A match that few expected but everyone is now eagerly anticipating – a Series Decider 3rd Test between the All Blacks and the Lions!

There were few of us here to be honest who imagined that we would get to write a headline like the one above when Warren Gatland and his boys boarded the plane to New Zealand. In all honesty we were convinced that it was going to be all done and dusted by the Second Test. However, history is a powerful force and clearly the legend behind the Lions shirt, some lucky breaks and some outstanding defence last weekend enabled the Lions to suddenly turn this series on its head albeit by the narrowest of margins. With expectations now raised to a fever pitch for both sets of players and supporters, this weekend’s epic showdown at Eden Park has the potential to go down as one of the biggest Lions encounters in recent memory. All that being said though spare a thought for the Men in Red as what they are being asked to do, has been done by very few and next to hoisting the Webb Ellis trophy aloft is probably one of the most daunting challenges faced by any rugby team in the professional era. Eden Park is probably one of the most hallowed grounds in rugby with an almost religious reverence and awe attached to it, and since 1994 only those who wear black emerge triumphant. If and it’s a very big if the Lions were to completely upset the enormous odds stacked against them, they would go down in history as one of the greatest Lions touring outfits ever despite their middling fortunes in the provincial matches this tour. New Zealand will simply not entertain the idea of coming off second best and as a result the Lions will have to find yet another higher gear from last weekend, something we are not convinced they have in the long run. Either way an epic Test awaits as this Series has suddenly become the most exciting rugby event since the World Cup!

New Zealand vs British and Irish Lions
Saturday, July 8th
Auckland

As mentioned above we were fairly certain when this tour started that the preview of this match would be one based on a damage limitation exercise as the Lions would have lost the first two Tests and thus the series. Last weekend, proved us blissfully wrong even though against our better judgement we hoped and even dared to predict a Lions win, despite much of our analysis heavily favoring the All Blacks. It was a prediction based simply on heart and less on common sense and one which wanted to see a series decider so that the tradition of Lions tours was held intact. We were delighted that we were ultimately given cause to celebrate after an enthralling Test match. Sure there was controversy aplenty at times, and the Lions did get lucky to a certain extent, but when it mattered most they held their nerve and threw the All Blacks off course, something we see very rarely.

We agree with many of the articles that we’ve seen since the epic dustup in Wellington last Saturday, that had the All Blacks been playing with a full complement of fifteen men last weekend then the result may have been very different. There has been much debate about the red card received by New Zealand’s Sonny Bill Williams, which proved to be such a pivotal moment in the match, and the Lions Mako Vunipola only getting a yellow for a seemingly similar offence. We have looked at the footage of both incidents repeatedly and feel that referee Jerome Garces did actually make the right call. Vunipola’s challenge was clumsy and careless but he appears to glance off Barrett in attempting the charge down rather than deliberately aiming for his head as some aggrieved supporters suggest. The Sonny Bill Williams challenge is equally clumsy but his shoulder charge with no arms going into the tackle is clearly aimed at Anthony Watson’s head where he makes contact. Sadly in the interests of player welfare the call had to be made as the Williams challenge is potentially more dangerous than that of Vunipola’s even though we don’t actually think it was intended with any malice on the part of Williams. The debate on this is likely to rage long after Romain Poite’s final series ending whistle on Saturday, but it was an important call that needed to be made even if it did have a huge impact on the outcome of the second Test.

The Lions at times were lucky to win on Saturday. Although they were spectacular in defence and weathered their patch with only 14 men exceptionally well, after Vunipola’s yellow card, there were still too many errors and for a thirty minute period up to around the 65th minute their discipline was woeful. Had New Zealand fly half Beauden Barrett been more accurate with the boot we’d be having a much different history lesson. However, they upped their intensity dramatically from the first Test, and at times played some outstanding rugby and most importantly outscored the All Blacks in the try department 2 tries to none. In the last ten minutes it may not have been pretty but the Lions managed to hang on against a determined New Zealand onslaught. Perhaps most important of all they clearly rattled the All Blacks to the point where they looked unsure of themselves and just a tad disorganised, something they are usually able to fix by the final quarter but not so last weekend in Wellington. To achieve this against an All Black side on home soil is a clear testament to the fact that although it may not have been perfect last weekend, the Lions found something special to bring to the table in Wellington which had eluded them up to that point.

So more of the same will be required this weekend, but the Lions, if they are to stand any chance, must improve and build on the tactics that worked so well for them in Wellington. Just like last Saturday it is going to be a titanic struggle in the forwards with no quarter given. Apart from a purple patch in terms of discipline the Lions were outstanding at the breakdown in the Second Test and expect no quarters to be given here once more. In the front rows though we still hand the edge to New Zealand, as despite the Lions heroics we feel the experience of New Zealand’s two props Joe Moody and Owen Franks is just too much for the Lions’ Mako Vunipola and Tadhg Furlong despite some real heroics from the Lions duo on this tour. New Zealand’s Codie Taylor has really caught the eye at Hooker and while we have been very impressed by Jamie George, Taylor possesses many of the traits that make regular All Black stalwart in the position, Dane Coles, so devastating especially in attack. The second row partnership of New Zealand’s Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock still is without equal in our opinion despite the result last weekend. Maro Itoje was tremendous for the Lions but also attracted the attention of the referee far too much for our liking in Wellington. Consequently for us 1-5 is still weighted heavily in favor of New Zealand for this Saturday’s match up. In the back rows though we really liked what we saw from the Lions in Wellington. Sam Warburton and Sean O’Brien were exceptionally effective at the breakdown and really got under the skin of New Zealand, while Taulupe Faletau was outstanding at number eight and clearly got the better of New Zealand’s Kieran Read. We very much doubt that the trio of Read, Jerome Kaino and Sam Cane, are likely to be as out of sorts as they were in Wellington – to say that revenge will be on the minds of these three exceptionally talented and very physical gentlemen is an understatement. Consequently although Warburton and company are likely to give as good as they get for the Lions, we hand the advantage to the All Blacks overall up front in Auckland tomorrow.

The half back battle tomorrow should once again prove fascinating. The Lions Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton got the measure of New Zealand’s Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett last weekend and stand a good chance of doing so again this Saturday. However, with so much to play for in front of a home crowd, as talented as the Lions duo are, coupled with the fact that they are teammates at Test level for Ireland, the New Zealand duo are unlikely to be as off the pace as they were last weekend. In short an even contest here, with Barrett’s remarkable skill set just giving New Zealand the edge on what should be a drier and consequently pacier pitch.

In the backs, it’s experimentation time for New Zealand as they are denied the use of Sonny Bill Williams due to suspension, and Rieko Ioane, Waisake Naholo, Ryan Crotty and Ben Smith due to injury. The wings see the return of Julian Savea, and while this player is potentially one of New Zealand’s biggest threats we still feel that his form of late has still been hit and miss. When on form he is truly unstoppable but if the Lions can get the measure of him, they have the potential to negate whatever threat he may pose, however we’re not sure Anthony Watson is the man to do it if Savea finds his groove tomorrow. Much the same could be said of Savea’s colleague on the opposite wing Israel Dagg. We thought he had a poor game by his considerably high standards last weekend and the Lions Elliot Daly clearly got the better of him especially under the high ball, and to be honest we expect to see no change here tomorrow. In the centres though it’s danger all round from New Zealand. Despite their relative lack of Test Caps, Anton Lienert-Brown and Ngani Laumape spell trouble from the opening whistle. Ever since his debut last year we have been huge fans of Lienert-Brown and think he is a real threat on attack and defence. Laumape also shows some real strength and skill so expect some fireworks from this newcomer. Although we think the Lions Jonathan Davies is having a stellar tour at centre and has been one of their best players, we are not convinced that outside the England setup, the Lions’ Owen Farrell is working as well or effectively as he could at number 12. As a result we see some dominance by the All Blacks as the order of the day tomorrow in this area of the park. Lastly at fullback we are relishing the opportunity to see Beauden Barrett’s younger brother Jordie get his first All Black cap. He has shown that he has many of the extraordinary skills possessed by his brother, and we expect him to form quite the dynamic and potentially unstoppable duo with Beauden on Saturday. The Lions’ Liam Williams has still scored one of the best tries of the series in the opening Test and he will need to draw on all his experience to contain the unknown X-factor of his All Black opposite Jordie Barrett, but despite his lack of Test experience we’re giving the Kiwi the edge here.

The benches look evenly matched for tomorrow’s encounter, though we still just give the Lions’ the slight advantage here, despite it being really hard to gauge their effectiveness from last weekend as they were hardly used. However, once unleashed last Saturday in Wellington New Zealand replacement scrum half TJ Perenara and flanker Ardie Savea looked absolutely lethal and the Lions will have to draw on every last ounce of reserve to keep these two at bay in the final quarter. In short we think the Lions will hold their own for the first hour, but eventually bodies will tire and discipline will slip against a much more highly tuned and clinical All Black onslaught than what we saw last weekend in Wellington. A riveting contest should be in the making but one in which the All Blacks will ultimately regain the kind of composure and dominance they are so used to finding in the final quarter coupled to their legendary finishing skills. We’d love to see the history books rewritten for the good of the global game, but feel that the challenge facing a brave and highly motivated Lions side is just too big and consequently the All Blacks to seal the series 2-1 by 11 points!

Do or die for both the Lions and Canada this weekend with the odds seeming to be stacked against them both!

