They were fine, sublime, and the All Blacks went for the Lions’ solar plexus.
They say opposites attract, and here we were watching the brilliance of the best attack versus the ultimate defence. But surprising things can happen when you have the two best teams in the world, and the opposites showed their flip side; their unhidden beauty decided to emerge. The Lions backs showed incredible flair, and the All Blacks their tight forward dominance.
Jonathan Davies seemed to break the line with ease. The Lions counter attack was a fine art – until the end of it, where they would panic and mess it up almost every time.
The All Blacks played it tight and went to the Lions’ heart and hammered in close. It was hard to go wide with the Lions line speed so fiercely quick, so they narrowed their attack.
The All Blacks were tight in the manner they played. Once the All Blacks had the go forward through their forwards, going wide, for most of the time, didn’t eventuate as the line speed was there and fast, and the All Blacks didn’t push it. That was their game plan. They respected the Lions defence and kept it tight.
At the 43-minute mark with the score at 13-8 Jonathan Davies made a line-break from a turnover. Once through though Davies didn’t draw the man with any precision, and then five metres from the All Black goal-line Liam Williams didn’t give a pass when he should have. All tour the Lions have been unable to finish, quite shockingly so, and it happened again in this match.
(AAP Image/SNPA, David Rowland)
After the Davies break the Lions went wide to the right with an overlap but again they messed it up. The Lions then decided not to take a shot at goal and went for the lineout instead. The Lions turned over the ball from Lineout maul, and the All Blacks got out.
But the Lions came back into the All Blacks 22 immediately. The Lions were in the match here. They believed. They had the psychic energy, though only so briefly, but they didn’t have the finishing touches.
Then the All Blacks kept banging away at the Lions core. One or two off the ruck with strong runners. It was simple but innovative, and Aaron Smith was directing it. They appeared open to going wide but they played with what was in front of them; they played it tight.
Then after all the knocking, the All Blacks gave their hammer blow. Hansen’s timing was impeccable. It was the 53-minute mark and the score was still 13-8 to the All Blacks, and Hansen decided to bring on his two props Charlie Faumuina and Wyatt Crockett for the next scrum 25 metres out.
The All Blacks until then had mainly used their scrum as a solid platform. The All Blacks had the ascendancy there, one could sense it, and it was building.
(AAP Image/David Rowland)
The All Blacks again had the ascendency in this scrum. They kept the ball in this time and they kept pushing. The All Blacks got the penalty advantage but they didn’t release it and kept pushing.
The Lions went backward, and the All Blacks kept driving with Kieran Read still controlling it until the ball popped out and away went Aaron Smith with the ball who passed to Israel Dagg, then to Aaron Cruden who made a wise choice and skipped a pass out to Rieko Ioane who finished in the corner.
Then not too long later Ioane scored again. Hansen said he had sheer pace, and then Ioane showed it, and got a try most wingers would never get, and it was the pace that did it.
With a minute remaining and the score at 30-8, the camera went on Warren Gatland in the box. My first impression was he looked similar to a stray cat that had recently turned up to my house: that look of unknown certainty in the eyes. The place of hope only for to be vanquished by the coldness of reality.
A final score of 30-15 and like my stray cat after a feed Gatland had some optimism and stability in his disposition at the post-match interview. He knows the media won’t come down on him too hard because the Lions played brilliantly at times but the All Blacks were simply masterly.
It was a welcoming to Aotearoa, and Gatland, after entering the Eden cauldron must now wonder what to do.
It’s Wellington next for the second Test. The Lions will be hoping for some rain, some pedantic northern hemisphere refereeing, and some luck. But the forecast from me is a 25 point win to the All Blacks, and for the stray cat to show its face again.
