[2017 Super Rugby] The FINAL: Lions vs. Crusaders (05/08/2017)

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Horrible that a card will be a big factor in the match, just glad the Crusaders had been the better side before that decision. Kwagga just didn't give Peyper any sort of option whatsoever. At least duck or something! Glad the Crusaders fullback wasn't injured, it looked awful.

 

[Durbanite]

Absolutely supurb defence

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

RJvR = instant impact.
Faf de Clerk = instant impact.

I can see why you'd stick with lesser calibre players if you think they'd done a job for you, but these guys are showing they are the best Boks in their respective positions. It must surely be too little, too late though.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Crusaders are rocking here. Still enough time.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Who's man of the match? IMO, Ryan Crotty. Thought Matt Todd was massive too.

 

[BobbyM]

In the end the top team from the top conference won the comp; no complaints.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Massively impressive from the Crusaders. I said they were rocking, but they weren't. They were just playing against a good side and understandably conceding points. They didn't panic and kept executing at the end even though they will have been tired at altitude. Outstanding lineout steals at the end. Scott Robertson might put his name into AB contention with this massive improvement over their performance last year. At the start of the season I thought they might be challenged by the Blues and end up at the bottom of their conference.

Credit to the Lions for making it a contest in the end. Hopefully that lessens the disappointment at least as at one stage it looked like they'd not make an impact. Third time lucky next year?

Crotty MotM.

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Any poor calls by the ref, and the ref should be hung after the game.

Hmm.. well the ref certainly delivered here. The ol' 'red card that should've been a yellow ' trick.

 

[Regan]

Hmm.. well the ref certainly delivered here. The ol' 'red card that should've been a yellow ' trick.

Disagree, that's a red card any day in SR these days, back in the day yellow, yes, not anymore.

 

[Durbanite]

Very sad, but no complaints besides being angry at kwagga's impatience. I feel that the Lions would've taken it had they just made it through the first half. Sadly not to be. All credit to the Crusaders, an absolutely clinical and professional performance, watching Crotty scythe through the defence in absolute calm was something else, and that defence could've stopped any team. Crusaders also impressed at the lineouts, stopping or disintegrating mauls and stealing everything else. Peyper and the assistant refs did an outstanding job imo, considering the high stakes of any calls in a final it was an impressive performance. The Lions were playing some great rugby, even breaching a mammoth defence a number of times, I hope that SA rugby takes note and we start to see some emulation of this type of rugby across the board. Even with JA going, we need to nurture the foundations he and his team have laid and we'll become world beaters again. I'm astounded by the improvement of the Lions players over the years and hope that the team can survive to be as strong next season. Rohan and Faf should have started, in a perfect world with the scores tied at halftime the gamble of benching them would've payed off. Poor Kwagga will need some proper support, I hope he can get over his mistake because he was fast rising to bok status and a moment like that can bust confidence big time. On to RC and next SR season where the sharks will reach the final undefeated =D

 

[The Jones Boy]

I had a feeling the old red and black pluggers would do the damage.
I also feel it's well deserved.
The Kiwi teams play in a brutal conference while the other countries get a bit of an armchair ride in comparison.
I'd have felt slighted if the Saders had not have carried the day but they did so it's all good.

The crowd were strong for the Lions but the Saders are seasoned performers.

 

[luke kerr]

Couldn't agree more. Many of us discounted the Lions unfettered winning record as a product merely of poor opposition ..... happily SA rugby is in good hands. Kwagga obviously reacted instinctively, without intent (no attempt to compete and none to avoid), which made the Lions comeback a terminal condition. The Lions were good enough to win .... but I'll die wondering. The Ellis park crowd puts our fanaticism to shame, demonstrating a love for the game and, humility which should humble us.

Interestingly the Crusaders (Nth Canterbury, Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury, West Coast, Golden Bays/Motueka, Nelson and Marlborough provinces) are demonstrably a second half team however, the points accumulated by Transvaal after Kwagga exited to leave 14 vs 15, won the contest.