It’s crunch time for both the Lions and Canada this weekend as both head into Test matches they simply have to win. The Lions to keep the series alive, and Canada to keep their World Cup dreams alive as they head into the second round of a two Test World Cup qualifying battle with the United States. The Lions came unstuck in the end last weekend after a brave fight and a try to be remembered, but ultimately just couldn’t match the sheer skill and finesse of an All Black side that for all intents and purposes was just warming up. Meanwhile Canada put on a heroic showing for the home crowd in Hamilton in a thrilling match but once more their lack of execution, missed opportunities and inability to close out big games came back to haunt them resulting in them having to settle for a draw. Nevertheless in Canada’s case they at least managed to break a depressing string of losses albeit with a draw.

New Zealand vs British and Irish Lions
Saturday, July 1st
Wellington

As the Lions head into a crucial and potentially series deciding second Test with the All Blacks this weekend, the omens don’t look good for the Men in Red. While there were flashes of sheer brilliance last weekend, epitomised by Liam Williams break out from the Lions 22 resulting in Sean O’Brien’s try for the Lions, the Lions performance was ultimately overshadowed by a truly mesmerizing display of skills by the All Blacks, which sadly only served to highlight the glaring differences between New Zealand and the rest of the world. There is no doubt that the Lions will be up for this weekend’s encounter in no uncertain terms, as the aura of the Lions jersey is still a powerful talisman, but spirit alone may simply not be enough to overcome the all round ability that seems to be in endless supply in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

There is a serious danger that after this weekend, this Lions Tour may end up being one of the most overhyped and undercooked Lions tours in history. Put your hands up if you didn’t cringe during Sky Sports pre match coverage when Scott Baldwin pranced around the pitch at Eden Park in some sort of embarrassing Game of Thrones spin-off. We actually switched to the New Zealand coverage of the match after the first 20 minutes which we found much more balanced and down to earth. We always had our doubts about the choice of Warren Gatland as tour Coach, anxieties that were reinforced when we saw Rob Howley thrown into the coaching mix. Still all that aside it’s a Lions Tour and wearing the sacred red jersey is always a special talisman for the players, whatever adversities they may be faced with. With the Lions 1-0 down they will need to dig deep into the archives of inspirational Lions history over the years if they are to defy the odds and overcome an All Black team that has few if any chinks in its armor.

Some pundits seem to be labouring under the illusion that the wet weather forecast in abundance for Saturday’s match in Wellington is likely to favor the Lions. We are struggling with the reasoning behind this. If you’ve ever been to New Zealand and Wellington in particular, you’ll know it’s one of the wettest and windiest cities on the planet, making Europe’s damp winters seem lightweight by comparison. In short, European teams may be used to plenty of wet weather ball, but the New Zealanders are no strangers to it either.  Try chucking a rugby ball around in Invercargilll in the middle of July and you’ll see what we mean.

As pointed out above the Lions did put in a worthy shift at Eden Park last weekend. While they were ultimately outclassed they did hold their own for long periods of the match and defensively at times were superb. However, the continuous onslaught of black jerseys clearly took its toll as many of the Lions players looked dead on their feet by the sixty minute mark with the bench struggling to shore up the damaged walls. The All Blacks by comparison looked like they were just getting started on the hour mark. The intensity from both sides was ferocious but New Zealand’s execution was simply streets ahead of the Lions, and the error count was simply too costly for the Lions despite some enterprising and potentially game changing moments. Spilled passes, fumbled catches and lapses in defensive focus were the Lions Achilles Heel all afternoon.

This weekend the Lions will have to find something special as the All Black line up for Saturday looks to have few if any weaknesses even with the absence of the incomparable Dane Coles at Hooker and the withdrawal of fullback Ben Smith and centre Ryan Crotty due to injury. We felt that the tactic of using Conor Murray’s box kicking was overplayed last weekend especially as the match wore on and New Zealand were simply able to read it too well and place players accordingly. While the wet weather may tempt the Lions into more of the same we hope it is not the case as even in the wet the All Blacks have shown few weaknesses in terms of the aerial game, whereas the Lions kicking game was often error strewn and didn’t go to hand often enough last weekend.

We thought last weekend that New Zealand might have had the edge up front and if they were able to smother the ball through positions 1-10, a tough and grinding physical encounter might just swing their way especially once the bench started making its presence felt. After what we saw last weekend, we can’t help feeling that New Zealand has the clear dominance up front, let alone in the backs. The Lions front row was bossed around at scrum time last weekend and expect more of the same on Saturday.  Vunipola, Furlong and George all put in an admirable shift last weekend but the All Black front row of Moody, Taylor and Franks had the mobility, strength and discipline to get the upper hand and we see no reason to expect any different this weekend. In the second row, New Zealand’s Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock made mincemeat of the Lions George Kruis and Alun-Wyn Jones. So much so that we are flabbergasted to see Jones in the starting lineup again this weekend, as he looked distinctly tired at the best of times last weekend. While George Kruis didn’t exactly have a stellar game we feel that partnered with Maro Itoje, who gets his start this weekend, the efficiency of the Lions in this area of the park would be greatly improved. While we are heartened to see Courtney Lawes on the bench for the Lions, his strength and quiet rage would have been more effective than Jones in our opinion. In the back row, once more it’s all about the All Blacks. Sam Cane and Kieran Read were immense for New Zealand last weekend with Captain Read showing off some extraordinary skill and foresight in setting up one of New Zealand’s tries from the scrum. We feel that Peter O’Mahony had an excellent game last weekend and worry that Gatland will regret the decision to not give last week’s Captain a spot on the bench. Sam Warburton has Lions experience and can be a real warrior but we just don’t think he has the puff and fitness to last a match of this intensity. Taulupe Faletau had a good game last weekend but was simply no match for the awesome presence of his All Black counterpart and Captain extraordinaire Kieran Read.

In the half backs, we just can’t help feeling that the combination of Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett is too much for the Irish duo of Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton. Sexton is a bit like the French team, as you are never sure which version you are going to get on the day, plus given his injury frailties despite his bravery and willingness to throw himself into the fray headfirst, the All Blacks will be targeting him all afternoon. We felt that Owen Farrell was completely outclassed by New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett last weekend, despite his considerable talents, but whereas Barrett was often the centre of attention Farrell appeared almost non-existent. While Farrell plays well as a centre backed up by a strong fly half, Sexton and Farrell have never partnered before at this level, whereas the New Zealand duo are a proven partnership allied to the phenomenal Anton Lienert-Brown and Sonny Bill Williams in the centre channels. Still the Irish half back duo of Murray and Sexton did get the better of Smith and Barrett last November, so it is not beyond the realm of possibility, but the weather is likely to favor the All Blacks in terms of familiarity and combinations.

In the backs while we can’t see any glaring weaknesses in the Lions’ offering, the All Blacks quintet just boasts too much all round talent. Israel Dagg who was outstanding last weekend on the wing takes the fullback position in place of the injured Ben Smith, and has proven time again that he is completely comfortable in either role. Liam Willams had a brilliant game last weekend at fullback epitomised by his setting up of the Lions first spectacular try, but as the match wore on he struggled to keep up and the errors started appearing. Anthony Watson had a strong game on the wing for the Lions and was dangerous in space but defensively he lost the plot at times and his execution in attack on occasion let the side down and the same can be said of Elliot Daly on the opposite wing despite some impressive carries. For us one of the Lions stars of last weekend was centre Jonathan Davies who we felt had a blinder of a game. We have always felt that despite some negative press Davies is one of Wales’ best players and when on form as he has been this tour, is one of the world’s most dangerous centres. The Lions will be looking for a big performance from the Welshman on Saturday and we feel he is one of their strongest cards. However, as mentioned above the centre partnership of Anton Lienert-Brown and Sonny Bill Williams is likely to prove too destructive on Saturday, even in the wet, for the Lions to really be able to counter it as the game wears on, coupled with the exceptional Waisake Naholo and Rieko Ioane on the wings. Ioane answered all the doubters last weekend in his Test debut regarding his inclusion in the starting fifteen over Julian Savea – in short he lived up to his billing and then some.

Once again we feel that the Lions pack the stronger bench, but we fear the All Blacks are likely to have done too much damage by the time the bench starts making an impact. As a result the Lions will likely be chasing the game in the final twenty minutes even more than they were last weekend. Despite the weather and the seeming inevitability of an All Black win, the sense of history and occasion is still likely to produce an epic Test match even though the series is likely to be wrapped up in New Zealand’s favour by the final whistle on Saturday. Consequently we are still anticipating tomorrow’s fixture with great excitement but ultimately predict a Lions victory by 3 points! Having said that though we like most, for the sake of a great series and a thrilling climax next Saturday, will be hoping for a historic if unlikely Lions win.

USA vs Canada
Saturday, July 1st
San Diego

Despite the result, it was a thrilling match last weekend in Hamilton. If Canada had cut out some of the schoolboy style errors they would have walked away the winners, something we to be honest in light of their recent performances were not expecting. Winger DTH Van der Merwe was as usual an unstoppable force in his own right and justified the price of admission regardless of what else happened in the match. What we did see from Canada though was some genuine passion, real intent and an outstanding attacking game, all sadly undone by woeful lapses in concentration and some handling errors that should have been left on a high school pitch. However, let’s be honest if you’ve read our ravings over the last few years such problems seem to be a constant in Canada’s performance and no closer to resolution. Away from home in front of an extremely vocal and patriotic crowd just getting revved up for the US 4th of July celebrations, Canada have just like the Lions a pretty monumental task ahead of them on Saturday, despite the many positives on show in Hamilton last weekend. On reflection, a loss in San Diego would not spell the end of Canada’s World Cup chances as they will have two more kicks at the can in terms of qualifying before the global showdown in Japan in 2019. Furthermore, qualifying in this round would put them in a pretty daunting pool with a rampant England, resurgent France and always ferocious Argentina – not exactly a Sunday afternoon stroll to the knockout stages!

