Super Rugby: Chiefs - Crusaders in Hamilton (6/7/2012)

[Darwin]

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

Referee: Steve Walsh
Referee: Garratt Williamson
Referee: Glen Jackson
Referee: Bryce Lawrence
​

 

[Amobokoboko]

Goo Chiefs!!!!!!

 

[dudeabides]

The top 2 in the NZ conf. = can't miss rugby!

 

[Darwin]

Crusaders: Israel Dagg, Adam Whitelock, Robbie Fruean, Ryan Crotty, Zac Guildford, Dan Carter, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, George Whitelock, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Ben Franks, Corey Flynn, Owen Franks. Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Wyatt Crockett, Tom Donnelly, Matt Todd, Willi Heinz, Tom Taylor, Sean Maitland.

Very strong team named, with Dagg, Carter, and Read all returning from injury. I'm expecting the Crusaders to bounce back this week, though I won't make any predictions until I've seen the Chiefs team named....

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Crusaders: Israel Dagg, Adam Whitelock, Robbie Fruean, Ryan Crotty, Zac Guildford, Dan Carter, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, George Whitelock, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Ben Franks, Corey Flynn, Owen Franks. Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Wyatt Crockett, Tom Donnelly, Matt Todd, Willi Heinz, Tom Taylor, Sean Maitland.

Very strong team named, with Dagg, Carter, and Read all returning from injury. I'm expecting the Crusaders to bounce back this week, though I won't make any predictions until I've seen the Chiefs team named....

That is indeed a very strong line-up. AND with the Crusaders probably out with a point to prove after last week I can see an away win.

I really hope they do win (and deny the Chiefs a bonus point!) because I'm a Stormers fan and of course I'd like to see us go top of the table with our only fixtures a tricky one against the Cheetahs at Bloem (they are a different team at home and dangerous with nothing to lose) and a all-but-assured win at home against the Rebels (without their star backs).

The difference between the two sides may come down to the bench with the Crusaders having world class players on the bench; Crockett, Todd, Donnelly, Maitland... even most national sides in the top 10 would be eager to have those players starting!

 

[Darwin]

Chiefs: Robbie Robinson, Tim Nanai-Williams, Andrew Horrell, Sonny Bill Williams, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Alex Bradley, Sam Cane, Liam Messam, Brodie Retallick, Craig Clarke (c), Ben Tameifuna, Mahonri Schwalger, Sona Taumalolo.
Reserves: Hika Elliot, Toby Smith, Romana Graham, Tanerau Latimer, Brendon Leonard, Jackson Willison, Lelia Masaga

The Chiefs have made a few changes - Taumalolo replaces Toby Smith at loosehead, Cane replaces Latimer at openside, Bradley replaces the injured Thomson at 8, while Horrell replaces Willison at centre. Not surprised to see Taumalolo back starting (though I'd still just prefer Smith), and Cane certainly deserves to start at 7 - his matchup with McCaw will be a highlight of the match. Not convinced about Bradley at 8 - he is a very solid player (and a strong ball runner), but I just feel the Chiefs would be better served with a (more dynamic) Latimer/Cane/Messam trio versus the Crusaders.

Horrell at 13 is a very interesting decision - I don't know if he has ever played there? I'd assume he probably spend most of his time at 12, with SBW playing outside him (as 12 is arguably Horrell's his best position). Interesting to see Masaga still can't make the starting lineup....

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

vBookie Chiefs-Crusaders

vBookie added

 

[Amobokoboko]

Hope the Chiefs can win this.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I thought I read an interview earlier this where Todd ( the Crusaders coach) said that it was doubtful that DC would start this weekend and that his return would only be as of July 14th.
Luckily it's a home game.

 

[Dizzy]

I'm gunning for the Chiefs to win this one.. But I feel the Crusaders have already won it. With them NEEDING the win after the upset last week and a chance that they might fall short of the playoffs, I really can't see them losing this one.

 

[Larksea]

hate games like this.

want both teams to win

I think it's a case of who can step up better from last week where teams looked a bit rusty after the break. Like the fact Bradley comes in at 8, Thomson looked a bit like the weakest link in the chiefs pack last weekend. Horrell at 13 is obbviously very interesting. Willison has been pretty good, at least with Willison he is an awesome defender so that will be key. Crusaders will target him (horrell). I think I'd be happy with Willison marking fruen but not so much horrell - it will be a step up for him, SBW will need to help cover Fruen.

Cane vs. McCaw will be worth the gate price alone.

Cane is obviously brilliant and McCaw is obviously not interested in quietly giving up his status ans NZ's best openside and moving to blindside.

Very big battles all through the forward pack as well. These two teams clearly NZ's best packs.

The thing about super rugby is it's so tight the finals start in the last couple of rounds of round robin. This is it, Crusaders need a win to secure a place in the playoffs and chiefs need to keep winning to try and secure overall top spot which is absolutely critical, it really is worth fighting for and they are in the situation where they have it and all they need to do is keep winning and worry about what they are doing - it's down to them.

