New Zealand vs British and Irish Lions: 2nd Test

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Ngani Laumape

British & Irish Lions: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 Sam Warburton (c), 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Courtney Lawes, 20 CJ Stander, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Ben Te’o, 23 Jack Nowell

Date: Saturday, July 1
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 19:35 local (07:35 GMT)
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant Referees: Romain Poite (France), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)

I see a lot of talk of the Lions getting more physical or targetting this or that All Black player. I hope that's just talk. Nothing wrong with their physicality last week while targetting a specific player is just asking for trouble. The one thing the Lions need to improve if they are to have a chance of winning is their composure and decision-making under pressure.

They had a few chances to score more tries in the first test but they blew most of those chances with a panicky last pass instead of being just a little more patient. The Lions look at their most dangerous as the phases build up so I hope we don't see them kicking it away to the dangerous All Black back 3 . . . although the selection of Jonathan S3xton makes me wonder if Gatland is seeing this the same way I am. Not sure how much ball is going to go beyond Murray and S3xton.

The other question mark is the Lions fitness compared to that of the All Blacks. Not sure it's the kind of thing you can really work on in just a week because you're risking fatigue so it may be the telling factor again. You can compete with the All Blacks (and all the other New Zealand sides for that matter) for 60 minutes but their superior fitness levels mean they tend to put teams away in the final quarter of the match. Gatland will have to manage his bench a bit better tomorrow.

Come on Lions, this is Last Chance Saloon!

For the good of the series I hope the Lions win this one, but unfortunately I am expecting the AB's to be even more settled which won't help the Lions any. Rooiter, your are 100% right regarding the impatience showed by the Lions. They were effective at phase play but lost patience and made silly mistakes. Although, they actually looked quite good on attack in broken play. Mostly though, they should get their tactical kicking organised. One would assume they have learned their lesson regarding aimless kicks to the venomous NZ backs, but for some irrational reason, the whole rugby world has continued to try this tactic against the AB's for 20 years with the same inevitable result, so who knows? Driving NZ back with kicks hoping to rely on solid defense to force a mistake just does not work. 
Unfortunately my Saturday won't allow me to watch the game, but here's hoping the Lions pull it off.  

At about the 50th min last week the Lions climbed aboard the the 3 zip tour bus. For all their hype and effort they just don't have 80 mins of focus, skill, physicality or fitness to compete.It would be great for us as spectators if they did take the second one keeping the series alive..but it just not going to happen. 

 probably the fitness difference btwin both teams is going to be bigger this sat ( and even bigger the last game),.... well, the fitness or the fatigue of the B&I Lions,... they are at the end of a very long season and these test matches are very demanding

unlike the first match, the weather could be a very influential factor,... the forecast for tomorrow is heavy rain and wind,... and with Sexton and Farrell starting, even more kick&chases can be expected,....
last week Dagg and B. Smith first (Barret once he took the FB spot) were in charge of competing for those kicks,... but who will go with Dagg tomorrow? Naholo is not very good at it and Ioane is very inexperienced (seemed he has good aerial skills but I didn't watch too much of him in this sense)

 ABF, yes I agree the ABs are not as strong as usual in terms of covering kick by the back 3. Dagg is great but the other two are questionable. Reed sometimes drops back to cover kicks but Naho lo and Ioane will have to do their job in that respect.

 ABF, yes I agree the ABs are not as strong as usual in terms of covering kick by the back 3. Dagg is great but the other two are questionable. Reed sometimes drops back to cover kicks but Naho lo and Ioane will have to do their job in that respect.

'Targetting'.... don't you mean 'targeting' Urinal? Here's the rule from info@future-perfect.co UK: .. 'Mistakes are also often made with ‘target’. This happens because it is thought to be like ‘get’ and ‘getting’, but it is not, as the natural stress is not in the same place. . This follows the standard rules exactly. It becomes just ‘targeting/targeted’, because there is usually no doubling when the preceding vowel is unstressed.' ..... Normally I'd assume you simply made a typo. But you did it twice, so you obviously are not aware of the rule. Glad to help.

