The Silver Fern

Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory, two weeks running.

Willie is usually a pretty reliable kicker. First one from wide out hitting the post was unlucky. Should've made the second.

Looked like someone slipped over in front of the posts to give up the turnover when we were possibly setting for a drop kick.

I am not impressed with Waikato's coaching this year, particularly the backline attack. I assume Sweeney is in charge of this. Some SR players are looking very ordinary at the moment. I realise that this was essentially a Waikato B forward pack (outside of the Jacobsons) but they are still providing enough momentum to create more.

And why take off the best Waikato back early in the 2nd half? Cruden was poor but he plays the full 80 mins. Let's see Cook-Savage have a go there FFS.

Bailyn Sullivan is a better player than ALB these days.

Waikato has now beaten Taranaki in their last 4 Ranfurly Shield challenges, so a happy hunting ground.

Forgets the bad miss on penalty kick a few minutes earlier.

@pakman said in Waikato v Wellington:

Only based on highlights, but Numia seemed to have a good game.

Yep he seemed back to his lively self. Carried strongly all game. Hopefully the Lions get Aumua back soon as he’s likely to play a full NPC with Wellington coming back from injury.

@Bovidae said in Auckland v Waikato:

Four wins in a row over Auckland as well, which looks to be Waikato's best winning streak.

Equals.

Waikato won 4 in a row over Auckland 1954-55

1954 won 23-9 (Ham); won 14-13 (Auck)

1955 won 24-13 (Ham); won 17-14 (Auck).

@ARHS said in Wellington vs Waikato (SF):

Pleased that was such a close contest.
I think Mathis truly has dibs on the nickname Kwagga! Future AB for sure.
Kirifi, Preston and Savea all great for Wellington. Waikato awful lineout decided the game though. It was so poor without Mcwhannell and with average throwing and calling.
Unlike other posters, I thought Roe and Cruden were brilliant in controlling the match given the lineout woes and forwards inexperience. Don't get all the criticism of Roe. He has better field vision than any other 9 in NZ and possibly the best boot. He will throw the odd dodgy pass because he is in two minds while evaluating. But his 50 22s this year have been regular and his wide cutout pass is great. He jackals well too, but often only scrag tackles. If he improves technique there I feel he is the closest challenger to Roigard and Ratima, and is a good leader to boot.
I hope Ollie Norris can improve his scrummaging because everything else is top notch and compares well to Numia and Co.
I presume that Wellington fans have seen far better displays from Harkin, Solomon and Clarke. BOP will take heart there.
I wonder whether Wellington can contain Ah Kuoi, Narawa and Carter next week?

Yeah Harkin, Clarke and even Higgins were all pretty poor in that Semi Final, I can't see them being that poor again. Hopefully they can bring their best for the final next weekend.

@MiketheSnow said in Taranaki v Waikato (QF):

@mariner4life said in Taranaki v Waikato (QF):

In some cases I would entirely agree with you. Cane in the world cup final was too high (though red was harsh). The guys who started low and launch high? Obsolete.

And for the most part those guys are learning.

This? This is a blindside flanker bent completely at the waist, not driving up, making a hard shot. The tackler knows he's fucked and drops his height/slips, and gets rocked.

The tackler aims low, stays low, what else is he supposed to do? And add in its open field at pace, not one off the ruck at a jog. Both players moving forward. To me this is the very definition of a rugby accident. Which you are going to get no matter how many frivolous cards you hand out. This is a dynamic, fast, continuous game. Sometimes shit is going to happen.

And super slo mo in HD is not real life and should never be used for this kind of ruling

Agree with a lot of what you're saying, and for this particular example

Make a legitimate tackle with both arms wrapped where the shoulder doesn't come into contact with the attackers neck or head

He didn't

And if that is him bent completely at the waist, then standing up straight he must be close to being Ardie's height

Are you watching only in slow mo? SF is no midget either.
Tackler prepared for a big legitimate hit. How could he anticipate or adjust for the ball carrier dropping into the tackle so late?
Even with the drop the initial contact point was OK, with the head contact incidental.
That sort of tackle happens near the goal line a lot. And it usually escapes a penalty because the player dipping towards the line gives the tackler little chance to adjust.
IMO foul play is all about intent and recklessness.
Now people are calling for a ban from that tackle on social media... Slow mo analysis does rugby no favours

Finau dink kick something certain AB midfielders couldn’t manage.

@cgrant said in Southland v Waikato:

Michael Manson can run !

This is the first time I saw his speed up close. There are a few other familiar names in the NZ Barbarians Schools team. Manson was then brought into the NZ Schools team to play Aust Schools a few days later.

@Crazy-Horse said in Waikato v Ta$man:

I thought both the Wramplings looked handy over the past couple of weeks. Been a bit if talk about them, it was good to finally get to see them play.

Just nice to see Gideon free from injury after a couple of tough seasons. If he can stay on the field then I have very high hopes.

@antipodean said in Waikato v Hawkes Bay:

@Bovidae said in Waikato v Hawkes Bay:

Jacobson and Finau had a big impact, as you would hope they would.

Forgot to include their participation in my tipping.

You also forgot to factor the Pies not turning up as well.

Sheesh, that's our worst performance against Waikato, and we once shipped 100 against them in the bad old days when we were confined to the old 2nd division.

Hopefully it's a post RS loss blip.

@Yeetyaah well I said it when it cost the Naki a game. Kind of agree don't like TMO, but we stuck with it. I personally of old school if ref doesn't see it , didn't happen. But guess we won't win on that. Kind of can't make up my mind, but do prefer when the TMO only comes in when asked by ref, not when he sees something, is all what I think.

@cgrant said in Waikato v Northland:

Mathis is talented but his size could limit his aspirations. He should convert to 2nd five : he has speed to burn and good hands.

7s program?

FMG - nice setup for a stadium that size. Overpriced food and bev are part of the landscape of course but the concourse access was good. I accept the crowd wasn't huge of course

@Yeetyaah said in North Harbour v Waikato:

Fark me that chip from the ranga was crazy

Not just a ranga mate, a maori ranga. Can be quite unpredictable at times.

@ploughboy said in Counties v Waikato:

he was at chiefs this year had a game at tighthead.
agree though looked good at loose head .hope they keep him

I have noticed that he has been playing LH for CM. The Chiefs will need to make a decision on which side Kaivelata focuses on in SR. LH might be the option with Proffit in his 30s.

A disappointing performance from some experienced backs like Roe, Sullivan and Moorby. Hopefully we get some of the wingers back. Tudreu was a poor selection and I would have rather given one of the young outside backs a chance. They obviously had fun against the BOP Dev team.