[2016 Super Rugby] Crusaders vs. Blues (Round 2) 04/03/2016

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Blackadder would suit the Munster DoR job TBH.

 

[Ruckyou]

Thank goodness that 10 is off! He is not a super rugby player. Now let's see what West can do

worst display from a first five ive ever seen.

 

[sonnench]

worst display from a first five ive ever seen.

He's in my fantasy draft team .

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

worst display from a first five ive ever seen.

He'll be off to the AP now to become England 10.

 

[Ruckyou]

He'll be off to the AP now to become England 10.

Can we have Nick Evans back?

 

[austingtir]

Honestly the Saders dont deserve Nadolo. He needs more opportunities to off foot the defence not this cart it up rubbish. He's going to score or create a score everytime if he runs full pace at the D at the right angles.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Can we have Nick Evans back?

i would let you have him since he plays for Quins honestly.

Nadolo doing what Nadolo does best.

 

[Ruckyou]

crusaders smacked the blues back to reality, stand outs were nadolo , tafua and mohunga for me. as for blues no depth in their squad , its gonna be a loooong season for us aucklanders.

 

[nzlizard]

crusaders smacked the blues back to reality, stand outs were nadolo , tafua and mohunga for me. as for blues no depth in their squad , its gonna be a loooong season for us aucklanders.

Wouldn't quite say it that way, with all the possession and position they had they only scored 1 actual decent try.

Again the Crusaders looked terrible on attack, well not terrible but more lost, sure the Blues defended well but the Crusaders again looked like a team with no plan.

In saying that I can't remember the last time I watched a NZ super team play like the Blues did tonight, they were poor in just about every aspect, some of the worst passing seen in game for a long time and that lineout, jeepers.

When they got it right it was a try but man Blues fans in for a long season if this is the case, maybe the 6 changes just too much?

 

[Ruckyou]

Wouldn't quite say it that way, with all the possession and position they had they only scored 1 actual decent try.

Again the Crusaders looked terrible on attack, well not terrible but more lost, sure the Blues defended well but the Crusaders again looked like a team with no plan.

In saying that I can't remember the last time I watched a NZ super team play like the Blues did tonight, they were poor in just about every aspect, some of the worst passing seen in game for a long time and that lineout, jeepers.

When they got it right it was a try but man Blues fans in for a long season if this is the case, maybe the 6 changes just too much?

Grinded back to reality?

 

[nzlizard]

Grinded back to reality?

Can live with that

 

[smartcooky]

Wouldn't quite say it that way, with all the possession and position they had they only scored 1 actual decent try.

Again the Crusaders looked terrible on attack, well not terrible but more lost, sure the Blues defended well but the Crusaders again looked like a team with no plan.

In saying that I can't remember the last time I watched a NZ super team play like the Blues did tonight, they were poor in just about every aspect, some of the worst passing seen in game for a long time and that lineout, jeepers.

When they got it right it was a try but man Blues fans in for a long season if this is the case, maybe the 6 changes just too much?

Well, it really was a case of Crap v Shïte tonight. While the Crusaders won (and I am happy about that) on the back of some suffocating defence, their attack plan seems to consist of passing the ball to stationary team-mates and hoping for a line-break... hasn't anyone in Crusaders country heard of running onto the pass, or running a player into a gap?

 

[back2back]

What the hell was Tana thinking not playing West? What a complete brain fart that was. Completely changing the inside backs was a bad decision, that wasn't the only problem though, the Saders were better upfront and in the line out. Wasn't a great game.

 

[austingtir]

What the hell was Tana thinking not playing West? What a complete brain fart that was. Completely changing the inside backs was a bad decision, that wasn't the only problem though, the Saders were better upfront and in the line out. Wasn't a great game.

Other than maybe the HL if they play out of their skin every NZ team is going to struggle against the Crusaders simply because of that forward pack. The Saders are the only team in NZ thats going to come close to the Brumbies I reckon. I actually think the other 4 teams could quite likely all get murdered by 7 + by the Brumbies simply because their packs arent at anywhere near that level.

