Otago 19 Lions 30

well unexpectedly this morning i got a free ticket to go with Dave Hawkes, Mike and JC to the game so that was a bonus.. have taken lots of pics which i'll upload tomorrow when i'm not so tired..

what an atmosphere.. never seen anything quite like it.. when u've got English, Irish, Welsh and Scottish fans altogether it makes one heck of an atmosphere.. Lions cheering, singing, they're the best fans ever.. it was a sea of red and British flags with their football clubs, and their hats.. lots of men though.. there were gals but they were much older.. might get a bit better in Christchurch.. ah the dream..

and the game was pretty good.. both Otago and the Lions played pretty well, but ultimately, Otago's lack of width prob let them down, and the Lions did play much better at the breakdown than they ever have on tour, and dominated the 2nd half.. now the men behind the breakdown are usually like the voices behind the Simpsons.. they should get all the credit but just seem to get on quietly with the job.. and maybe that's why i dint quite notice that Ryan Jones had a superb game, apart from the try.. he must have been the reason why the breakdowns were suddenly so effective..


the backs were effective if still lacking cohesion.. Charlie Hodgson had a fine game and should be in there.. def ahead of the erratic Ronan O'Gara.. Shane Williams.. what skill.. and pace.. superb try he scored.. but with that size, can he make it against big men like Rico Gear and Sitiveni Sivivatu.. not too sure, and that's why he should rather be an impact player, with Tom Shanklin and Gareth Thomas on the wings if the Lions want that bulk and solidity on the wings, and in the 2nd half, just to add some skill to the game..


what abt Otago? Nick Evans and Craig Newby made their debuts for Otago.. even though it dint feel like they were newcomers thanks to their roles within the Highlanders.. but all of them were outclassed by the Lions.. their scrums were definitely second to the Lions.. Mapasua and Lee had p good games.. Donnelly and Levi were solid at lineouts.. what prob killed them was their handling and territory.. all in the 2nd half though.. in the 1st half they def looked like beating the Lions..

and i should prob add a lack of depth on the bench.. just unable to bring on quality players like the Lions to replace those who did the job..

so to Invercargill.. the roadshow rolls on.. Invercargill is gonna be much noisier than it usually is..