The Silver Fern

@tim said in Lions v Blues:

Nick Mallett on the game:

http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/details/lions-loss-is-worrying

Full credit to the Blues. They made 938m against 547 for the Lions. The Lions had to make 177 tackles and 86 for the Blues. The Lions missed 32 tackles against 12 for the Blues. The Blues made 208 passes to 110 for the Lions, so nearly twice as many, and they enjoyed 63% territory as opposed to 37%. Those are really dominant statistics in terms of metres made, forcing the opposition to tackle more and, in the end, it was the better team that won.

We were meant to end this game with no legs, but it was the Lions who ended up gassing because of how many tackles they had to make.

Although our bench did well, I'm wary of expecting them to repeat that feat, as they were given a pretty favourable situation to come into.

@rotated said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:

Deans made no demands and did not recruit his own assistants in 2008 with the Wallabies - famously he solely requested Lam himself as an assistant if he were the AB coach. Both had all the leverage to appoint brighter minds, but didn't see it as important. Many coaches don't when their ego gets in the way.

I've always thought that was a bit of bollocks, really.

Henry had an obvious advantage in that he could easily say he'd stick with Smith and Hansen. Unless Robbie had sounded out potential assistants - and that wouldn't necessarily be an obvious thing to have done, since he wasn't yet appointed - he wasn't really in a position to say "these are the guys I'm going to conscript".

@number9 said in Blues v Chiefs:

Our problems are in our midfield, Moala needs to be replaced you have the #1v Winger in the world and he gets no ball because Moala does not pass. Teams know that all they need to do is rush him because he aint passing the pill.

This is where Tana needs to make a big call and replace Moala or move Rieko to the Centres and play Nanai on the Wing, drop Collins to full back have Moala coming off the bench.

Your problems are way more than your midfield.

If that is all the problem is and it is so bad then the rest of the team did pretty well to overcome it and get within a score of winning.

When SBW is back then Moala becomes reserve. Your suggestion may well be the way they go as a stopgap though.

I notice the Whitelock stats don't include the turnover he conceded when held up like a bitch by Tuipolotu and ref ruled collapsed maul. Whitelock did nothing, Ioane was everywhere, especially helping out Collins with the high balls.

I really enjoyed this game, astounding to think it was the first of the season. Very even, very open, some cracking tries. In the end i thought the difference was the Highlanders elite players were just better. Aaron Smith is easily the best halfback in the world, and makes a massive difference to any side he plays for. Ben Smith was fucking handy as well, despite not being quite as sharp (understandable given his break).

For the Blues they were pretty close, but their formation, and how flat they are playing, isn't going to work with SBW jogging on to the ball. Those big midfielders need to be hitting the ball harder to hold defenders, or generate the momentum to provide offloads (not that the blues outside backs were sniffing around them). Pulu still slows down far too much of their ball as well. Highlanders just looked more settled, and better coached.

@bovidae yeah same as most places, bit daft really, I know the Whangarei Airport is often 6 or 7 degrees lower than in town.

Tuesday last week the 'official' temp was 26, but I was at a Funeral at Toll Stadium and the temp there was 35, my car told me it was 37 (which is usually about 2-3 deg higher than actual)

I expect the idiots that designed our flash bridge used that sort of data and the variance was only to about 25deg and then first summer it was complete, it wouldnt work as the metal expanded too much at 25deg.

Hell of a try. The SBW fella can be kinda useful when on the park.

@Bones Back when the Blues won in Christchuch. Needless to say it was a long time ago.

Did I miss comments on Chiefs scrum? Hames had Charlie F in real trouble a couple of times, something one doesn't often see. Laulala also seemed to shade Tu-ungafasi, who I thought didn't go badly. Pat T didn't show much. Neither did Bird, who was not amused when substituted on 53! Thought Blues loosies again were the more impressive. Cane seemed to me somewhat of a one man band.
Interesting that Crusaders top the table, with perhaps 9 All black forwards, but only two backs.

@nzzp It's an utter disgrace that Veldsman is still employed as a TMO. He has form and his form makes Ayoub look like a genius.

The refs are slowly starting to penalise the attacking side for players joining the maul in front of the ball carrier. That has always been my biggest criticism because in the past refs only focused on what the defending team was doing.

Teams are finding new ways of defending the lineout drive, e.g. the Chiefs starting the tactic of deliberately not engaging which allows a player to tackle the ball carrier at the back of the maul. The Blues tried that tactic on Friday night. I just want the refs to be consistent with how they police the maul.

I could not see the game live. Is there a replay on the net ? Thanks for the link.

What was the story with Toeava? The rules allow overseas players so does he fall into the odd category of NZ players not playing in NZ? They seem to get a harder deal.

If Luatua plays like that for them they won't be staying down for long. Gutted he's leaving .

@MN5 said in Highlanders vs. Blues:

@Billy-Tell said in Highlanders vs. Blues:

@antipodean said in Highlanders vs. Blues:

@taniwharugby Tony Smith is a moron. Where does he think the money will come from that AIG currently provide? Why is he pissy about them selling CDOs? Does he understand that charging interest is not the same as selling insurance?

+1. He is a diabolical journalist. I physically can't read anything he rights any more. Just irritates the shit out of me.

He's bad but he's no Jones or Rattue

or Mark Treason, don't leave him out as a founding member of the cunty journalist club.

@mariner4life said in Blues v Force:

@Hooroo it's a fantastically poor piece of defending by the winger though. He's outside a prop with a heap of space, he's got to make a decent decision. And his best decisions there was jam in on the centre and force the pass. Given how far he's run, and the dummy was netball-esque, there is a good chance that fucks up. Even if he doesn't, the winger is alone, and there is cover coming. But he decides to go for the ball, takes no one, and turns a one-on-one into a two-on-one and it's a simple run in try.

Showed some really poor defensive communication there. He panicked and looked to think the intercept was his only option. Meanwhile the sweeper was tracking over to be the last man defence and could have got to the outside if the pass had still been freed.
From my little experience that's when you want your fullback screaming at you and claiming the outside man.

Happy enough with the 5 points, but we still have a lot to work on.

Jerome was great last night. He turns 34 in two weeks, but he's still easily the standard for 6s in this country. I thought he looked good last week too.

I'm hoping we drop Tupou from the starting line-up once Luatua comes back, because he's adding very little to the team at the moment. At this level, he's too small to be a lock, and not dynamic or physical enough to be a 6.

I think Taramai has done his dash off the bench, it's time to bring Pryor in. He's played every game so far this season and has done little to nothing in his game time.

Excellent to see Perofeta playing another game - more gametime can only be good for the youngster.

That looks like a very tidy backline on paper.

@Crucial The same address Travelling Matt uses to send postcards to his uncle.

@Tim said in Blues v Highlanders:

Who will be getting game time in next year's Super Rugby season? Probably Barrett, Sopoaga (signed until the end of 2018 super rugby season or AB season?), DMac, Moaga, and whoever is at the Blues. You'd probably tip him to be 3rd choice for the ABs based on that.

BTW, is Otere Black contracted to the Canes for next season?

I'd like to see Black move to the Blues. He's surplus to requirements at the Canes, what with BB there and a ready-made clone to step in if he goes down.