The "other" round 3 Super Rugby games
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So last year, the Lions sent their B team to Argentina and lost to the Jaguares. Now, their first choice team is playing and is on its way to a bigger loss. From the first two rounds I got the impression that the Lions are not as good this year as last year. But have the Jaguares improved? I'm inclined to think so, but it may be too early in the season to be sure. It's 36-12 to the Jaguares after 62 minutes.
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@Stargazer said in The "other" round 3 Super Rugby games:
That was a strange call from the ref, but not a similar situation to some of the other "taking a player out in the air" decisions. Should have been yellow to Sanchez.
Apart from that, the Jaguares are deservedly ahead in this game; 21-7 at half time.
He got out of trouble because he mistimed it. That excuse never works when players are taken out in the air.
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@Sapetyvi said in The "other" round 3 Super Rugby games:
@Stargazer I don't think that Lions team was the strongest they have, no Mapoe, RjvR, Jantjies, Mostert, Ackerman jr, Kriel on the bench, now I don't know how many changes were injury reinforced but definitely not the A team.
The only first choice players in the Lions starting side were Andries Ferreira, Warren Whiteley and Courtnall Skosan.
Missing from starters were Jacques van Rooyen, Malcolm Marx, Julian Redelinghuys (might never play again) or Ruan Dreyer, Franco Mostert, Jaco Kriel, Ruan Ackermann, Faf de Klerk, Elton Jantjies, Rohan Janse van Rensburg (the one guy the Lions can't play without), Howard Mnisi, Andries Coetzee & Ruan Combrinck.
But the Lions won't be the side they were last year regardless.
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@cheetahsBO Are all those players injured? What happened to Redelinghuys?
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@cheetahsBO Marx and de Klerk were on the bench last weekend too. Isn't Combrinck long term injured?
All in all, it is stupid to go to Argentina with nothing short of the best you have available and expect to win. Of course the Lions can probably afford to lose this one and still go to finals.
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@Sapetyvi Not sure how you don't try win every game especially at the start of the season but I suppose he's also looking at putting pressure on the guys who will replace the current first choice players once they all head to France or Japan.
The Lions fall apart and may well have lost even if they sent all their available players. Rohan Janse van Rensburg is too important a cog for them and they look half the team without him.
So make it a throwaway game and then back yourself to convincingly beat your division rivals Sharks twice and you're still through.
And can't remember about Combrinck but he's a massive loss in terms of personality on the training pitch and on game day apparently. Chatter chatter and has a high tempo. The sort of players you need to play entire games at said tempo.