Super 15: Hurricanes - Western Force in Wellington (27-05-2011)

[TRF_stormer2010]

Hard luck to the Force. That 4 minute collapse cost them the game.

 

[AfakasiAssasin]

*sigh* Id like to reiterate my statement about the force being the worst team when it come to closing out tight games. Another game that they shoulda coulda but didn't win, losing the game in the final 10 minutes AGAIN. On a positive note though Swanepoel and standard made an impressive combination and Shepard showed good form his return.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

A bit of a random comment but I thought Swanepoel's name is very appropriate for a Force player; it means 'swan pool' which considering the swan is Western Australia's emblem fits quite nicely.

 

[Ostrayian]

Oh well, at least we have found a new fly half out of all this. Don't know why we didn't try Stannard there earlier.

Stannard was 10 for Palmyra before joining the force. I think hes more natural at 10 then 9 for sure. If we run with him and Justin Turner next year at least we can claim to have products of WA club rugby in the halves.

 

[nickdnz]

Hurricanes were fairly average to be honest. They came back nicely, but their defence around the fringes really let them down. They often don't look like they're a well run team. Cruden had a very mixed game. Had touches of class, but a lot of stupid errors like not finding the touch several times, knock ons and 50/50 passes that really hurt the Canes. He seems like he's got a lot of talent, but he just can't run a backline very well. In all honesty, considering that is probably the best Hurricanes team fielded all season, the Force deserved the win. I thought Vito, Lam, Nonu, Smith and Gear all had pretty good games. David Smith was a machine for the Force. Always dangerous and always working well. Stannard did really well, certainly looks composed and with a lot of skill. Seems like he could start on a regular basis for the Force, with O'Connor moving out to the wing.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Good win for the Canes

 

[AfakasiAssasin]

If only Smith didn't take the field for the new zealand 7s team a few years back, he could've been more than handy addition for Samoa come world cup time. A wasted talent that will probably never make an impact on the international scene.

 

[smartcooky]

If only Smith didn't take the field for the new zealand 7s team a few years back, he could've been more than handy addition for Samoa come world cup time. A wasted talent that will probably never make an impact on the international scene.

A perfect illustration of the stupidity of the eligibility regulations.

Sevens is a different game, with different tactics and different gameplay. It even has different Laws.

Playing sevens should not capture eligibility for fifteen-a-side. I would far rather see the eligibility of Under 20 players captured, i.e. you play for a country at Under 20 level, you should not be able to play for any other senior team but that country.

 

[Icemn]

Hurricanes were fairly average to be honest. They came back nicely, but their defence around the fringes really let them down. They often don't look like they're a well run team. Cruden had a very mixed game. Had touches of class, but a lot of stupid errors like not finding the touch several times, knock ons and 50/50 passes that really hurt the Canes. He seems like he's got a lot of talent, but he just can't run a backline very well. In all honesty, considering that is probably the best Hurricanes team fielded all season, the Force deserved the win. I thought Vito, Lam, Nonu, Smith and Gear all had pretty good games. David Smith was a machine for the Force. Always dangerous and always working well. Stannard did really well, certainly looks composed and with a lot of skill. Seems like he could start on a regular basis for the Force, with O'Connor moving out to the wing.

average is an understatement..... the Canes were crap!!!!! :O i'm sorry but i'm the type of fan that is impressed by only a win.....the canes at times made the force look good...i think the force deserved to win the match... teh canes kicked the ball away whole of 1st half...and they know their strength is their running game..... eish

the forwards were weak as i expected....then the backline kicked possession away....without their backline teh hurricanes have nothing...that is their strength...the force did their homeword and tried to disrupt the backline by stopping the ball at the hurricanes forwards....but once that backline gets going...you cant stop them

Hurricanes game plan is always...you can score a try we will score 2.....but more than often they fail to score those 2 and let 3 in

only good thing out of the game is that Jane was getting better..... Nonu is almost back to his best....Gear had an off game for me....and Smith was brilliant aswell...weepu was a bit crap for me :?

 

[Gavin]

Hurricanes really need to pull the finger out. How can a team full of All Blacks perform so badly against a 'weakened' Western Force side.

 

[Icemn]

Hurricanes really need to pull the finger out. How can a team full of All Blacks perform so badly against a 'weakened' Western Force side.

the problem is the forwards....there are none to talk about....if they do manage to get some ball.....the back have to perform.....if they don't the Canes have nothing to show.....

the Canes strength is their backline.....if teh other team disrupt the ball or their backline the Canes have nothing to show.....like i said they play a you score 1 try we will score 2 tries type of rugby...no defence to talk about.....their defense is attack.....so if you stop their attack they have nothing to show..... that is why they will never beat the Bulls or Stormers...cuz they focus on defence 1st and play of the other teams mistakes....

 

[Darwin]

Hurricanes were fairly average to be honest. They came back nicely, but their defence around the fringes really let them down. They often don't look like they're a well run team. Cruden had a very mixed game. Had touches of class, but a lot of stupid errors like not finding the touch several times, knock ons and 50/50 passes that really hurt the Canes. He seems like he's got a lot of talent, but he just can't run a backline very well. In all honesty, considering that is probably the best Hurricanes team fielded all season, the Force deserved the win. I thought Vito, Lam, Nonu, Smith and Gear all had pretty good games. David Smith was a machine for the Force. Always dangerous and always working well. Stannard did really well, certainly looks composed and with a lot of skill. Seems like he could start on a regular basis for the Force, with O'Connor moving out to the wing.

Agree with all of that apart from one thing: I don't think Gear had a good game at all. He was anonymous in attack, and messed up a couple of times when the ball was kicked to him.

The I felt the Force possibly deserved to win this match, as they showed some great patience on attack, and some great scrambling defense at times. Their mauling from lineouts was particularly impressive, the Canes didn't seem to have any answer to this. I thought Nathan Sharpe was outstanding for the Force, leading by example with the ball in hand, and dominating in the lineout. The Force loose-trio dominated at the breakdown, delivering good quick ball for their team and successfully slowing down the Hurricanes ball.

As has been mentioned Stannard looked great at 10; it makes me wonder why the bothered to import Willie Ripia.... David Smith had the best game I've seen him play: into everything, and looking so dangerous with the ball in hand. It's a pity he doesn't play like that every week. I thought Cummins and Shepherd also both had strong games for the Force as well.

I feel the Canes really missed Hore's ability to slow down the oppositions ball at the breakdown, and because of this were often on the back foot with the Force getting fast ball. Though Lam again had a strong game with ball in hand and on defense he really doesn't offer anything at the breakdown, and is certainly better suited to the 6/8 jersey (as he was earlier in the season before Lilo was injured). It's been unfortunate that Karl Lowe has been out this season, as a Canes loose-forward trio of 6. Lam 7. Lowe 8. Vito would be hard to stop.

Eaton had a mixed game, as did Weepu when he came on. Weepu still seems a long way away from match fitness; hopefully he will be fit by the time the tri-nations starts. Nickdnz summarized Cruden's game well, though I would add that he also struggled a bit defensively. He didn't miss tackles, but he failed to bring the opposition players down, meaning they gained an easy 5-10 metres whenever they ran at him. On the plus side his goal-kicking was faultless, which was great to see! I was particularly impressed with Conrad Smith who looked his usually classy self despite only just returning from injury. Cory Jane was less impressive. He did draw in defenders well on a couple of occasions, but made a few to many basic errors.

 

[smartcooky]

If Cruden truly want to be Dan carter's backup, he is going to have to play more of each game the way he played the last 10 minutes, because in that period of play, he was pure class! It very much reminded me of how he played in the 2009 Junior World Championship.