2014 Super Rugby: Crusaders v Highlanders (Round 19)

[Jaguares]

1. Wyatt Crockett
2. Ben Funnell
3. Owen Franks
4. Dominic Bird
5. Samuel Whitelock
6. Jordan Taufua
7. Matt Todd
8. Kieran Read (C)
9. Andy Ellis
10.Colin Slade
11.Nemani Nadolo
12.Dan Carter
13.Ryan Crotty (VC)
14.Kieron Fonotia
15.Israel Dagg

1 - Kane Hames
2 - Liam Coltman
3 - Chris King
4 - Tom Franklin
5 - Joe Wheeler
6 - Elliot Dixon
7 - Shane Christie
8 - Nasi Manu (Captain)
9 - Aaron Smith
10 - Hayden Parker
11 - Patrick Osborne
12 - Shaun Treeby
13 - Malakai Fekitoa
14 - Richard Buckman
15 - Trent Renata

 

[Jaguares]

Ben Smith in doubt:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9374138,00.html

 

[Kiwiwomble]

yeah...not happy

 

[Darwin]

Ben Smith in doubt:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9374138,00.html

Pfft - as is a few days in hospital would slow down Ben Smith

Honestly I think we have little chance of winning this match. If Ben Smith is out that small chance we had completely disappears.

After Fridays matches we will know exactly what we need to do to make the playoffs (hopefully nothing!).....

 

[Darwin]

Update... Ben Smith officially ruled out (https://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/news/article/-/24429149/super-rugby-ben-smith-out-of-highlanders/).

Trent Renata will obviously start at fullback. Had Kurt Baker not suffered a hamstring injury he may have been an option, but it is unlikely Joseph would have picked him even if he was fit.....

Meanwhile...... The Crusaders have named the same side as they did last weekend, though Sam Whitelock is expected to play this week (he was a last minute withdrawal last weekend).

Israel Dagg, Kieron Fonotia, Ryan Crotty, Dan Carter, Nemani Nadolo, Colin Slade, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read (capt), Matt Todd, Jordan Taufua, Sam Whitelock, Dominic Bird, Owen Franks, Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett. Reserves: Corey Flynn, Joe Moody, Nepo Laulala, Jimmy Tupou, Luke Whitelock, Willi Heinz, Tom Taylor, Johnny McNicholl.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

1 - Kane Hames
2 - Liam Coltman
3 - Chris King
4 - Tom Franklin
5 - Joe Wheeler
6 - Elliot Dixon
7 - Shane Christie
8 - Nasi Manu (Captain)
9 - Aaron Smith
10 - Hayden Parker
11 - Patrick Osborne
12 - Shaun Treeby
13 - Malakai Fekitoa
14 - Richard Buckman
15 - Trent Renata
Reserves
16 – Ged Robinson
17 – Matias Diaz
18 – JP Koen
19 – Gareth Evans
20 – Lee Allan
21 – Fumiaki Tanaka
22 – Lima Sopoaga
23 – Phil Burleigh

think we're going to struggle

edit, who the hell is Koen?

 

[Darwin]

1 - Kane Hames
2 - Liam Coltman
3 - Chris King
4 - Tom Franklin
5 - Joe Wheeler
6 - Elliot Dixon
7 - Shane Christie
8 - Nasi Manu (Captain)
9 - Aaron Smith
10 - Hayden Parker
11 - Patrick Osborne
12 - Shaun Treeby
13 - Malakai Fekitoa
14 - Richard Buckman
15 - Trent Renata
Reserves
16 – Ged Robinson
17 – Matias Diaz
18 – JP Koen
19 – Gareth Evans
20 – Lee Allan
21 – Fumiaki Tanaka
22 – Lima Sopoaga
23 – Phil Burleigh

think we're going to struggle

edit, who the hell is Koen?

An experienced TH originally from South Africa. Apparently he's been in NZ for almost 10 years, but only just made the Southland side last season. I think he is basically the last ITM standard prop left available from the Highlanders region so he gets a shot.....

Good to see Coltman back starting. Interesting to see Parker at 10 - I was calling for this earlier in the season, but I feel Sopoaga has played well overall this season. I'm still not sure what is happening on the bench. In addition to having no wing/fullback cover we now have no lock cover......

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Hooker seems to be a strange decision too... Just the fact that JJ is swapping starting hookers in and out of the squad...

 

[Darwin]

Hooker seems to be a strange decision too... Just the fact that JJ is swapping starting hookers in and out of the squad...

Indeed. It appears Ged Robinson is seen a specialist bench hooker. Brayden Mitchell is out with concussion, otherwise I suspect he would have started again (as Joseph seems to like him).

 

[nzlizard]

Best thing for NZ rugby is for the Crusaders to get a 4 try bonus point win here.

Sorry Highlanders but you need to take one for the team

 

[Darwin]

Best thing for NZ rugby is for the Crusaders to get a 4 try bonus point win here.

Sorry Highlanders but you need to take one for the team

Interestingly I was think exactly the same thing! A big win for the Crusaders would see them secure 2nd spot on the table (assuming the Sharks don't secure an even bigger win with 4 tries against the Stormers), meaning they have a bye next weekend then a home semi. If they win without the bonus point we may see a re-match again next weekend, with the winner heading to South Africa the following weekend to play the Sharks.

I'm picking the Crusaders should win this comfortably with a bonus point in any case. They showed some good signs in the opening 20-minutes against the Blues last weekend - if they can play like that for even 40 minutes they will easily score 4 tries against the Highlanders (as our defense is rather ****)....

