Highlanders v Crusaders

[Darwin]

Really looking forwards to the game, but I think the Highlanders will be up against it, as the Crusaders have looked very dangerous in the last few weeks. The Highlanders do typically get up for matches against the Crusaders, so I'm hoping they will be very competitive in this match.

Teams should be announced shortly. It is rumored that Colin Slade may be back for this game, but I'm sure they won't rush him back if he is not 100%. There may be a few changes in the pack to rest players who have played 4 tough matches in a row, with Donnelly almost certain to start, and one of John Hardie or Nick Crosswell (if fit) possibly coming into the loose forward trio.

Not sure whether Kade Poki has recovered from injury - if not they may be tempted to start Veainu on the wing, as he has a good knowledge of most of the Crusaders players (coming from Canterbury).

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I also heard Slade might be ready...but in the same sentence it was pointed out we have the bye next week so to rest him for one more week will give two week benifit....if that makes sence

either way really looking forward to it, highlanders to win by less than seven will make me happy

 

[Darwin]

Crusaders named:
1. Ben Franks, 2. Corey Flynn, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Brad Thorn, 5. Sam Whitelock, 6. George Whitelock, 7. Matt Todd, 8. Kieran Read (Capt), 9. Andy Ellis, 10. Daniel Carter, 11. Adam Whitelock, 12. Sonny Bill Williams, 13. Robbie Fruean, 14. Sean Maitland, 15. Israel Dagg,
Reserves: 16. Quentin MacDonald, 17. Wyatt Crockett, 18. Chris Jack, 19. Jonathan Poff, 20. Kahn Fotuali'i, 21. Matt Berquist, 22. Zac Guildford

Probably a stronger team than last week, with Brad Thorn and Owen Franks returning to the starting XV, and both Kahn Fotuali'i and Zac Guilford on the bench after recovering from injury.

 

[Sneaki]

That is a pretty intimidating team the Crusaders have picked there. Playing the Highlanders away from Nelson may pose more of a challenge than the Tahs/Brumbies, but I still think the Crusaders will have too much firepower for them, especially the way Fruean and SBW are playing at the moment.

 

[Larksea]

I honestly cant image any team beating the crucaders with the current form they are in. As good as the landers are right now, I just can't see it Even if the landers forwards match the crucaders up front the Crucaders backs are better in every position. Even the quiet guy on the wing adam whitelock is in awesome form.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

praying for a result it to much i would say but I am hoping for a good game

 

[Darwin]

Highlanders named:
Ben Smith, James Paterson, Kendrick Lynn, Shaun Treeby, Siale Piutau, Tony Brown, Jimmy Cowan (Captain), Nasi Manu, Adam Thomson, Jarrad Hoeata, Tom Donnelly, Josh Bekhuis,David Te Moana, Mahonri Schwalger, Chris King. Reserves: Jason Rutledge, Bronson Murray/Jamie Mackintosh, Nick Crosswell, Alando Soakai, Aaron Smith, Robbie Robinson, Telusa Veainu.

One change in the backs, with Tony Brown starting ahead of Robinson, as they have decided not to risk Colin Slade. This indicates to me that the Highlanders want to play a very structured game, probably kicking a lot for the corners. This could be quite a good tactic if they kick accurately, as Dagg's positional play can be a bit dodgy at time. However if they kick poorly Dagg, Maitland et al. will make them pay!

A couple of changes in the forwards. Up front, Mo Schwalgher starts ahead of Rutledge at hooker (possibly to provide some additional size to the forward pack), while Mackintosh is battling a couple of injures, so has been bracketed on the bench. Chris King moves from tighthead to loosehead to cover Mackintosh's absense, with Te Moana starting at tighthead. As predicted Donnelly starts at lock, alongside Bekhuis. Interestingly the Highlanders have also rearranged there loose forward trio, with Thomson moving to the openside, and Hoeata moving from lock to start at blindside flanker (which is his best position). Good to see Nick Crosswell back from injury on the bench, I'd expect he will get some starts latter in the season.

As much as I want the Highlanders to win the Crusaders will start as big favourites - I'd pick the Crusaders to take it by 15 points.

 

[Shaggy]

Thomson to open side eh ... any news on whether Mr G Henry will be attending the match ...

 

[ranger]

Highlanders named:
Ben Smith, James Paterson, Kendrick Lynn, Shaun Treeby, Siale Piutau, Tony Brown, Jimmy Cowan (Captain), Nasi Manu, Adam Thomson, Jarrad Hoeata, Tom Donnelly, Josh Bekhuis,David Te Moana, Mahonri Schwalger, Chris King. Reserves: Jason Rutledge, Bronson Murray/Jamie Mackintosh, Nick Crosswell, Alando Soakai, Aaron Smith, Robbie Robinson, Telusa Veainu.

