1st QF - Highlanders vs Chiefs

[austingtir]

Naholo is special guys he and Smith together had no business scoring that try but they did. Naholo is going to break records if he gets in the AB's.

 

[austingtir]

BS that the Cheifs are going to be leading this at half time. Absolute BS even if it is only 1 point.

 

[Kiwi_]

Every 50/50 call has gone the way of the Chiefs. The TMO has incorrectly disallowed what possibly could have been try of the season...

Generally it's the Chiefs on the receiving end of bad calls, but they're getting them all tonight, we are lacking composure also. Losing that crucial line out in their half at 37 minutes was poor. Chiefs are doing a good job cheating and being cynical, exactly the way they were going to win this game, we just need to relax and play our game and give it to them in the forwards, don't sink to their level or cheating.

 

[austingtir]

Every 50/50 call has gone the way of the Chiefs. The TMO has incorrectly disallowed what possibly could have been try of the season...

Generally it's the Chiefs on the receiving end of bad calls, but they're getting them all tonight, we are lacking composure also. Losing that crucial line out in their half at 37 minutes was poor. Chiefs are doing a good job cheating and being cynical, exactly the way they were going to win this game, we just need to relax and play our game and give it to them in the forwards, don't sink to their level or cheating.

Yep Chiefs, cheating and being cynical. Pretty much sums them up for me aswell. Sopoaga needs to grab this game by the scruff in the second half.

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Wow cheakiest try in history by Smith there. Three on two and they still scored it.

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The ref FINALLY penalises a chiefs player for rolling onto the HL side after the tackle FFS!!! And its Messam surprise surprise.

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The Retallick try is about the only thing iv been impressed with from the Cheifs all night it was pretty good.

 

[austingtir]

Great win. Was a battle for sure. I hope A. Smith can play like that against a big forward pack next week. And Sopoaga will need to do alot more next week.

 

[Kiwi_]

YEAH!!! What a game, despite the refs poor performance, Chiefs cheated all game, Tameifuna is not AB quality. The Chiefs can't argue with that loss, good effort from them though, McKenzie is a real talent, looked excellent at FB, Chiefs lacked creativity in the MF, missing Ngatai and SBW isn't good enough, hope Hansen goes for Fekitoa over him, he's way better than Sonny.

A Smith is the best half back in the world by miles. Weber looks excellent as well, gotta be our 3rd string.

 

[austingtir]

SBW's defence is really really solid though id still pick him on that but Nonu is just simply head and shoulders better than him allround and always has been imo. The Chiefs have been misfiring all season so im not going to hold that against SBW. We need him for the WC.


For me SBW proved himself in the game against England last year he was so dominant in defence it was utterly ridiculous. The poms were running scared in that game.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Congrats to the highlanders, they were the better team. Still pretty proud of the boys of making the play offs 4 years in a row. Having won two ***les. Better luck next season and hopefully we will be discovering some new, execting upcoming talents under Renny.

 

[austingtir]

I cant believe people were promoting the Chiefs coach as AB coach material this season alone he's made some enormous errors in judgement for selection even given the injuries he's had to deal with theres no excuse imo. I have no idea what Horell was doing at 10 and Mckenzie at 15 is a joke even though he made nice breaks. Nanai williams should be at 12, 11 or 15. With SBW at 12 and Mckenzie at 10 its a no brainer to have him at 15 I just dont get it...

Nanai taking the kick offs... WTF is going on here?

 

[Bluemoon]

Big win for the Highlanders there! Really enjoyed the game as it was on a knife-edge for long periods.

Retallick's try was just another example of how powerful that man is. No stopping him from 5 metres out!

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Well worth the cost and effort to get down here for that game!

 

[Kiwi_]

Congrats to Hika Elliot as well. Class act and great to see him return from injury. Deserves that AB spot.

 

[Jaguares]

Congrats Landers!

Dan Pryor is ruled out for the semi-final?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Congratulations Highlanders!, You have really been good all year. Lets hope you get your first Super Rugby championship!

 

[austingtir]

Man if the HL get through to the final its going to be EPIC. Getting past the Tahs is going to be as tough as it gets its going to be an incredible game. They will either fail miserably or just roll them imo.


Hopefully the HL got used to cockeyed refs in this game because that **** is going to be OTT at allianz stadium.


Seriously if the HL roll the Tahs it will be some way to justice in the way this comp is layed out. Theres no way the Tahs should get a home semi for this game imo.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Man if the HL get through to the final its going to be EPIC. Getting past the Tahs is going to be as tough as it gets its going to be an incredible game. They will either fail miserably or just roll them imo.


Hopefully the HL got used to cockeyed refs in this game because that **** is going to be OTT at allianz stadium.


Seriously if the HL roll the Tahs it will be some way to justice in the way this comp is layed out. Theres no way the Tahs should get a home semi for this game imo.

well just like the Stormers, if the Tahs aren't good enough to make the final, then the Highlanders will win. simple as that.

 

[Larksea]

I cant believe people were promoting the Chiefs coach as AB coach material this season alone he's made some enormous errors in judgement for selection even given the injuries he's had to deal with theres no excuse imo. I have no idea what Horell was doing at 10 and Mckenzie at 15 is a joke even though he made nice breaks. Nanai williams should be at 12, 11 or 15. With SBW at 12 and Mckenzie at 10 its a no brainer to have him at 15 I just dont get it...