Nevertheless a win on Saturday and the stress of qualifying for the World Cup behind them would be a big plus for a Canadian side that has taken a beating to say the least in the last two years, and one that still languishes in a disgraceful position of 23rd in the World Rankings. As mentioned above there were some excellent performances last Saturday in Hamilton but what is needed now is to pull those performances together as a clinically efficient and cohesive unit.

We felt the USA had the better scrum last weekend, and their second row was constantly causing the Canadians issues in the lineouts, despite some clear disciplinary indiscretions from the Americans. What we did like though was Canada’s back row efforts and as they did last week, we feel they have the edge this weekend. Readers of this blog know we are big fans of new lock Admir Cejanovic and barring a few mistakes felt he put in a sterling effort in Hamilton and we’re looking for him to take his game to another level in San Diego.  Fellow back rower Matt Heaton also impressed and number eight Tyler Ardron was back to his very best. We liked Phil Mack’s urgency at scrum half, and consequently are less than excited to see the much more conservative and pedestrian Gordon McRorie taking over the duties this weekend. Shane O’Leary had a mixed bag at fly half and expect to see McRorie take over more of the goalkicking duties on Saturday.

If they can cut out the unnecessary errors we still vastly prefer Canada’s offering in the backs over the Americans. Wingers Taylor Paris and Andrew Coe ran some great lines last weekend with Paris providing some useful defence. However, Coe’s schoolboy dramatics and showboating in an otherwise excellent try scoring effort cost Canada the match last weekend. Hopefully he has learnt his lesson. DTH van der Merwe’s incredible pace, strength and skill set make him a one man demolition team against the US defences. Van der Merwe can singlehandedly turn a game upside down in Canada’s favor and the US will need to watch him like a hawk on Saturday. We felt that Connor Braid at centre and Ciaran Hearn at fullback in particular both had poor defensive games last weekend, and both these players will need to up their game on Saturday. Braid in particular is a significant threat and Canada will want to see him put in a big effort on Saturday. Overall we just feel that the Canadian back unit is tighter, pacier and more menacing than the American offering and expect Canada to have the edge here providing the execution is stepped up a notch in San Diego.

On the benches Canada packs some serious firepower in the shape of tireless veteran Aaron Carpenter who once more proved to be the hero of the day last Saturday in Hamilton. Carpenter is a player who always brings something special to the Canadian cause and is clearly a source of inspiration to those around him. We continue to like Lock Kyle Baillie, and centre Nick Blevins always provides some excitement with ball in hand. However, despite Canada having in our opinion the overall edge in terms of talent and cohesion we just think the Americans are better coached and have a better understanding of the game they are trying to play. Consequently their execution seems to be better and they seem more composed than the Canadians. This and the fact that an extremely passionate American holiday weekend crowd is likely to be an even bigger sixteenth man than the Canadian fans worthy efforts in Hamilton, makes us hand this match to the Americans by four points! However, once more just as in Hamilton a thriller in the California sunshine awaits!

And so it begins in earnest – The Lions Tour!

Yes after much hype, anticipation and a few anxious opening weeks, the main event of the June Test calendar finally gets underway as the British and Irish Lions play the first of three Tests against the best in the world – New Zealand’s All Blacks. Whether or not this tour has been overblown remains to be seen but like the vast majority of rugby fans around the world we’d be lying if we said we weren’t looking forward to it. Meanwhile in addition to the Lions tour there are also some excellent additional Tests being played this weekend, as for the rest of the world the June Test window draws to a close. In South Africa a dramatically rejuvenated Springbok side seek to clinch a series whitewash of France in the last of a three Test series. In Australia, a Wallaby side in the depths of a confidence crisis and seemingly abandoned by many of their fans, seeks to salvage some pride against Italy after being dismantled by a superb Scottish team the week before. Lastly Canada who are in danger of being consigned to rugby oblivion, play the first of two do or die World Cup qualifiers against the USA.

There is also action between Japan and Ireland, Argentina and Georgia and Scotland and Fiji but there is a limit to what we can realistically cover. So here are our crystal ball musings on the three big events this weekend from our perspective.

New Zealand vs British and Irish Lions
Saturday, June 24th
Auckland

Our money is still on the second Test being the ultimate showdown of the series, but we like most are still eagerly looking forward to Saturday’s proceedings in Auckland. The All Blacks will likely be trying to find their rhythm in their first big Test of the year while the Lions will also be settling into their stride for the first of three very daunting Tests. As a result we feel that based on form, it is going to be the All Blacks who are likely to figure out the mechanics of this series quicker than the Lions, especially in front of the Eden Park faithful. However, aside from the inevitable teething problems for both sides, this still should be a riveting contest.

Much like the game against the Maori All Blacks, the Lions are going to have to ensure that New Zealand’s back line is denied any kind of opportunity and ball in open space. However, unlike against the Maori All Blacks achieving this kind of dominance from 1-10 will not be as easy though it is well within the realm of possibility. Against the Maori, the Lions scrum was able to achieve the upper hand with relative ease, and while they are packing an awesome unit in the shape of props Mako Vunipola and Tadhg Furlong, they are likely to meet their match up against New Zealand’s Owen Franks and Ben Moody. Meanwhile the Hooker duties are on a parity as two relative youngsters face off against each other in Jamie George for the Lions and Codie Taylor for the All Blacks. Although New Zealand are without the services of legendary hooker and “support winger” Dane Coles, Codie Taylor is no stranger to the big stage and has put in some impressive performances off the bench for New Zealand. As a result given the experience of the New Zealand front row we are handing them the edge here on Saturday. In the second row, despite the outstanding abilities of George Kruis and the never say die attitude of his Welsh colleague Alun-Wyn Jones, all the talk stops once you look at the track record of the New Zealand duo of Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock. The New Zealand pair have been so devastatingly effective in the last few years that it is going to take a superhuman effort from the Lions to negate their influence on proceedings, something we feel they just won’t be able to do on Saturday, especially as they settle their opening night nerves. So once again we hand the battle here to New Zealand. However, when it comes to the back row our money is on the Lions trio. The All Blacks offering contains some seriously big names, but the Lions are likely to have a better sense of cohesion and destructive ability here. Lions flankers Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien are no strangers to each other after their exploits together for Ireland, and with O’Mahony’s contained rage being used in the Captaincy role alongside O’Brien’s ball carrying ability we can’t help feeling that they are going to make it hard going for New Zealand’s Sam Cane and Jerome Kaino. At number eight New Zealand’s Kieran Read needs no introduction but is only just returning to form after injury while the Lions Taulupe Faletau has played some of his best rugby this year and was one of the standout players of a hit and miss Six Nations campaign by Wales.

In the half back contests two contrasting styles go head to head. Owen Farrell’s game management abilities at fly half need no introduction for the Lions, but he does not have the sheer creativity, vision and ball carrying ability of his All Black counterpart Beauden Barrett. Barrett has proven that he can strike from anywhere on the park and cross the white line to boot. While his goal kicking lacks accuracy at times, Farrell has also had the same problem on occasion on this tour. Consequently, given Barrett’s dazzling skill set, we expect New Zealand to have the means to constantly have the Lions second guessing themselves. Farrell has an admirable head on his shoulders but Barrett remains in a class of his own, and just keeps getting better. At scrum half, we have to give the nod to the Lions and Conor Murray. Aaron Smith for New Zealand is one of the best in the world, but Murray got the better of him when the two met in Chicago last year, and in general Murray has the kind of quick thinking and elusiveness that Barrett displays at fly half for New Zealand. It will be close but we can’t help feeling on this opening run out for both sides, that the New Zealand duo will have the better afternoon and be better equipped to provide more in the way of surprises to wrong foot Lion defences.

In the backs, we feel that New Zealand have the clear edge. We only really see one weakness in the shape of centre Sonny Bill Williams. When he’s good he’s unstoppable, and there has been plenty of evidence of this over the years. The problem tends to be that his form can be erratic. Brilliant the one day, nonexistent and error-strewn the next. However, the question marks stop there in terms of the rest of New Zealand’s offerings from 11-15. Newcomer Rieko Ioane has looked electric with ball in hand this season for the Blues in Super Rugby, while centre Ryan Crotty was outstanding last year for the All Blacks. Winger Israel Dagg and fullback Ben Smith are absolutely devastating as well as being completely interchangeable, with Smith being able to read the game like no other. The Lions offering by comparison, although impressive simply does not match up in terms of calibre as well as operating together as a cohesive unit. Centres Jonathan Davies and Ben Te’o have little game time together, although Te’o has been an exceptional ball carrier on the series so far and proved very difficult to bring down. Elliot Daly and Anthony Watson have speed aplenty on the wings and have good defensive abilities, while Liam Williams was one of the shining lights of Wales’ recent Six Nations campaign. However, as good as these five are they simply don’t have the familiarity, pace and skill sets of their All Black counterparts. As a result we hand the battle of the backs to the All Blacks and if the Lions cannot smother the ball away from these five then they will be in for a long and torrid afternoon.

