Chiefs cane lame Lions
5 May 2012
RYAN VREDE watched another ordinary performance from the Lions in their 34-21 defeat to the Chiefs.
It would be remiss not to note an increased intensity from the Lions. Indeed the plethora of fundamental errors that have marked their performances to date were reduced. But those plus points should hardly be comforting if you are a Lions supporter. They are comfortably outweighed by flaws – tactical and technical – that continue to undermine their progress.
Again, much of their play happened well behind the advantage line and when they did attack the gainline they were too easily repelled. Their trademark lateral attacks followed, with flyhalf Elton Jantjies looking every bit as toothless as his mentor Carlos Spencer did when he was playing behind a losing pack. It’s pertinent to remember that this was a largely second-choice Chiefs pack at that.
The hosts’ changes meant they lost some synergy and lacked the fluidity they have exhibited to date. Their attacks were largely disjointed and they profited from their opponents’ defensive and tactical ineptitude.
Defensively they were off-point as well and often looked vulnerable when the Lions earned the right to play expansively through purposeful phase play. Thankfully, from the Chiefs’ perspective, that was an all too rare tactic from the Johannesburg franchise. And herein lies the frustration with these Lions. They look a competent outfit when they play the percentages, indeed appearing to be one capable of seriously testing superior teams. Instead they remain adamant in the belief that they can run teams ragged.
Two of the Chiefs’ four tries came from broken field situations after one of the many rudderless attacks from the Lions resulted in their runners being isolated and turning over possession. The Chiefs had jumped to a 20-0 lead within 25 minutes and then led 34-14 with the final quarter to come, having by that time secured their four-try bonus point.
The Lions bagged their third try (each well constructed) through a powerful rolling maul with just over ten minutes to play to reduce deficit, but they never at any stage looked like they had the capacity to mount a comeback of the magnitude they needed.
And so the Lions’ mediocrity continues and the arguments from those who advocate for their retention in Super Rugby grows weaker by the week.
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359 Comments
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5 May 2012, 15:08 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-246:
A jibe about drunkenness pales, is lightweight, when compared with one on racism.
And the immaturity tag you’ve earned, poppa, with a long litany of anti-SA posts and your contnued agenda to be the little irritant mosquito on a South African site.
You’re welcome, of course, but we’d appreciate it if you left your racism behind.
5 May 2012, 15:09 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-249: your banshee still not come home yet mate? hope she got herself tested, never know what she could have caught of you huh?
lmfao..
5 May 2012, 15:10 pm
@Joe Maher(Joe Maher)-251: still no mention on HG’s racism mate? why is that, best you practice what you preach and call all up on it, or is it that white supremacy thing happening here?
5 May 2012, 15:11 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-252: terrible post. One which went a little too far and I’d be ashamed if I were you.
5 May 2012, 15:11 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-248:
So branding a group of people ‘white supremacists’ is ‘perceived racism’, huh?
Yeah, right, ‘perceived’…
5 May 2012, 15:11 pm
HG is a honorary “bluff boy” in my book.
5 May 2012, 15:11 pm
Anyone watching the 7s? Kiwis are playing now.
5 May 2012, 15:12 pm
@Te Rangatira(Te Rangatira)-244: Nope… only short little fat “not very bright” ones…
5 May 2012, 15:13 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-254: really, when he mocked my mothers death a month after it, you never mentioned a word? so fck you… this is my whole point, but that too will sail over your thick skull wont it?
5 May 2012, 15:13 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-256: played rugby on the Bluff once. Then had an ice cream at Anstey’s.
5 May 2012, 15:13 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-249:
A arse-hole in a sharkskin jacket.
I give you HG.
5 May 2012, 15:15 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-253:
I don’t condone Heaven’s Game’s Maori take.
But what makes you better than HG, with your ‘whiote supremacist’ rubbish.
Admit it, it was a racist comment, just as HG’s was.
And there’s no ploace for racism, from whatever quarter it comes.
I’m awaiting your obfuscation, yet again.
