[2015 Super Rugby] Blues vs. Crusaders (Round 17) 06/06/2015

[TRF_stormer2010]

Date : Saturday 6 June 2015
Venue : Eden Park, Auckland
Kick Off local: 19:35 local, 17:35 AEST, 09:35 SAST
Referee: Chris Pollock
Assistant Ref 1:Ben O'Keeffe
Assistant Ref 2:Jamie Nutbrown
TMO : Ben Skeen​

 

[jessta]

Brendon O Connor is a gun! 2 turnovers in first couple of minutes. Quite a loss to this team

 

[Tony Manx]

Try from Nadolo............hint of knock on though? He catches it one handed, heads into the defenders back and then catches it................is that not technically a knock on as an outside party interfered?!!

The penalty against Franks was also petty and unnecessary.......if this arbitrary slavish following of "elf and safety" refereeing continues, the RWC will be rubbish!!!

 

[SomeOke]

Try from Nadolo............hint of knock on though? He catches it one handed, heads into the defenders back and then catches it................is that not technically a knock on as an outside party interfered?!!

The penalty against Franks was also petty and unnecessary.......if this arbitrary slavish following of "elf and safety" refereeing continues, the RWC will be rubbish!!!

I thought the same on first look but im pretty sure it didn't touch the blues player. Great skills.

 

[Muzzy]

I start the game wanting the Blues to win, but as soon as I see how frustratingly bad they are I'm happy to see them lose. Such a big difference between their forward packs. Crusaders go forward as a unit and we just look like we're just passing it anywhere with no game plan. We had 68% possession at one point yet I don't think we even made a line break

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Brendon O Connor is a gun! 2 turnovers in first couple of minutes. Quite a loss to this team

How did Brendon O'Connor play today?

I'm excited about him coming but he has big shows to fill.

 

[jessta]

How did Brendon O'Connor play today?

I'm excited about him coming but he has big shows to fill.

Hes a great player. One of those players who would never be an all black but exceptional at super rugby level and other levels of the game.

 

[smartcooky]

In the last few seasons, the Crusaders have picked up the habit of a slow start to the season, but this is the first time they have really paid the price for it, the first time they have missed the post season since 2001. They will look back at the home losses to the Rabble in the opening round and the Highlanders in round nine as games they should never have dropped. If they ever want to become contenders again, they are goiung to have to address the slow start issues, but the departures/retirements at the end of this season of McCaw, Carter, Slade, Taylor and Heinz means they will probably struggle in 2016 as well.

I only wish Blackadder was going as well.... come back Robbie, all is forgiven!!!

 

[austingtir]

Try from Nadolo............hint of knock on though? He catches it one handed, heads into the defenders back and then catches it................is that not technically a knock on as an outside party interfered?!!

The penalty against Franks was also petty and unnecessary.......if this arbitrary slavish following of "elf and safety" refereeing continues, the RWC will be rubbish!!!

This is what I have been saying all season the referees are consistently getting it badly wrong and their is way to much emphasis on these nonsense yellows and reds. While in the last couple of weeks I have noticed more penaltys coming out instead of the yellow I still think they are going way to far!

I guarantee there will be more than one country leaving the WC under dubious circumstances!

 

[smartcooky]

Try from Nadolo............hint of knock on though? He catches it one handed, heads into the defenders back and then catches it................is that not technically a knock on as an outside party interfered?!

Only if it touched the defender, and it didn't. Nadolo's hand was between the ball and the defender.

 

[Tony Manx]

Only if it touched the defender, and it didn't. Nadolo's hand was between the ball and the defender.

Looked to me, on the one replay I saw, that left hand knocked it forward, hit his head, went onto the back of the defender and he brilliantly caught it as he was falling. As I said only saw it once and happy to demure!!

 

[smartcooky]

Looked to me, on the one replay I saw, that left hand knocked it forward, hit his head, went onto the back of the defender and he brilliantly caught it as he was falling. As I said only saw it once and happy to demure!!

Nah, look at the end on replay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ5wSxsaCA4

 

[smartcooky]

BTW, I have no problem with the referee wanting to look at Franks' action and then penalising him. That was a potential jawbreaker or at the very least a concussion if he drove into a players head. You wouldn't allow a player to take out a ball carrier like that in General Play, so why should they be allowed to clean out the same way... its just as dangerous. There is also no reason why he could not have cleaned out the opponent legally......

[TEXTAREA]LAW 10.4 DANGEROUS PLAY
(k) Players must not charge into a ruck or maul without binding onto a player in the ruck or maul.
Sanction: Penalty kick

LAW 16.2 JOINING A RUCK
(b) A player joining a ruck must bind on a team-mate or an opponent, using the whole arm. The
bind must either precede, or be simultaneous with, contact with any other part of the body
of the player joining the ruck.
Sanction: Penalty kick[/TEXTAREA]

In other words you cannot make contact shoulder first!

The legal technique of binding and driving is just as effective as usng the body as a battering ram, and less likely to cause injury.

A couple years ago, kiwis were incensed by the way Bakkies Botha entered rucks like an Exocet missile. This is no different; its dangerous, there is no need for it and it doesn't belong in the game!

 

[Tony Manx]

Only if it touched the defender, and it didn't. Nadolo's hand was between the ball and the defender.

Obliged and agree!

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Carter's cross kick to Nadolo was amazing. One of the rries of the season.

 

[Larksea]

carter gets a couple of starts at 10 and the Crusaders play their best games of the season.

carters form has come in perfect time for the All Blacks and a just a couple of weeks too late for the crusaders.

IMO the crusaders have not missed the playoffs because they are bad or worse than they have been. They have missed the playoffs because the highlanders and Hurricanes have made massive improvements this year.

NZ conference is cutthroat, Crusaders would top the SA conference and qualify for finals if they were in the Aussie one. Their heal is that they are in the same conference as the clear three best teams in the competition, The Hurricanes, chiefs and highlanders.