Off the benches once again, we feel that New Zealand has the superior set of weapons once bodies and legs start to tire, particularly in terms of being able to open up the game. The Lions are likely to have a more effective set of front row replacements in the shape of Ken Owens, Jack McGrath and Kyle Sinckler, but in the loose New Zealand’s Scott Barrett and the incomparable Ardie Savea are going to give the Lions a massive headache in the final quarter. The Lions will take some heart in the impact that Maro Itoje can bring from the bench but New Zealand should still have the edge here. With TJ Perenara waiting to take over the scrum half duties from Aaron Smith, we just don’t feel that Rhys Webb is of the same calibre for the Lions. Johnny Sexton could be a game changer for the Lions, provided the Lions are not trying to play catch up rugby. However, New Zealand will have Aaron Cruden and Anton Liennert-Brown waiting to come on who in our opinion are exceptional, especially Liennert-Brown who really impressed in his debut last year with the All Blacks. For the Lions we can’t really see Leigh Halfpenny adding much spark to a Lions effort that is likely going to need some serious creativity in the final twenty minutes, as opposed to a reliable boot which is Halfpenny’s key asset and sadly one which seems to have deserted him at times of late especially under pressure.

It is likely going to be close with the Lions possibly even having the upper hand for the first hour, as they seek to keep the ball close and out of the hands of the All Black magicians in the backs and danger man Beauden Barrett. However, in an intensely physical and frenetic contest, New Zealand’s more dynamic and versatile bench will ultimately make the difference in the final twenty allowing New Zealand to pull ahead by 12 points at the final whistle!

South Africa vs France
Saturday, June 24th
Johannesburg

We have to confess to being enthralled by the Springbok performance last weekend against France. There were some outstanding contributions from the whole team, but for us one individual embodied the dramatic return to form of the Springboks – flanker Siya Kolisi. The man was everywhere and played like a man possessed. As we say it was a complete performance but there were so many individual efforts that stood out, as 23 players set out to collectively and individually right the wrongs and tribulations of 2016. French end of season touring teams are renowned for not having that much gas left in the tank after one of the longest and most gruelling domestic competitions in world rugby, however, under new Coach Guy Noves they are no longer dead on their feet and are still able to provide a worthy challenge.

However, the first two Tests of this series have been all about South Africa. They seem to have found a sense of purpose that was lacking last year as well as a game plan that is allowing them to break out of the mold of traditional Springbok styles of play. The core strength of a big powerful forward pack is still there, but it is now coupled once more to some explosive running and ball carrying in the loose as evidenced by Kolisi’s efforts last week.

Having said that France will still be up for this final Test even though the series has gone to South Africa. France will play for pride and the fact that there is a great deal of respect between the players and Coach Guy Noves so that they will seek to end the tour on a high, despite the obvious challenge of trying to overcome a rampant Springbok side on the hallowed turf of Ellis Park.

We feel that after last week and looking at the Springbok selection for the front row, providing the French front row can keep their puff for 80 minutes, France might just have the edge here on Saturday. Prop Rabah Slimani put in a superb shift at the coal face last weekend and expect more of the same this week and Hooker Guilhem Guirado will continue to provide inspiration and a phenomenal work rate. They will be evenly matched by South Africa’s Tendai Mtawarira and Malcolm Marx. We felt Marx had an extraordinary game for South Africa last weekend and the big Hooker will be keen to make his mark again this weekend. However, of late we have found Mtawarira has not always been at his best, despite his legendary abilities and it remains to be seen what kind of performance South Africa gets out of him on Saturday. In the second row, we see South Africa once more winning the contest hands down in the shape of Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert. Once again Mostert was outstanding last weekend, and we have been sitting up and taking notice of this player for the last two years and are delighted to see him getting the recognition he deserves. Once again in the back row the contest should be all about South Africa, especially based on what we saw last weekend. Flanker Siya Kolisi’s performance in the second Test was off the charts and we were extremely impressed by the shift that Jean-Luc du Preez put in once he replaced Teboho Mohoje. The partnership between du Preez and Kolisi should be exciting to watch. France’s Kevin Gourdon is always a force to be reckoned with but there was no question that he was struggling to keep up with his Springbok counterparts last weekend. At number eight France’s Louis Picamoles is one of the best in the game and will want to make a statement in this final match of the season, but his Springbok counterpart Warren Whiteley is really coming into his own as a leader and a source of inspiration to the rest of his team.

In terms of a half back contest, it should be a relatively even match up. At scrum half we feel that France has the edge in terms of creativity in the shape of Baptiste Serin, who has shown some exceptional ball handling and passing skills. South Africa’s Francois Hougaard has never been one of our favorites as we simply find him far too mercurial. Brilliant one day and tactically inept the next we feel that he could be a liability for South Africa under pressure. However, at fly half South Africa should assume the ascendancy through Elton Jantjies. Jantjies has been instrumental in South Africa’s winning performances in the first two Tests and has proved exceptionally reliable with the boot. France’s Jules Plisson for us just does not make the grade. Plisson boasts plenty of potential but seems to struggle with both pressure and discipline, areas that will be put to the test continually on Saturday. As a result we feel that on home soil, South Africa should clearly dictate proceedings, despite what moments of magic Serin may be able to create for France.

In the backs, we can’t see too much to get excited about for France with two notable exceptions. Winger Virimi Vakatawa and Centre Damian Penaud are both potent weapons for France, and Penaud in particular really stood out for France last weekend and bagged a fine try of his own. However, the South African set of backs is bristling with talent. Andries Coetzee had a superb game at fullback last weekend, and we like the look of Raymond Rhule and Courtnall Skosan on the wings. Meanwhile, Jan Serfontein had a blinder of a game at centre last weekend and partnered with Jessie Kriel this Saturday should be able to provide plenty of sparks in the midfield.

South Africa’s bench once more outclasses the French offering with the two standout names being flanker Jaco Kriel and second rower Pieter-Steph du Toit, both of whom can singlehandedly change the ebb and flow of a game. France may be tired and will struggle with the infamous Joburg altitude but there is no question they will show up. South Africa however are on a roll and a series whitewash would have an enormous impact on restoring some much-needed pride to the Springbok jersey which ended 2016 rather torn and frayed. Consequently we give this contest to South Africa by 15 points!

Canada vs USA
Saturday, June 24th
Hamilton

Canada’s June series so far has, in simple terms, been a disaster. But let’s be honest one could also say the same of the Americas Rugby Championship earlier this year. Canadian senior men’s rugby is in a state of crisis at the moment, and probably at one of the lowest points in its history. This is not helped by the fact that Canada is currently ranked 23rd in the world and in danger of not even qualifying for the World Cup in Japan in 2019 – a first in the tournament’s history. From what we saw of Canada’s first two Tests this summer against Georgia and Romania, we can’t say that we’re feeling much optimism about these two games against the USA which Canada simply have to win if any kind of progress back from the rapidly looming abyss is to be taken. There is some talent in the team make no mistake, but they seem directionless, ill-disciplined and their execution of some of rugby’s most basic skills seems woefully inaccurate at times. Canada’s ability to hang onto the ball under pressure coupled with an exceptionally naive kicking game is simply killing off any momentum that Canada is able to muster in a match. Furthermore Canada seems tactically inept, something which stronger teams are able to exploit to the full.

As mentioned above it is not all gloom and doom as Canada does have some players who we feel can really stand up and be counted on the international stage. We are looking to see big performances from some key individuals on Saturday in such a crucial match in front of a home crowd. For us Canada’s potential game changers on Saturday will be in the forwards department; prop Djustice Sears-Duru, flanker Admir Cejvanovic and number 8 Tyler Ardron. Sears-Duru and Tyler Ardron all have World Cup experience and Cejanovic is for us one of Canada’s most promising new talents who should relish an opportunity like this to really show what he is capable of.  Meanwhile wingers DTH van Der Merwe and Taylor Paris have exceptional pace and van Der Merwe is a world-class commodity in his own right scoring one of the top tries of the 2015 World Cup. Scrum half Phil Mack can provide enormous energy and pace at getting his backs moving from the breakdown, and execution and composure will need to be the order of the day from this experienced player.

Having said all that though we fear the worst on Saturday against a very fired up, and well coached American team with plenty to prove in a rivalry that goes back a long way. The Americans will relish the chance of jeopardising Canada’s chances at qualifying for the World Cup and they are bringing a team brimming with confidence for the task. Sadly, despite the significance of the occasion and what is at stake for Canada we just haven’t seen anything in the last year that leads us to believe that Canada can carve out a win here. They will put up a brave fight for the home crowd but the USA to ultimately walk away with the spoils by 8 points!

Australia vs Italy
Saturday, June 24th
Brisbane

While we felt sorry for Australia last weekend whose miseries continue from last year, we thrilled at a Scottish performance that really reflected how far the men from North of Hadrian’s Wall have come in the last two years, and a great start to life under new Coach Gregor Townsend. Scotland were outstanding while Australia were simply mediocre. Scotland were committed and clinical while Australia were disorganised and ill-disciplined.

