Crusaders v Blues
-
@Chris said in Crusaders v Blues:
Looks like a sell out for this game.
Nice! Is the weather as shit down there as it is here (we just had hail)
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Chris said in Crusaders v Blues:
Looks like a sell out for this game.
Nice! Is the weather as shit down there as it is here (we just had hail)
Sunny 14c atm,
Looks good for Saturday -
Blues have yet to win against another top 4 team this year (Chiefs away loss, Brumbies neutral ground loss, Crusaders home loss).
@KiwiMurph said in Crusaders v Blues:
Blues have yet to win against another top 4 team this year (Chiefs away loss, Brumbies neutral ground loss, Crusaders home loss).
See, definitely not favourites
-
on paper the blues deserve to be strong favourites
-
@Chris said in Crusaders v Blues:
Looks like a sell out for this game.
Nice! Is the weather as shit down there as it is here (we just had hail)
@Kirwan Pissed down this morning but meant to be nice for the next few days.
I worry about our tight 5 personally. It's an area the crusaders will target and could be a major Achilles heel for us.
-
@mariner4life Our front row has been a real weakness this year, especially with Hodgman out and Eklund out of form.
Crusaders are solid favourites at the TAB:
Crusaders $1.47
Blues $2.70 -
@Stargazer said in Crusaders v Blues:
The Crusaders are still missing way too many players to be favourites (particularly Newell, Whitelock, Blackadder and Reece as starters, and Bower on the bench).
Hodgeman, Laulala and Perofeta out for us. Both sides are affected by injuries.
Where's your normal Crusader confidence?
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Stargazer said in Crusaders v Blues:
The Crusaders are still missing way too many players to be favourites (particularly Newell, Whitelock, Blackadder and Reece as starters, and Bower on the bench).
Hodgeman, Laulala and Perofeta out for us. Both sides are affected by injuries.
Where's your normal Crusader confidence?
Take your blinkers off mate, look at the Crusaders current back-row options, they are easily the worst of the NZ franchises, 3 guys in that 23 would not even make Landers' 23 (Christie, Lo-Willie, S.Havili), they have a development player on the bench (Sykes-Martin) and a largely patchwork midfield and backline.
-
Their starting halfback is a journeyman who wouldn't make the wider squad of other NZ sides & their replacement halfback is a 19 year old. Leon's Blues ought to be firm favourites and you know it mate.
-
Definitely a big choke if the Blues don't comfortably win it:beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:
-
Definitely a big choke if the Blues don't comfortably win it:beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Crusaders v Blues:
Definitely a big choke if the Blues don't comfortably win it:beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:
Lol! There it is.
-
Gardiner injured or paying the price for a slightly disappointing few games at 6?
-
@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
The Blues should have an advantage in the scrum once the props are replaced.
I think that's the plan for Akira as well, they want to finish strong.
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
The Blues should have an advantage in the scrum once the props are replaced.
I think that's the plan for Akira as well, they want to finish strong.
Why are they starting with Choat ahead of Akira?
-
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
on paper the blues deserve to be strong favourites
Not with the Crusaders home advantage and Jordan back.
lol scrambling for the underdog status is unseemly.
That Blues starting backline and bench is significantly better, and the loosies are very strong. The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
Not scrambling, being realistic. I don't think it's true that the Blues are favourites, and gave my reasons.
Do you not think Jordan is a factor, or home advantage?
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
Do you not think Jordan is a factor, or home advantage?
He's no R. Ioane, or even Caleb Clarke, I've been told.
-
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
The Blues should have an advantage in the scrum once the props are replaced.
I think that's the plan for Akira as well, they want to finish strong.
Why are they starting with Choat ahead of Akira?
@Frank said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
The Blues should have an advantage in the scrum once the props are replaced.
I think that's the plan for Akira as well, they want to finish strong.
Why are they starting with Choat ahead of Akira?
Because Choat is better with a higher workrate?
-
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
The Blues should have an advantage in the scrum once the props are replaced.
I think that's the plan for Akira as well, they want to finish strong.
Why are they starting with Choat ahead of Akira?
-
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
Do you not think Jordan is a factor, or home advantage?
He's no R. Ioane, or even Caleb Clarke, I've been told.
@nostrildamus said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
Do you not think Jordan is a factor, or home advantage?
He's no R. Ioane, or even Caleb Clarke, I've been told.
Please look up what "on par with" means. It'll help future conversations.
-
Suafoa has been one of the Blues best this year and he's also on the bench. Lay has been going better than Renata. They seem to be putting an emphasis on how the pack finishes the match.
@Duluth said in Crusaders v Blues:
Suafoa has been one of the Blues best this year and he's also on the bench. Lay has been going better than Renata. They seem to be putting an emphasis on how the pack finishes the match.
Yeah, Suafoa has been huge for us this year and with Lay being on the bench as well, it's clear what the strategy is.
-
@Frank said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
The Blues should have an advantage in the scrum once the props are replaced.
I think that's the plan for Akira as well, they want to finish strong.
Why are they starting with Choat ahead of Akira?
Because Choat is better with a higher workrate?
@Jailbreak7 it's more a tactical decision than one being better than the other as they are completely different styles of players.
I'd expect Akira to come on at around the 50 minute mark.
