Blues v Highlanders

[Hooroo]

@nzzp said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Hooroo said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Tim said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Hooroo JK and Umaga are both ex-AB's promoted beyond their level of competence. Never of them have won anything.

The organisation must have major problems though if it keeps hiring such poor performers. Just look at White with the Auckland NPC team.

That's the thing. Everyone is blaming the wrong damn person/entity.

Anger should be completely focused on the organization

Don't forget the Blues and Auckland are two separate organisations.

Blues particualrly crap though.
Yeah but same same though.

[Bones]

Is there noone better than Duffy, really? Pryor should be there ahead of Gibson.

[Tim]

@Bones Really? I thought that Gibson was maybe our best tonight.

Duffy is very good under the high ball and provides the second fullback role.

[taniwharugby]

@Tim I'd start Cowley-Tuioti, seems a better lineout option.

[KiwiMurph]

@Tim id be tempted to keep Akira on the bench - I think it suits him more

[Tim]

@KiwiMurph Only if Luatua is available to start.

[Stockcar86]

@antipodean said in Blues v Highlanders:

agree

[Tim]

That was like watching an NPC game tonight.

[Tim]

Is it too late to de-list Ranger?

[hydro11]

@Tim said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Hooroo JK and Umaga are both ex-AB's promoted beyond their level of competence. Never of them have won anything.

The organisation must have major problems though if it keeps hiring such poor performers. Just look at White with the Auckland NPC team.

Tana has had some success. I think he did well with Counties and helped to develop young players. I think that is why they went for him.

[Tim]

@hydro11 Winning the 2nd division doesn't count for shit.

Are any franchises lining up to make Steve Jackson head coach?

[African Monkey]

Had enough of this shit from us year after year. Fucken useless muppets.

[Dice]

@Tim said in Blues v Highlanders:

Is it too late to de-list Ranger?

I'd rather of had Visinia out there instead of him and Collins.

Ranger should convert to the backrow, maybe he might be worth carrying in the team.

[KiwiMurph]

Im not gonna rip into Tana too hard cos it's a long season but cripes you have to question some things. Blues need SBW at 12 as soon as they can - Moala is a beast but his distribution aint much chop - Rieko barely sees the ball at all - let alone in space.

[Bovidae]

I recorded this game as I was out but did watch the last minute on my iPhone. Despite good conditions that seemed to be the most exciting part of the game from all reports. I've already deleted the recording.

[Dice]

I think one of the big questions is why Nanai has not played a single minute at fullback in the first 3 rounds after being a rock star there all last season.

[pukunui]

@Tim said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Bones Really? I thought that Gibson was maybe our best tonight.

Duffy is very good under the high ball and provides the second fullback role.

Unfortunately in this instance the version of fullback is Collins. They both offered fuck all.

Shit game really. So much kicking and so many poor skills. Don't know how the highlanders left it so close.

West was probably the worst player on the field. Surely Francis gets the next start.

Moala was probably the Blues best. Although i agree that his main option of run, means Ioane might as well not have been there.
Maybe 11 is the position Moala should concentrate on. Ranger certainly did nothing with the jersey. Wtf was that grubber from his own in goal?

Just on the Moala almost try where the comm's were talking about offside. There was never an offside line. The ball came back off the highlander. So its open play.

Still don't rate Akira. Joggs around doing fuck all too much for my liking.

[booboo]

@mimic said in Blues v Highlanders:

Would it have been a 22 if the blues had the advantage from the knock on?
Instead of a scrum from 5m out

Old (old old) rule. Changed such that a knock on into the in goal is a scrum. Not a ruling I agree with.

[Kirwan]

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Highlanders:

Im not gonna rip into Tana too hard cos it's a long season but cripes you have to question some things. Blues need SBW at 12 as soon as they can - Moala is a beast but his distribution aint much chop - Rieko barely sees the ball at all - let alone in space.

The game plan seems to be not to use our backs until we have won a bomb. We had the same issues last week with Francis at 12.

Collins has given us nothing on attack, Duffy only seems to be good at catching bombs and we leave a player like Nanai on the bench!

With so many players having poor games, it's hard to tell if it's a good game plan or not I suppose. But I don't think it suits the players we have.

So two strikes against Tana here, selection and game plan and what the hell is Jackson doing with the set piece? Two hookers that can't hit their target and the scrum is inconsistent as all hell.

Highlanders shouldn't get away without any criticism as well, they were equally as poor as the Blues and only scored a try because Ranger is a shadow of his former self.

I took my son to this game and he spent a good portion of the second half making a blindfold out of his flag. The guy behind me (in full Blues gear) commented that he wished he had one too.

[kiwiinmelb]

With no idea what tana is thinking or trying to achieve ,

My guess is , he is trying ( with emphasis on the word trying ) to introduce more structure into a team that has been criticised for years for not having any .

And now it looks like he is moving away from their strengths , which wasn't working anyway .

Tough gig