However, with no disrespect to Italy, Australia face a very different opponent this weekend compared to the fired up Scottish side they faced last Saturday. Italy have not fared well on tour this June, losing to Scotland and Fiji. Up against an Australian side that is under huge pressure to put some pride back into the Wallaby jersey, Italy look set to be sacrificial lambs put to the slaughter by an enraged Australian team. Discipline is likely to be an issue for both teams, as Australia when angry and hotheaded are a referee’s worst nightmare but under pressure Italy are rarely any better.

Australia will take no prisoners in Brisbane on Saturday, and despite an Italian team boasting some talent, Australia simply has too much firepower and too many chips on their shoulders for this to be anything other than a one-way contest. A loss on Saturday by the Wallabies would probably see the nation as a whole disown rugby union outright as a national sport. In short the stakes couldn’t be higher for Australia, but despite their woes they have more than enough in the bank to get past a tired and demoralized Italian side. Australia to get a desperately needed win by 20 points!

It’s June and Lions/Summer tours time once again as The Lineout returns from a few months away from all things rugby!

As mentioned after the Six Nations we had to step away from the captivating world of International Rugby due to work and family commitments for a while, but now both departments are once more under control we are able to return to our weekly musings on the International Game.

Regrettably we haven’t had a chance to catch much of the action so far other than highlights but there has been excitement aplenty. From what we can see the two standout games for us were last weekend’s surprisingly positive display of winning rugby from the Springboks against France, and the epic thrillfest in San Juan as England put in a monumental shift against a very spirited Argentinean side whilst showing that England is developing some very considerable depth in a raft of exciting young talent.

On the Lions front, Warren Gatland’s men finally fired against Super Rugby’s best team this year the Crusaders, only to lose the plot a few days later against the Highlanders. A dress rehearsal for the three Test series against the All Blacks takes place this Saturday as they take on the Maori All Blacks.

Canada was also in action last weekend but their misery of the last two years was compounded in a 13-0 loss to Georgia. To be honest we can’t say we’re feeling that optimistic about their chances against Romania this weekend who they have lost to in their last four consecutive meetings. With two World Cup qualifiers at the end of the month against the USA, alarms bells must surely be ringing at Rugby Canada as for the first time in the tournament’s history there is now a very real chance that Canada will not be represented.

We’ll be back to our usual previews and writeups next week, but this week here’s a quick look at the some of the action coming up this weekend.

Australia vs Scotland
Saturday, June 17
Sydney

We have to admit that this is a great way to start a superb weekend of International Rugby. Scotland need little or no introduction after their heroics of this year’s Six Nations and with the bulk of Scotland’s squad intact having missed out on the Lions tour, Australia will be in for a tough challenge this Saturday. This will be the first real test of new Scotland Coach Gregor Townsend as he seeks to fill the huge boots of his predecessor Vern Cotter. Australia much like South Africa had an annus horribilis in 2016, and will be seeking to start rebuilding towards the World Cup in earnest this year. Although the unhappy fortunes of Australian teams this year in Super Rugby would attest to this being rather a tall order, we feel that this is more a function of an Australian player base being spread across too many teams than an actual lack of talent. Australia boasts enough skilled players to put together a formidable Wallaby side, however at the Super Rugby level these players are spread across too many teams making the overall Australian threat in the competition far too diluted.

We have to confess that we don’t hold too much stock in Australia’s forward efforts for this match, partly due to a lack of knowledge of the players making the first eight, other than the exceptional lock Adam Coleman, who for us was one of the standout Wallabies in 2016, and flanker Michael Hooper. Scotland’s offering on the other hand are all well-known and exceptionally capable commodities. The front row is exceptionally solid with props Gordon Reid and Zander Ferguson and hooker Fraser Brown who all impressed throughout the Six Nations. If they keep their composure they should be able to put Australia under serious pressure, with Wallaby discipline in the tight five being a key weakness, and as a result we hand Scotland the edge here. In the second row, we’d argue that the odds even out and is impossible to call as Scotland’s Johnny Gray and Australia’s Adam Coleman lend experience and massive workrates for both teams. In the back row, we once more hand the advantage to Scotland, as flankers John Barclay and Hamish Watson were outstanding in the Six Nations as was number eight Ryan Wilson. Australia packs some serious firepower in the shape of flanker Michael Hooper but we just feel that the Scottish trio know each other that much better as a unit and consequently should get the better of their Wallaby counterparts.

In the half back contest Australia’s pair of wise heads in the shape of veteran scrum half Will Genia and fly half Bernard Foley meet the youth and spark of Scottish scrum half Ali Price and fly half Finn Russell. Both Scots are simply so unpredictable that they are going to cause headaches for the Wallabies all afternoon. However, the Australian duo’s experience in-game management should just swing the balance in the Wallabies favor. Nevertheless, expect plenty of Scottish fireworks here. For us the potential downfall here is Wallaby Coach Michael Cheika’s continued faith in mercurial fly half Quade Cooper who will be on the bench. Sure he can produce flashes of absolute brilliance but he can also completely throw a game as well, single-handedly.

In the backs we favor Australia as wingers Eto Nabuli and Dane Haylett-Petty have been absolutely outstanding this season for the Reds and Western Force respectively. Meanwhile, centre Tevita Kuridrani showed signs of a long-awaited return to form last year, and fullback Israel Folau needs no introduction especially under the high ball. Add in utility back Reece Hodge on the bench and this makes for a very daunting Australian offering in the backs, which Scotland will be hard pressed to contain. However, Scotland packs some considerable firepower here as well in the shape of the centre partnership of Duncan Taylor and Alex Dunbar and we expect Scotland to dictate the play in this part of the field on Saturday, but overall Australia’s pace out wide should see them hold the advantage.

However, we’re going to stick our necks out and go against the pundits and give Scotland a historic away win by the narrowest of margins. We just feel that in the final twenty minutes Scotland are packing a more potent and tried and trusted bench, especially in the front row offering of Ross Ford, Allan Dell and WP Nel. Lock Tim Swinson impressed in the recent Six Nations and Josh Strauss needs no introduction. Henry Pyrgos is also a lively scrum half and we like the look of outside centre Matt Scott. Australia packs some intent and experience on their bench but given the Russian roulette nature of Quade Cooper’s form, and Australia’s disciplinary record when it comes to their forward replacements, we may well be wrong but we think Australia will have to work harder than Scotland in the final twenty minutes, despite home advantage. Consequently, as the devil’s advocate we are handing this one to Scotland by two points in what should be a thrilling contest!

Maori All Blacks vs British and Irish Lions
Saturday, June 17
Rotorua

As mentioned above we haven’t seen too much of the Lions tour so far so it is a bit hard for us to judge how well they are clicking as a unit. There is no question that this weekend’s encounter is a dry run for the three Test series against the All Blacks which kicks off next weekend.

We tend to side with the pundits and wiser scribes than ourselves who are predicting a narrow Lions win in what should be an excellent match. While we are more familiar with the Lions personalities involved, from what little we have seen of Super Rugby this year, there is more than enough for the Lions to be concerned about. While we confess to knowing little or nothing about the Maori forward pack and feel that the Lions offering here is superior providing it clicks, given it boasts names that are like a Hall of Fame entry for this year’s Six Nations, we do feel that the Maori 6-8 positions are going to pose a myriad of problems for the Lions. Akira Ioane has been phenomenal for the Blues as a blindside flanker this year, and his counterpart Elliot Dixon is also a name we have been watching with interest in the last few years. Meanwhile number eight Liam Messam is a regular All Black.

The Irish partnership of Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray is quality through and through. While Sexton has lacked consistency so far on the tour in the fly half position, alongside his Irish stablemate and scrum half extraordinaire Conor Murray, we sense that the Lions will have an exceptionally reliable platform for managing their efforts on Saturday. However, that being said what they may lack in experience, the Maori duo of scrum half Tawera Kerr-Barlow and fly half Damian McKenzie make up for in terms of sheer skill and pace. Expect to see these two popping up all over the field on Saturday causing defensive nightmares for the Lions.

If and only if the Lions can contain the Maori back line, which given their superior strengths in terms of game management from 1-10 should be within their grasp, then they should get the confidence boosting win needed to head into the Test series. However, that Maori back line could well end up being their Achilles Heel as it packs some awesome firepower. Wingers Rieko Ioane and Nehe Milner-Skudder are weapons of mass destruction in their own right and centres Charlie Ngatai and Matt Proctor provide an almost unstoppable amount of pace and power up the middle of the field. Throw in the incomparable James Lowe at fullback and if the Lions cannot negate these threats right from the get go they will be in for a very long and torrid afternoon. Keep these five gentlemen in black in check all afternoon by denying them the ball and the Lions should win by five as most are predicting, but this will be a very challenging game for the Lions and absolutely perfect preparation for the Test series!

South Africa vs France
Saturday, June 17
Durban

Having not watched the first Test between these two, we don’t really feel in a position to comment other than superficially on the possible outcome of this Saturday’s proceedings. In short after their loss last weekend we expect France to come back with a vengeance to spice up the series and set the stage of a series finale in the Third Test. However, one has to temper that with the fact that France traditionally do poorly on tour in June after their exceptionally long domestic season. On the flip side they turned in a huge performance in the second Test last year against Argentina to tie the series 1 all, so we have a hunch we may see the same this Saturday. France are a much better side with Guy Noves in charge than during the misery of the Philippe Saint-Andre years.