One change in the backs, with Tony Brown starting ahead of Robinson, as they have decided not to risk Colin Slade. This indicates to me that the Highlanders want to play a very structured game, probably kicking a lot for the corners. This could be quite a good tactic if they kick accurately, as Dagg's positional play can be a bit dodgy at time. However if they kick poorly Dagg, Maitland et al. will make them pay!

A couple of changes in the forwards. Up front, Mo Schwalgher starts ahead of Rutledge at hooker (possibly to provide some additional size to the forward pack), while Mackintosh is battling a couple of injures, so has been bracketed on the bench. Chris King moves from tighthead to loosehead to cover Mackintosh's absense, with Te Moana starting at tighthead. As predicted Donnelly starts at lock, alongside Bekhuis. Interestingly the Highlanders have also rearranged there loose forward trio, with Thomson moving to the openside, and Hoeata moving from lock to start at blindside flanker (which is his best position). Good to see Nick Crosswell back from injury on the bench, I'd expect he will get some starts latter in the season.

As much as I want the Highlanders to win the Crusaders will start as big favourites - I'd pick the Crusaders to take it by 15 points.

A few interesting decisions by the Highlanders there.. Its almost as if they are just flat out conceding this match

 

[Kiwiwomble]

A few interesting decisions by the Highlanders there.. Its almost as if they are just flat out conceding this match

It did cross my mind, the old try and protect a couple of players for the hardest match and then come out flying after the bye with slade et al but the more i look at it, other than thompson, they all look like injury/form/tactical changes

that being said, "conceding" and re grouping for the season after the bye is not stupid in the long run, i would say three from five would have been more than was planned before the season started and so to have the record without further injuries wouldn't be bad

Thomson to open side eh ... any news on whether Mr G Henry will be attending the match ...

I was thinking the same thing myself! he prob thinks he has a chance to shine against todd rather than mcraw

 

[Larksea]

like that highlanders loosie setup. Do wonder if thompson is running out of steam a bit though he had a big workload in the first few weeks and maybe dropped off a little.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

thinking they are going to get Soakai on for him later in the match?

I more game for him to get up for and then the bye, he can do it

 

[Shaggy]

It did cross my mind, the old try and protect a couple of players for the hardest match and then come out flying after the bye with slade et al but the more i look at it, other than thompson, they all look like injury/form/tactical changes

that being said, "conceding" and re grouping for the season after the bye is not stupid in the long run, i would say three from five would have been more than was planned before the season started and so to have the record without further injuries wouldn't be bad



I was thinking the same thing myself! he prob thinks he has a chance to shine against todd rather than mcraw

I don't know that the Highlanders are conceding the match, it's just that their squad depth is severely being tested ... I think that the Thomson V Todd duel will be a good one because they are probably Ritchie's two leading backup candidates for the ABs (on current form)

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I only use the term "conceding" in the sence they will look at it in a very realistic way and probably play a pretty safe game, do everything they can to win without copping anymore injuries

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

like that highlanders loosie setup. Do wonder if thompson is running out of steam a bit though he had a big workload in the first few weeks and maybe dropped off a little.

I don't know that he dropped off as much as the Stormers not allowing the Highlanders to get any forward momentum.

Here's hoping both the Highlanders and Stormers can topple their more fancied fellow countrymen and maintain their current lead! Stormers I believe can do it, with the way the Bulls have been playing, if we get over our inferiority complex and play them like the Highlanders showed us how. With the Highlanders... those Crusaders have been playing a complete brand of rugby these last 2 weeks and seem to know their game inside out. Fruean running down AAC while being 42 points ahead on the scoreboard just epitomized their level of commitment as well. Its going to be tough. If the Highlanders back themselves and stay up in the Crusaders' faces for the full 80 they might come close enough for 1 awkward bounce of the ball or 1 Crusaders/ref error to give them the result.

 

[TNT88]

The Highlanders are going to have to really target the ruck. Their backrow looks up to it so that should make for a good game.

It's hard tip against this Crusaders team though.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

we were completely out played and our decision making was way off target...much like our kicking.

surely, if both our kickers are having bad days then you stop going for goal, when we were down by 18 odd why were we still going for goal and not for touch, i dont remember getting shown up in the lineout stakes so i just cant see a reason why!

also, quite possibly the worse reffing performance i have ever witnessed. I will freely admit to seeing things one eyed so will only talk about the things i thought we were hard done by and let a cantab talk about the things he got wrong the otherway.

