tackle was horrific but it's 12 years ago and today would have resulted in Tana Umaga and or Keven Mealamu receiving red cards but I feel it's time to move on.
Rugby 2017 Discussion
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Actually you missed it completely........
Well done to Clermont for winning the Top14. I expected Toulon to snatch victory from them in the last minute but it wasn't to be for them. Now, i'd just like to see James O'Connor get a decent hairstyle.
Wallabies play Fiji on Saturday and i just hope they play better than the last time they played a team from the Pacific Islands which saw Samoa beat Australia 32-21 in 2011 in Sydney. I fancy France to beat South Africa at Loftus Versfeld if they can deal with altitude.
Lions team to play the Blues at Eden Park on Wednesday.
Law 5 is a good idea. I'd still like for play to continue if someone is held up in the act of scoring a try after 80mins too, it's a bit of a downer of a way to end a match at the moment. Go back for the 5 metre scrum that would have happened in normal time.
In Super Rugby, if the team in possession loses the ball forward and the ball goes into touch, the team that would have been awarded a scrum is given the choice of a scrum or a line out. Wouldn't mind seeing that law trialed worldwide at some point. Law 8 i think is excellent and should be used worldwide too.
Before the Blues take on the Lions at Eden Park, the Blues will perform a special haka. Blues backs Sam Nock and Ihaia West will front the haka, named He Toa Takitini, meaning 'The Strength of Many'.
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Rumours Dane Coles could miss the Lions series, even with the depth they have be a big loss.
2nd Match: Lions vs Blues
Teams for the tour match between the Blues and the Lions:
BLUES (15-1): Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, Rieko Ioane, George Moala, Sonny Bill Williams, Stephen Perofeta, Augustine Pulu, Steve Luatua, Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Scott Scrafton, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons (c), Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Reserves: Hame Faiva, Alex Hodgman, Sione Mafileo, Patrick Tuipulotu, Kara Pryor, Sam Nock, Ihaia West, TJ Faiane
LIONS (15-1): Leigh Halfpenny, Jack Nowell, Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Elliot Daly, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, CJ Stander, Justin Tipuric, James Haskell, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, Dan Cole, Ken Owens (c), Jack McGrath
Reserves: Rory Best, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Greig Laidlaw, Jonathan Sexton, Liam Williams
BLUES (15-1): Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, Rieko Ioane, George Moala, Sonny Bill Williams, Stephen Perofeta, Augustine Pulu, Steve Luatua, Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Scott Scrafton, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons (c), Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Reserves: Hame Faiva, Alex Hodgman, Sione Mafileo, Patrick Tuipulotu, Kara Pryor, Sam Nock, Ihaia West, TJ Faiane
LIONS (15-1): Leigh Halfpenny, Jack Nowell, Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Elliot Daly, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, CJ Stander, Justin Tipuric, James Haskell, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, Dan Cole, Ken Owens (c), Jack McGrath
Reserves: Rory Best, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Greig Laidlaw, Jonathan Sexton, Liam Williams
Right! What are the predictions for today? Some good players getting a run out for the Lions, but they're facing half an AB team...
A very interesting day for Jared Payne.
A very interesting day for Jared Payne.
Lions to win by 10-12.
Payne nearly scored just there.
Lions win, Just. I watched the Blues play the Reds at the weekend and they aren't a bad side. Plus they have Sonny Bill Williams back in the side which will be a big plus.
First blood Blues, good try.
Great try Rieko Ioane Blues 5 Lions 0.
No try, foot in touch. Perofeta has saved the day for the Blues and kept their lead intact. Close but no cigar again for Jared Payne.
Lions score their first try of the match through CJ Stander. A well executed rolling maul doing the trick for the Lions.
Lions 7 Blues 5 after 18 minutes.
Yep, fair play, good match so far.
Judging by the start, the Lions appear to have improved on what was served up on Saturday.
Blues deemed to have collapsed a scrum 22m out right in front of the posts, Halfpenny puts the Lions ahead 10-5 25 minutes into the first half.
Matchtracker Nicholas 
Looks like the pattern of the match is set. It'll be Lions grinding out a result vs Blues running.
Looks like the pattern of the match is set. It'll be Lions grinding out a result vs Blues running.Missed first half hour any drama?
Just a decent match. Good Blues try and Lions rumbling over for a reply.
Lolllll, try off a surely offside tackle there, the Blues kicker hadn't reached him yet.
Pissing down at Eden Park too. Hope the rain goes away.
High tackle by CJ Stander on Luatua, just a penalty nothing more. Perofeta missed his first kick, hits the post with his second, Blues may have scored a try after the ball hit the post.
Could have gone either way that one
Daft sequence!! Try awarded, how poor is the Blues kicker though? Two standard kicks missed now.
Try time for the Blues, they'll be in front 12-10 at half time. Jack Nowell knocked the backwards into the in goal, Sonny Bill Williams grounded the ball to score a try. Perofeta's kick was successful, Blues 12 Lions 10 at half time, will we see an upset?
I don't know how the ref decides that's a red hand knocking that backwards. It's obviously tough but Nowell is punching it one way, the Blues guy another way and it goes the Blues guy's direction. Whatever, switched on by SBW.
Blues winger Matt Duffie (14) passed his concussion test.
foot in touch by Rieko Ioane denying him a brace.
Super tackle. Mirror image of the disallowed Lions one in the first half.
Wish the ref would do something about the Lions having a committee meeting before a line out. They've done it twice in this match so far.
Stephen Perofeta replaced by Ihaia West at fly half.
Blues awarded a kick able penalty for Maro Itoge knocking the ball out of the hands of the scrum half. Ihaia West's kick is successful - Blues 15 Lions 10 52 minutes in.