Drongo
Roar Rookie
Glad you enjoyed the game. You are right, the ABs were outstandingly good. But, with rain, wind and a French referee, I think the Lions have a chance to cause an upset in Wellington. Lions by 1 point.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Jacko, with respect, don't confuse having talented players available to him with him imposing an attractive style or anything else. Everything in the Lions arsenal so far shown came ready packed. What he has done is compound some divisive initial selections by his mid tour top up strategy; making a mockery of the shirt and then leaving the 'geographical' picks on the bench anyway. 'The' most important ask of a BILs coach is that he do the nigh impossible and form a team in its truest sense in a matter of weeks. He's made massive errors on that front.
Jacko
Guest
Spot on Jokerman...Its not his coaching that is turning the Kiwi's off its his whinging....To coach the ABs you need to have the NZ fans respect and these antics are losing him that respect
Jacko
Guest
Tman it was weird watching opportuniteis out wide being ignored and both backs and forwards heading back in to the middle rather than throw it wider. I saw a number of opportunities where we would usually have seen the winger receive the ball, but inside it went. If they just change things minimally then I see another 2-3 tries and I also dont see the Lions making more chances than they did last week. Abs left some gaps they dont usually leave and they will sort that this week. ABs by 25 this week and 35 a week later...50 if the Lions loose the motivation.....but I expect some different selections for test 3 if they lose test 2
Jacko
Guest
Well it was 22 after 80 mins last week...Then the Lions scored in minute 82 to bring it back to 15
Jacko
Guest
Neil I think Gats is doing a great job with the coaching of the team. Im not so impressed with his PR or media stuff but as far as the way they play goes, its ok.
Jacko
Guest
Maybe if they had taken the penalty opportunity to make it 13-11 things may have been different
Riccardo
Guest
That was a pulsating Test JM. More in Wellington please. Yeah the Wallabies have been rubbish so far. But it's early days and you never write them off. They will lift for the All Blacks...
Jokerman
Roar Guru
Well said, Riccardo and you're right, the Lions do deserve to be congratulated. I do feel for them as the challenge is so big, and they would win anywhere but here. The Lions attack was sublime at times. I just knew Hansen would deliver. He thrives with this All Black team. We pick the team, the strategy but Hansen always knows more and gets it right. Even this weekend with the necessary reshuffle in the backline due to injury I know Hansen will get the creative blend right. It has been an awesome tour so far, and it really is taking the All Blacks to another level. Cheika will be toast for later !!
Riccardo
Guest
I disagree Faith. Like most teams the Lions' success hinges to an extent on their set-piece execution, for them probably more so. And even with changes I can't see that changing overly although Itoje will make his presence more felt than Jones. Their rush defense has a converse effect in that less support appears to float off any incisive move. But it does strangle teams on the gain line and I can't see them going away from that. The Lions will be better in Wellington and they certainly have the potential to score 3 or 4 tries. But the All Blacks will also lift and I just don't think that will be enough unless the Lions can assert dominance at set piece which I can't see happening. Like Jokerman, I expect a bigger scoreline, perhaps from both teams, but probably in the all Blacks favour.
Riccardo
Guest
Great post and really gets to the heart of the matter. The Lions probably expected a different game-plan from the All Blacks; Hansen simply out-coached Gatland. It was noteworthy that the stats showed the All Blacks kicked more. The possession and pressure brought around the fringes by playing as tight and cohesively as the All Blacks managed meant the Lions had to tackle more, a lot more. This opened up their shallow defense and the All Blacks don't miss those chances. The Lions need to also be congratulated though. They played some enterprising rugby. They were brave in defense but once their set-piece was diminished they gave up more chances than the created. It might have been a little closer had they been able to generate more support for their occasional forays, something the Lions coaches really need to pay some attention to.
