Highlanders v Chiefs

[TRF Mr Fish]

Hang on, so if a player has the ball, is tackled, off loads the ball backwards and a player intercepts it, they're offside?

 

[smartcooky]

Hang on, so if a player has the ball, is tackled, off loads the ball backwards and a player intercepts it, they're offside?

No, that isn't what happened?

Once a player is brought to ground by a tackler (who must also go to ground himself) only the tackler can play the ball facing in any direction. He must release the tackled player, get to his feet, and them he can immediately pick up the ball no matter where he is. ALL other players (without exception), including anyone who may have tackled the player but remained on his feet, must go around to their own side of the ball before playing it or picking it up. This is known as "going through the gate"

This is not offside in the sense of a line across the field like a Ruck or a Maul. If you like, you can regard it as an offside "zone". If you are anywhere outside the zone, you are not infringing, but if you want to enter the zone you must do so from your own side.

Here is a real game situation, with the tackle zone shown. This is not actually a tackle, its a ruck, but lets just regard it as a tackle so that there are no offsides.

The black player on the ground has been tackled. If he squeezes the ball out between his knees, either of the two red players standing up would be allowed to pick run around and pick it up, because they have entered the tackle zone correctly, however, if the red player running into the picture at the top was to run straight from his present position to pick up the ball, the referee would penalise him for incorrect entry to the tackle zone (a.k.a "coming in at the side"). If a red player were to do what Kerr-Barlow did, and come in from the bottom of the picture and kick the ball away, he is also coming in from the side, and in the game situation he was in last night, the act was cynical and deserved a yellow card.

 

[Darwin]

Great result again for the Highlanders. They certainly deserved the win - they managed to stay in it in the first half with some scrambling defense (lead by Cowan, Treeby,ad Lynn), but dominated the second half by playing some good basic rugby. It was great to see a big crowd at Carisbrook too, and hopefully this display will see the crowd back for their next home game versus the Crusaders.

The Chiefs will need to have a big improvement in their forwards if they wan to win some games this year. The standout Chiefs forward for me was Scott Waldrom. He seems to have bulked up over the last few years and did cause the Highlanders defense some trouble bursting through gaps and offloading. Kerr-Barlow had a reasonable debut starting game for the Chiefs (the yellow card aside). He does try to do too much at times but is a dangerous runner, and seems to have so much time to do things. Likewise I thought Delany had a solid game - I'd certainly be starting him ahead of Donald if was the Chiefs coach. Sivivatu is carry some weight but he did show touches of class - his cross-field kick should have lead to a try but the bounce was horrible for the Chiefs.

Adam Thomson was again phenomenal for the Highlanders, he just seemed to be everywhere on attack and defense, though I did hurl some abuse his way when he dropped the ball from Robinson with the try line begging! Nasi Manu again disappointed me at 8. Although he did look impressive at times in the second half with some powerful ball carries his ball security was very poor, his work-rate non-existent, and his defense very weak for a number 8 (I counted at least 4 tackles he missed). I really hope to see Nick Crosswell back from injury soon, or if not either John Hardie or Elliot Dixon starting in his place.

Sopoaga struggled at 10 - his passing was poor, and he is a big liability in defense. Robinson looked far more assured when he came on, and is bound to get the start next week. I was very impressed with Treeby, particularly his physicality in both attack and defense. His and Lynn's sliding midfield defense shut down the Chiefs attack on numerous occasions. Again Ben Smith was outstanding at fullback, breaking the line almost every time he got the ball ,and looking very comfortable as the last line of defense. It's unfortunate for him that there are so many other quality fullbacks in NZ at the moment...

 

[Larksea]

crazy game, interesting to watch. Chiefs ran rampant and looked like at some point they would score a few quick trys and run away with the game but it didn't go their way, then hit the wall big time it was like a switch flicked. One ruck the forwards were ok then someone made a hit up and not a single chief made it to the ruck so the landers turned it over at will and the rest of the game was theirs.