5 May 2012, 15:17 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-259: Poopy your stock defence appears to always be “why are you turning a blind eye to XYZ’s [alleged] post which [supposedly] caused my [below the belt] response”.
Two wrongs don’t make a right Poopy. If, as you are at pains to point out, you are on the receiving end why not be the better man and rise above?
Otherwise when you are the one doing all the repetitive insult slinging time and time again YOU just come across as a bit of a one-tracked bitter person.
5 May 2012, 15:17 pm
Sorry Spooner,you are still considered a “town clown” then.
HG played a couple of games more against us.
5 May 2012, 15:17 pm
@Joe Maher(Joe Maher)-262: yet you remained silent on HGs racism and took me to task on mine.. it was only once I mentioned his that you thought it wise to say something???? wtf?
do you not see the hypocrisy in this very fact alone?
5 May 2012, 15:18 pm
Piri Piri Poppers69…
The “Brave” Chicken…
Feathers flying
Puk puk puk pkaarrk
5 May 2012, 15:19 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-256: Ruff and Tuff
5 May 2012, 15:19 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-264: eish. Not very welcoming are you lot?
5 May 2012, 15:20 pm
Ruff and tuff when you come from the Bluff.
5 May 2012, 15:21 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-267: hahaha I heard you banshee was getting it from GBS now? so she upgraded? LMFAO!
5 May 2012, 15:21 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-265:
Obfuscation, as I suspected.
I was, still am, in conversation with you, I have not been in conversation with HG this evening.
I am having a debate with you, had started it long before HG entered stage right, and am pushing you for an answer to my many very valid questions re: your racist remark.
You won’t answer because you know it was/is racist.
End of story…and no game or smokes and mirrors will change that.
Whatever floats your boat.
5 May 2012, 15:24 pm
@Joe Maher(Joe Maher)-271: yessir, I cant answer because Im too drunk to even say my own name remember mister adult?
again, why, if you see another case of racism do you remain silent, is it because HG is SA and Im a kiwi?
is that the problem?
thought so…
have fun hypocrite..
5 May 2012, 15:25 pm
more obfuscation from Poopy, more of his stock defence. Yawn.
5 May 2012, 15:25 pm
Sorry Ryecatcher.
5 May 2012, 15:27 pm
He has denied his heritage and lives in Australia.
What’s the fuss
5 May 2012, 15:28 pm
Can someone explain my “racism”…
A short fat incestuous maori with a reading problem is descriptive and particular…
It is not a generalisation.
Understand ?
5 May 2012, 15:28 pm
Fern @ 264 HG@267
Did either of you play for Harleqins(Bluff side)?
Predominantly a soccer area.
5 May 2012, 15:29 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-272:
You just don’t get it, do you. I’m not in conversation with HG, I was not aware fo his comment un til you brought it to my attention as I don’t read all comments, tend to focus on those I’m in dialogue with.
No, will you answer my questions, as I supect you’re not a teenager or young adult so probably don’t fall into the mindlessly drunk Kiwi category?
I’m waiting…
5 May 2012, 15:30 pm
Sharks kick of in less than 2 hours.Why no thread?
5 May 2012, 15:30 pm
Nobody is right, if everybody is wrong.
Popps ain’t no racist.
And You you fkkers know it.
He IS GUILTY however, of painting some South Africans with a stereotypical sweep of his brush.
And to be fair…………………………………….the stereotype does exist.
5 May 2012, 15:31 pm
Odds on when the Fat Maori nervous breakdown and chicken run happens this time…
1 day 10/1
1 week 5/1
2 weeks 3/1
1 month evens
Yeah?
5 May 2012, 15:32 pm
@Joe Maher(Joe Maher)-278: so there is no section of SA society that still believes in white supremacy Joe? is there a reason that SA rugby has to have “Quotas” ??
is that so it appears as though it is not a “whites only” sport?
please enlighten me…
5 May 2012, 15:33 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-282: stop deflecting Poops and answer the question……..
