• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

2014 Super Rugby Final: Waratahs v Crusaders

Jaguares

International
TRF Legend
Joined
Sep 14, 2012
Messages
5,061
Country Flag
Argentina
Club or Nation
Argentina
140726044409788571.png

140726044412106019.png

1. Benn Robinson
2.Tatafu Polota Nau
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Jacques Potgieter
5. Kane Douglas
6. Stephen Hoiles
7. Michael Hooper (c)
8. Wycliff Palu
9. Nick Phipps
10. Bernard Foley
11. Rob Horne
12. Kurtley Beale
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Alofa Alofa
15. Israel Folau

Reserves:

16. Tolu Latu 17. Jeremy Tilse 18. Paddy Ryan 19. Will Skelton 20. Mitchell Chapman 21. Pat McCutcheon 22. Brendan McKibbin 23. Peter Betham
140726044410875598.png

140726044408192624.png

1. Wyatt Crockett
2. Corey Flynn
3. Owen Franks
4. Dominic Bird
5. Sam Whitelock
6. Richie McCaw
7. Matt Todd
8. Kieran Read (c)
9. Andy Ellis
10. Colin Slade
11. Nemani Nadolo
12. Dan Carter
13. Ryan Crotty
14. Kieron Fonotia
15. Israel Dagg

Reserves:

16. Ben Funnell, 17. Joe Moody, 18. Nepo Laulala, 19. Jimmy Tupou, 20. Jordan Taufua, 21. Willi Heinz, 22. Tom Taylor, 23. Johnny McNicholl

Stadium: ANZ Stadium
Capacity: 83,500
City: Sydney
Country: Australia
Referee: Craig Joubert

140727025939261281.jpg
 
Last edited:
Predictable final in many ways.

Despite not thinking the Crusaders have been great this season - I think they should be able to shut the game down enough to win it. That said I think home advantage will be huge for the Waratahs, as the Crusaders don't always travel well.

In a little side note which I'd love to see, it would be great to see Nadolo up against Naiyaravoro should he make an appearance from the bench.
 
If the saders played like they did 2day, they should take this... Man they really looked hungry 2day!

Dnt think these 2 teams have met this year :? so it will be a fantastic game... Cnt wait...
 
Dnt think these 2 teams have met this year :? so it will be a fantastic game... Cnt wait...

This is a plus of the current play your own conference teams twice, you can make the final and play a team you haven't played all year.
 
This is a plus of the current play your own conference teams twice, you can make the final and play a team you haven't played all year.

Second time that has happened since the Conference system started. Chiefs didn't play the Brumbies last year until the final.

It will be a tough prospect for the Crusaders to win this match. Waratahs are unbeaten at home this season; no-one has come close with the nearest being 19-12 v the Bulls back in April. In fact, they have only lost at home twice in the last two seasons; by 2 points to the Reds and by 1 point to the Cheetahs. The form book says the Waratahs should win it, and so does history. In the previous 18 Super Rugby finals, the "away" team has only one it four times, three of those times were the Crusaders; and only once has a team won the final away in another country and that was the Crusaders.

Should be a cracking game. My heart says Crusaders to win, but my head says Waratahs by 5.
 
Last edited:
Second time that has happened since the Conference system started. Chiefs didn't play the Brumbies last year until the final.

It will be a tough prospect for the Crusaders to win this match. Waratahs are unbeaten at home this season; no-one has come close with the nearest being 19-12 v the Bulls back in April. In fact, they have only lost at home twice in the last two seasons; by 2 points to the Reds and by 1 point to the Cheetahs. The form book says the Waratahs should win it, and so does history. In the previous 18 Super Rugby finals, the "away" team has only one it four times, three of those times were the Crusaders; and only once has a team won the final away in another country and that was the Crusaders.

Should be a cracking game. My heart says Crusaders to win, but my head says Waratahs by 5.

