Hurricanes v Blues
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With Ardie now a few games in and Jordie back for the battle of the Barrett’s, I’m picking the Canes to get up for this one. They will be fairly keen to right the wrongs of the two Blues losses this year.
The loss in Chch would have also taken a little sting out of the Blues sails IMO, plus the pending loss of the Blues best player this year in Sotutu must impact them a little.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
With Ardie now a few games in and Jordie back for the battle of the Barrett’s, I’m picking the Canes to get up for this one. They will be fairly keen to right the wrongs of the two Blues losses this year.
The loss in Chch would have also taken a little sting out of the Blues sails IMO, plus the pending loss of the Blues best player this year in Sotutu must impact them a little.
I think Fletcher Smith will make a big difference if he plays instead of JGB too. The Canes need to reduce their silly mistakes in possession and improve their discipline. So the usual stuff
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I'd be disappointed if we dropped this game tbh. We're miles ahead of the Canes and should make light work of them if we don't drop our standards and sink to their level. There's not a hell of a lot to be afraid of in this canes lineup starting with their lightweight pack.
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@African-Monkey yeah I agree. Blues forwards, as a pack, a cut above the canes. If they show the mongrel they did last weekend, the blues will monster the canes up front. Canes scrum is rubbish. And we don't have the razzle dazzle of old in the backs to beat the blues backs. They're our equal or better.
Underdog card claimed
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@canefan yeah same backline as last week for consistency. Would like to see Aumua start in the pack instead of Coles even if he’s fit, and would maybe bring Armstrong back in instead of May. Otherwise I would largely leave the changes to the starting side to a minimum.
On the bench I would bring Coles in instead of Riccitelli, IWL instead of Fifita, Evans instead of Taramai and PUJ instead of Proctor.
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@African-Monkey said in Hurricanes v Blues:
I'd be disappointed if we dropped this game tbh. We're miles ahead of the Canes and should make light work of them if we don't drop our standards and sink to their level. There's not a hell of a lot to be afraid of in this canes lineup starting with their lightweight pack.
I'm not nearly as confident.
Canes will have Jordie and Fletcher Smith this week which is a big step up from Harold Bishop and Tiatia.
Ardie looks to be back much closer to his best and Blues look like being without Sotutu. Flanders is also a quality talent that could easily have a breakout game.
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@KiwiMurph Yeah you're scarred from tears and years of failure from us and fair enough haha, but let's be honest here, we're miles better than these guys and if we keep our standards high, we'll do these guys. Hopefully we don't let the loss last week affect us too much.
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@African-Monkey I don’t think the Blues are that much better. The Canes scrum has been sound this year, the standards have only dropped since May has come in for Armstrong. (I only put that down to age) Last week we were beating the Chiefs up at scrum time until May came on and I don’t think the Blues are much better than that so we will see.
The Canes now have momentum so I wouldn’t be surprised if we actually win this one comfortably. Especially considering the Beauden Barrett honeymoon phase is diminishing.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@African-Monkey I don’t think the Blues are that much better. The Canes scrum has been sound this year, the standards have only dropped since May has come in for Armstrong. (I only put that down to age) Last week we were beating the Chiefs up at scrum time until May came on and I don’t think the Blues are much better than that so we will see.
The Canes now have momentum so I wouldn’t be surprised if we actually win this one comfortably. Especially considering the Beauden Barrett honeymoon phase is diminishing.
Fuck man, we were underdogs!!!
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@African-Monkey I don’t think the Blues are that much better. The Canes scrum has been sound this year, the standards have only dropped since May has come in for Armstrong. (I only put that down to age) Last week we were beating the Chiefs up at scrum time until May came on and I don’t think the Blues are much better than that so we will see.
The Canes now have momentum so I wouldn’t be surprised if we actually win this one comfortably. Especially considering the Beauden Barrett honeymoon phase is diminishing.
BB had a pretty poor game last week but doesn't often have two in a row.
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@Canes4life Interesting, can't see it myself as the Blues have looked levels above the Canes and I'd be surprised if that changed on Saturday but ya never know.
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@African-Monkey yeah in the early rounds maybe but the Canes have closed the gap ever since Jordie made his return. He’s as important to us as Beaudy is to the Blues so we will see. Just hope the ref doesn’t ruin a potential humdinger.
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and people questioned my "No Love Lost" nomination
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@African-Monkey said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Canes4life Interesting, can't see it myself as the Blues have looked levels above the Canes and I'd be surprised if that changed on Saturday but ya never know.
Hmmm, the Blues only beat the Canes in Wellington pre-covid because of the ill-discipline from the Canes. Without the cards, the Canes would have won IMO.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@African-Monkey I don’t think the Blues are that much better. The Canes scrum has been sound this year, the standards have only dropped since May has come in for Armstrong. (I only put that down to age) Last week we were beating the Chiefs up at scrum time until May came on and I don’t think the Blues are much better than that so we will see.
I'm not a fan of Ben May, but I disagree with this. Armstrong hasn't been convincing at all. I don't think there's much that separates them.
The more game time Rakete-Stones gets, the better. He has so much more potential than Armstrong (and May). The same applies to Numia, but he's a bit injury prone, it seems.
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@Stargazer Well they didn't and that's their fault for their poor discipline, as well as coming up against a Blues side that had only come back from SA 3 days prior. It's now post covid and the Blues currently look levels ahead of the Canes hence why I expect them to put this Canes side away with ease. If they drop their standards and play to the level of the Canes then they deserve what they get.
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@Stargazer agreed, before the red card the Canes looked like winning that match.
I think @African-Monkey is getting a little caught up in the Blues hype train. It’s never easy coming to Wellington and beating the Canes on home turf.
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@voodoo said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@African-Monkey I don’t think the Blues are that much better. The Canes scrum has been sound this year, the standards have only dropped since May has come in for Armstrong. (I only put that down to age) Last week we were beating the Chiefs up at scrum time until May came on and I don’t think the Blues are much better than that so we will see.
The Canes now have momentum so I wouldn’t be surprised if we actually win this one comfortably. Especially considering the Beauden Barrett honeymoon phase is diminishing.
Fuck man, we were underdogs!!!
Piss off, I claimed that for the canes 5 posts before yours!
