The Leins vs NZ teams

Much is made of the Lions record against NZ teams. But the facts are not always as advertised. We played 8 matches against NZ teams and won 4....the points total was 239 NZ....235 Leins. And the Leins had an advantage, they played 5 of the 8 games at home. Taken together these facts suggest the Leins were an average to slightly below average franchize compared with NZ teams, greatly benefited by being able to rest their top players against the Jags and not travelling for the Quarters or the Semis. The 20 to 3 pasting they received in the final should have put their performance in better perspective and sounded a few warnining notes.....but the blue sky Leins press dogged us throughout this awful year..and frankly had a lot to do with our confusion.Not the Leins fault, but where was the mature judgement by our rugby press?

I think a large part of that hiding in the final was Jantjies not being able to handle pressure. You can be the best coach in the world, when a player in such a vital position suddenly folds under pressure, you are a little hamstrung. Granted, the coach should've identified that frailty in the player already, but in some games, one player really can cost a team a game, especially a fly half.  
As for the rest of your post, there is probably some truth in what you have stated, but one has to bear in mind how little Ackerman had to work with as far as resources and players were concerned. Yet he still achieved what he did. That has to point to effective coaching. Also, even if the Lions were only on par with the average NZ Super rugby side, there is nothing between their teams, so that basically means that being as good as the best or as good as the fourth best, is much the same thing.  

 and also should be taken into account the fact that the Qf and SF played in SA with SA refs (Joubert and Peyper) were win by the refs.
the QF game against the Crusaders was especially scandalous, Joubert made everything he could to gift the win to the Lions,... and he was succesful,.... the Lions only won thanx to his help,... one of the worst, onesided and bias refereeing I've seen,... scandalous

Assuming that those games were won by the refs, the stats without them would be completely different:

lions played 6 games against NZ team winning just 2 of them with a point total of 151 for the Lions and 184 for the NZ teams,... which is a more accurate approach for the comparison btwin the Lions and the NZ teams



by the way, why the hell SANZAAR not only gives some teams the field advantage completely undeservedly but they also appoint a local ref?,... that's a farce,... neutral refs should be appointed for the finals

 ABasquefan

Status: Senior player
Posts: 2068 RE: The Leins vs NZ teams
November 29, 2016, 15:26:51  and also should be taken into account the fact that the Qf and SF played in SA with SA refs (Joubert and Peyper) were win by the refs.

ABeenofan ?

 nothing to do with it, man,.....  I'm not crying the whole season blaming the refs for each lose of my teams,... or as beeno does blaming the refs for every lose of his teams (boks and stormers) and every win of the NZ teams (AB and SR teams),... but when there's a case such decisive and bias it deserves a mention,... and Joubert's refereeing was scandalous,... that's all

 What is clear is that the weak competition now provided by SA teams (SR & Test rugby) in turn weakens NZ teams. We need a competitive SH to hone our skills & toughness, the NH seems to have improved as shown in this EOYT tour so this is another problem NZ rugby will have to deal with.
The Lions were the best of the SA bunch but they were not good enough. I will admit they were fun to watch & give them full credit for developing and implementing a good style of rugby.

The Joubert who was NZ's 16th man at the 2011 RWC final? Surely not?

 nah, the refereeing of the RWC final was the paragon of impartiality compared with the Super Rugby QF,... and two very different stories

 So you reckon the ref was worth 17 points in the case of the Saders and 12 points in the case of the Landers. Seems a bit steep. My guess is you were done in by travel and altitude.