Do you really think the Tahs are in with a shot? I've been waiting for us to win for almost 20 years now, but I am worried that whilst we're a great side this year, we don't have the complete game that the Crusaders have at this stage of the year - nor do we have the sort of world class fly-half who can control a game with deft and long tactical kicking in the way Dan Carter does.
 
Do you really think the Tahs are in with a shot? I've been waiting for us to win for almost 20 years now, but I am worried that whilst we're a great side this year, we don't have the complete game that the Crusaders have at this stage of the year - nor do we have the sort of world class fly-half who can control a game with deft and long tactical kicking in the way Dan Carter does.

Where is your faith?? You have to BELIEVE! Remember, in the Final match 2011 the Saders were also the favorites but Reds beat them. C'mon! The Saders aren't invincible, it's just a game, it's just one step. Nothing is impossible, it's now or never!
 
Where is your faith?? You have to BELIEVE! Remember, in the Final match 2011 the Saders were also the favorites but Reds beat them. C'mon! The Saders aren't invincible, it's just a game, it's just one step. Nothing is impossible, it's now or never!

Hahaha mate, it's hard to get too confident as a Tahs supporter - we're so used to seeing things fall apart. And frankly the Crusaders looked scary good last night
 
Do you really think the Tahs are in with a shot? I've been waiting for us to win for almost 20 years now, but I am worried that whilst we're a great side this year, we don't have the complete game that the Crusaders have at this stage of the year - nor do we have the sort of world class fly-half who can control a game with deft and long tactical kicking in the way Dan Carter does.

I reckon the Tahs have a very good shot of winning the final. Despite the convincing scoreline in the end they really had to fight against the Brumbies, which I feel was a good thing for them. The Brumbies dominated territory for most of the match but the Waratahs defense was incredibly strong, and when they got a chance to attack they were clinical. In many ways I don't think the Tahs were at their best against the Brumbies, but still were able to pull off the (comfortable) victory.

For me the final is a 50:50 game. The Waratahs have been the best side overall this season and are at home, but the Crusaders are the Crusaders - they know how to win big matches. I will wait until the two sides are annouced before I make any predictions though...
 
Last edited:
Do you really think the Tahs are in with a shot? I've been waiting for us to win for almost 20 years now, but I am worried that whilst we're a great side this year, we don't have the complete game that the Crusaders have at this stage of the year - nor do we have the sort of world class fly-half who can control a game with deft and long tactical kicking in the way Dan Carter does.

I don't know man, you talk about a complete game, the Waratahs have been superb on both ends, attacking and ..non-attacking. They might not have a magnificent scrum as it's been shown in their last few games lately, but you talk about a world class fly-hlaf, Dan Carter might be a classic model type but he's somewhat on the decline and Bernard Foley isn't too hard on the eyes himself. I mean just a quick look at him on your tv set, and you can tell he smells great. And plus he's young and has lots to prove and doesn't seem afraid, and is coming off a ton of success so far this year in both shirts (clubbing and testing Rugby) and definitely won't stop now, the Tahs are full of handsomeness, and momentum. Especially the former.
If they can make a good entry into the match and set the tone; i.e. smoothly walk onto the pitch snapping fingers in rhythm looking nasty, tellin' their opponents how it is; I think that'll give them confidence for the rest of the way, but they might be more febrile than the seasoned middle-aged virility of the Crusaders.
I don't know, that's just my two euros..
 
Moving the game away from their normal ground is a pretty poor move I would have thought - sort of nullifies the home ground advantage a little bit.
 
I don't know man, you talk about a complete game, the Waratahs have been superb on both ends, attacking and ..non-attacking. They might not have a magnificent scrum as it's been shown in their last few games lately, but you talk about a world class fly-hlaf, Dan Carter might be a classic model type but he's somewhat on the decline and Bernard Foley isn't too hard on the eyes himself. I mean just a quick look at him on your tv set, and you can tell he smells great. And plus he's young and has lots to prove and doesn't seem afraid, and is coming off a ton of success so far this year in both shirts (clubbing and testing Rugby) and definitely won't stop now, the Tahs are full of handsomeness, and momentum. Especially the former.
If they can make a good entry into the match and set the tone; i.e. smoothly walk onto the pitch snapping fingers in rhythm looking nasty, tellin' their opponents how it is; I think that'll give them confidence for the rest of the way, but they might be more febrile than the seasoned middle-aged virility of the Crusaders.
I don't know, that's just my two euros..

