Posté 28 juin 2005 - 13:09
Les notes du match:
Les Notes :
15 - Geordan Murphy. Didn't have much to do in defence, but was his usual penetrating self on his forays into the back-line. Nice quick hands throughout the game, and a beautiful double-step for his try. Tonight did not answer the questions about his abilities under the high ball though, but with Jason Robinson also suffering in that area, it is down to either Murphy or Josh Lewsey.
Rating: 7/10
2nd Test chances: In the mix, but probably didn't do enough tonight.
14 - Jason Robinson. Showed form and pace in flashes, but the ball didn't come his way too often. He also didn't go the ball's way too often either, unlike his counterpart on the left.
Rating: 6/10
2nd Test chances: Lewsey, Thomas, and now Shane Williams are all ahead of him.
22 - Mark Cueto (on for Robinson). Showed hunger and excellent strength in the tackle near the end, finishing off his two tries with much aplomb. He was also not averse to coming off his wing as well, which added a little extra to the Lions attack early in the second half.
Rating: 7/10
2nd Test chances: No.
13 - Ollie Smith. An enormous improvement on a fortnight ago from Smith in attack. Stood up well in the tackle, a couple of plumbline-straight running angles created breaks, and he found his supporters well. BUT, when Buckley came on for Manawatu, Smith's defence was exposed. If a club player can do that, what might Tana Umaga do?
Rating: 6/10 (defence cost him)
2nd Test chances: No.
12 - Gordon D'Arcy. Improved as the game went on, but D'Arcy simply looks as though he needs a holiday. Solid but unimaginative, and very hesitant in the opening twenty.
Rating: 6/10
2nd test chances: No.
11 - Shane Williams. If, as the substitutions at half-time seem to indicate, Woodward is planning on retaining Robinson, Williams would be forgiven for giving up and going home. A scintillating performance, with all the speed and deceptive strength he showed in the Six Nations coupled with a phenomenal work-rate. Came off his wing in search of the ball countless times, and rarely failed to make a difference. Five tries. What more does he need to do?
Rating: 10/10 - was going to be nine, but after that dive...
2nd Test chances: He must be there. Which means he probably won't be.
10 - Charlie Hodgson. Not as impressive as his earlier outings, but still a polished performance by Hodgson, especially the kicking from hand.
Rating: 7/10
2nd Test chances: No.
21 - Ronan O'Gara. His best game on the tour by miles. Not ever put under any serious pressure, but he kicked well, distributed superbly, and supported well, which gave him his tries. He is still prone to kicking too much though, however good those kicks may be.
Rating: 8/10
2nd Test chances: A possible bencher.
9 - Chris Cusiter. Again showed why he could make a difference. Fast in mind, zippy with his hands, and fleet of foot, Cusiter's substitution at half-time gave a real indication that he is about to get the call he has deserved. He has more of a physical presence than Peel too, and given that Henry has chosen the robust Kelleher, Cusiter may even take the number nine shirt.
Rating: 8/10
2nd Test chances: A cert for the squad, and a genuine chance for the starting line-up.
20 - Gareth Cooper. At last Cooper showed us what he can do! A couple of searing breaks, superb work with Owen, and quality distribution. Cusiter was hardly missed.
Rating: 8/10
2nd Test chances: No.
8 - Michael Owen. Must be a candidate for best hands of an international number eight in the game. If only he could provide some fearsome driving à la Dallaglio to go with it. On a day like this when his team are dominant he adds a new dimension, but he just can't keep it tight enough when he needs to.
Rating: 7/10
2nd test chances: Not with the Lions on the rack like they are.
7/19 - Martyn Williams/Neil Back. An interesting experiment to give him and Neil Back half a game each. Williams shaded it, simply by dint of being more mobile - although he had not played 80 mins of Test rugby three days before. Back offered more in the loose, but his opposition was ragged by then and experience showed. Back also frequently infuriates by getting in the way of the 8-9-10 channel. He scored a try by doing that, but against the All Blacks he would have been knocked back into the first Test. Williams should get his chance now, but there is another in the mix as well.
Ratings: 7/10 v 7/10
2nd Test chances: Probable / probable - but Lewis Moody also has a shout.
6 - Martin Corry. Efficient work from Corry, who laid to rest the ghost of his anonymous performance on Saturday. Plenty of support where it was required, and a couple of trademark surges.
Rating: 7/10
2nd Test chances: A possibility on form, but doubtful whether he will be asked to play three full matches in eight days!
5 - Donncha O'Callaghan. A mystery as to why he was taken off - we presume for freshness, as Shaw was playing better, but O'Callaghan gave a trademark workhorse performance in tight and loose. On Saturday's form, he was better than either Kay or O'Connell today.
Rating: 7/10
2nd Test chances: Possible - most likely to the bench.
18 - Brent Cockbain. Not at his best, but he is probably still a touch jet-lagged! Woke up a bit towards the end, and offered a little bit to the loose.
Rating: 6/10
2nd test chances: No.
4 - Simon Shaw. Another colossal performance from Shaw, who spent the whole day running and bashing like a loose forward. A superb run from his re-start catch displayed the dynamism blatantly lacking from the Lions pack on Saturday, and the kind of dynamism which might be New Zealand's undoing.
Rating: 9/10
2nd Test chances: He wasn't taken off, so presumably none. But he should be one of the first names on the sheet.
3 - John Hayes. Solid against unintimidating opposition, but is far too slow to be considered for the Test matches.
Rating: 6/10
2nd Test chances: No.
17 - Matt Stevens. One day he will be a Lions Test prop, but not on this tour. He still has to learn a few things in the scrum, and to get himself sent to the bin when his team was 90 points ahead betrays an astonishing immaturity at the top level which would cost dearly against the All Blacks. Effective in the loose though, and surprisingly fast.
Rating: 6/10
2nd Test chances: No.
2 - Gordon Bulloch. One can only surmise that his substitution was a possible attempt to keep him fresh for Saturday's game. Certainly he is keeping his form when all around him are losing theirs. Line-out throwing was - in the main - spot-on, and he was his usual industrious self in the loose.
Rating: 8/10
2nd Test chances: Bench at least.
16 - Andy Titterell. Bulloch wasn't really missed when he went off. Titterell's pace kept him at the forefront of things in the loose, and he was more than adequate at the line-outs.
Rating: 7/10
2nd Test chances: No.
1 - Andrew Sheridan. Great scrummaging all day long, but on the few occasions he popped up in the loose, he was exposed for being much too slow for the highest level. If he addresses that problem, he will go far.
Rating: 7/10
2nd Test chances: Not enough pace.
Man of the day: Shane Williams adds to Wales' growing pile of man-of-the-match accolades!