The Chiefs, Blues and Canes are the prime suspects im talking about. The Chiefs are sneaky and quite smart so they should have more of a chance than the other two although I think their props are just as weak as those two. The HL I hope learnt their lesson against the Brumbies last year but im not sure theres much they can do about it.

 

[back2back]

Other than maybe the HL if they play out of their skin every NZ team is going to struggle against the Crusaders simply because of that forward pack. The Saders are the only team in NZ thats going to come close to the Brumbies I reckon. I actually think the other 4 teams could quite likely all get murdered by 7 + by the Brumbies simply because their packs arent at anywhere near that level.

The Chiefs, Blues and Canes are the prime suspects im talking about. The Chiefs are sneaky and quite smart so they should have more of a chance than the other two although I think their props are just as weak as those two. The HL I hope learnt their lesson against the Brumbies last year but im not sure theres much they can do about it.

The HL's won't beat the Brumbies even though it's being played in Dunedin, The Brumbies always do them in the forwards as you stated. Chiefs and Saders definitely the only teams that can come close to matching the Brumbies up front, but The Chiefs have the Brumbies in Canberra, so I think it's a Brumbies win. I have some questions over the Highlanders pack this year, I don't think Josef has the chemistry right and maybe that brilliant run of form last year was a flash in the pan for some of them.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

The HL's won't beat the Brumbies even though it's being played in Dunedin, The Brumbies always do them in the forwards as you stated. Chiefs and Saders definitely the only teams that can come close to matching the Brumbies up front, but The Chiefs have the Brumbies in Canberra, so I think it's a Brumbies win. I have some questions over the Highlanders pack this year, I don't think Josef has the chemistry right and maybe that brilliant run of form last year was a flash in the pan for some of them.

Worth noting that the Chiefs are notoriously terrible against Australian teams (or they have been under Rennie at least). In contrast they're great against South African teams (I'd hazard a guess that since 2012 they'd have the best record against SA teams of any non-SA team). I can't see the Chiefs beating either of the Waratahs or Brumbies in Australia and, because the draw is ridiculous, they have to play both games there

 

[austingtir]

Worth noting that the Chiefs are notoriously terrible against Australian teams (or they have been under Rennie at least). In contrast they're great against South African teams (I'd hazard a guess that since 2012 they'd have the best record against SA teams of any non-SA team). I can't see the Chiefs beating either of the Waratahs or Brumbies in Australia and, because the draw is ridiculous, they have to play both games there

I swear the Chiefs have played the Tahs and Brumbies in Australia alot in recent years. Certainly the Tahs. As I think last year they got hammered by them. It might have been the finals a couple years back that makes me think that though.

The Chiefs props are weak sauce just like the Blues and Hurricanes.

 

[back2back]

None of our teams looks completely balanced this year, I wouldn't be surprised if a Kiwi team doesn't make the final, but I think one will considering all the other conferences are fairly weak. It's going to be a case of cutting each others throats again while other weaker teams saunter into the play-offs because of this format.

 

[Bazzy]

Well this game reminded me of the bad old times again. We did look slightly better with Ihaia on the field. Moala and Ranger are still trying to find their feet so still hopeful.

Saying all that Crusaders don't look all that great either. Crusaders of the past would have really put us to the sword with the way we were playing.

 

[austingtir]

Yep I hate to say it but the Brumbies are playing the game the way it should be played and thats hard to admit as a NZer.

The crusaders are overboard in there forward dominance of their game. The Highlanders backs dominate their play way to much. Same could be said about the Canes and Chiefs I reckon... And the Blues well they are just clueless all round.

What got me about the HL match today is they should of gone to the forwards more for longer periods of that game. Their scrum was dominant and they should of used that and field position to strangle the canes out of the game yet not go overboard with it like the Crusaders do. + whenever the HL did a rolling maul it looked very effective. I just dont get after the Brumbies humiliated them last year why they havent learnt to use that more. Its like the NZ teams are just to hard headed to admit we are playing the game wrong.