 

[Jaguares]

Crusaders:

1. Wyatt Crockett, 2. Ben Funnell,3. Owen Franks ,4. Dominic Bird ,5. Samuel Whitelock ,6. Jordan Taufua ,7. Matt Todd ,8. Kieran Read (C) ,9. Andy Ellis,10.Colin Slade ,11.Nemani Nadolo ,12.Dan Carter ,13.Ryan Crotty (VC) ,14.Kieron Fonotia ,15.Israel Dagg

Replacements : 16. Corey Flynn ,17. Joe Moody ,18. Nepo Laulala ,19. Jimmy Tupou ,20. Luke Whitelock ,21. Willi Heinz ,22. Tom Taylor , 23. Johnny McNicholl

 

[Sam Owen]

Last year Ben Smith was playing well enough to get into the ABs and thats all I could say, this year he is great to the point where any team he plays in he is the spine of success.

While they still have Fekitoa, you're gonna need more than that when you take on the finals football experts that is the Crusaders.

Highlanders have had an awesome year this year, Crusaders??...they've had better seasons but I think its the Saders that will march on.

 

[Icemn]

since the canes are out, i need to change my supporting now for the greater good of nz rugby... and support the landers for a win or atleast a bonus point... if the landers lose and the brumbies/force draw... they both go through as they have more wins... so landers for the win or atleast a point to secure them...

 

[Darwin]

I think our only chance here is to play a very expansive game and target the Crusaders out-wide. We aren't going to beat the Crusaders up front, and their midfield defense is strong (though Fekitoa can go through anyone....), but I think there biggest weakness defensively is their back three. Nadolo's defense hasn't been too bad - I thought he made some key tackles last week too - but he does take some time to get up to speed. I think we need to look at turning him around with kicks in behind, though Dagg's strong positional play means the kicks will have to be very accurate to be effective. I'm quite looking forward to the match-up between Nadolo and the mighty Barracuda. I completely underestimated both players at the start of the season, but both have been key players for their sides. I'm not sure there are any wings in world rugby that can contain Nadolo 1-on-1, but Buckman has as good a chance as any, as he is excellent on defense.

Osbourne could cause Fonotia some issues on the other wing. Fonotia matches Osbourne in terms of size, but may struggle with Osbourne's pace/acceleration. Basically we need to give Osbourne as much time / space as possible. I'm not sure whether we are going to be able to do this as Fekitoa's passing game is still a work in progress, but given the number of Crusaders defenders focusing on Fekitoa there should be some space for Osbourne if Fekitoa decides to give him the ball....

 

[austingtir]

Who is the Saders backline coach? The guy needs a kick up the ass. Great field position and getting alot of ball and they just hand the ball from player to player along the backline. I hope its their sinister plan for the finals make every team believe their backline is non-existant and then unleash ; )

 

[Darwin]

Hmmm... Crusaders carving up now. Probably would have been worth the ref checking for forward passes there though....

Bonus point only a try away now for the Crusaders.

 

[Chikwa]

Excellent defence from the highlanders. Great tackle on Colin slade!

 

[Darwin]

No-one can stop the Barracuda. I have no idea how he scored that!

 

[Darwin]

Game over. Convincing win to the Crusaders. For all the criticism they have received this year they have won 3 more games than any other side in the NZ conference, so clearly deserve to be conference winners. Unless the Sharks annihilate the Stormers at Cape Town it looks like the Crusaders will finish 2nd on the table and get next weekend off. The Highlanders on the other hand need to start packing their bags for South Africa....

Although the Highlanders got well beaten (again) I think it was an improved performance this week. Our defense was actually pretty solid....apart from our maul defense, that was very poor! The Crusaders really punished for our infringements - we seemed to get continually penalised in front of the posts, or an a easy position for the Crusaders to kick into the corners.

On the players:
- I thought Sam Whitelock was outstanding for the Crusaders. He was strong in the lineout, and very prominent in open play.
- All of the Crusaders loose-forwards had strong games in my opinion. Taufua continued his strong season with physical ball running and defense. Todd ran the ball well, tackled well, and was a menace at the breakdown. Read isn't quite back to his best yet but he was a standout in the lineout, and some of his offloads were pure class
- Slade and Carter did a pretty good job of controlling the match from 10/12. Slade made a couple of good runs too, and Carter made some crucial tackles.
- Though he isn't probably the most fashionable player Crotty is having an outstanding season. He is an excellent defender, but his running game has been a real improvement this season. We seem to have a few options for the AB's in the midfield now, but I would be very comfortable seeing him starting in a black 12 or 13 jersey...
- Nadolo was rather quiet, while Fonotia was solid. Both showed some vulnerability on defense, though the Highlanders weren't able to exploit this. I thought Dagg actually had one of his best games in some time. He looked threatening with the ball in hand for a change, and linked up well with the rest of the backline at times.

-Ged Robinson has to start at hooker for the Highlanders next week. He may not be as strong as Coltman or as dynamic as Mitchell, but he can at least throw the ball into the lineout accurately (most of the time). He also has a massive work-rate on defense, and is a willing ball runner.
- I thought Manu played well at 8, but the other two loosies were disappointing. I didn't even remember Dixon was playing - Evans looked far more dynamic when he came on. Christie had his worst match of the year in my opinon. He has been a key player for us this season but he missed a number of tackles this match (and didn't make many), didn't make an impact with ball in hand, and got penalised a few times at the breakdown. I thought he was pretty quiet last weekend too - I wonder whether he is carrying an injury?
- Aaron Smith and Parker were solid - Parker made a couple of key tackles too (dropping Nadolo 1-on-1 at one stage). Sopoaga added a bit of spark when he came on.
- Fekitoa looked very dangerous, and made some key cover tackles too. Crotty and Carter did a very good job containing him.
- Osbourne looked dangerous but didn't see much ball. Buckman gave 100% (as always), and deserved his try. Renata was solid at fullback, but he is no Ben Smith...