Crusaders v Blues
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A lot of posts about dalton and sotutu but I thought Robinson was outstanding in the first half. His ruck clear outs were top class: efficient, accurate, repetitive.
I like Leicester but he has to have a Reece work rate if he wants higher honours.
Provided the selectors make the right choices the ABs should have a good team. They really need to back the younger props coming thru. Ofa was great for the blues but the crusaders newell was also very good when he came on.
Crusaders are really missing a genuine top class loose forward. Best of the bunch is probably blackadder but grace is all sorts of meh.
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What a game! I am a Crusaders fan but you could not dislike that game from any perspective. Well done to the Blues. The AB discussion will be even more heated after this game.
For the Blues, Barrett, Ofa, and Dalton were simply outstanding. It is so good from an AB perspective to see Ofa play like that.
For the Crusaders, Jordan was great, and it is good to see Mounga (who I have been critical of this year) get his mojo back. He positional kicking game was the best I have seen from him.
Who would bet against these teams meeting again? -
@victor-meldrew said in Crusaders v Blues:
@no-quarter said in Crusaders v Blues:
@bones said in Crusaders v Blues:
@victor-meldrew said in Crusaders v Blues:
@machpants said in Crusaders v Blues:
@antipodean said in Crusaders v Blues:
Surely Jordan has to be the All Black fullback? He needs to get his hands on the ball more in Test rugby.
Not decent international teams ten are going to kick it to him as much as beaudy did
BB's kicking and/or the Blues tactics in the last quarter were awful.
Apart from that, dunno who was the better 10 tonight - BB or Ritchie.
Only take away for me is (from the first 50) Beauds still has it and when both on form, has less weaknesses (Mounga has opposition plays dedicated to his defence).
Mounga against a tiring defence has the tip over Beauds though for me.
Yeah, this game again reinforced that Beauden is our starting 10 with Mo'unga on the bench. I don't think either can control a test match, but Beauden is very solid on defense and can create something from nothing, and Mo'unga only ever thrives when the game opens up and he has a bit more space - in test matches that's the final 10 - 15 mins.
Yep, BB is great on defence (awesome on cover-defence) and creativity as you say, but he's always gives the impression of being a bit flaky when under pressure. Big advantage for bringing Ritchie on in the last 20 mins is I want him kicking any match-wining goal rather than BB.
Jordie will be kicking for the ABs. Better than both of them.
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@billy-tell said in Crusaders v Blues:
Provided the selectors make the right choices the ABs should have a good team.
While Foster has done a good job developing players, the big issue is going to be getting the right 6/7/8 combination. Be interesting to see how how Akira Ioane goes when he returns.
Crusaders are really missing a genuine top class loose forward.
Thought Blackadder was average today compared to the Blues loose 3 (outstanding) but think he's got great potential
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Both Grace and Sotutu have been playing really well. Sotutu used to go missing when the physicality was ramped up but this year has really stamped his mark, one of the best on the park in the last few games. I get the feeling both these players will be wearing black and having some real ding-dong battles.
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@gt12 I think rather thank chinks in the Crusader armour it is the rise of the blues.
Let's not forget they had about 25 odd mins with 14 players and few with 13, and scored while down too.
For me this will hopefully light a fire with the Crusaders and Blues, plus we have the Chiefs bubbling under capable on thier day of beating them too...suddenly with some of the play and way we played, there is hope.when these fellas.pull on black.
Both teams played some great code last night.
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@taniwharugby I disagree about the crusaders.
You saw it last year or two, they don't have the cattle they used to. The legacy and coaching gets them so far, but it's not everything.
Last year they were in a real contest at Eden Park and a couple of tries blew out the scoreline. They were massively up for that game, but drew against the hurricanes the week after and then lost the week after. Then struggled through the Australian games and didn't make the final.
This year they've been playing poorly and winning, until last night where they really stepped up, but lost.
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@nzzp tbf they haven't had to step up much and still win, they were doing what they needed to, which is what good sides do, maybe lacking a ruthless edge though.
Don't get me wrong they aren't up there with some of the great crusader sides, but they are still a very good side, and how often are good teams dragged down to the level of the opposition, which tbf ain't been that great in recent times
But last night they were ready for a different Blues team, and stepped up, as above, I hope this lights thier fire to move up a notch now which will push the blues too, in turn driving the Chiefs and hopefully those other 3 teams too 😀
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@duluth said in Crusaders v Blues:
Blues loosies got through plenty of tackles
Robinson 10 (2 misses)
Papali'i 21 (0 misses)
Sotutu 15 (0 misses)Worth mentioning Ioanes defensive game too: 16 tackles, 2 misses. That's an usually high number of tackles for a centre
One stat site had Sotutu at 20 tackles and Papali’i at 23.
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@billy-tell said in Crusaders v Blues:
A lot of posts about dalton and sotutu but I thought Robinson was outstanding in the first half. His ruck clear outs were top class: efficient, accurate, repetitive.
I like Leicester but he has to have a Reece work rate if he wants higher honours.
Provided the selectors make the right choices the ABs should have a good team. They really need to back the younger props coming thru. Ofa was great for the blues but the crusaders newell was also very good when he came on.
Crusaders are really missing a genuine top class loose forward. Best of the bunch is probably blackadder but grace is all sorts of meh.
@billy-tell said in Crusaders v Blues:
crusaders newell was also very good when he came on.In the lead up to that tackle on Gardiner in the corner there was a passage of play where Newell was barging towards the line with a couple of Blues on him. He was being assisted by a Crusader I think. Anyway, a third Blue just managed to keep hold of Newell's foot when Newell had momentum and was a metre or so from the line. That was a definite try saving effort. And this was a long winded way of saying yep, I agree, Newell did well.
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@bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
Every other NZ team has beaten the Crusaders in Christchurch in recent years so this isn't exactly a new phenomenon.
Look at these Chiefs supporters trying to minimise the Blues moment in the sun, breaking an 18 year hoodoo….
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@bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
Those talking up Perofeta for the ABs were premature. He showed a lack of big game temperament in this game.
Papali'i - the best player on the field.
I'm going to praise Fraser as well, who didn't get fooled by either team trying to milk penalties.
No idea how the commentary was I didn't listen to it!
Nah. Still think he's been the next best 10, and went ok.
Compare his efforts to Mo'unga who also missed kicks and tackles.
Edit: was not previously a fan.
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@bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
Every other NZ team has beaten the Crusaders in Christchurch in recent years so this isn't exactly a new phenomenon.
Nope. To me the difference is the crusaders playing poorly and losing, and them targeting a game, getting up for it, playing well and then losing.
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While it turned into a very good game in the end, I still think the cards spoiled it a bit in terms of knowing where each team is really at in relation to the other. I suspect the Blues have their noses in front based on the play before the two cards, but we still have to keep in mind the Blues very nearly let this game slip/the Crusaders very nearly won.
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@taniwharugby they are really good, but sides will back themselves to get up. Their ceiling isn't what past sides have been.
More importantly, the conveyor belt of talent is weaker than it's been for ages
