Super Rugby Final: Chiefs v Brumbies (03/08/13)

[TRF Mr Fish]

Regards Smith is he able to play for Aus and will he be selected straight away if so? Must've been a bit of reason is his decisionto swap. Probably seen his path to All Blacks a bit more clouded

Yep he's qualified through his grandparents so he can in theory go straight into the squad. Probably won't see him in there until next season though.

 

[Draggs]

Isn't Smith Aussie-born?

 

[smartcooky]

Isn't Smith Aussie-born?

Yep. Townsville, North Queensland

 

[Sam Owen]

Great win for the Chiefs although I didn't get to watch much of the game as I was on it hardout. Good final.

 

[Draggs]

Yep. Townsville, North Queensland

Hmm, a decent Aussie prop... Now they just need a three more! (And a hooker besides Moore)

 

[psychic duck]

Hmm, a decent Aussie prop... Now they just need a three more! (And a hooker besides Moore)

Australia going down the Ireland route of poaching Kiwi props then. Borlase and Bent were supposed to be "decent" as well ... this guy any better?

 

[Draggs]

Australia going down the Ireland route of poaching Kiwi props then. Borlase and Bent were supposed to be "decent" as well ... this guy any better?

Bent is the most appropriate name for a prop since James Slipper.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Australia going down the Ireland route of poaching Kiwi props then. Borlase and Bent were supposed to be "decent" as well ... this guy any better?

Any excuse for an old pop, eh? New material would be a welcome change at this stage.

 

[Draggs]

Any excuse for an old pop, eh? New material would be a welcome change at this stage.

Ohh ohh I know! Richie McCaw cheats at the haka. He poached it from the Fijians...

 

[Feicarsinn]

Ohh ohh I know! Richie McCaw cheats at the haka. He poached it from the Fijians...

Word is he's also preventing tier two sides getting more tests. A monster by any definition.

 

[smartcooky]

Hmm, a decent Aussie prop... Now they just need a three more! (And a hooker besides Moore)

Yep, they can't grow decent front rowers in the Land of the Bouncing Rat. They have to subcontract the job out to other countries, like;

New Zealand (Jeremy Paul, Pek Cowan)
Canada (Matt "drop-kick" Dunning)
Tonga (Rodney "Rodzilla" Blake)
Argentina (Patricio Noreiga)
Indonesia (Guy Shepherdson)
Saudi Arabia (Stephen Moore)

 

[nickdnz]

Australia going down the Ireland route of poaching Kiwi props then. Borlase and Bent were supposed to be "decent" as well ... this guy any better?

Well - Peter Borlase managed 2 Super Rugby apparences in five years, Michael Bent managed 11 - but was never considered near being a starter for the Canes. So I guess being decent was more the hype involved with accumulating New Zealand props from the Irish media, rather than NZ's perspective. Toby Smith has suffered from being in a franchise with lots of options in the front row - but many think he could play for the AB's. People would rate him higher than Nathan White, who by all accounts was a good buy from Ireland.

 

[Draggs]

I swear we had this exact conversation a month ago, Cook. I was on about the great Rodzilla. To be fair, Moore is a surprisingly good hooker.

 

[Larksea]

toby smith is way better than nathan white... Smith can scrum just as well and will do about twice the work around the park, smith is also a genuine ball carrier white was pretty average/below average in that area. there was a season for the chiefs white was a spectator between scrums unless an oposition player ran straight at him lol

 

[smartcooky]

toby smith is way better than nathan white... Smith can scrum just as well and will do about twice the work around the park, smith is also a genuine ball carrier white was pretty average/below average in that area. there was a season for the chiefs white was a spectator between scrums unless an oposition player ran straight at him lol

Yep and that is what we expect of our tight five. They have to be excellent at their core jobs AND to offer extras, be it ball pilfering, big tackling or ball carrying with plenty of go-forward, or absolute commitment on defence, like this...



..that is legendary!!

 

[Amobokoboko]

First half the Brumbies were the better team, luckily Cruden brought with him his kicking boots. The two tries of the Chiefs in the second half were beauties. I think we found our Deans in Rennie. Count down has started for 2014.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

First half the Brumbies were the better team, luckily Cruden brought with him his kicking boots. The two tries of the Chiefs in the second half were beauties. I think we found our Deans in Rennie. Count down has started for 2014.

I think we'll lose Rennie overseas after the World Cup, if not earlier.

 

[smartcooky]

First half the Brumbies were the better team, luckily Cruden brought with him his kicking boots.

In the second half maybe, but earlier in the game, not so much. Cruden was kicking terribly last night. Even the successful ones looked unconvincing. The trajectory was flat, the ball sometimes wobbled in flight, and the strike sounded like he was kciking a medicine ball. Now while I'm no great expert on place-kicking, I know enough about it to recognise mistiming when I see/hear it.

Cruden's place kicking does concern me a bit, and that is probably why I would not have him in ahead of Carter

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Cruden was great on defence again, for a small guy he sure does his fair share of defending.

 

[donmcdazzle]

In the second half maybe, but earlier in the game, not so much. Cruden was kicking terribly last night. Even the successful ones looked unconvincing. The trajectory was flat, the ball sometimes wobbled in flight, and the strike sounded like he was kciking a medicine ball. Now while I'm no great expert on place-kicking, I know enough about it to recognise mistiming when I see/hear it.

Cruden's place kicking does concern me a bit, and that is probably why I would not have him in ahead of Carter

He was amazing last season, had a very high percentage. The big layoff from goal kicking as he nursed that groin injury obviously screwed his rhythm or timing or something. I'm sure he'll get it back.