SF Crusaders v Blues
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@ACT-Crusader said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
Saders have already overachieved this season by just being in the finals after finishing 9th last year with pretty much the same team.
And now we face the defending champions in a semi final.
No expectations from here on in.
I like the bait being dangled. But let’s just point out why the odds are heavily in the Crusaders favor.
14 current or former all blacks(15 if you count Drummond), one being the AB captain, along with multiple AB XV players. A Welsh international and an Australian international. If they don’t win with that then Penney really does suck. All pressure on the Crusaders, especially with that unbeaten home finals record.
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@Landers92 said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
@ACT-Crusader said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
Saders have already overachieved this season by just being in the finals after finishing 9th last year with pretty much the same team.
And now we face the defending champions in a semi final.
No expectations from here on in.
I like the bait being dangled. But let’s just point out why the odds are heavily in the Crusaders favor.
14 current or former all blacks(15 if you count Drummond), one being the AB captain, along with multiple AB XV players. A Welsh international and an Australian international. If they don’t win with that then Penney really does suck. All pressure on the Crusaders, especially with that unbeaten home finals record.
Yeah, but aren't most of those current and former ABs actually shit, and only have AB status because they are Cantabs?
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@Crazy-Horse nah, wouldn’t go that far. A bias for some players though, yes. But let’s stick to the semi final at hand eh😉
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If we can beat the defending champion Blues, under all this immense pressure of legacy and records, then Razor should be looking at installing all those former ABs. Will make my pre-test AB team naming a lot easier.
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@sparky said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
The Crusaders have won so many Super titles already that their success is boring so I'm hoping for an away win.
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interesting game this one ,
Crusaders have to be strong favorites given the history , just so hard to pick against them in this scenario
But as we have seen often in nrl and afl finals systems , a team finding form and self belief right at the business end can be extremely dangerous , momentum is a powerful thing .
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@ACT-Crusader said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
Will make my pre-test AB team naming a lot easier.
... and significantly more accurate..
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@Crazy-Horse said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
Yeah, but aren't most of those current and former ABs actually shit, and only have AB status because they are Cantabs?
If you say so, I'll have to take that as true.
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CRUSADERS (1-15): George Bower, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Antonio Shalfoon, Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, Christian Lio-Willie, Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana, Sevu Reece, David Havili (c), Braydon Ennor, Chay Fihaki, Will Jordan
Replacements: George Bell, Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Seb Calder, Jamie Hannah, Cullen Grace, Kyle Preston, James O'Connor, Dallas McLeod
BLUES (1-15): Joshua Fusitu'a, Ricky Riccitelli, Marcel Renata, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Laghlan McWhannell, Adrian Choat, Dalton Papali'i, Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, AJ Lam, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele'a, Zarn Sullivan
Replacements: Kurt Eklund, Jordan Lay, Angus Ta'avao, Josh Beehre, Anton Segner, Sam Nock, Harry Plummer, Cole Forbes
Referee: James Doleman
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Richard Kelly
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@reprobate said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
The thing about that Crusaders play-off record, is that in the past they have always had an AB 10. Mehrts, then Carter, then Mounga. Reihana has been playing okay and has potential, but that's a pretty major difference.
Is he a potential ABs 10?
Because I thought Richie Mo'unga won a title and was capped after that?
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@brodean said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
@reprobate said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
The thing about that Crusaders play-off record, is that in the past they have always had an AB 10. Mehrts, then Carter, then Mounga. Reihana has been playing okay and has potential, but that's a pretty major difference.
Is he a potential ABs 10?
Because I thought Richie Mo'unga won a title and was capped after that?
Yeah maybe won then selected that year?
Dunno, but Reihana is not ahead of McKenzie, Barrett, Love or Jacomb for me at the moment, and he'd be a very, very long shot to be selected this year over one of the first 3 on that list. -
@Daffy-Jaffy said in SF Crusaders v Blues:
CRUSADERS (1-15): George Bower, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Antonio Shalfoon, Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, Christian Lio-Willie, Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana, Sevu Reece, David Havili (c), Braydon Ennor, Chay Fihaki, Will Jordan
Replacements: George Bell, Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Seb Calder, Jamie Hannah, Cullen Grace, Kyle Preston, James O'Connor, Dallas McLeod
BLUES (1-15): Joshua Fusitu'a, Ricky Riccitelli, Marcel Renata, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Laghlan McWhannell, Adrian Choat, Dalton Papali'i, Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, AJ Lam, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele'a, Zarn Sullivan
Replacements: Kurt Eklund, Jordan Lay, Angus Ta'avao, Josh Beehre, Anton Segner, Sam Nock, Harry Plummer, Cole Forbes
Referee: James Doleman
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Richard Kelly
No Tamaiti Williams is a big loss for the Cantabs
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Mo'unga didnt play for the ABs until 2017
Mo'unga didn't play a test until 2018
By the time Mo'unga played a test he had won 3 Super Rugby titles (2016 / 2017 / 2018)
Edit - it was 2 Super Rugby titles Mo'unga won before playing a test (2017/2018).
