iLovett wrote:Numbers; he's saying that NZ make good quick ground through the middle and close channels, then let lose when they've sucked enough defenders in. NZ back 3 also really come into play when returning shitty kicks (usually forced by being quick & powerful through the middle, in attach & defence)
How many tries did they score from returning kicks on Saturday?
They scored one try through the middle and then wide, the other two as I have been saying ad nauseum were off individual errors.
You are not wrong on the tries themselves but using that to say the Lions' defence worked is a stretch. It was hard watching that game to say that the Lions defence was in any way dealing with the NZ attack. They didnt get ripped to shreds but NZ made lots of ground every time they had it and on another day could have scored plenty more.
Anyway, I suspect the Lions tight defence will be a bit better this week and they might havr more joy in the scrum and maul penalty lotteries. Equally, I think NZ might open up a bit more out wide
How many try scoring opportunities did New Zealand squander? They took their tries beautifully, but they were far from creating dozens more. Our defence was a lot better than you and Stom are giving it credit for.
If the Lions tight defence is better either we'll need to hit harder in the tackle or put more resources in. If the latter then history says NZ will start to go wider owing to their cunning plan of going where there defence isn't, 'tis almost cheating by the cunning gadflies
Digby wrote:If the Lions tight defence is better either we'll need to hit harder in the tackle or put more resources in. If the latter then history says NZ will start to go wider owing to their cunning plan of going where there defence isn't, 'tis almost cheating by the cunning gadflies
I'm assuming a coach is there to deal with just this sort of issue.
Digby wrote:If the Lions tight defence is better either we'll need to hit harder in the tackle or put more resources in. If the latter then history says NZ will start to go wider owing to their cunning plan of going where there defence isn't, 'tis almost cheating by the cunning gadflies
I like it when we're on the same side. Doesn't happen often, mind...
Sandydragon wrote:How many try scoring opportunities did New Zealand squander? They took their tries beautifully, but they were far from creating dozens more. Our defence was a lot better than you and Stom are giving it credit for.
Id say three or four. Only one glaring (the lienert-brown knock on) but if we count getting to five ten metres out with momentum and then screwing it up then several more. Im not saying the defence was particularly bad (and Im not sure I agree with Stom that Davies flying up is necessarily a bad plan) I just dont agree that the difference between the sides was them finishing their chances. I thought it was their attack getting the better of our defence all game, not dramatically but consistently. On the other hand we only really created on the counter attack.