For us the standout players in a solid French squad for this match are prop Rabah Slimani, Captain and Hooker Guilhem Guirado, flanker Kevin Gourdon and number eight Louis Picamoles. These four have been consistently reliable for France under Noves’ tutelage and should help France get some dominance up front on Saturday. That being said however, South Africa’s forward pack will take some beating.  The second row partnership of Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert is a force of nature provided Etzebeth can keep his temper and discipline under control. Meanwhile Captain and number eight Warren Whiteley has been for us one of South Africa’s best players in recent years and an inspirational leader.

In the half back contests the two sides are relatively even, although we are still puzzled by the continued French selection of Francois Trinh-Duc at fly half at Test level. However, scrum half Baptiste Serin possesses some truly extraordinary skills and is going to be a handful for South Africa and his Springbok counterpart Ross Cronje. In short an even contest here.

In the backs we can’t help feeling that it should be France’s day here once more by the narrowest of margins. Winger Virimi Vakatawa is a force of nature and now that his defensive game is so much better, he is a seriously potent weapon of attack for France. Centre Gael Fickou has impressed continually over the last 12 months and winger Yoann Huget and fullback Scott Spedding are both powerful and bruising ball carriers. We’re looking forward to seeing Springbok fly half Dillyn Leyds off the bench along with lock Pieter-Steph du Toit, but overall can’t help feeling that this is France’s game to lose and South Africa’s to win. France by two points!

Argentina versus England
Saturday, June 17
Santa Fe

If this game provides only half the excitement that last Saturday’s encounter between these two put on show, it will still be a spectacle worthy of the name. Having only been treated to the highlights below, much like the South African game we don’t really feel we’re in much of a position to shed much light on the outcome. What we do feel though is that Argentina are well up to the challenge, but the sheer coaching skills available to England under Eddie Jones tenure and the young talent at his disposal will just see them through at the end. Argentina will throw everything they have at this match and they are more than capable of tying the series 1 all. Either way expect a match with everything to play for both sides and fireworks aplenty. However, we fancy England’s chances by 3!

Canada vs Romania
Saturday, June 17
Edmonton

We hate to say it, but we can’t help feeling that it’s going to be another long and painful afternoon for a Canadian team struggling to find shape and direction this Saturday in Edmonton. This is do or die stuff for Canada as they desperately seek to avoid slipping further down the rankings from their worst ever position of 23rd in the world, and a confidence boosting win ahead of their two World Cup qualifiers with the United States this summer. However, it is not going to be easy as Romania have proven to be a major banana skin for Canada in their last four meetings. We don’t deny there is some considerable talent available to Canada in the shape of some of Coach Mark Anscombe’s young charges but it simply hasn’t gelled as a unit and has consistently displayed a naiveté on the pitch that continues to hold them back in terms of potential. We’d like to be pleasantly surprised on Saturday but can’t help feeling that Romania are going to be the source of further misery for Canada once more and the men in yellow to come out on top by four points!

After a sabbatical the Lineout returns with the best of Super Rugby Round 13 action and a glimpse of Lions tours of the past!

After a short hiatus due to the pressures of work, we’re back albeit briefly this week as we have a quick look at Super Rugby’s latest action. Also by reflecting on the past, we start our buildup to the Lions Tour of New Zealand which kicks off in a mere two weeks. So as Super Rugby gets to the business end of the tournament and with the buildup to the upcoming Lions tour to New Zealand as well as the June Internationals, we along with every other rugby fan out there have plenty to look forward to next month.

Super Rugby

The action is really starting to heat up as Super Rugby heads towards its conclusion in July, and braces for a month-long hiatus as the June Internationals take over the rugby world in the coming weeks, including the highly anticipated British and Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand. To be honest the competition is so far turning into a mirror image of last year’s, as three New Zealand teams, the Crusaders, Chiefs and Hurricanes are utterly dominating proceedings with only South Africa’s Lions offering any genuine threat to the New Zealand triumvirate. New Zealand teams are clearly the sides to beat with even the two bottom placed outfits in the New Zealand conference the Blues and Highlanders providing plenty of fireworks.

The Australian conference sadly seems to have become the tournament’s laughing-stock this year, with even the top placed Brumbies posing little or any threat to the rest of the tournament’s teams, even though due to the vagaries of the conference system they are guaranteed a play off spot, which seems a trifle unjust as their standard of play has been far from stellar and mediocre at best.

In the African conferences, as mentioned above it is only South Africa’s Lions and Sharks who have made any kind of impact on the tournament, with the Sharks having done better than last year in terms of consistency. The Cheetahs and Bulls are languishing in Super Rugby’s no man’s land much like the five Australian teams. The Stormers have shown some real promise and flair at times, but an inability to perform away from their home field at Newlands in Cape Town has proved a serious handicap. Perhaps the talking point of the tournament so far has been the Southern Kings. Their recent run of form has enabled them to suddenly turn from one of the worst teams in the competition to one of the most exciting.  Beating the Waratahs in Sydney and the Sharks at home has certainly turned some heads and they clearly have some talent that could well be some solid building blocks for a much-needed revitalization of a battered Springbok cause. Lastly Japan’s Sunwolves continue to remain firmly camped on the lower rungs of the tournament standings ladder, despite giving some of the big teams a few nasty scares at times, while Argentina’s Jaguares started the tournament looking the real deal, but already seem to be running out of puff at a rate of knots as the tournament wears on, much as they did last year. The last few rounds before the summer internationals next month will be key if the Jaguares hope to stand any chance of a sniff at a playoff spot.

The Lions

The amazing inspirational speech from the legendary Jim Telfer on the 1997 Lions Tour to South Africa provides the soundtrack to this video and as the title says – are you ready? We certainly are and can’t wait. More to follow in the coming weeks!

Some more great Super Rugby action in Round 7 and one last look at the Six Nations!

It was another fast and furious weekend of Super Rugby action, with the New Zealand teams once more showing off some dazzling displays of skill, but South African supporters can be heartened by some notable heroics from the Stormers and the Sharks this weekend. Australian teams, courtesy the of the Brumbies, started the long climb out of the basement in terms of points standings so far in the Championship but they would appear to be Australia’s only hope this year. Meanwhile Japan’s Sunwolves showed that rugby is alive and well in the land of the Rising Sun making it a fitting venue for the next World Cup as they too displayed some spectacular running rugby at times.

Super Rugby

Take a look at the highlights of the Stormers clash with the Chiefs and be prepared to be amazed at some of the remarkable skill levels on display from both sides. In three instances spectacular tries were scored from turnover ball deep in the 22 with not a ruck to be seen as players ran the length of the field showing some extraordinary offloading skills. New Zealand teams continue to remain the dominant force in the competition but South African supporters can take enormous heart in the performances being put in by the Stormers, Sharks and Lions this season. South African rugby may be in crisis mode at the International level but at a provincial level they have managed to turn out three exceptional sides this season. Even the traditional laughing-stock of the competition, the Southern Kings, have put in some impressive displays of running rugby despite being dead last in the standings in their Africa 2 group, but are still managing to be ahead of the Sunwolves and Rebels in the overall standings.

For Australia though it is still lean times. Despite the Brumbies win this weekend they still are at best placed 9th overall. However, as the vagaries of the conference system dictate the Brumbies still will be guaranteed a playoff place no matter how far down they finish in the overall standings as the likely winners of the Australia conference. Japan’s Sunwolves may be languishing second from the bottom in the overall standings but they certainly put on a show against South Africa’s once mighty Bulls this past weekend. Lastly Argentina’s Jaguares’ strong start to the season came unstuck against South Africa’s Sharks and with a seemingly soft fixture against the out of form Bulls in Pretoria this weekend they will really need to up their game to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Six Nations

It was such a memorable and entertaining tournament this year that you’ll have to excuse us for taking one last look at it, especially as this is our last dose of Test Rugby till the Lions tour in June – so enjoy!

Super Rugby gets to the point where teams need to start making a statement; the European Champions Cup takes on a distinctly Irish flavor and we take a quick look back at the highlights of an epic Six Nations!

As you may recall we are taking a sabbatical from our regular weekly musings on International rugby until the end of May in time for us to spool up for the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in June. In the meantime we will continue to bring you the best of the action unfolding in Super Rugby and the European Champions Cup, based on our YouTube picks for the week.

This past weekend saw plenty of action in Super Rugby as well as some outstanding quarter-finals in the European Champions Cup. So here’s the best video summaries we could find as well as an excellent look back at an incredible Six Nations which we still can’t get enough of!

Super Rugby

Round Six saw the Australian teams enter crisis mode as they languish well behind all the other teams in terms of points with the exception of Japan’s Sunwolves. Despite middling form from many of the South African teams, the Stormers, Sharks and the Lions in particular are showing some promising form regardless of the stormy seas that South African rugby finds itself in these days. However, it is the men from the land of the long white cloud, New Zealand, who are continuing to dominate this year’s competition. The usual three suspects, the Crusaders, Chiefs and Hurricanes look to be unstoppable for the most part. Australian teams desperately need to find some form and some big points, while Argentina’s Jaguares remain a distinct threat along with South African sides, the Stormers and Lions. It’s still early days in the competition so for everyone except the Australian sides there is still some breathing room as we head into round 7 this weekend.

