Zippy’s Player Ratings Lions vs Argentina
By Zippy
May 24 2005
My player ratings for Lions in the 25 all draw with Argentina. My first player ratings for the Lions and as usual marks out of ten for details read on.
15. G Murphy (5) – Solid under the high ball but didn’t want to counter attack, surely that is the point of him being on the field? 14. D Hickie (6) – Made some decent breaks, I can see him as a dirt tracker stalwart, only problem is how will he scare the NZ opposition? 13. O Smith (5) – Scored a try, apart from that offered little in attack, fortunately there is someone called Brian O’Drsicoll to fill in here. 12. G D'Arcy (4) – Offered so little, didn’t run an angle and looked so out of sorts, perhaps needs more rugby but on this evidence I wouldn’t bother. 11. S Williams (5) – Guilty of trying too hard, needs to balance his running with a kicks or he becomes too predictable. 10. J Wilkinson (6) – Kicked well I suppose, missed tackles, run laterally, wasn’t helped by his centres but he didn’t do anything to disuade his one dimensional critics. 9. G Cooper (5) – Poor distribution, wanted to prove something but just play your game Gareth. 8. M Owen (capt) (6) – Some decent touches, the pack didn’t win clean ball so he couldn’t be seen at his best going forward. 7. L Moody (4) – Headless chicken, gave away penalties. 6. M Corry (6) – Solid game, did a lot of work. 5. D Grewcock (7) – Lions MOTM, won great line out ball and got around without his giving away penalties or getting sin binned, has he grown up? 4. D O’Callaghan (3) – Did he play? 3. J Hayes (3) – Got beat up in the scrum by a hooker coming out of retirement, will be doing a lot of water carrying in the next few months. 2. S Byrne (6) – Line out throwing A1, subdued in the loose 1. G Rowntree (5) – Took a hiding in the first half in the scrum, didn’t do much in the loose. J White – Looks at animal, needs to keep his cool if he can a certainty to start at 3. C Cusiter – Neat and tidy S Horgan – One dimensional Lions 25 (16) Argentina 25 (19) Argentina: B Stortoni; J Nunez Piossek, L Arbizu, F Contepomi (capt), F Leonelli; F Todeschini, N Fernandez Miranda; F Mendez, M Ledesma, M Reggiardo, P Bouza, M Sambucetti, F Genoud, M Schusterman, J-M Leguizamon. Argentina players of note: M Ledesma – Superb performance for his country, so much pride and such a hard man F Todeschini – 100% Zippy View The first word I read about the performance was toothless and that sums it up for me, none of the players looked really up for it and seemed to be nursing themselves so they would be on the plane. On this evidence they will be on the plane but few of them will get near a test match field. I hope I’m proved wrong. Do you agree with me? Have YOUR say on the messageboard.
Replacements of note:
Tries: Smith
Cons: Wilkinson
Pens: Wilkinson 6
Tries: Piossek
Cons: Todeschini
Pens: Todeschini 6
Replacements: E Guinazu, L de Chazal, M Carizza, S Sanz, F Bosch, L Borges, L Lopez Fleming