Crusaders v Blues
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Just watched most of this so posting without reading thread. Can't believe how dumb Blues play. Leadership and game plan seem heavily flawed. How is Leon wanted by Razor?
But Choat was immense and Sullivan and Riccitelli were very good too. Beauden was horrid in first half but good in second. Christie pretty good. Some AB's are way out of form though. Clarke was horrid on defence and lacked skills. Rieko more noticeable for errors than good things. Sotutu and Ofa have lost their impact value.
Solid from Crusaders. Ennor was my mom. Mounga Williams and Faingaanuku all had great impact and Jordan was always a threat. -
Certain individual Blues players everyone seems to be complaining about in this thread were on a team that defended for most of the first half and had a team plan to kick away ball every time they received it.
Then in the second half they were chasing a game which was in reality already won.
I'm not sure we can take too much out of this game. For example, Sotutu got through a bunch of defence, the stuff people usually hype on here, but because he's seen as an attacking player it seems to be undervalued when he does it. Meanwhile Grace made half as many tackles as one of his fellow lossies and one of his locks, turned over the ball 4 times if ESPN stats are correct, yet is being lauded mostly due to his "flashy" running. No this is not an attack on Grace, he's still a good player.
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A very physical game which lacked any great flow,but kept my interest because of its importance.I think the resurgent Crusaders were always going to win this,and the Blues losing a man for 20 minutes didn’t help their cause.
Of the back lines in the comp I think the Chiefs is the most creative,am I right in saying they play deeper hence are running at speed towards the defence with more time stepping and sometimes passing back to a second line of attack.?It came a little unstuck against the Reds,but generally very classy.The Blues attack in comparison disappoints.
Must say what a marvellous display of determination and guts from Adrian Choat,take a bow you have played bloody well all year.I’m picking a Crusader Chiefs final,and at Hamilton favour the Chiefs. -
Just in case anyone missed it (the 4 officials somehow did).
This directly lead to crusaders only second half try.
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Just in case anyone missed it (the 4 officials somehow did).
This directly lead to crusaders only second half try.
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@KiwiMurph Line ball, I'd call that OK.
*Blues supporter, BTW
@Machpants How is that line ball? I'm not talking about the pass. How is that not a knock on? Tamaiti reaches back with his hand and then the ball is lost forwards. It's near impossible for that to be anything other than a Crusaders knock on.
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Just in case anyone missed it (the 4 officials somehow did).
This directly lead to crusaders only second half try.
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@Machpants How is that line ball? I'm not talking about the pass. How is that not a knock on? Tamaiti reaches back with his hand and then the ball is lost forwards. It's near impossible for that to be anything other than a Crusaders knock on.
@KiwiMurph D'oh I thought you were talking about the pass haha
Carry on, nothing to see here
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It was maddening, as Paps was pleading with them to check it.
Both should get a rest, that is exactly why we have a video ref.
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Now the anti-Blues crowd have vomited up their glee, here’s my two cents.
Crusaders are the best finals football team in the country, they cranked up the intensity to 11 and applied the blow torch. Going to take something special for them not to win again, clear favourites.
I was actually pretty happy with what I saw from the Blues. In years past we would have collapsed under that sort of pressure, instead our defence was incredible. Huge performances across the field, real excellent team culture and calmness. Forced a lot of mistakes from them.
As for the attack, after the first 30mins with the tackle count at 75-2, fatigue was clearly a factor. Once we got the red card, the contest was effectively over. Pretty pleased to not concede any points after the red card, and after that volume of tackles.
Don’t need to mention the obvious knock on for the try.
Very enjoyable game to watch, casualty ward must have pretty full for both sides.
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Just in case anyone missed it (the 4 officials somehow did).
This directly lead to crusaders only second half try.
@KiwiMurph said in Crusaders v Blues:
Just in case anyone missed it (the 4 officials somehow did).
This directly lead to crusaders only second half try.
Much like the accidental off side that was missed when the Saders played the Chiefs a couple of weeks ago. Very poor from the officials.
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D Duluth forked this topic on
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I thought Ofa was really good for the Blues. The scrum was good and his defense was massive.
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@Jailbreak7 said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Steve said in Crusaders v Blues:
@KiwiMurph said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Canes4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
That is exactly why I don’t want Clarke to be on the wing for the ABs.
Yep i'm a Clarke fan but you can't pick him
It's been one of the problems with the AB's under Foster. Too many players in the team who are error prone or erratic. They are not dependable. Playstation players.
Beaudy getting tackled over the dead ball line recently while dotting down for a try , Rieko dropping the ball over the line swan diving against Aussie, Akira/Frizell with tits for hands. All 3 Barrett brothers trying mad offloads, cross kicks and/or getting sent off. Clarke looking like a cross between Lomu and Arwell Thomas. Ardie playing for himself.
When you are carrying 5 or 6 headbangers in your run on 15 the law of averages dictates some moron is going to do something stupid.
I feel for Cane at times having to herd these cats around. There is no legislating for some of the dumb shit the team has been vomiting up on the park the last 3 years.
You miss the days of the stately pragmatists of Conrad Smith, Ben Smith, McCaw, Read et al. Doing the right things at the right time, every time.
I can picture McCaw in the sheds addressing some of these asshats.......
Double points for mentioning McCaw. One of the best posts I've seen in a while. Couldn't have put it better myself.
Is cat-herding even a thing..Neil Back tells an anecdote on YouTube about England in RWC 2003.
The team is all in the tunnel ready to walk out for the final and Martin Johnson turns around and looks down the line at his players. He was about to address them with one more rallying cry and then realised.... I don't need to say anything. They are all ready and know what they have to do.
Imagine Cane looking down the line at Akira, Sotutu, Clarke, Tuipolutu, Frizell, Beaudy, Scooter, Mo'unga, Havili etc
You'd be thinking to yourself "Jesus..anything could happen with this rag tag bunch of misfits".
@Steve and yet it took an Elton Flatley miss for them to win…
I loved MJ and that England side, but those stories tend to take on a life of their own 20 years later
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It didn’t affect the result but the TMO should be stood down for missing that huge knock on
@Duluth said in Crusaders v Blues:
It didn’t affect the result but the TMO should be stood down for missing that huge knock on
Other ferners have even gone to the press about it.
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/you-shouldnt-miss-something-as-blatant-as-that/