European Rugby Champions Cup

What an outstanding weekend of quarter-final action it was. Irish eyes are smiling as their two powerhouse sides, Munster and Leinster comfortably secured semi-final berths while English giants Saracens made sure that Glasgow’s impressive run this season sadly ended on a whimper. In France, Clermont and Toulon did battle to determine who would represent France. Still this year’s competition has suddenly developed a distinctly Irish tinge to it and the semi-final clash between Saracens and Munster at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin is likely to have all the intensity of the recent Six Nations clash there between the Irish and English national sides. This competition is very much alive and kicking this year with two mouth-watering semi-finals in prospect at the end of this month.

Six Nations

If you still haven’t had enough of this year’s epic then here’s two more trips down a spectacular memory lane!

Super Rugby continues to heat up in Round 5!

Super Rugby

Once more we provide you with the Tight Five’s excellent compilation of Round 5 action on YouTube. The competition is heating up with New Zealand’s Crusaders and Chiefs continuing to set the benchmarks. In the African conferences the Lions and Argentina’s Jaguares are really looking like forces to be reckoned with this year. Meanwhile the Australian teams continue to get off to a slow start but are likely to start building some important momentum as the tournament progresses especially when it comes to the Waratahs and Brumbies, and as you can see they certainly can produce some magical tries. It’s early days yet and there is still plenty of time for the lower ranked teams to pull their straps up. As a result the action is only going to get more intense – so keep watching!

The Six Nations wraps up in a blaze of glory as Ireland spoils England’s party and Super Rugby continues to heat up in Round 4!

Six Nations

It was a fitting conclusion to one of the best tournaments in years, that England should travel to Dublin in search of not only a Grand Slam, but a world record winning streak that would have seen them eclipse New Zealand’s run of 18 on the trot. Given Ireland’s ability of late to bring record winning runs to a short and dramatic halt, it was always going to be a tall order for England to make rugby history this time around, especially on Irish shores. Ireland despite injury concerns and last-minute changes, showed that they can still pull out all the stops to rain on anyone’s parade, and in an outstanding and passionate display in front of their home crowd that is precisely what they proceeded to do at England’s expense. The title had already been sown up by England, but there was no question that all eyes were focused on Dublin last Saturday, and unless you were an England supporter it is unlikely you would have walked away disappointed. Despite there being only one try scored, the intensity particularly from the Irish was off the charts and as a result it was a worthy end to a tournament that has left us breathless at times. The other matches over the weekend were equally important for the teams involved and their supporters, especially as standings were at stake in relation to the draw for the 2019 World Cup pools which is just over the horizon in May. In short, an epic final Saturday of Six Nations rugby which built to a nailbiting finish in Dublin.

England

In the end England were Six Nations champions, but there was no doubt that the loss in Dublin last Saturday took the shine off a successful Six Nations campaign. England had got the job done, but had often been lucky rather than convincing and rarely spectacular. It had been a workmanlike approach that ensured that they got results, but there had been far too many close calls. The opener against France saw them struggle to adapt at times and in truth they were lucky to get the win. Their next match against Wales wasn’t much better and had it not been for Welsh centre Jonathan Davies kick to touch not finding its mark in the dying minutes, England may not have ended up hoisting the trophy last Saturday in Dublin. In the match against Italy, England made a hash of the first half as they struggled to understand some fairly obvious Italian tactics leaving them to have to play catch up rugby in the second half. It was only in the game at Twickenham against a weakened and uncharacteriscally inept Scottish team that England really looked like a world-beating side. Still for the first four rounds they had managed to hold their composure to find the resolve to get results under pressure – a quality that their opponents often lacked. However, against Ireland it was a different story. The momentum was all about Ireland from the get go and while England seemed rudderless and leaderless for much of the match, Ireland were the opposite. It is this aspect of the game in Dublin that should concern English Coach Eddie Jones the most. Nobody really stood up in a white shirt in Dublin to take charge of the situation and without that quality when up against serious opposition, England’s aspirations for World Cup glory will remain purely academic. It was made all the more puzzling as England is blessed with a multitude of players who could take on that role, but none were in evidence on Saturday in Dublin.

In short, a successful campaign for England, but if they are really going to go toe to toe with the All Blacks in 2018 and beyond, then there is still plenty of work to do albeit with a stable boasting some of the most exciting talent in the Northern Hemisphere. England have shown they have the potential for greatness, the next two years are all about finessing it. In that respect, England should feel pleased with the progress they have made under Eddie Jones, but also take the loss to Ireland as an important and valuable measure of the work still to be done.

Ireland

Ireland must feel slightly disappointed that after such a heroic performance in Dublin last Saturday, it was England lifting the trophy and not them. Booked as joint favourites with England at the start of the tournament, they produced some epic performances but consistency, as it so often is, was once more their Achilles Heel and what would ultimately see them finish a strong second. Ireland have two problems it would seem, the first being consistency despite an abundance of experienced and up and coming talent, and secondly an inability to really score big points. Despite dominating possession last Saturday in Dublin, they were still only able to cross the English white line once in eighty minutes. They threatened on numerous occasions, but too often would just not complete that vital last phase. It is that lack of finishing, coupled to a seeming inability to string together five world-class performances in a row that is holding Ireland back from becoming a serious contender for Rugby’s ultimate prize the World Cup.

Irish Coach Joe Schmidt is a smart operator but even though he is seen as the Messiah of Irish Rugby, he needs to find some answers to the above issues and take himself out of his comfort zone. Ireland is blessed with some enviable depth as this last match of the Six Nations showed in more ways than one. The loss of influential scrum half Conor Murray seemed to have little if any impact as Kieran Marmion took his second Test start under the most intense pressure completely in his stride, as did his replacement Luke McGrath. The last-minute change required as a result of injury to seasoned veteran and number eight Jamie Heaslip if anything added extra fire and intent to the Irish effort in the shape of Peter O’Mahony. Schmidt needs to rely less on reputation and more on form. This last match showed that in abundance. If we were the selectors, the Irish back row would be a given, especially as it is doubtful that Heaslip will still be in his prime for the World Cup. The leadership qualities and inspiration that O’Mahony brought to his teammates was worthy of the great Paul O’Connell. For us the way of the future was clear in the back row – Stander at eight and O’Mahony and O’Brien as flankers. Heaslip still has some valuable service left to the Irish cause but an increasing investment in the future needs to be made now. Part of that equation is the development of Marmion and some of the other youngsters aspiring to half back positions, like Paddy Jackson, Luke McGrath and Joey Carberry, as well as giving lock Ian Henderson a much greater say in proceedings. The centre partnership of Robbie Henshaw and Gary Ringrose is a clear signpost for the future as well as more time in the fullback position for Jared Payne and youngster Tiernan O’Halloran.

The next year will be critical for Ireland, and the time to take risks and look less to reputation and more to form and the future has never been stronger.

France

France can feel more than happy with their third place finish, though had they beat England in their opening match, then so much more could have been on offer. Still compared to the wilderness years of the Phillipe Saint-Andre years, France are in a very exciting place once more. This tournament has showcased plenty of French flair and inventiveness with scrum half Baptiste Serin taking full marks in this department, although ably assisted by some exceptional backs in the shape of Virimi Vakatawa, Gael Fickou and Remi Lamerat. Add to that one of the most devastating and powerful forward packs in Test Rugby right now led by the extraordinary Louis Picamoles, and French rugby has once more catapulted itself back into Test Rugby’s higher echelons.

Coach Guy Noves has given this French team structure and consistency as well as a clear direction for the future. There is still plenty of work to be done, but the road map is now very well signposted and we firmly believe that France are going to be serious contenders once more for Six Nations glory in next year’s edition of the tournament. The sleeping giant that is French rugby has woken once more and the ride to the World Cup should provide us with plenty of excitement from the Men in Blue.

Scotland

At the end of the day, it is hard to understand Scotland finishing in only fourth place after such a bright start to the tournament, and three solid wins over Ireland,Wales and Italy. However, Scotland at home was a very different team to Scotland on the road. Nevertheless, they still managed to produce some of the most exciting rugby of the tournament which makes it all the more difficult to understand their fourth place finish. Scottish rugby has made enormous progress under outgoing Coach Vern Cotter in the last two years and his presence will be sorely missed. Furthermore, although Scotland is not quite blessed with the depth of up and coming younger talent that say England and Ireland are, the performances of players such as fly half Finn Russell and scrum half Ali Price will have given Scotland enormous hope for the future. The Scottish backs in this tournament were electric and often lethal, displaying some skills that were breathtaking at times. Their forward power was also nothing to sneeze at and the likes of John Barclay, Hamish Watson and the irrepressible Gray brothers all had plenty to say about what Scotland was capable of.

Coach Vern Cotter leaves behind an impressive legacy which his successor Gregor Townsend must ensure is built upon, as an exceptionally talented Scottish side seeks to carry their momentum forward with an eye to the big prize in 2019 in Japan.

Wales

Wales are another side who perhaps are struggling to understand why they find themselves so far down the standings in fifth place after the dust has settled on this year’s tournament. We share their confusion as Wales are blessed with some truly remarkable talent. However, under interim Coach Rob Howley, Wales impressed at times but rarely looked like making a statement. Based on some of their performances, most notably against England and Ireland, Wales should have finished much higher than they actually did. Wales were slow out of the blocks against Italy, made fools of by the Scots and had it not been for the boot of fullback Leigh Halfpenny, Wales would have had nothing to show for their efforts against France. They did look the better side for much of the match against England but at crucial times their execution and finishing skills were simply not there. Against Ireland they finally found their groove but just couldn’t repeat it a week later away from home. Like Scotland they looked poor on the road and only really seemed to rise to their game at home.

