Highlanders v Blues
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@game_film said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Steven-Harris I’d always assumed from TV that the Landers had good crowds but the reverse angle at the start, showing the empty main-camera side was shocking. Someone explain what’s going on down there, please.
15k is a decent crowd for February coming off a first round loss and some down years.
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@African-Monkey said in Highlanders v Blues:
@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders v Blues:
@African-Monkey said in Highlanders v Blues:
@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders v Blues:
Congrats Landers. By far the better team.
I don't see the Blues turning this around - they are cooked
Yeah......it's all of a sudden looking like a pretty weak bunch of NZ teams all of a sudden excluding the Chiefs.
The 2nd best NZ team is up for grabs, could well be the Landers from what we've seen.
Agreed. Blues look 5th best NZ team.
In fairness, the Crusaders and Canes don't look much chop either.
Both teams are down plenty of firepower atm. No excuse fo the Blues, got done tonight.
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I can’t believe it! Despite fielding the greatest number 8 known to the history of rugby the blues lost. That’s a very good result for the highlanders.
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@chchfanatic said in Highlanders v Blues:
Sotutu showing us all why he’s not in the All blacks. MIA the whole game. Where as Withy was outstanding .
Goes missing when the forward pack is not on the front foot is the image of his distractors. Needs to prove them wrong but can't tell in his first outing of the season to be fair..
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The Clan! How good was that! Come on migget fullback that I have never heard of but can go like the clappers.
Fabian Holland FAB! Fred the Difference has been handy for the last few years. He is just a machine.
You can also see how classy the Blues are though. They will click eventually and be there at the end. -
Whenever the Saders lose there’s only one that makes it a little less unbearable, the Blues losing too. Yes I’m a bitter man from that 2003 final.
Some lesser names really standing up for the Landers. Thought their tempo was superb for the most part . A little shaky and showed some inexperience at times, but overall an amazing performance under pressure.
What I noticed about the Blues was after that initial phase of attack the next 2 or 3 phases looked disjointed. Not helped by Beaudie crapping the bed several times. Looked rushed all night and made some terrible decisions.
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Looking at some general stats, it seems like the Blues are straying quite far from their 2024 game plan. Last year, they averaged about 165 carries per game, which was easily the highest in the comp. This game, they only made 107 carries (last week against the Chiefs, 116). They’ve only made 3 clean breaks each in the past two games (down from an average of nearly 8 in 2024), so they’re finding it harder to gain terrain through carries.
Add to that an inability to control territory through their kicking game, and you have a Blues attack which is badly misfiring. Not scoring any points against 13 men in the final quarter of this game is about as bad an indictment of your attack as it gets. Hopefully the injury to Funaki isn’t too bad, as he should probably start. Cotter also needs to make a call between Plummer and Barrett as their combo doesn’t seem to be working.
It’s also amazing how much better the Highlanders are this year. It makes sense that Joseph has chosen Robinson as the first five of this team, as he’s pretty much the embodiment of its qualities: physical, wily, and combative.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Highlanders v Blues:
Not helped by Beaudie crapping the bed several times.
Really noticeable that his "tactics" are just hit and hope and don't seem to fit into anything else the team is trying to do. When does he ever put someone in a better position now? Hurry back Steve.
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@Mauss said in Highlanders v Blues:
Looking at some general stats, it seems like the Blues are straying quite far from their 2024 game plan. Last year, they averaged about 165 carries per game, which was easily the highest in the comp. This game, they only made 107 carries (last week against the Chiefs, 116). They’ve only made 3 clean breaks each in the past two games (down from an average of nearly 8 in 2024), so they’re finding it harder to gain terrain through carries.
Add to that an inability to control territory through their kicking game, and you have a Blues attack which is badly misfiring. Not scoring any points against 13 men in the final quarter of this game is about as bad an indictment of your attack as it gets. Hopefully the injury to Funaki isn’t too bad, as he should probably start. Cotter also needs to make a call between Plummer and Barrett as their combo doesn’t seem to be working.
It’s also amazing how much better the Highlanders are this year. It makes sense that Joseph has chosen Robinson as the first five of this team, as he’s pretty much the embodiment of its qualities: physical, wily, and combative.
Really interesting, probably points to aimless kicking, missing forwards that are a carrying and distribution threat (Ioane, plus an off the boil Sotutu), plus the disjointed attack in close where they're just not getting their lines and continuity.
Perofeta back, Funaki back, more game time in Sotutu and Suafoa and it could be a completely different picture in a few weeks.