The other thing that happened when the chiefs forwards ran out of puff the landers runners started to get at Delany and make a lot of gound. Chiefs had some bad luck, Toby smith was looking very good before he went off with some strong runs and a dominant chiefs scrum. Masanga was looking strong till he injured his sholder in that huge hit on Ben Smith.

Ben Smith is an awesome player, if I was AB coach I'd find room for him in a 30man squad if he keeps that up, hard with so much tallent around though.

Barlow was just too lose at times. I think he needs to learn that in super rugby if you get into the oposition 22 you need to keep cool and take advantage of it. chiefs looked alot better when Donald and Leonard came on but being a man down at the time and with the rest of the team stuffed after running around like mad men for an hour they couldn't take advantage of it.

MacIntosh was awesome around the field and an inspiration, looked like he was going off injured and if he did at that point I think it would have been che chiefs game - highlanders scrum was a worry though.

Thompson had a good game though the comentary team had a hard on for him big time. He was very good in the lineout and made a couple of turnovers. I also thought Messam had a very good game, one of his few good runs to setup the chiefs try and he made some important tackles and kinda went under the radar with the comentators going on about Thompson the whole game - actually even before the game started they were talking him up. IMO the real hero of the highlanders loosies was Nasi Manu - It was his ability to carry the ball forward early in the 2nd half that turned the pressure back on the chiefs. I am liking Waldrum as well, more so than latimer even. Got to respect the way he puts his body on the line, he's not big but you get a lot out of him. chiefs Trio is really Missing Bourke or even Lee, Messam did well at 8 but latimer & Waldrum as a combination are a bit small to have them both on for 60+min.

Chiefs mid-field obviously needs work, can't wait for Kahui & Tana to get out together. Sweany just dont look right in mid field to me always looks to cut in rather than set things up and when you got Sivi, Mills & Masanga out wide the first thing 12-13 should be doing is setting those guys up.

Most impressive thing the highlanders had was their attitude on defence and at the breakdown, they did everything they could to stop the chiefs getting away on the scoreboard and with a little help from the ref at the breakdown they pulled it off. Lead by MacIntosh, Cowan, Thompson & Smith they are a great unit. I wonder if Dagg is looking at the points table and the way his old team i playing wondering if he shouldn't have stuck down there one more year.

 

[Sam Owen]

Sopoaga struggled at 10 - his passing was poor, and he is a big liability in defense. Robinson looked far more assured when he came on, and is bound to get the start next week.

Yeah Robinson should get the nod next week but who knows with the experienced Tony Brown being talked about as playing and I'd start Tony with Robbie on the bench.

I thought Robbie too passed poorly, he did a few I think but one of his poor passes favoured Ben Smith which led to Ben breaking and putting Kade away. Robbie and Lima both need to be more composed in their passing but of the two I'd go with Robbie at the moment.

The other thing that happened when the chiefs forwards ran out of puff the landers runners started to get at Delany and make a lot of gound.....Barlow was just too lose at times.

Wait for it, here it comes....

chiefs looked alot better when Donald and Leonard came on

I knew it, I just knew you're gonna say that.

Have to admit though Donald did do some good strong hit ups, he looked like a 2nd five. Delaney shouldve stayed on and had that penalty shot with Donald at 2nd 5, that penalty kick at the end had too much pressure for Donald (and his history for pressure kicks), not blaming Stephen at all though its just that Delaney had already kicked a few over and was playing well.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I hope Foster puts both Delany and Donald on, as he did once or twice last season. It's such a good combo...

 

[Larksea]

I hope Foster puts both Delany and Donald on, as he did once or twice last season. It's such a good combo...

Yeah I thought they did look good too but they had one game where it didn't sork so well and I remember Foster saying he wouldn't try it again. I think the problem last year is that he didn't try it early enough in the season - should have done it earlier, bruce was really out of touch last year.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yeah I thought they did look good too but they had one game where it didn't sork so well and I remember Foster saying he wouldn't try it again. I think the problem last year is that he didn't try it early enough in the season - should have done it earlier, bruce was really out of touch last year.

I thought they stopped it because Delany got injured and was out for the rest of the season?