Jokerman
Roar Guru
It's almost crazy to think what worked for the Lions against the Super and Maori would work on the All Blacks. Gatland said there was little difference between Super and the All Blacks - crazy. I don't believe Gatland has the smarts to beat the All Blacks. His All Black coaching dreams are being dashed. Gatland's continued moaning against the NZ teams makes him look like a whinger, and a man who is desperate. The first test was the Lions best opportunity, but they panicked when their time came. They are not ready. Great team with the wrong coach. It's crazy they don't have a clear captain. The Lions blew their chance. The All Blacks hammered theirs home. The All Blacks always up the tempo the 55-60 mark. But I'm feeling next time the All Blacks might be well ahead at that stage.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Nope. Second best collection of players but not team in the sense you refer to New Zealand as. How can it possibly be? A BILs side only ever typically approaches a team when it is lead by inspired coaching. In that respect this tour represents one of the worst.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
It's a moot point them being 'the best in decades', not just whether it's that widely held a belief but more importantly, remembering who didn't come as there's so notable omissions. But most importantly of all, it doesn't matter who comes if the coaching staff is dysfunctional, and Gats is doing a massive impression of exactly that.
taylorman
Roar Guru
I'm convinced the Lions will be much better than the first test in terms of confidence, teamwork, and aggression. How that equates to the scoreline depends on which way the ABs shift relative to last week. If they maintain the very high execution levels of last week it will blow out because they'll certainly create more chances with the extra match behind them. So there's your 25+points. As we know the ABs are capable of that and a lot more. It's Hansen's last big tour here so he'll want to add a big 3-0-er to his legacy. But the Lions do have an excellent platform themselves and I think got a bit surprised about the ease in the way the ABs pushed back their strengths. So I think that's as bad as they'll get. So bar the ABs going to another level I think everything leads to a scrap and feeding of the same.
Faith
Guest
O' Sullivan feels that if Lions can win the collisions, score 3-4 tries and keep the game down they'll be in a good place. But he thinks that this might call for a drift defense and that will open up the outside. Huge conundrum for the BILs. If ABs can hole the kitchen sink in the first 30 that should be it - as the BILs will tire ...
Faith
Guest
Great insights from former Irish coach Ed Sullivan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41t4i-Zj4VQ Because the BILs had dominated the Chiefs and the Maoris through the box kick, the scrum, lineout and rush defense they thought this would work against the ABs. Only their line-out disrupted that of the ABs and not anywhere the BILs could take full advantage. BB and Dagg caught all the bombs after a concussed B Smith let a few drop. Also, as Sullivan points out - the Lions running yards were isolated to 3 players. And these did not come from any sense of structured play - they came from a cross kick, a turnover etc - basically nothing of the strong structured play of Lions bothered the ABs. What could possible change this weekend? I think it'll be 15-20 but it'll be from long periods of AB defense with very sneaky length of the field stuff. Like Hansen said the Lions will throw the ktichen sink ... and if they want to come out with anything the BILS have to lead for the 1st 30 mins of the game ...
ukkiwi
Roar Rookie
Interesting thought there mace - my first thought would be they would try to defend tighter to the ruck leaving room for two out runners which will leave a no mans land for the '2 out' runners. On reflection they'll probably start with Itoje, Laws and Stander and try to hold the same game plan more effectively. I think either way the All Blacks will change what they do and the winning margin will increase.
Tiger
Guest
I'm sure the Lions will improve and bring a variation to their game plan (combat the AB's close in attack) based on Saturday's result. Will it be enough to contain other obvious threats and knock over the AB's, don't think so. One of the biggest problems facing the Lions, an improved AB's outfit. Other internal issues that are key for the Lions IMO - fitness, ball skills, and general rugby nous. None can be improved in a week. I thought the AB's would win by 20+ in the first test, that didn't happen. I'm more confident now they'll do it in the second.
Jokerman
Roar Guru
They’re going down, Tragic. It has to be! 25 it’s a call, not a huge one. All Blacks are just playing so fine… I got the first test right 13. Two off…but in the range. We will see ? I’m happy too, with one point. But it should be more Lions are strong. Second best team in the world, but this one in twelve year event is putting the All Blacks in the Zen zone !!