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@chchfanatic said in Highlanders v Blues:
Sotutu showing us all why he’s not in the All blacks. MIA the whole game. Where as Withy was outstanding .
Like most Crusaders fans on here who go missing after their team gets slapped around silly like Friday night.
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Well after sleeping on it, (it now halftime in Eng/Scots game. I still think the Clan players/supporters will be over the moon. I still can't think of a Blue's player that went well really. The forward pack looked ok without rolling up sleeves and dominating like I thought they would. Was waiting fot Pat T to just grab ball and do a few carries etc. But I not blaming him(maybe his cataincy), it was a poor team effort especially in last 20, even my wife was asking why are they not just taking advantage of their extra forwards, basically if ever you wanted to play a style they did last year, that last 20 was it.
In the backs I honestly didn't see a good one all night. Christie was Christie (not a huge fan anyway), Plummer for 2nd week was I thought well off pace and already mentally on plane. I already said about midfield, the first time Ioane got ball he decided to throw it forward by about 3-4 metres for some reason, never noticed him after that, and Lam?? Back 3 all struggled I thought, none looked very good to me. So collectively was a poor team performance.
The Clan were great, TT at 12 had a game you dream of. kind of individual performance amongst a very good team effort. Holland was immense especially in second half, was a Sam Whitelock type performance. He was joined by whole pack that went well, the loosies completely Blues supposed top loosies, 3 of them just hunted together. In Backs think Robinson at 10 had another good game, but all were good ,and I just really enjoy that young Finn Hurley, looks like a 3rd former, but plays without fear it seems. All in all as a neutral I loved it, and though it stuffed up my picks I was real happy with result. -
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It was a great result for the Highlanders but I'm not sure I actually saw a whole lot from them to make me think they'll trouble the top teams this year when they hit their straps. The attack in particular was very static and while they defended with incredible heart, I'm not sure that's something they'll be able to replicate week after week. Hope I'm wrong though!
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@Bones said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Dan54 for once I tried reading, but gave up towards the end. Words mean things. As does grammar.
But I sure as shit hope you weren't targeting one player for his leadership when there were several leaders on the field....
F*** grammar, I just hit keys (I used to worry about it as daughter is a grammar nazi, but f*** it)!! No was not targeting one player for anything, my whole point was it was a complete team failure, and yes I do agree whole leadership group let the team down. I mentioned Pat T carrying, because that is(or was) one of Blues strengths I think. They were I think let down by Paps, Ioane, BB etc as part of leadership group .
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@Machpants they played against 13 players. 6 forwards. How did they not dominate.
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@Dan54 said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Bones said in Highlanders v Blues:
@Dan54 for once I tried reading, but gave up towards the end. Words mean things. As does grammar.
But I sure as shit hope you weren't targeting one player for his leadership when there were several leaders on the field....
F*** grammar, I just hit keys (I used to worry about it as daughter is a grammar nazi, but f*** it)!! No was not targeting one player for anything, my whole point was it was a complete team failure, and yes I do agree whole leadership group let the team down. I mentioned Pat T carrying, because that is(or was) one of Blues strengths I think. They were I think let down by Paps, Ioane, BB etc as part of leadership group .
Sure ok.
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@game_film dont know. Didn’t see him all game.
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@chchfanatic You ain’t kidding. Just walking out the tunnel
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@African-Monkey we got beaten by a better side. What more do we need to say.
I was talking about a superstar number 8 who did nothing. How good was Simon Parker on Friday night. He’s got to be picked ahead of Sotutu. -
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Highlanders v Blues:
@chchfanatic said in Highlanders v Blues:
Sotutu showing us all why he’s not in the All blacks. MIA the whole game. Where as Withy was outstanding .
Goes missing when the forward pack is not on the front foot is the image of his distractors. Needs to prove them wrong but can't tell in his first outing of the season to be fair..
I think people are being a little hard on Sotutu, 1st game back- the Blues loosie were certainly shadowed by their opposition last night.
But Sotutu had some nice touches in the 1st 20mins, and seemed busy on defense to me - It appeared to me that he made a lot of tackles or tackle assists. Had hoped he would show up more as a ball runner .. but to be fair none of the Blues forwards did much on that front,
"goes missing when the going gets tough" was certainly the criticism last year... he will only get better and certainly has the ability to impose himself on a game. I hope he does - as competition at #8 is only a good thing as far as the ABs is concerned (and hoping Razor picks on form)
