QF - Lions v Crusaders

Stargazer

It's hard playing against Joubert.

KiwiMurph

Footage shows Lions clearly got that maul try down early - it just took forever for Joubert to call it. 
Looked like a home town call on the scrum though.

gt12

22-10 and the crusaders are pretty fucked. 
They've been screwed by a few calls, screwed by a good Lions team (important to remember that), and pretty fucking useless the rest of the time (missed tackles, dropped balls). 
I can't see them winning, but I guess I stay up and see.

Damo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="599449" data-time="1469287018">
How on earth did he give that scrum penalty? The overhead was clear that the Lions drove sideways. 
Then to give the try after 30 seconds of wrestling is a joke.</blockquote>
The only thing to ask at scrum time is which team is going forward before the collapse. 
That's it. No other considerations required.

Bones

Yeah Crusaders seem to be panicking a bit. Some silly stuff when they've had it a few phases, loose carries looking for the offload and no look passes to nowhere. I think they'll come back into it in the 2nd half. Calm heads needed.

broughie

Its half time GT12. It was always going to be a tall order. Take a sedative.

gt12

On All Black watch, not much to report - none have said, fuck, I'm an AB, I'll stand up and make an effort except for Whitelock and a few efforts by Read (he's also conceded two penalties). 
Luke fatass Romano is clearly trying to get himself out of the 4N squad with a shocking missed first up tackle (5 points) and a YC from a maul (another 7). To his credit, he has run well after his 10 minute break, but still too high to actually make any ground.

Chris B.

Couldn't have hoped for a worse start! Romano outstanding in that regard. :)
 
Lions looking hungrier than us - we're going to have to have to hope they run out of gas, because it's hard to see our bench winning it for us.

ACT Crusader

Haha the Lions pack angle in as a whole and Crockett is penalised. 
Romano and Macalai liabilities. 
Taufua has lost his punch. 
Richie started to get more involved ball in hand which is better to see. 
Lions rush defence good, we need to be a little smarter with the ball.

antipodean

Some patience is all they need. When they mounted some pressure they got a try. The difficulty will be fixing their defence. They're not taking guys to ground and that's when they're not falling off tackles.
 
Romano isn't bending the line on his carries either. If someone ran on his shoulder and he popped a pass, they'd probably waltz through.

Bones

Thought Crockett has gone ok - that tackle on Skosan was legendary.

Tordah

that was a bs penalty against Taufua

gt12

Taufua having a good game too. Penalized to start the half

antipodean

Seriously Joubert.

gt12

Seriously???

Chris B.

How many times is de Klerk allowed to knock the ball down, before he gets penalized - let alone carded?
 
That's four now.

ACT Crusader

This is better. Just be patient and the gaps will appear. 
Good offloading and support play.

Tordah

De Klerk seems to have made that his tactic ever sine the Boks vs Ireland game when he basically won them the game like that. Joubert not having his best outing, though he's been consistently mediocre since about 2015.

gt12

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="599467" data-time="1469288071">How many times is de Klerk allowed to knock the ball down, before he gets penalized - let alone carded? 
That's four now.</blockquote>
 
So long as he doesn't swim around a maul, then he's fucking gone!

broughie

Think the commentators are right. If the Lions go into their shell this will let the Crusaders back in it.

The Silver Fern

QF - Lions v Crusaders