Super Rugby: Highlanders vs. Brumbies in Dunedin (12/04/2013)

[Sam Owen]

I love the way Brumbies put together phases. Lovely!

 

[admartian]

painfull game too watch if ur a higlanders fan. way too many errors and brumbies just too clinical. i enjoyed watching tanaka play he is deffinitly coping well at super15 level also George Smith is still the man, Hose Gear / Ben Smith and Andrew Hore are playing dreadful IMO

I've been impressed by Tanaka as well. BUt at the same time, Aaron Smith hasn't done anything terrible either. To me, you place the incumbent in, especially if their play is dependent on a poor forward pack.

But I'm not opposed to Tanaka starting.

This game has been Hosea's and Ben Smith's worse game thus far. I'll notch that as an anomaly.

EDIT: NZ teams are carrying on the whole knock on fever. This worries me for the ABs as they've done this too often early in the season too.

Knock it off, don't knock it on.

 

[austingtir]

Aaron Smith has been diabolical this season guys.... how anybody can defend him is beyond me. If he starts another game this season im not watching.

 

[donmcdazzle]

I dont care how well smith plays i still think Tenaka should start atleast the next couple (if not the rest of the season) to really give Smith and Slade some medicine. They need it. They've had plenty of games from the start of the season to play well.

Yes we get the picture you hate Aaron smith.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Hore should be gone come June, he has absolutely no leadership abilities and his play is well below par.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Aaron Smith has been diabolical this season guys.... how anybody can defend him is beyond me. If he starts another game this season im not watching.

For whatever reason you don't like the guy, fair enough. But he is better than Tanaka so don't be silly. Would tanaka have ever played a test for the AB's? No.

 

[admartian]

I get no urgency from this highlanders forward pack. Tey seem lazy and entitled save for Ioane and maybe Hoeata (but he's a bit of a wildcard).

 

[William18]

Aaron Smith has been diabolical this season guys.... how anybody can defend him is beyond me. If he starts another game this season im not watching.

That's just stupid. What happens if he suddenly starts playing brilliantly?

 

[austingtir]

For whatever reason you don't like the guy, fair enough. But he is better than Tanaka so don't be silly. Would a tanaka have ever played a test for the AB's? No.

Its got nothing to do with weather i like him or not he makes a HUGE amount of errors in every game and alot of them are really bad errors in terrible positions and situations.
Your blind if your not seeing what im seeing. The number of turnovers/knockons in each game from the start of the season from him is crazy.

 

[Darwin]

Aaron Smith has been diabolical this season guys.... how anybody can defend him is beyond me. If he starts another game this season im not watching.

He had a shocker last weekend, but apart from that he hasn't been that bad. He has looked very sharp this match. It is pretty clear you don't like the guy, but he was outstanding for the Highlanders last season, and had some great games for the AB's too.

I've been impressed by Tanaka as well. BUt at the same time, Aaron Smith hasn't done anything terrible either. To me, you place the incumbent in, especially if their play is dependent on a poor forward pack.

But I'm not opposed to Tanaka starting.

This game has been Hosea's and Ben Smith's worse game thus far. I'll notch that as an anomaly.

EDIT: NZ teams are carrying on the whole knock on fever. This worries me for the ABs as they've done this too often early in the season too.

Knock it off, don't knock it on.

I don't think Ben Smith has been bad at all. He is has been pretty quiet (as he hasn't got much ball), but I only recall him making one mistake...

 

[austingtir]

That's just stupid. What happens if he suddenly starts playing brilliantly?

I wont hold my breath.

 

[William18]

Its got nothing to do with weather i like him or not he makes a HUGE amount of errors in every game and alot of them are really bad errors in terrible positions and situations.
Your blind if your not seeing what im seeing. The number of turnovers/knockons in each game from the start of the season from him is crazy.

No one is saying he has been good this season. All we are saying is that at his best he is far better than Tanaka.

 

[austingtir]

He had a shocker last weekend, but apart from that he hasn't been that bad. He has looked very sharp this match. It is pretty clear you don't like the guy, but he was outstanding for the Highlanders last season, and had some great games for the AB's too.



I don't think Ben Smith has been bad at all. He is has been pretty quiet (as he hasn't got much ball), but I only recall him making one mistake...

Totally agree Ben Smith has been a shining light for this team in every game except possibly this one... he's been quiet. When the rest of the team cant do jack right you can only carry them on your back for so long i guess.

 

[Ruckyou]

For whatever reason you don't like the guy, fair enough. But he is better than Tanaka so don't be silly. Would tanaka have ever played a test for the AB's? No.

Aaron Smith would have never been an all black under Grahme Henry.

 

[Darwin]

Its got nothing to do with weather i like him or not he makes a HUGE amount of errors in every game and alot of them are really bad errors in terrible positions and situations.
Your blind if your not seeing what im seeing. The number of turnovers/knockons in each game from the start of the season from him is crazy.

I think everyone (including the AB's selectors!) are seeing it different than you. Either we are all blind, or you may just be wrong

 

[admartian]

He had a shocker last weekend, but apart from that he hasn't been that bad. He has looked very sharp this match. It is pretty clear you don't like the guy, but he was outstanding for the Highlanders last season, and had some great games for the AB's too.



I don't think Ben Smith has been bad at all. He is has been pretty quiet (as he hasn't got much ball), but I only recall him making one mistake...

Oh absolutely - I was merely saying it's his worse game. He's just been relatively quiet for his usually high standard.

Believe me, it'd take a lot for me to go against B-Dog. 8)

 

[Tekadus7]

Ioane has really impressed me. Countless runs... Great physicality

 

[austingtir]

No one is saying he has been good this season. All we are saying is that at his best he is far better than Tanaka.

But he's not at his best so you've got no arguement. Tanaka should start every game from here out unless he's as bad as Smith has been which is unlikely.

 

[Sam Owen]

Aaron Smith is not that bad. Hes good in that hes jenkie which sets him apart from other 9s. Im not a fan of his though, too inconsistent. I think he made some costly plays for the ABs losses as well. Good but inconsistent

 

[William18]

Aaron Smith would have never been an all black under Grahme Henry.

Why?