Chiefs v Hurricanes
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Canes have been playing badly since the week they lost to the Crusaders. Lam has been invisible since he was overlooked by the AB selectors.
The Canes were ordinary before the Crusaders lost. But were managing to win mostly with individual brilliance
The tight 5 are getting beaten week after week now. My view is Fatialofa, Smith and JTA are not up to it in recent weeks. The Canes are much better with Eves are LH and May at TH. I can see why the coaches would start Smith but ....
I would also start Walker-Leawere at lock if Fifita is not fit next week. Or even move Thomson to lock at bring Evans back. as its clear that Lousi and Fatialofa just don't work together. Just a shame that the coaches haven't worked this out yet.
And the backs have been limited almost the whole year. I would have liked to have seen more from Aso at 2nd after his brilliant game at 2nd v the Sunwolves. But he was completely dropped from the team and only made it back in the 22 due to injuries. And this to me reflects what's wrong with the coaches approach. A young player seemed to find his position with a brilliant game. And next week he's dropped
Its like they have their favorites and regardless of how someone plays he is dropped the next week if a favorite returns. Regardless of form. Its not working.
One more point. The game-plan is too one dimensional. Laumape is used as a battering ram and if this doesn't work due to good defense the backs are a bit stuffed. They useless attack coach seems to have nothing else
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I've been saying it almost all season, we got away with several close ugly wins early on that papered over the cracks in the team. This loss was another indication that the team aren't fronting up in the forwards and I expect us to lose to the Chiefs next week
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Is this game actually meant something I'd have been pissed off, but next week is what counts. Hopefully the Canes were holding something back. If not, they're farked.
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@stargazer said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:
@gt12 I'm sure the Canes will find a reason to still not giving Jonah Lowe game time.
He wasn't great when he did get some game time though. But he wasn't on for long enough to be fair. Maybe an option for center next week although I'm sure they Jordie well start there (as Goosen is unlikely to play). whats his defense like as its not Laumape's strong point
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@stargazer said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:
@gt12 I'm sure the Canes will find a reason to still not giving Jonah Lowe game time.
He wasn't great when he did get some game time though. But he wasn't on for long enough to be fair. Maybe an option for center next week although I'm sure they Jordie well start there (as Goosen is unlikely to play). whats his defense like as its not Laumape's strong point
@winger said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:
@stargazer said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:
@gt12 I'm sure the Canes will find a reason to still not giving Jonah Lowe game time.
He wasn't great when he did get some game time though. But he wasn't on for long enough to be fair. Maybe an option for center next week although I'm sure they Jordie well start there (as Goosen is unlikely to play). whats his defense like as its not Laumape's strong point
What you're on about? He hardly got the ball (about twice). That was his whole 10 minutes in the game against the Crusaders in which many other Canes players were average. In those 10 minutes he made the same number of passes as Ben Lam in 70 minutes, had the same number of runs, made more metres and beat one defender against Lam's 2. I call that good for a very short SR debut against the strongest team in the competition.
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Johnny Fa'auli is off somewhere else next year, he was on the farewell video before the game. Not sure where though.
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@mikedogz About that video: which other players were on it? I'm wondering about Sam McNicol in particular, considering the poor lad hasn't played since September/October due to concussion.
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@stargazer TNW, Messam, Ngatai, Bird
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I was at the game and it was really noticeable having crowd shots and no replays on screen after something controversial - unless TMO called in. I just hope that continues through the play-offs, and no influence of officials against away team.
Bit disappointed with the attitude of Boyd and Canes at times. Fa'auli certainly a red card as always dangerous and made worse by player dropping, but Canes comments were over the top. Nothing said about the cynical high-shot by Perenara on Weber in the third minute, presumably because the impact was not so forceful. Then a couple of minutes later Riccitelli ignores the ref's instruction and takes throw-in inside the 20m, and then they argue the point!
Anyway, Weber was sparked by that into an inspirational performance. Wish they could keep him on for full 80!
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I was at the game and it was really noticeable having crowd shots and no replays on screen after something controversial - unless TMO called in. I just hope that continues through the play-offs, and no influence of officials against away team.
Bit disappointed with the attitude of Boyd and Canes at times. Fa'auli certainly a red card as always dangerous and made worse by player dropping, but Canes comments were over the top. Nothing said about the cynical high-shot by Perenara on Weber in the third minute, presumably because the impact was not so forceful. Then a couple of minutes later Riccitelli ignores the ref's instruction and takes throw-in inside the 20m, and then they argue the point!
Anyway, Weber was sparked by that into an inspirational performance. Wish they could keep him on for full 80!
geez the hurricanes were lucky that Jordie Barrett was so in-form. It would have been a blowout otherwise. He showed again that he is the number 1 fullback in the country. Although Weber had a fine game with some good plays, it was quite noticeable that when Tahuriorangi came on the Chiefs were more comfortable. Hope to see Tahuriorangi start in front of Weber next week!
