Chiefs v Crusaders
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Smithy_NZ" data-cid="593375" data-time="1467367421"><p>Got a 5 day old to look after so couldn't watch. We listened together. How did Dmac go?</p></blockquote><br>He was terrific. Took good options most of the night and single handedly created a try. Which was good to see as some teams had been closing down his<br>options in the last few games before the June break.
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<p>Geez, go easy on Mo'unga. He's a rookie in his first season of Super Rugby and he has played very well in most of his games. He did some good things tonight, as well as some bad ones. The same can be said of others, including some Chiefs players.</p>
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<p>I think the absence of Crotty had a great impact on the Crusaders game. He hardly misses tackles and his communication is essential in their backline. That was clearly lacking tonight.</p>
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<p>Don't agree with the comments about the officiating being in the Crusaders favour. I refer to Bones' comments above. I think bad calls went either way.</p>
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<p>I hope to see some repeats of Retallick's goosestep. That had me in stitches! Good to see some Magpies go well tonight, too. Excellent try from Weber!</p>
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<p>Try of the night for me was Macilai's try though.</p> -
<p>Good thing Ellis is going OS. He's ruining the Crusaders.</p>
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Bula! In your face Crusader fans!
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We deserved to get spanked, worst game we've played all season.<br><br>
Lately teams have realised that Mackenzie runs the ball a lot and shit him down. Of course Blackadder failed to have a plan for this<br><br>
Moaga was terrible under pressure, and fuck you Drummond, kick the fucking ball out and secure the bonus point you thick piece of shit<br><br>
Chiefs beat us up physically again and well deserved winners. <br><br>
All the whooping and celebrating after some calls reminded me of England, are the same posters who made a big deal of it in the other thread going to mention it here? -
<p>I was a little surprised by the Crusaders to be honest , Chiefs have had it over them in recent times </p>
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<p>And I was expecting them to make a statement here mostly through their forwards </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="593406" data-time="1467406368">
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Moaga was terrible under pressure, and fuck you Drummond, kick the fucking ball out and secure the bonus point you thick piece of shit<br><br>
Chiefs beat us up physically again and well deserved winners.<br>
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<p>It may not be the done thing to talk about contingencies in defeat for sports teams, but - Jesus Christ - that play was straight out of Anton Oliver's play book. That bonus point could really come back to haunt us. Overall, though, Ellis, Mo'unga, Havili, Fonotia is not a championship-winning combination.</p>
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<p>I didn't think we really got beaten up physically - I thought the telling difference was mainly speed. When we broke the line we got fairly easily closed down by the cover defence - when the Chiefs broke the line they had more people with pace to hurt us... and that whenever things looked vaguely promising some fucker with tits for hands would surge up in support.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hurricane" data-cid="593367" data-time="1467366141">
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<p>If you think the Cantabs 1st 5 put in a good performance tonight then good luck to you.</p>
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<p>He wasn't awesome, but he wasn't why the Crusaders lost either. All in all, he's really come on this season - let's put it this way, we'd take him at the Blues</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="593410" data-time="1467409100"><p>
It may not be the done thing to talk about contingencies in defeat for sports teams, but - Jesus Christ - that play was straight out of Anton Oliver's play book. That bonus point could really come back to haunt us. Overall, though, Ellis, Mo'unga, Havili, Fonotia is not a championship-winning combination.<br><br>
I didn't think we really got beaten up physically - I thought the telling difference was mainly speed. When we broke the line we got fairly easily closed down by the cover defence - when the Chiefs broke the line they had more people with pace to hurt us... and that whenever things looked vaguely promising some fucker with tits for hands would surge up in support.</p></blockquote>
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Fonotia and havilii were dreadful once again. Is it time to put nadolo at centre? He seemed wasted out on the wing at times last night. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="593416" data-time="1467411225">
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<p>Fonotia and havilii were dreadful once again. Is it time to put nadolo at centre? He seemed wasted out on the wing at times last night.</p>
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<p>Not sure what the answer is - though Crotty is certainly part of it. Against the Chiefs and the Highlanders, that Mako$ midfield simply isn't going to cut it - though I'm not sure Nadolo at centre is going to add much pace. I'm pretty disappointed that Sean Wainui hasn't made much impression.</p>
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<p>What's the story with Sione Fifita? Out for the season or just not getting a shot?</p>
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<p>Subbing Taufua was a complete mystery - maybe he just ran out of gas?.</p>