-half a dozen times the cantabs were "accedentally off side" by running into their own players...no problem apparently
-two of the tried towards the end came after knock ons in the build up
-no consistancy re advantage, in the first half the cantabs LOST twenty meters...and still lost the advantage but then later in the game gained 25 odd and then knocked it on but it was brought back.
-pretty much every throw to the front of the lineout they did was not straight
- and we were repeatedly done for knock ons when we were not in possession...how did we get the ball if they hadn't knocked it on first!

Please dont take this as a prober review, im just venting as i dont think i have enjoyed a game less in a very long time and that is coming from a life long highlanders fan

 

[Darwin]

we were completely out played and our decision making was way off target...much like our kicking.

surely, if both our kickers are having bad days then you stop going for goal, when we were down by 18 odd why were we still going for goal and not for touch, i dont remember getting shown up in the lineout stakes so i just cant see a reason why!

also, quite possibly the worse reffing performance i have ever witnessed. I will freely admit to seeing things one eyed so will only talk about the things i thought we were hard done by and let a cantab talk about the things he got wrong the otherway.

-half a dozen times the cantabs were "accedentally off side" by running into their own players...no problem apparently
-two of the tried towards the end came after knock ons in the build up
-no consistancy re advantage, in the first half the cantabs LOST twenty meters...and still lost the advantage but then later in the game gained 25 odd and then knocked it on but it was brought back.
-pretty much every throw to the front of the lineout they did was not straight
- and we were repeatedly done for knock ons when we were not in possession...how did we get the ball if they hadn't knocked it on first!

Please dont take this as a prober review, im just venting as i dont think i have enjoyed a game less in a very long time and that is coming from a life long highlanders fan

Can't say I noticed the ref being too bad, though I was stuck at the back of the terraces, so my view of the game wasn't that great. I did notice the Crusaders get away with a number of accidental offsides throughout the game. Didn't see the knock-ons leading up in the build up to the tries at the end, though I was at the other end of the field. The only forward pass that I saw the ref miss was last (or second last?) pass leading up to Thomsons try! I haven't seen a replay of Fruean's try, but it looked like it was held up from where I was standing, and Fruean himself looked slightly confused when the try was confirmed...

As usual Thomson was a standout for the Highlanders, though I think he is still better at 6 than at 7, while I also thought Hoeata also looked good with the ball in hand. Both first-fives were poor - not sure whether it was due to poor passing from Cowan, or they both just played badly. Ben Smith was again the best Highlanders back.

Read has his best game of the year for the Crusaders, while Todd again looked good at 7. SBW looked very dangerous whenever he got the ball, and certainly looked to have a huge workrate in defense. Fruean looks HUGE in person, and was always dangerous, while Dagg had a good game from fullback. Guildford looked dangerous when he came off the bench as well.

Can't say I'm surprised at the result... luckily the Highlanders have a bye next week, and hopefully will have a fully fit Colin Slade for their next match.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

the knocks need to be seen on replay...or by someone standing right there looking for knock ons ;o)

I think my biggest problem was the decision making....and that has to come down to cowen...its the same negative football we had last year. They just seemed to have it in there head "we would never score if we went for touch so why bother, lets just go for goal" which when we were kicking so poorly pretty much lost the game for us or at east the first half

 

[Darwin]

the knocks need to be seen on replay...or by someone standing right there looking for knock ons ;o)

I think my biggest problem was the decision making....and that has to come down to cowen...its the same negative football we had last year. They just seemed to have it in there head "we would never score if we went for touch so why bother, lets just go for goal" which when we were kicking so poorly pretty much lost the game for us or at east the first half

Just saw highlights of the knock-ons you mentioned. You could forgive the ref for missing the first one at the base of the ruck, as it was not very obvious. How the ref missing the knock-on in the build-up to Dagg's second try is beyond me - he clearly knocked the ball forwards into Ben Smiths leg, and what's worse he suggested it was a knock-on from the Highlanders, and gave the advantage to the Crusaders! These missed knock-ons had no influence on the result of the game, but do agree they are annoying as a Highlanders supporter.

A number of things were against the Highlanders before they even started - the travel aspect, the four physical games they had played, and most importantly the opposition! To beat the Crusaders, 3 things would have needed to happen (1) The Highlanders played well (2) The Crusaders played poorly (3) The calls went the Highlanders way... unfortunately none of these things happened in this game! Overall I'm not overly worried about the result, I think the bye has really come at the right time... It's going to be great to have Colin Slade controlling the game from first-five in two weeks time