Crusaders v Chiefs
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<p>The reason the Chiefs are highly rated is simple - their halves and head coach.</p>
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<p>Their halves are class and it's proven you can with with class halves while lacking in other areas but not visca versca. Also their coach has a record of 4 seasons for 2 titles and 2 other finals appearances. The two other final appearances occuring in years where they had injuries to their halves - whereas I believe Cruden played every game of the 2 title winning seasons. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="560694" data-time="1456365026">
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<p>The reason the Chiefs are highly rated is simple - their halves and head coach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their halves are class and it's proven you can with with class halves while lacking in other areas but not visca versca. Also their coach has a record of 4 seasons for 2 titles and 2 other finals appearances. The two other final appearances occuring in years where they had injuries to their halves - whereas I believe Cruden played every game of the 2 title winning seasons. </p>
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<p>Correct. Having the best first five in the comp goes a long way.</p>
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<p>And while they don't have a plethora of All Blacks, they've still got some of the best young talent in the comp.</p> -
<p class=""><span>The Gallagher Chiefs team to play the BNZ Crusaders is:</span></p>
<p>1. Pauliasi Manu<br>
2. Rhys Marshall<br>
3. Hiroshi Yamashita<br>
4. Michael Allardice<br>
5. Brodie Retallick<br>
6. Taleni Seu<br>
7. Sam Cane (C)<br>
8. Tom Sanders<br>
9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow<br>
10. Aaron Cruden (C)<br>
11. James Lowe<br>
12. Charlie Ngatai<br>
13. Seta Tamanivalu<br>
14. Shaun Stevenson<br>
15. Damian McKenzie</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Reserves:<br>
16. Nathan Harris<br>
17. Mitchell Graham<br>
18. Siate Tokolahi<br>
19. Maama Vaipulu<br>
20. Johan Bardoul<br>
21. Brad Weber<br>
22. Anton Lienert-Brown<br>
23. Latu Vaeno</p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class=""><span>Not considered for selection:</span></p>
<p class=""><span>Nepo Laulala, Mitchell Karpik, Andrew Horrell, Hika Elliot, Toni Pulu, Augustine Pulu, Dominic Bird, Sam McNicol and Glen Fisiiahi.</span></p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class=""><span>Yikes! Marshall at hooker. I'll call it now and say the Chiefs' lineout will be poor. Last man standing on the right wing. The Chiefs team could be so much stronger.</span></p> -
<p>It's funny isn't it. Both these teams have been battling it out to be top of the NZ teams for a few years now but both got upstaged by the Highlanders and Hurricanes last year. Now they have both lost a whole lot of experience and quality.</p>
<p>I can see this one being a hell of a battle again with two somewhat different styles going at it.</p>
<p>Good to see Cruden back after a long lay off.</p> -
<p>Interesting to see Yamashita thrown straight in at the deep end.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not a great Chiefs team, especially in the front row, but I think it should still be way too much for a Saders team who always start the season at a snails pace and are lacking Richie, DC, Slade, Taylor and the all important Luke Whitelock.</p>
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<p>Edit: Oh and very interested to see how Sanders, Seu, Stephenson and Tamanivalu go. Hope they step up.</p> -
<p>Crusaders line-up for Saturday:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">1. Joe Moody 2. Codie Taylor 3.Owen Franks 4. </span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Scott Barrett 5.Samuel Whitelock (c) 6. Jordan Taufua 7. Tim Boys 8. Kieran Read</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">9. Andy Ellis 10. </span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Richie Mo’unga 11. Nemani Nadolo 12. Kieron Fonotia 13. Sean Wainui 14. Jone Macilai 15. David Havili</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Reserves :</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">16. Ben Funnell 17. Wyatt Crockett 18. Mike Alaalatoa 19. Jimmy Tupou 20. Reed Prinsep 21. Leon Fukofuka 22. Ben Volavola 23. Johnny McNicholl</span></span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="560728" data-time="1456374742">
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<p>Crusaders line-up for Saturday:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">1. Joe Moody 2. Codie Taylor 3.Owen Franks 4. </span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Scott Barrett 5.Samuel Whitelock (c) 6. Jordan Taufua 7. Tim Boys 8. Kieran Read</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">9. Andy Ellis 10. </span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Richie Mo’unga 11. Nemani Nadolo 12. Kieron Fonotia 13. Sean Wainui 14. Jone Macilai 15. David Havili</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">Reserves :</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;">16. Ben Funnell 17. Wyatt Crockett 18. Mike Alaalatoa 19. Jimmy Tupou 20. Reed Prinsep 21. Leon Fukofuka 22. Ben Volavola 23. Johnny McNicholl</span></span></p>
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<p>Toddy blew his chance to install Taufua at 7 and Tupou at 6. I</p>
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<p>WTF has happened to the skinny white boys backline?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="560731" data-time="1456376628">
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<p>Toddy blew his chance to install Taufua at 7 and Tupou at 6. I</p>
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<p>WTF has happened to the skinny white boys backline?</p>
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<p>Tupou's a better impact player off the bench in my view.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="560736" data-time="1456377941">
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<p>Exciting team, very happy with the 2 Fijians on the wings</p>
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<p>The ingredients are there and add to them Havili at fullback, there is plenty of speed and power. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="560737" data-time="1456378277">
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<p>Tupou's a better impact player off the bench in my view.</p>
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<p>Someone else at 6 then - as I've stated in the past (probably a billion times) IMHO Taufua's career is going to stagnated unless he swaps to openside due to his height.</p> -
<p>This bulky guy has to mark Nadolo in his debut game.</p>
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<p><img src="http://www.mooloo.co.nz/assets/Uploads/_resampled/SetWidth612-shaunywell15.jpg" alt="SetWidth612-shaunywell15.jpg"></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="wildman" data-cid="560770" data-time="1456383976">
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<p>How long are Crotty & Fruen out for?<br><br><br>
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk</p>
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<p>According to this article, Crotty will miss the opening 2 rounds and Fruean is out until April. The article is from mid January though; I haven't seen an update.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/crotty-fruean-to-miss-start-of-crusaders-season-2016011414#axzz41A6G2q3E'>http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/crotty-fruean-to-miss-start-of-crusaders-season-2016011414#axzz41A6G2q3E</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="560719" data-time="1456371063"><p>
6. Taleni Seu<br>
8. Tom Sanders<br>
14. Shaun Stevenson<br>
23. Latu Vaeno.</p></blockquote>
Who the fuck are these guys?<br>
Clearly didn't pay much attention to the last ITM Cup.