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<p>It's annoying to read that apparently all the ball-in-hand dicking about in the middle of the field in the second half wasn't part of the gameplan. I couldn't understand why we weren't plugging the corners and trying to pressure their lineout and clearance - or hoisting more high balls (with a good chase line, of course).</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="593419" data-time="1467413066"><p>
Not sure what the answer is - though Crotty is certainly part of it. Against the Chiefs and the Highlanders, that Mako$ midfield simply isn't going to cut it - though I'm not sure Nadolo at centre is going to add much pace. I'm pretty disappointed that Sean Wainui hasn't made much impression.<br><br>
What's the story with Sione Fifita? Out for the season or just not getting a shot?<br><br>
Subbing Taufua was a complete mystery - maybe he just ran out of gas?.<br><br>
It's annoying to read that apparently all the ball-in-hand dicking about in the middle of the field in the second half wasn't part of the gameplan. I couldn't understand why we weren't plugging the corners and trying to pressure their lineout and clearance - or hoisting more high balls (with a good chase line, of course).</p></blockquote>
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I think nadolo at centre definately adds pace Chris, allows us to play 2 speedsters in the wing in McNicol and Macalai (who was pretty crap I'll admit)<br><br>
Fifita is out for the season unfortunately<br><br>
Beggars belief that we let rob Thompson leave to keep havilii and fonotia. Thompson has always looked like a great prospect. <br><br>
The Chiefs (Donald in particular) used the wind to great effect in the first half, was expecting us to do the same in the second. But no, we come with a stupid plan of popping dumb passes in our own half.<br><br>
We've benefitted from a great draw so far this year, but it's the same as other years. We just can't beat the other kiwi teams (except the blues) -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="593398" data-time="1467400591">
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<p>Too damn right he did!!! It was a thing of grace and ridiculousness</p>
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<p>the best thing about retallick making that break away was the look on sam whitelock's face. he noticed it pretty much first and was yelling 'get him' and pointing, while wearing a look that said 'oh fuck i'm never going to stop hearing about this'.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="593411" data-time="1467409222"><p>He wasn't awesome, but he wasn't why the Crusaders lost either. All in all, he's really come on this season - let's put it this way, we'd take him at the Blues</p></blockquote><br>I Admit I am making great generalisations from last nights performance and he has actually looked decent in other outings, however West is a better 1st 5 than<br>him by some distance all things considered and after watching his option taking last night, I concluded Banks the back up Landers 1st 5 is a better candidate.<br><br>I guess the three plays that dissapointed me the most were:<br><br>1) getting run over when attempting a tackle at one point<br>2) kicking for territory when the Saders had the ball only 40 metres out from the try line with 15 minutes left. Why not run it from there.<br>3) With the Saders hot on attack and ten metres out from try line he did a cross field up and under for Nadolo to score from. The kick<br>was terribly inaccurate and he would have been better served keeping ball in hand<br><br>But in his favour as people have pointed out he did do some good things<br><br>1) A line break from his own 22<br>2) Decent goal kicking<br>3) good touch finders.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="593417" data-time="1467411542">
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<p>Also ridiculous to sub taufua so early. Clearly out best player and tupou added fuck all.<br><br>
Alaalatoa for franks was also baffling. Need to find a better tighthead backup than useless fat sack of shot</p>
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<p>Yes I do wonder why Alaalotoa is there. Your scrum instantly goes from world class to mediocre with him there. I thought Mitch Hunt could have made an impact if he was given a go and probably should have been given a go with how badly Mo'unga was going.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hurricane" data-cid="593438" data-time="1467422276">
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<p>I Admit I am making great generalisations from last nights performance and he has actually looked decent in other outings, however West is a better 1st 5 than<br>
him by some distance all things considered and after watching his option taking last night, I concluded Banks the back up Landers 1st 5 is a better candidate.</p>
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<p>Take off the black and white tinted glasses, Mounga's better than West. You're right that Banks is better than them both but who cares, he's off to Italy next season.</p>
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<p>Anyway, couldn't catch the game last night but I watched it this morning and that was fucking awesome. Hosting a game in Fiji is a nice change from the same old scenery we've seen for the last 20 odd years and it was great to see the locals get right into it. Hosting AB games in the island is a bit of a reach but I'd like to see more of this.</p>
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<p>As for the game itself, everyone seemed to write off the Chiefs pack but they were huge. It took a while but they've really turned things around in the last few months, so credit to the coaches and players, especially Yamashita, who got a lot of shit early on but is pretty fucking solid now. And in the backs, I thought McKenzie and Donald were awesome. Fingers crossed Beavers injury is just a niggle.</p>
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<p>One other thing is I think the Welsh game was a pretty big factor in the way that game played out. The Chiefs always seem to play like shit after the June test break but in this game they didn't and I think a lot of that is down to not having an entire month off without a single "real" game. Training sessions and practice games just aren't a replacement for a high intensity game.</p>