When they did click as in the match against Ireland, Wales looked like a great side but for the rest of the tournament, with the exception of the match against England, they were distinctly average and against Scotland truly awful. This is a very good team with some genuine world-class players, but one which is struggling with direction in terms of coaching. Interim Coach Rob Howley is clearly out of his depth in the modern game, and regular Coach Warren Gatland has become too set in his ways to allow his players to develop and adapt to the changing demands of modern-day Test Rugby. It’s been a tough year for Wales and it doesn’t look like it is going to get any easier in the near future, but make no mistake once they figure out their management problems, like France they are likely to be back with a vengeance.

Italy

Despite once more holding aloft the Wooden Spoon in this year’s tournament, it hasn’t been all doom and gloom for Italy. They have produced some spectacular opening forty minutes of rugby in this year’s Championship which left England and Wales in a real lather. Let’s be honest who would have predicted that Italy would be leading England at Twickenham at the end of the first half? Whatever you may think about the tactics, what new Coach Conor O’Shea has done is to get Italy to dream big once more again and occasionally convince both themselves and the rest of us that they could just pull off the unexpected. There is still a long way to go before Italy’s fortunes turn from pain to gain, but we feel they have made the right tentative steps in this tournament and as a result need to be given the chance to build on what they have learnt in the last year. While their last place finish will once again raise the spectre of the debate of their possible relegation from the Six Nations in favor of a country like Georgia, we still feel that enough promise was shown in this tournament that such debates should be shelved for one more year. If after next year’s Six Nations, no further progress has been made, then Italy will have to face the music whichever way it ultimately plays out. However, for now we feel that they have earned the right to some breathing space based on the work that Coach Conor O’Shea and company have done. The clock is ticking but we believe that Italy is finally in a position to answer their critics and as a result must be given a realistic time frame in which to do so.

To sum up, we’ll let you judge for yourselves through the official highlights of this final weekend of Six Nations action.

Super Rugby

Once more we provide you with the Tight Five’s excellent round-up of Round 4 action on YouTube. The competition is heating up with New Zealand’s Hurricanes, Chiefs, and Crusaders setting the benchmarks. In the African conference the Lions and Argentina’s Jaguares are really looking like forces to be reckoned with this year. Meanwhile the Australian teams continue to get off to a slow start but are likely to start building some important momentum as the tournament progresses especially when it comes to the Waratahs and Brumbies.

A change of pace and style for the Lineout for the next two months – but we’ll be back in time for the Lions Tour!

We’ll be taking a sabbatical from our usual musings for the next few months, as work, family and vacation commitments mean we will be spending infinitely less time than usual paying attention to the goings on in the rugby world. Instead we’ll leave you each week with the best of our trawlings on YouTube for the highlights of the weekend’s Super Rugby action and this weekend’s penultimate round of the Six Nations, spiced up with a few one-liner thoughts of our own on each.

The Six Nations

With the Six Nations for all intents and purposes done and dusted in England’s favour, there simply remains the final weekend to sort out the pecking order in what has at times been a roller coaster of a tournament.

England have clinched the title and all that remains is to see whether or not a second consecutive Grand Slam is in the making for them along with topping the mighty All Blacks world record winning streak of 18 games. However, apart from last weekend’s thrashing of Scotland they have not looked the awe-inspiring side that you think would come with such a reputation. Apart from the Scotland match, England have rarely looked like the side with the ruthless efficiency and consistency of their Antipodean rivals. They’ve been good but rarely spectacular, and only really allowed to shine when up against opposition sides that simply didn’t show up which this year has only been Scotland. Nevertheless, there is no getting away from the fact that 18 games on the trot is a remarkable achievement and genuine cause for celebration for England and their supporters. What has impressed us the most is England’s ability to stay the course and get the job done in the last quarter even when their starts on some occassions have been by their own admission poor. This is a team that knows how to dig deep better than any other right now when things are not going their way, and for us this has been the real testament to their character and success over the last eighteen months. Whether or not there will be enough in the tank to overcome a wounded and angry Irish side at home in Dublin remains to be seen but it should provide a thrilling and fitting end to a fascinating tournament.

The main pretenders to the throne going into the tournament, Ireland, have for the most part had a poor Championship by their high standards. Their ongoing inability to score tries remains a major impediment to any kind of consistent success, the only exception to this being in the Italian match where just like England against Scotland they were faced with an opposition that simply didn’t show up. Despite their talents, serious lapses in concentration by Ireland, as evidenced in their opening game against Scotland, have meant that ultimately this side has promised so much but once again delivered very little. Their final match of the tournament in Dublin against England this weekend should be plenty of motivation for them to make a statement that when it comes to breaking winning streaks, you’d be hard pressed not to back their chances after they managed to end New Zealand’s party last year.

Wales have also struggled with consistency and a lack of finishing skills at key moments, the most notable being in the match against England. However, as evidenced by their demolition of Ireland this past weekend and almost knocking England off their perch last month, Wales have had moments of intense brilliance. Had Wales actually managed to beat England in a match they should have won, we would be telling a very different story of their fortunes in a tournament which few predicted them to do well in. The final Test in Paris against a resurgent French side will be a final obstacle of monumental proportions, but you sense there is a change in attitude in the Welsh camp after last Friday’s heroics in Cardiff.

Scotland have had the Cinderella tournament of all the teams and the resurgence of Scottish rugby has been very heartening to see after the many years in the wilderness up till now. Until the England game they were having a stellar Championship, and despite the total and humiliating implosion at Twickenham last weekend, Scotland are once more a force to be reckoned with. How this momentum is carried forward once their remarkable Coach Vern Cotter leaves at the end of this tournament remains to be seen, but there is more than enough talent in this Scottish side to cause any of the big sides some serious concern. With a relatively easy game against Italy at home to finish the tournament they should still finish well on the table.

France have burst back onto the Six Nations stage with a vengeance and although the results may not quite back up this argument with only two wins, they have still looked exceptionally promising especially in terms of their ability to compete for the silverware in next year’s tournament. The past year has been a very successful rebuilding process under Coach Guy Noves and France have provided plenty of warning signs of where they are going and the increasing threat they will pose. Possessing a punishing forward pack and a set of backs that are increasingly causing us to reach for the caps lock on our computers when we type the word flair, France are only going to get better with each successive outing. The final game against Wales will provide a fitting glimpse into the character of this French side and how far they have come.

Italy have surprised us at times. They have also given some weight to the argument that under new Coach Conor O’Shea they should at least be given the time frame of 2 years to see what progress they can make before the debate over whether or not a relegation system should be introduced to the Six Nations, which would allow up and coming European nations, like Georgia in particular, a crack at European rugby’s most cherished prize. We side with the argument in favor of more time, but also that it cannot be indefinite as it has in the past. Rugby is reaching out to a far bigger audience these days and Italy have to recognise this and produce results. There is no lack of spirit and heart in Italian rugby and Conor O’Shea certainly seems to be pointing his charges in the right direction. It’s still very early days but Italy has managed to produce some real quality rugby in the opening forty minutes during much of this Championship and it is for this reason we feel they need the benefit of the doubt for another year at least.

Here are the official video summaries of the action from last weekend.

Our predictions for this Saturday’s final round!

Scotland vs Italy

After the horror show that was the match against England, Scotland have a relatively easy game against Italy at home in Murrayfield. They should be back to their try scoring best and as a result should get a healthy points haul over Italy winning by 20 points and hopefully seeing them finish in the top three on the table.

France vs Wales

Very hard match to call but one in which we think Wales will find it hard to repeat their heroics of last Friday in Cardiff against Ireland. France at home have looked good and are getting more dangerous with every outing. It will be close, but France ultimately by five to put a fine point on a Championship which has seen the Gallic giant rise from its slumber of the last four years.

Ireland vs England

The weather is predicted to be foul and as a result it should favor Ireland’s tactical grind led by the Irish half back partnership of Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray, especially at home in Dublin in front of an exceptionally vocal crowd. The rivalry between these two sides is always something special and when England has both a Grand Slam and a world record on the line, Ireland will have even more impetus than normal to rain on their parade. As a result of the weather and home advantage we feel that Ireland’s continuing inability to rack up five pointers with any degree of consistency is unlikely to be that much of a hindrance on Saturday. If they can withstand the physical punishment England will serve up, Ireland should make marginally better use of the conditions and derail the English record machine by two points in a very tight contest with emotions running full throttle on both sides. What a prospect!

Super Rugby

As the Six Nations wraps up this weekend all eyes will shift South of the Equator to this year’s Super Rugby Championship, especially with the mouth-watering prospect of a Lions tour to New Zealand in June. Just like last year, New Zealand sides are looking unstoppable. However, from what we’ve seen so far this year there are glimmers of hope once more in South African rugby and the Argentinian franchise the Jaguares are showing more of the promise they were supposed to have offered last year. It still looks like it is going to be a long and painful season for the Japanese side the Sunwolves, and Australian rugby still looks slightly less than inspirational. Still it’s early days yet and as these three videos show this tournament still showcases some exceptional skill levels across all the participants.

We’ll continue each week to serve up the best YouTube summaries of the weekend’s Super Rugby action and sprinkle in the odd few sound bite thoughts of our own until our various commitments allow us the luxury of devoting more of our free time to our glorious sport come May. Till then sit back and be mesmerised by both the speed and skill that this tournament puts on display courtesy of The Tight Five on YouTube.