Lions will use 'noise pollution' at All Blacks line-outs

Lions will use 'noise pollution' at All Blacks line-outs, admits George Kruis

Daily Telegraph UK

The British and Irish Lions intend to bombard the All Blacks line-out with extreme "noise pollution" in the first test on Saturday as part of their bid to overwhelm the world champions with a pressure game.

George Kruis, the England lock who is set for a place in the Lions starting XV said the tourists would "try anything" to gain an edge against the world champions - including several of their forwards screaming at their opposite numbers during an All Black line-out.

One of the striking features of the Lions game plan during their tour of New Zealand is several of their forwards, most notably England lock Maro Itoje, screaming just as their opponents are attempting to throw the ball into a line-out.

George Kruis, who is expected to be named in the second row alongside his Saracens team-mate Itoje, for the first test at Eden Park admitted the Lions were prepared to do all that it takes to disrupt the All Blacks line-out.

"You've got to put pressure on players somehow and that's one way of putting pressure on them," said Kruis when asked about the Lions vocal assault on their Super Rugby opponents ahead of the first test against New Zealand on Saturday.

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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11880529

 Normally no body can hear anything because so many wee abs are squealing to the ref all the ti me!!

I've seen it work in some games in the past played at Wimbledon where you also have to crowd noise to contend with. I'm not a fan of this nonsense but fans also boo the kicker these days so the old school ways of conducting yourself have changed.

 Its actually not a good thing. All one wants is a fair contest. 

 As much as it irks me to say it ... the English fans at Twickenham are the most respectful of the opposition of any stadium I have watched at around the world and that includes all the SA stadiums.

Strikes me that noise pollution at lineouts is akin to grunting in tennies....an ugly development.

Jaco Peyper had obviously been tipped off about this "noise pollution" and it was clear that he intended to do something about it but when he tried to tell the Lions to keep quiet, no-one could hear him. All quite comical I thought.