5 May 2012, 15:34 pm
@ryecatcher(ryecatcher)-277: Fernly did… I have played against them a few times… and suspect I may have played against Fern…
You dont come out of the Bluff alive… sometimes…
5 May 2012, 15:34 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-281: odds on that the Banshee is the happiest she has ever been huh?
she finally woke to her senses and realised…
god bless her..
5 May 2012, 15:34 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-276:
Not really, HG, as the fact that he’s maori is beside the point. I don’t know him, what he looks like, how he behaves, but if you do, surely it would have been quite enough to describe him as “a short fat incestuous individual with a reading problem”?
In my book, you owe him an apology, just as he owes us one.
5 May 2012, 15:35 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-283: once you answer mine in reference to your silence when Hg thought dead mothers was all fair game? you seem to have deflected then?
pot kettle, hypocrite…
5 May 2012, 15:37 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-287: another deflection…. stock Poopy defence…
5 May 2012, 15:37 pm
Situation normal.
All fuckedup!
This is totally puerile.
And that goes for every single sorry sad sack silly sucker.
5 May 2012, 15:37 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-282: you don’t have enough hours left in your life
5 May 2012, 15:38 pm
Never even saw HG’s comment. I don’t visit every day and read every comment. So I can’t comment.
I saw yours though. Can I have your answer please?
5 May 2012, 15:38 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-276:
Hearing you…..I don’t consider you a racsist…… Everyone chasing their tail
5 May 2012, 15:39 pm
NO PROBLEM DAWN.
WE WRINKLIES CAN BE TERRIBLY PEDANTIC.
STILL ADMIRE YOUR “LESS = MORE”
5 May 2012, 15:40 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-291: defelct away mate, so because you didnt see the comment its okay is it? bit like the fact you never read the comment that started this whole shitfight, just waded straight into me when you seen my response..
what does that say about you?
5 May 2012, 15:40 pm
@IAAS(I am a stormer)-289:
And we all know it Stormboy.
We all know it.
5 May 2012, 15:41 pm
@Joe Maher(Joe Maher)-286: He is maori… Whether you like it or not…
5 May 2012, 15:43 pm
Ah poopy you are evenn worse than Transie when it comes to getting a simple, straight answer.
and round and round we go…
5 May 2012, 15:44 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-296:
And you are a Knunt ………………………………………….whether you like it or not.
5 May 2012, 15:46 pm
@cane(cane)-298: wouldnt bother with him, hes back to slapping it now that the banshee is spreading it for others…
5 May 2012, 15:49 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-282:
I’ll happily answer you, in the hope that you might be generous enough to finally answer me.
Yes, there is a section of SA society that still believes in white supremacy, just as there are white supremacists in countries the world over, in NZ too, I would supsect, certainly in Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, Zimbabwe, the list goes on.
Rugby in South Africa is not a “whites only” sport, enormous strides have been made in recent years and most level-headed South Africans of all hues embrace the non-racial thrust. They want the best players to represent the Boks, regardless of colour, creed or any other ‘definer’.
Quotas, unfortunately, are a political creation, to satisfy politicians more interested in counting heads and being satisfied that the ‘rep[resentation’ meetins thier political agendas. Quotas are fundamentally racist as they make selections on grounds other than merit, thye make them on grounds of race. What really needs to happen and is happening as society changes, is that everyone who wishes to play the game is given the opportunity, the facilities, the coaches (level playing fields, as level as they can be in a bumpy world) to play, to the very best of their ability. Then the very best, regardless of their skin colour, get selected for the national side. If it’s made up of 15 whites because they’re the best 15, so be it; likewise 15 blacks.
And you can bet a merit selected side will enjoy the support of the overwhelming majority of South Africans.
Happily, a non-racial Bok team is the reality, and will increasingly become so as there are many talented youngsters of all races capable of making the side – on merit. That’s great for us, scary for our rivals. We’ve pretty much kept pace with them with just a small percentage of the entire South African population playing the game; imagine how we’ll go when the game’s influence and spread is so much greater?
Over to you, poppa.
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