Super Rugby: Highlanders vs. Chiefs in Dunedin (22/02/2013)

[Adakins]

Now I can finally breathe a little.

 

[austingtir]

Maybe the chiefs should be looking at robinson at 13 to fill in? On attack obviously nanai williams is great but the D was very suspect on that one try.

 

[Darwin]

Maybe the chiefs should be looking at robinson at 13 to fill in? On attack obviously nanai williams is great but the D was very suspect on that one try.

I don't think it would be a good option - Robinson is worse on defense than Nanai-Williams.....

 

[Adakins]

Yeah Nani-Williams D needs some work, but Ngatai can also play 13. So I think when players come back you will see Nani-Willams go back to the wing.

 

[dasNdanger]

Spot on mate, but I didn't read all the previous posts, just soo enjoying this game

I'm usually days late to the party, so...ya know...for once it was nice to be on the proverbial ball.


das

 

[Adakins]

Oh wow that was one hell of a game.

 

[Darwin]

Well deserved win for the Chiefs - they were more clinical when it counted.

 

[dasNdanger]

Well-done, Chiefs, despite the butterfingers. Sweet dreams, Adakins!

This was the 'fastest' match I've watched in ages. It just flew by! Excellent game, well-worth the late night (or early morning).


das

 

[Amobokoboko]

Very entertaining game, pity it's finished. Good to see the Chiefs team is working well. Can't wait until next week.

 

[tenpm]

Since someone has to make that obligatory post, I'd just like to point out Ben Smith was absolutely brilliant.

 

[Adakins]

I do not think any one player had a bad game, but for the Highlanders he was one of the top players in this game. With 72% territory they just did not have the structure to finish. But with Hore, Thorn and the other players coming back i think they will only improve.

 

[nickdnz]

Very enjoyable game to watch. The outside backs all had decent games.

 

[SomeOke]

Fantastic game from the neutral point of view, well worth missing a few lectures .

Anyway I thought both teams were great, and the difference really comes down to polish. Highlanders certainly have the players and the potential to win the competition but the Chiefs defence (Tim-Nanai none-withstanding) was just far more structured and offered far less opportunities. The same on attack, with a few handling errors and poor decision making costing them tries. If the Highlanders had made use of the overlap before the Nanai Williams second try and the lazy offload after the Bekhuis break this could have had a very different result as both of those were potentially 14 point swings in the grand scheme of things (Highlanders were going to score, but the Chiefs scored instead).

All in all NZ Rugga looking very good , can't wait for the rest of the matches.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I would like to see TNW back on the wing and maybe put Hiks or Osborne next to Bundee as center. For the rest it was an awesome performance. Why was Schwalger not in the squad. It was announced in the newspaper that he would replace Hika.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Fantastic game from the neutral point of view, well worth missing a few lectures .

Anyway I thought both teams were great, and the difference really comes down to polish. Highlanders certainly have the players and the potential to win the competition but the Chiefs defence (Tim-Nanai none-withstanding) was just far more structured and offered far less opportunities. The same on attack, with a few handling errors and poor decision making costing them tries. If the Highlanders had made use of the overlap before the Nanai Williams second try and the lazy offload after the Bekhuis break this could have had a very different result as both of those were potentially 14 point swings in the grand scheme of things (Highlanders were going to score, but the Chiefs scored instead).

All in all NZ Rugga looking very good , can't wait for the rest of the matches.

^
What he said.

 

[Patchey]

Does anyone know why Anscombe was kicking and not Cruden? Not that he did a bad job obviously I'm just curious.

Also, every Blues fan should now be kicking themselves.

 

[Adakins]

Cruden was carrying a groin injury and so they gave Ascombe kicking duties

 

[Amobokoboko]

It didn't influence his game that much. But it's always better to play safe.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Bit of a disappointment fantasy-rugby-wise that Cruden wasn't taking the shots at goal. A very entertaining game and good skills shown by both teams.

 

[Draggs]

Highlanders defence in midfield and far out is suspect.
Nonu rushed in far too tight to let TNW on the outside.