Crusaders 3 The Lions 12 10 June 2017 Marks Out of 10 and Summary

So much better and a very important win against a very good team. Defensively very strong indeed. Line out and close quarter forward work excellent too. Scrum very good initially albeit under more pressure as the game went on. Backs showed much more but just struggling to get over the line. Maybe panicking a bit too much and just the timing of the final pass and staying calm when opportunities present themselves.

Marks out of 10

Hogg 6 decent start, very unlucky and this would have been a really good game to test his abilities in a match of much higher quality

North 7 had a good match, very reliable and reads the game well. Would have been good if he had a bit more ball in hand. Perhaps needs to go searching for action a bit more but then again best he sticks to his right wing position than goes roaming too much (like Nowell does), good on the kick chase (as the pundits like to say)

Davies 6 a decent start and like Hogg, disappointing he had to leave as this would have been a good test for him

T’eo 7 very good, elusive, a very strong runner breaking tackles but just a ? over his distribution.

Williams 6 unlucky with his service, things just didn’t go for him. Affected his confidence a bit too as the game went on. I don’t see him making the test team

Farrell 8 top player in all respects, showed his versatility by moving to 13, good hands Touch kicking first class yet surprisingly missed a straightforward kick at goal and got dummied past on one occasion. Has to be in the test team

Murray 8 grew into the match after a slightly shaky start and by the end he was back to near his best, sniping around the fringes, playing with his head up and decent box kicking giving the Lions players a chance to compete. Head and shoulders above the other 9’s

Mako 8 awesome in all respects

George 8 showed very well

Furlong 8 excellent

Kruis 9 world class line out operator and prominent around the pitch. Has to be in the test team

AWJ 8 prominent in all respects in the line out and open play. Captained well.

OMahony 7 decent and a shrewd line out operator. Proving that he was a good pick to go on tour. Not to be overlooked

O’Brien 7 showed well. Alas for him he plays in Sam’s position but he didn’t let himself down and is definitely a contender, like Tupiric

Falatea 8 quality all round. Has to be in the test team as 8

Subs:

Watson 8 a genuinely good player who never looks out of place. Very elusive and a real danger man. Just wonder if his timing of pass should have put Williams in after a wonderful break. A strong claim for a test place quite possibly at 15

Sexton 7 much better in all respects, fully committed and playing for the team. As I wrote the other day, Gatland has to eat his words and play Sexton and Farrell

McGrath and Owens – not on for long enough

Itoje 7 – quality player, never lets anyone down

Stander 8 – such a strong player and made a big impact. A shame that he dropped one ball when we were attacking which reflected the general hesitancy / panic when getting close to the line