Nanai taking the kick offs... WTF is going on here?

Chiefs have made the finals and gone very close to beating a near full strength highlanders team away while dealing with a horrendous injury toll. Your complaining about who's selected at 10, 13 & 15 when Cruden, Charlie Ngatai and Tom Marshall are injured...

Renee Obviously felt the need to protect damien Mckenzie for some reason. He was clearly the best option at 10 but he is only ~20 and lets face it he has been superb from 15 as well I mean heck he arguable outplayed Ben Smith in this game.

I actually thought the chiefs were generally the better side around the park and stronger in most areas, the difference between the sides was basically Aaron Smith creating two absolutely epic tries from nothing and solid goal kicking.

Horrell actually kicked for goal well but he had a long range shot just fall in front of the posts and two others just miss. His Kicking has improved a lot since Cruden went down. There must have been a reason why he kicked and not Mckenzie. We'll never know what that is though....

My honest gut feeling is that Damien Mckenzie is in the squad more to develop him as a young player. But because of the dire injury situation he has been forced to play him a lot more than he wanted or expected him too.

I thought it was actually a good effort from the chiefs and a step up from how they have been playing, against arguably the best highlanders team ever enjoying a huge home advantage. despite what some are saying discipline was actually better than it has been from the chiefs. Only really Ben Tamiafuna with two brain explosions and one really poor play from Sam cane.

The reason may have been because the highlanders didn't really put much pressure on the chiefs in their red zone. The chiefs generally controlled territory and had the ball more and enjoyed small advantages in the scrums and lineouts.

Great game, I dont mind losing to the higlanders they are my 2nd team and they are the better team this year, if only because of the chiefs injury situation.

Chiefs 2016 is a worry though, losing like a dozen frontline players overseas and Messam & SBW to the 7's. But you'd back Renee to produce a squad that punches above its weight.

 

[Kiwi_]

We took our chances and always looked more dangerous in attack. Chiefs never really threatened the line apart from the try they scored. With the amount of ball they had they made nothing of it because their back line hasn't been linked well with Cruden out. Chiefs were cynical and killed the play whenever we got into their 35 - 22 (like they do every game). This is why the are the heaviest penalized side in the competition and Liam Messam lying all over the ball as well as Tameifuna, Retellick and Sam Canes indiscretions all game. The Highlanders were the superior team, although stats might tell a slightly different story, the creativity with ball in hand was superior, a part from some good play from McKenzie and Lowe they looked flat with set ball in hand, especially set piece ball and breakdown ball.

Your definition of "nearly beating" and my definition are completely different. Not too mention a first minute try wrongly disallowed, the Chiefs were given all the help they could be given by Chris Pollock, especially in the first half and could still not do it.

The reasons for the win were;

Superior Highlanders attack
Chiefs cynical defense leading to penalties (should have been more)
Chiefs lacking a true 1st 5 (Cruden, doubt McKenzie being played here would have made much difference)

 

[Larksea]

I disagree that the chiefs were constantly infringing in this game, yes they have made a reputation for doing it this year but they were much better this game simply because they generally won the contact over the ball and won territory and possession. The highlanders did not force the chiefs back into the red zone at all really which is where the chiefs have been giving away penalties and cards. The highlanders had a low number of rucks. was about 30 less than the Chiefs. It was just not that sort of game. The highlanders weren't able to force the chiefs into situations where they have been giving away penalties and cards this season.

The highlanders spun the ball more the chiefs kept i closer to the forwards and generally won that area. When the chiefs tried to spin it there was huge pressure on Horrell and SBW which is why they kept it closer and used the pick and go.

The biggest winner for the chiefs was the kick return, the back three did a superb job returning kicks. McKenzie in particular was epic but they were unlucky not to actually convert those chances they created into trys.

The try that was called back, one angle looked close the other looked like he was clearly out, I dont think you can say that was definitely a bad/wrong call.

Highlanders deserving winners, but it was definitely two plays of individual brilliance from Aaron Smith which secured the win while the chiefs generally controlled much of the play around the field.

 

[Kiwi_]

Aaron Smith is definitely a cut above the rest, he's close to being the greatest half back ever, he's the crucial piece in the All Blacks squad, if we win this WC he will go down as the greatest ever.

Our game plan was to kick it and chance our arm vs the Chiefs backs rather than to keep it in the forwards and challenge Messam, Cane and Leitch (should've started) who have been excellent this season, while penalized a lot, they win a lot. I wouldn't say "unlucky" at all, our defense prepared for high ball counter attack and it was a set game plan, not just spur of the moment, let's kick it down their throat. Although I don't think we expected McKenzie to be that good on the counter. He's a real future All Black, be interesting to see where they keep him. To me he looks better at FB.

And the Chiefs were cynical, I can remember 3 instances from Tameifuna (should have seen yellow), I can remember Retallick kicking the ball out off the ruck in your 22, Messam killing the ball, claiming he can't roll away while sitting on top of the ruck, Sam Cane playing off his feet, Manu coming in from the side, countless offsides which Pollock NEVER called. Watch the game again, I've watched it 2 times, you will also see Naholo's foot is in the air, not grazing the touchline and just because you were cleaner than you normally are, still doesn't make you clean.

Still a good hard game though and very satisfying, after 4 wins in a row vs the Chiefs it's really only appropriate to say we're the better side. I am proud for the Chiefs to win it twice, but lately I don't think their Rugby merits being in the top 4.