Warren Gatland had hoped all the key lessons about playing New Zealand teams had been absorbed in a forgettable first week.
He’s miffed not all of them were heeded in the 23-22 setback against the Highlanders in a Dunedin thriller.
Coach Gatland wasn’t getting carried away with the criticism of his team but his comments suggest those players who dropped their standards over the closing stages in blowing a nine-point lead will have done their Test selection hopes a dis-service.
He will unveil what he calls a near-Test strength side on Thursday for this weekend’s clash with a quality Maori All Blacks side in Rotorua.
Gatland wouldn’t bite at suggestions that most of the players involved in the suffocating 12-3 defeat of the Crusaders will have their nose in front of the Dunedin group.
“The big lesson is that New Zealand sides keep playing for 80 minutes,” Gatland said, harking back to the last-gasp nature of their other tour loss, to the Blues a week ago.
“With New Zealand teams, the message is to stay alive in every moment.
“If you switch off for a fraction of a second, they take advantage of you. We’ve just been caught on one or two occasions.”
Gatland denied there is a gulf in quality developing between two distinct Lions teams, believing the team to face the Highlanders endured a more taxing build-up than the Crusaders conquerors.
He said the two games were also like chalk and cheese, with the nature of the slippery arm-wrestle in Christchurch a world apart from a hard, fast surface under the Dunedin roof.
He expects the Christchurch conditions to prevail for the rest of the tour.
Gatland rattled off a number of decisions made by Australian referee Angus Gardner which were contentious, particularly some late scrum interpretations.
However, he also didn’t want his critique of the 12-7 penalty count to be seen as an excuse.
“If the Crusaders felt they were on the wrong side of a few decisions, we felt a little bit the same way tonight,” he said.
“But that’s rugby”
Gatland said accuracy let the tourists down, especially when it came to handling the Highlanders’ trademark attacking kicking game.
“Some of our guys who are excellent in the air didn’t retain possession. That stressed us a little bit.
“They seemed to have more success from their kicking strategy than we did.”
The Kiwi coach gave a short, and telling, answer when asked if his bench players had provided sufficient impact over the crucial final quarter.
“We made the changes that we wanted to make,” he replied.
Mike Julz
Guest
Yup but the Lions had a chance there to snatch it in the last 10 minutes of both losses. Thats something they gotta work on.
Andy
Guest
That's a lot of ifs and buts. If the crusaders had scored a try just before half time they may have won as well. If the Criss kick from the highlanders wasn't intercepted the highlanders may have won convincingly.. I think the lions should be concerned that super 18 teams are giving them a run for their money especially the highlanders with 10 players missing
taylorman
Roar Guru
There will never be another Quade Zero, lightening doesn't strike twice in ones lifetime...does it??
Mike Julz
Guest
For the Lions defense, they didnt actually lose those two matches. Both loss matches wouldve been won. The Blues loss, well they mucked up that last lineout, in which wouldve given them a good drive for a try. And the Highlanders loss, well they've missed one easy penalty from a supposedly good kicker in Farrell, and another missed long shot penalty. We can all blame the refs but thats how complicated their jobs are. They have the power to make 50/50 calls and some absurd calls so it must come down to the teams whos good at keeping on pressure.
dontcallmeshirley
Guest
I also thought it was well reffed. One obvious difference was the amount of talking to the players by Angus Gardner. That was missing in the Crusaders game. Perhaps language was an issue.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
The problem was that Gatland got NH refs for games 2 & 3 and a SH ref for game 4. Gatland was happy with the French refs because they reffed the games the way the Lions players were used to. Gatland didn't like the interpretations of the rules used by refs here. His worst comment was that his replacement front row should have been allowed to settle in before the referee startedpenalising them. Absolute rubbish but he was serious.
Zero Gain
Guest
Careful, you will be the next Quade. Gardner is a very average referee, even if he is Australian.
Beezlebub
Guest
Hansen says very little, he's quite the lugubrious chap really. Now the Aussie coach that's another matter is it not, has the gold for whinging he does.
mace22
Guest
Chiefs maybe, but the way the crusaders bullied the canes. I have my doubts. Canes fan here.
Paul Leo
Guest
This was the best game Ive watched all year. I think Angus Gardner had a lot to do with it. Brilliant skills from both teams, at speed.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Mate, only Cheika makes bad comments and ever behaves poorly. No one else! You should know that.
Cuw
Guest
i have not seen barnes of late. his problem i thought was he did not mature and look confident. having made some of the most contencios decisions does not help , of course.... if u watch KUBO for example , he just lays the law down and does not engage the players. if someone says something to the contrary he just says no . then the players soon adapt. many think Owens is the best - but IMO , he is just confident and assertive , rather than very accurate. he made howler after howler in the euro semi last year , but it is hardly talked of . in fact he got the final too after that horror show.
Cuw
Guest
the problem is , Gardener has not been in form all throughout this super season. in fact the entire reffing panel except for KUBO has been off color at varying degrees. i think Owens reffed a test this weekend ( cant remember which one - but he went well and so did Jackson) wonder how many have watched the under 20 world cup. several matches i saw were reffed very well. but it must be said that the players also contributed to that , with most games played within the laws.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah, Hansen never makes snide comments.
SAVAGE
Guest
I think it's one of the beauty's of our game. Improvise, adapt, overcome, a metaphor for living life. If all ref's view a game of rugby with the same interpretation, it would be called Rugby League.
Ralph
Roar Guru
"Some of our guys who are excellent in the air didn’t retain possession. That stressed us a little bit. “They seemed to have more success from their kicking strategy than we did" Gee, I was about to say exactly the same thing about the Crusaders.
Raymond Dickson
Roar Rookie
Obviously because our kiwi media has no arrogance about it either . As a rugby mad nation the whiff of arrogance about us is everywhere . We sounded terrible after the Crusaders game especially the media . This sense of entitlement about how rugby must be played is why it took us 24yrs to win another WC . I think its time kiwis stopped saying the word arrogant because that in itself is throwing stones threw glass houses .
puff
Guest
Stu, you are correct to some degree, Gatland also has the northern media & journalists to contend with. Who take no prisoners and can be cutting and arrogant with the written word. In my experience unless they are winning, this egotistical circus are difficult to please, hence Warren will struggle to satisfy even the travelling supporter if another negative result against the Maori AB is record this Saturday. The pressure to perform will intensify and the only redemption on offer is to win.
Misha
Guest
Two losses to the worst two NZ Super Rugby teams and of them was a Highlander B team. Chiefs and Hurricanes must be good to great chances now.
Stu B
Guest
Gatland should learn to lose with some dignity.To suggest the ref was a little off then to call it a sneak win will not endear him to the NZ public. An All Black coach I think not.