Wehe, the "viscous" "neanderthall" with the bad "teath" is trying to get into the "cue" to become my secretary.

No thanks Moffie. My secretary either has to be good-looking or intelligent. I'm afraid you're neither.

Hope that doesn't "phase" you too much!

LMAO!

Doesn't 'phase' me at all.....you're the one who thinks spelling equates to intelligence. And you are the living proof that isn't true....still with 'targetting' I might have to reconsider. LMAOFY!

 Kicking away possession at the Cake Tin may well backfire ,the wind swirling around there takes the ball anywhere from arsehole to breakfast .As far as kicking for posts goes even Carter had to let Piri Weepu take the kicks for goal there its that quirky and requires someone used to the idiosyncrasies of the place.

 I felt that the Lions kicked away too much ball last week. 
They should have saved their high balls for this week. If it is windy and horrible the backs will have trouble getting clean takes. 
Some nice high balls from halfway into the opposite 22 might result in some greatcattacking scrums, or better.
Really want the ABs to lose this one to keep the series alive. Gonna suck if the last game's a dead rubber.
So I disagree with you somewhat on that one WD. Take note, this disagreement does not mean that I've declared you my sworn enemy for life. Haha cos the way the boards been going lately one has to make sure about these things.
 

 Go Lions stick to these arrogant kbbs! They thin k they are God's gift to rugby. POp goes the weasels! Bwahahhahahahahaha

 
Haaaahahahaaa ... yeah ... he gets his knickers in a knot rather easily and it seems to stay tangled for quite a spell.

I'm sure if you offer him a new pair of gumboots he'd be forgiving.

Just a thought.

Goooo Lionsssssss!!!!

 Lions drop ball and spoil very promising attack!

 GIVE SUNNI BILL A RED. T ERRIBLE TACKLE COULD HAVE KILLED THE LIONS WING.

 Y ES ITS A RED!

 I'd have been happy with a yellow untill Ayoub tried influencing the ref again. 

That was a shocker. Putting in his shoulder near neck area. Typical nz thuggery oaks. What say the kbbs!!!!!!!!!!!

 Goeie more Beeno.

 Beeno called sunni bill as being a weak link hahahahahahaha the guy is just a thug.Lions need to make this count as if they lose now it will be a big downer.
Penalty to Lio ns to level sores

 Morning gents.9-6

 More Xavi.9  all at half time. Could the wee abs be heading for defeat?

 Morning Db, atrocious conditions for rugby there.

 Lions still showing no dominance despite the numerical man advantage. 
Lions missed 0 tackles though. Granted nobody I running the ball.

 While a loss would be good for the series and outsiders I still think the AB's will rap this up today.

 Naas Botha agrees it was a red card. I told the kbbs they should give sunni bill the boot and play Fekitoa. 

If the Lions keep their discipline and don't pick up a yellow or red of their own then they'll win this one.
Come on Lions!!!

 Morning Rooinek
Hopefully,  but not if they keep scoring in threes. We know how the AB's can punish a team in the last few minutes.

Lions are being dumb - keep giving away silly penalties. Nothing so far to suggets they are certs to win this.wee abs lead 12-9

 Lio ns lucky Beaudy misses.

 Lions are throwing away this test. Last five penalties have been against them. Its now 15-9 to wee abs.I have to say I am disappointed at the l evel of play of the Lions forwards.

Looks to me Vinipoooolu is trying to sabotage the Lions  what he did to Barrat was so incredibly stupid. He wants the NZ to win. 

 Lions forwards are pap.

Lions score at last!!!!!!!

 15 against 14 and they couldnt string more than 2 phases together. 14 on 14 and it comes alive.

 This new Lions number 8 looks like a big improvement.

 I have seldom seen a test match been thrown like these Lions are doing today. Their discipline is appalling.

 Wee abs lead 21-14

 Laumape is a cannon ball.