I hope you're right mate, I really do... but we've been shaky at the set-piece all season and whilst Foley is probably one of the best 10s in the tournament this year, his tactical kicking is still not as potent as Dan Carter's, and those two facts make me worry that the Crusaders will just strangle the Waratahs out of this game with field position and scoreboard pressure.
 
I hope you're right mate, I really do... but we've been shaky at the set-piece all season and whilst Foley is probably one of the best 10s in the tournament this year, his tactical kicking is still not as potent as Dan Carter's, and those two facts make me worry that the Crusaders will just strangle the Waratahs out of this game with field position and scoreboard pressure.

You have to be careful kicking to Folau and not getting it right though, so this will be key.

I believe it will come down to whoever turns up on the night in the right head space. The Tahs coaching staff need to work on mentality and belief this week.

The skills are present and have been shown all year, just need a few tweaks to counter for the Crusaders play, same goes for the Crusaders, they are hitting their straps at the right time of the year and now just need to be mentally prepared.

You would expect the Crusaders to have the edge a bit given they have been there and played finals footy with a huge amount of their squad. Whereas the Tahs not so much, take AAC, someone said it was his 1st playoff game in 125 super games, sure he has plenty of international experience but their are a few guys in the Tahs squad that don't.

Home ground advantage will count for a few points at least, should be an epic game, if anyone can win a final away from home it will be the Crusaders.
 
Yeah, that's the thing about the "home team always wins the final" stat in Super Rugby, for 14 out of 18 finals that's been true, but on the few occasions when the away team has scored an upset it's been the Crusaders.

Their experience will be a major bonus and in all honesty I think the Crusaders will go in as massive favourites after their demolition job on Saturday. But whilst the Tahs don't quite have the big guns at the set-piece, this is probably the best 'Tahs side I've seen. If they can manage to win this weekend they'll truly deserve the trophy, but I worry that ultimately this looks very much like a Bledisloe Cup curtain raiser, and ultimately at the top level the kiwis just have it over us.
 
I think you are really selling the Waratahs short sanzar.

They have the best offense in the league by quite some margin if the statistics are any indication. They have the best defense in the league again by the numbers. They not only have the highest points differential in the Super XV but they have the highest differential in the competition EVER, think about that for a second.

Look at the above, plus the fact that they are playing at home and they are clearly the favorites to win the competition.

In my opinion, they only have only major weakness and that is the line-out since Dennis has been out which no doubt the Crusaders will look to exploit.

I think we have be streaks the better back-line and I would also give the forwards an advantage to the Waratahs so I'm still taking the Tahs by 10 points.

I hear your point about the finals being Crusaders territory and that we've under performed here but the Crusaders haven;t won since 2008 and all records are meant to be broken.

I'm not sure if has been said on the forums yet but the biggest concern I (and apparently quite a lot of people) have for the finals is that it is going to be played at ANZ over Allianz, which is effectively taking away a lot of the home ground advantage.
 
Last edited:
How much of a boost to the Sydney NRC team's attendance will a Waratahs win be, SANZAR?
 
I hope you're right mate, I really do... but we've been shaky at the set-piece all season and whilst Foley is probably one of the best 10s in the tournament this year, his tactical kicking is still not as potent as Dan Carter's, and those two facts make me worry that the Crusaders will just strangle the Waratahs out of this game with field position and scoreboard pressure.

Foley's not really about the tactical kicking his game management revolves around running the phases with the 9 running the tactical kicking game.

He's a brilliant player though, i'm a huge fan of him, he's a great example of how people can benefit from working on the 7's service, and his work rate is incredible, his engine doesn't stop.
 

Latest posts

Top