Well done SA and well done the Lions.

 

[SomeOke]

Crusaders on balance deserve the ***le based on their season.
Lions could have won on the day without the red, but that's just how it goes sometimes (no arguments about the card).

Congratulations to the Crusaders - the most clinical team won.

At least now we can put this rubbish format to bed and get back to the slightly less terrible Super 15 format .

I thought Peyper was pretty good.

 

[smartcooky]

A superb win by the Crusaders, in fact probably their greatest final win ever in the most difficult of circumstances, but hell, those Lions just would NOT go away! A truly courageous performance in defeat.

Ryan Crotty thoroughly deserved MOTM by some distance. Seven runs, 63 metres, a clean break, two defenders beaten and two breakdown turnovers won and 10 tackles made. Once again, he has shown why he is easily the best choice for 2nd 5/8 in the Black jersey; calm under pressure, deceptive runner, hardly ever makes a mistake and runs the back line superbly.

A word too for Scott Robertson. What a breath of fresh air he has been as coach; a Super Rugby ***le at the first attempt, the first person to win a Super Rugby ***le both as a player and a coach. He has also won National Provincial Championship as a player and a coach, and he coached the NZ U20 team to a world championship win in 2015. How long before he gets drafted into the All Black setup?

 

[saulan]

Kwagga Smith for MotM and taking the Lions home in Whiteley's absence. I'm calling it.

Well, I mean... In some ways I guess you called it. He did have a significant impact on the match, and you didn't specify that he would be taking them home with the win

 

[Car]

A deserved win overall for the Crusaders, also considering the season as a whole. Still, it was good to see the Lions come back again. The red card seemed ok considering what the calls are nowadays, but it was sad nonetheless.

 

[TRF_Collingwood]

It's a shame the Lions didn't play like they did from the 60th minute onwards at the start of the second half, because they might have won the game despite being a man down. The converted try and penalty were too much for them to handle. Still, credit to the Crusaders for being their efficient, ruthless selves.

At least I can hope that the horrors of the 2016 Springboks may well and truly be a thing of the past.

 

[Zapphod]

Disagree, that's a red card any day in SR these days, back in the day yellow, yes, not anymore.

While I don't disagree with him receiving a red card as that pretty much is what the law dictates, I really don't agree with the rule as I find it a rather harsh to punish someone based on his position rather than his actions.

Should,'t there be some onus on the both players to ensure their safety and I would suggest that jumping over top of a guy is putting yourself in danger, I really saw nothing in that to suggest he was trying to tackle Havili in the air, it looked to me like you had two players in the same space going for the ball, one bailed out and the other went over top of him.

I find rugby rather a sad these days, we credit Webb Ellis with picking the ball up and running with it who will get the credit for realising that by jumping up and down field once you recieve the ball makes you almost untacklable.

 

[Larksea]

I think the lions 2nd half performances in this game and the last are more to do with the travel and altitude factor catching up with the opposition than anything else.

red card was a factor but its hard to argue against it. I wonder if with the rules being changed and red cards being more common that the sanction should be reviewed. Maybe instead of the team not being able to replace the player given the red card maybe it should be changed so the team can bring on a replacement after 10min but obviously the player given the red cannot return.

 

[Zapphod]

I think the lions 2nd half performances in this game and the last are more to do with the travel and altitude factor catching up with the opposition than anything else.

red card was a factor but its hard to argue against it. I wonder if with the rules being changed and red cards being more common that the sanction should be reviewed. Maybe instead of the team not being able to replace the player given the red card maybe it should be changed so the team can bring on a replacement after 10min but obviously the player given the red cannot return.

I think where the players actions deserve a red card then a red card should be handed out but where a red card is handed out simply to follow the letter of the law without taking into account the circumstances is wrong.
I believe that injury to a player who jumps at full speed into oncoming players is just as guilty of reckless play as anyone else.