[2017 Super Rugby] Round 2: Sunwolves vs. Kings (04/03/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Singapore National Stadium
Time: 12:55 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[sigesige00]

For Sunwolves, it was fortunate that the 1st Round opponent was the toughest team. Sunwolves must beat Kings in order to go higher than last season.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The Kings didn't look awful last week. This is a huge game for the future of Japanese involvement in Super Rugby. I'll be trying to catch this little slice of history and cheer on the Sunwolves.

 

[jrugbypodcast]

Here's our team news ahead of the weekend's match against the Southern Kings: http://www.jrugbypodcast.com/sunwolves/sunwolves-v-southern-kings-team-news And here's another article in defence of the sunwolves: http://www.jrugbypodcast.com/sunwolves/in-defence-of-the-sunwolves

 

[Groundhog]

Teams
Sunwolves


15 Shota Emi, 14 Takaaki Nakazuru, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Derek Carpenter, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Hayden Cripps, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Shokei Kin, 6 Ed Quirk, 5 Sam Wykes, 4 Liaki Moli, 3 Heiichiro Ito, 2 Shota Horie (captain), 1 Masataka Mikami


Substitutes: 16 Takeshi Hino, 17 Koki Yamamoto, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Kotaro Yatabe, 20 Shuhei Matsuhashi, 21 Keisuke Uchida, 22 Will Tupou, 23 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi


Kings




15 Masixole Banda, 14 Makazole Mapimpi, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Waylon Murray, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Mzwanele Zito, 4 Tyler Paul, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Schalk Ferreira (captain)


Substitutes: 16 Kurt Haupt, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Justin Forwood, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 Chris Cloete, 21 Rudi van Rooyen, 22 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 23 Luzuko Vulindlu

Tanaka comes into the team, after he was weirdly omitted from the 23 last week. New 10 as well in Cripps who is an unknown quantity. Other changes are Emi and Kin. Kings aren't going to whallop the Sunwolves like a **** hot Canes did, but they'll still take this you'd have to say. Any team with a modicum of attacking ability can cut through the Sunwolves, and while the Sunwolves are capable of scoring a few tries, Kings should really win the scorefest.
Wolves by 40 #awooo

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

What happened to the halfbacks Shigeno and Tamura this year?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Seeing the Hurricanes dismantle the Rebels is giving me hope that the Sunwolves might compete here. Three of the tries they conceded against the Hurricanes last week were interceptions too, which made things look even worse than they already were. Game on!

 

[Groundhog]

Sunwolves playing some really good stuff at times here and actually seem to have structures to their attack and defence all though there's still a lot of inaccuracy.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Hate these Singapore games.

 

[Groundhog]

Wolves are riding them all game. Finally the result. A boy Lafaele.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

So ****ing annoying.

So many mediocre players in the Sunwolves team. Could of been a great team if They could of kept the core of there team, but mix of ****ty schedule and money elsewhere doesn't help.

Could see SANZAR doing more damage to rugby in Japan than good, take note Pro12 and America.

- - - Updated - - -

Tanaka is heads and shoulders above everyone else in this game.

Terrible skill set.

 

[Welshdragon2000]

Where can I watch this game in the U.K.?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The Sunwolves defence looks to have taken a step back from last year to me. They look filled with journeymen too. This side with Japan's Tamura (where is he!?), Lemeki (still injured and not in the squad) & Yamada (didn't fancy travelling) amongst the backs would be a different proposition.

Most disappointing is to see their lineout. They have experience at lock and with Hori at hooker, but they are unable to get any solid set piece ball.

I think the Kings will get at least one more soft try in the second half and that will be enough. Some small signs of life in the Sunwolves if the lad Carpenter can stop having a nightmare.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Where can I watch this game in the U.K.?

Sky sports.

 

[Groundhog]

Sunwolves have great wings, an outstanding scrum half, a young 10 who has looked very mature goal kicking aside, and a couple decent forwards, but jesus there's so many pedestrian players who are either not up to the standard or just don't care. So many annoying dropped balls. Drops happen but basic ****ing skills. Carpenter has ****ed up a few times now.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Ouch. That'll do it. Hard to say what level the Kings are at and whether they might be able to pick up a win or two at home (I think they are playing the Aussies this year).

 

[CocoPampas]

Is going to be a very long year for Sunwolves.

 

[sigesige00]

Could anyone tell me the pitch size at Singapore National Stadium? The field of play seems short (maybe 94m?). Ingoal depth is 6m. Is the width 68m?