SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil)
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@KiwiMurph said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
It can't be Paul Williams or Pickerell as I believe those are the refs assigned to Saders and Blues trainings respectively.
I'm picking Berry or Gardner is the ref for this game.
The Blues won't have a better chance than this.
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There was a good point made on the Breakdown last night how the games have progressively become messier at the ruck with the season/weather change with teams flopping, rolling slowly, slowing the ball etc and the refs have moved withit. Showed plenty of examples of stuff that was being actively whistled in early rounds but is being let go now.
Berry is a big culprit, as is Pickerell. BOK and Gardner probably fighting the change which leads to claims of inconsistency (or worse)
Anyway, this aspect probably play into the hands of the Evil (for some reason the title has them the wrong way around). They will be happy if Big Boy Williams is allowed to lie on top of rucks. -
Sam Whitelock may or may not play. Cullen Grace maybe back for NPC.
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@ACT-Crusader said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
it wouldn’t be a Super season without the good guys facing off against the evil empire.
Your thread title doesn't match this text. I hope the plucky Blues can pull off the win against your Thousand Year Reich.
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Pffff.... you mean the age of enlightenment vs the barbarians at the gate.
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No fucking way
i bet big on the Blues to win in Christchurch in mid-May and they scored 3 fucking points. Never again.
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I have mixed emotions over this. On the one hand I want the Saders to win, but on the other I will find it a tad concerning. There are a number of players in the Blues that would make my starting AB 15, more so than the Saders.
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@ACT-Crusader said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
for the Blues to lead for most of the game with a late comeback and 2 point win to the Saders. Should be an intense match.
I reckon the opposite - if we're not ahead when our bench props come on then we won't win.
Huge game for Olly Jager. I was very impressed how he went first game back vs the Drua. If he can stand up vs the Blues, he might play himself into the bolters thread. If he gets done, we're basically farked.
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In last year's final Blues had self-induced weaknesses thanks to Leon MacDonald's poor selections (12, 15, 2, 5) - fortunately he's now waken up and replaced them with bigger players who are more effective against quality opposition - 111kg Ricciteli over 103kg Eklund, 103kg Heem over 96kg RTS/94kg Plummer & 100kg Sullivan over 85kg Perofeta.
Blues are clearly benefiting from these changes (although a year too late) as I was calling for these selection changes before the grand final last year... and unsurprisingly all of those players were ineffective against Crusaders as I predicted, being among the worst performers in the final.
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@Bones said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
@Tim said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
NZ TAB:
Crusaders $1.55
Blues $2.45TAB taking a yuge risk on the massively injury decimated crusaders.
Squad is depleted but the team will still be ok.
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TANTALISING SEMI FINAL SHOWDOWN — Blues Rugby
A pair of milestones for Rieko Ioane (100) and Hoskins Sotutu (50) set the stage for what promises to be an epic DHL Super Rugby Pacific Semi Final showdown as the Blues travel to Christchurch to take on the Crusaders this Friday night at 7:05pm. Caleb Clarke returns to the left wing in a near full
1 Ofa Tuungafasi
2 Ricky Riccitelli
3 Nepo Laulala
4 Tom Robinson
5 James Tucker
6 Akira Ioane
7 Dalton Papalii (c)
8 Hoskins Sotutu – 50th cap
9 Finlay Christie
10 Beauden Barrett
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Bryce Heem
13 Rieko Ioane – 100th cap
14 Mark Telea
15 Zarn SullivanReserves:
16 Kurt Eklund
17 Jordan Lay
18 Marcel Renata
19 Cameron Suafoa
20 Adrian Choat
21 Sam Nock
22 Harry Plummer
23 Stephen PerofetaPlayers not considered: Sam Darry (arm, season), Alex Hodgman (shoulder, season), Tanielu Telea (knee), Patrick Tuipulotu (arm, season)