Getting top spot overall would be a huge achievement considering how tough the NZ conference is, AUS and SA have 2-3 strong teams NZ has 4. Chiefs have only lost one game to another NZ side this year which is mind blowing really.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Fully agree, can't wait for this game
This one and Bulls vs. Sharks making it a great rugby watching weekend

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Cane vs. McCaw will be worth the gate price alone.

It's a bit like smith vs pocock a few years back

anyway, go chiefs. it's about time the chiefs won the super rugby ***le.

 

[Darwin]

This is the game of the weekend for me. There are great match-ups all over the park - I'm really looking forward to the battle between the Bens: Franks and Tameifuna. I feel Ben Franks has a lot to prove: he was disappointing during the internationals, with many questioning his place in the AB's 22, but I feel he is back playing in his best position this week (LH prop). Tameifuna has a chance to test himself against arguably the best scrum in the competition, and possibly push for inclusion in the AB's Rugby Championship squad. Whitelock vs Rettalick is a great battle at lock, as they are definitely the best two locks in the country in my opinion. The will likely be up against each other in the lineout too, which will be great to watch. As has already been mentioned McCaw vs Cane will be an epic battle too.

Ellis vs Kerr-Barlow at halfback will be very interesting - both are definitely still in contention for the AB's Rugby Championship squad. I feel one of Ellis's few weakness is his inability to deal with scrappy ball under pressure, while one of Kerr-Barlow's biggest strengths is the ability to put pressure on the opposing halfback... it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Carter vs Cruden is another case of master vs apprentice, though the apprentice has turned into a pretty exceptional player over the last couple of seasons! Though Horrell is named at 13 I'd expect him to mainly play at 12 with SBW outside him, so the matchups are more like Horrell vs Crotty, and SBW vs Fruean. There are some good match-ups out wide too: Guildfords pace and work-rate vs the stepping of Nanai-Williams will be particularly good to watch.

Overall it is a very hard game to call - I'm picking the Crusaders to win a close on (by about 5 points) though aren't overly confident in my prediction!

 

[admartian]

Yeah I want both to win as well. But if I had to choose, it'd be the Crusaders. Seeing as the Chiefs are guaranteed a spot anyway.

Both squads look like championship calibre teams. I wouldn't have Adam Whitelock ahead of Maitland though.

 

[Darwin]

Yeah I want both to win as well. But if I had to choose, it'd be the Crusaders. Seeing as the Chiefs are guaranteed a spot anyway.

Both squads look like championship calibre teams. I wouldn't have Adam Whitelock ahead of Maitland though.

Though I do think Whitelock is under-rated by many, I wouldn't have him ahead of Maitland either. I feel the Chiefs may try to exploit Whitelocks lack of pace, as Tikoirotuma is pretty rapid.....

 

[nickdnz]

Maitland is probably the quickest player in NZ, it's been criminal how little he's been used, especially considering he was Super Rugby's joint highest try scorer last season. I actually wanted him in the All Blacks last season, Adam Whitelock on the other hand is one of the most average players to start for any team in Super Rugby. Ever. Solid is about as generous term that can be used to describe him. I agree with Darwin that his lack of pace should be exploited. He's not a bad defender, but he's not quick enough to keep up with any of the back three of the Chiefs. Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Tim Nanai-Williams and Lelia Masaga is about as lethal attacking back three as you can get. What's worse is Adam Whitelock offers very little in attack (something I was very relieved about last week).

I'm hoping the Crusaders win. Another New Zealand team in the final is ideal and I'm really hoping there will be three. Hoping for both the Chiefs and Crusaders to get a four try bonus point with the Chiefs finishing within 7 points.

 

[Darwin]

Maitland is probably the quickest player in NZ, it's been criminal how little he's been used, especially considering he was Super Rugby's joint highest try scorer last season. I actually wanted him in the All Blacks last season, Adam Whitelock on the other hand is one of the most average players to start for any team in Super Rugby. Ever. Solid is about as generous term that can be used to describe him. I agree with Darwin that his lack of pace should be exploited. He's not a bad defender, but he's not quick enough to keep up with any of the back three of the Chiefs. Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Tim Nanai-Williams and Lelia Masaga is about as lethal attacking back three as you can get. What's worse is Adam Whitelock offers very little in attack (something I was very relieved about last week).

I'm hoping the Crusaders win. Another New Zealand team in the final is ideal and I'm really hoping there will be three. Hoping for both the Chiefs and Crusaders to get a four try bonus point with the Chiefs finishing within 7 points.

Maitland's issue is that he has a very poor work-rate. Unless the ball goes his way he is not in the game, and when he does get the ball he often forgets he has 15 team-mates. Someone needs to get him to improve his work-rate - a few weeks with Gordon Tietjens in the 7's may help!

EDIT: Great try for Read after a huge build-up...

 

[austingtir]

Guna sound like a broken record im watching 17minutes in and tamiafuna is monstering ben franks at every opportunity. BEN FRANKS = TOTALLY OVERATED!!!

 

[austingtir]

Saders could put 40 points on here i suspect they look really up for this. Not suprising i guess if they loose this they will be in big trouble.