[2018 Super Rugby] The Final: 4 August 2018

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: AMI Stadium
Time: 09:35 CAT (SA, GMT+2)
​

TEAMS

Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 5 Sam Whitelock (captain), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody

Substitutes: 16 Sam Anderson-Heather, 17 Tim Perry, 18 Michael Alaalatoa, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Braydon Ennor

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrink, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Marvin Orie, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen

Substitutes: 16 Corne Fourie, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 23 Howard Mnisi

 

[Stade Rochelais]

Crusaders - Lions: 17 - 26.

 

[Durbanite]

Crusaders pack is strong, Lions have a great pack but their defence is weak. Don't see it happening unless the Lions have been saving their best for this game and defend like Spartans.
They won't be able to concede all day and scrum & maul their way to a victory this time.
Crusaders by 17

 

[Iron Lion Zion]

Crusaders 53
Lions 17

 

[TRF_heineken]

Crusaders pack is strong, Lions have a great pack but their defence is weak. Don't see it happening unless the Lions have been saving their best for this game and defend like Spartans.
They won't be able to concede all day and scrum & maul their way to a victory this time.
Crusaders by 17

And seems like Dyanthi might not play as he might have a hamstring injury after he only played the first half of the Semi.

 

[Durbanite]

And seems like Dyanthi might not play as he might have a hamstring injury after he only played the first half of the Semi.

I see that he's been included in the squad heading to Christchurch, I hope that means it's not too bad and that he's ready for TRC at the very least, I think losing Nkosi was bad enough

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Any news on who will replace Taufua at 6? Samu? Saunders?

 

[Derpus]

Any news on who will replace Taufua at 6? Samu? Saunders?

Pretty sure it's Aussie Pete.

Crusaders paying out $1.09. Crusaders have won 40 odd home finals matches in a row or something stupid. And they have an all All Blacks (and one Wallaby) pack. Throw in flights and the Lions have a snowflakes chance in hell of winning this match.

 

[FNS]

I dont see how the lions can win this. They got some strengths but they have many flaws and Kiwi sides tend to exploit very well opponents flaws. Crusaders by 10+.

 

[SomeOke]

Yeah nothing really to reach for this one, the quarters and semis were exciting but this won't be. Hope to be proven wrong! I think the Lions are a decent team with a variety of methods for scoring tries BUT their defense is just too bad. Crusaders are going to put LOTS of points on them and the Lions won't be able to keep up, it's not like the Crusaders typically leak many points at home.
Realistically I can see the Lions scoring a maul try and a handful of penalties, so a maximum of 19 points lets say.

Is there any chance the Crusaders won't score more than 19 points?

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Crusaders by 15.
Everyone has writte off the lions, so that might play to their advantage. Couple of penalties from scrums, one/two odd yellow cards, who knows. It's a stretch but I cant forget the Crusaders first half against the Sharks. Everything, absolutely everything that could go wrong for the sharks went wrong, and still the half time score was 16-7.
If the saders have a half time like that and the Lions have a good one, who knows, maybe the lions have a shot.
Still, they need Jantjies to have a good day in order to win and he's not the guy who carries the team when things get tough.

Speaking of losing finals. What's with RSA and finals in super rugby? Other than the bulls, every single other south african team has lost every single final they ever played. Is this a topic of conversation/analysis in RSA?
I understand that most of those finals were away, but still, there's got to be a big psychological thing.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

meh

*turns attention to English football and AFL*

 

[WaterboySA]

I think the Crusaders will be just that one step too good. It seems as if they can raise their game at will, anytime in the game.

 

[mania]

saders can lose this. if saders believe too much of the press saying its a forgone conclusion.
whilst lions have a huge task ahead of them they can still succeed if saders dont turn up or take Lions too lightly

 

[Derpus]

saders can lose this. if saders believe too much of the press saying its a forgone conclusion.
whilst lions have a huge task ahead of them they can still succeed if saders dont turn up or take Lions too lightly

Of course they can.

They just won't.

 

[Stade Rochelais]

Crusaders will not win this game.
The score will not be very high, but one thing is certain, the lions will win the battle of the rucks which is the highlight of the saders.
Kwagga Smith will be the man of the match

 

[mania]

Crusaders will not win this game.
The score will not be very high, but one thing is certain, the lions will win the battle of the rucks which is the highlight of the saders.
Kwagga Smith will be the man of the match

nice. gotta love p!ssing in the wind

 

[User1245]

Pretty much can write this one in the history books already... I probably won't be watching it

 

[TRF_heineken]

Both teams have been announced and added to the OP

 

[AmericanRugbyFan]

Will be up early to watch! Can't wait!