Waikato v Counties

[Bovidae]

@Nepia

The second player to make his Waikato debut is former All Blacks and Gallagher Chiefs, First Five Eight and World Cup winner, Aaron Cruden, who returns to New Zealand after playing in Japan.

I am assuming there are injuries as Joe Johnston has come from outside the squad too.

[Stargazer]

@Nepia said in Waikato v Counties:
I wonder whether he's going back to Japan, or not.

[WillieTheWaiter]

@Nepia said in Waikato v Counties:

@Bovidae Was this announced previously or is it another Aaron Cruden?

The one and only..
Disappointed I thought the ex AB 10 they got in short term was gonna be Beaver😝

[Stargazer]

Waikato throwing everything at it, but Counties' defence has been able to prevent them from scoring tries thus far.

[Stargazer]

Wow, and that Counties try is totally against the run of play.

[hydro11]

Looks like the deliberate knock on interpretations have changed again.

[hydro11]

Counties up 8-6 at half time against the run of play.

[Stargazer]

Tupaea has been good, but I have the impression that he's trying too hard.

[Stargazer]

They'll go to golden oldies if it comes to a scrum with Counties' starting hooker injured and the reserve in the sin bin. They'll lose another player, too.

[Stargazer]

And there we go. Scrum, golden oldies. A lock or loosie to the frontrow, Malimali joins the scrum, too.
Did they take an extra player off?

[Stargazer]

Intercept try to Tupaea! Didn't even have to run fast, because there was no defender.

[Duluth]

[Bovidae]

That was a very frustrating 1st half as Waikato stuffed up at least four tries through poor options/final passes. I'd be interested to know what the possession/territory stats were.

ENS's try was classy, albeit with the help of some poor Waikato defence.

Happy to get a W.

[SBW1]

Could Cruden play Super Rugby next year for the Chiefs?

[Bovidae]

@SBW1 said in Waikato v Counties:

Could Cruden play Super Rugby next year for the Chiefs?

If there is one position the Chiefs aren't short of, it is 1st 5.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Get him back to the Canes! But is he even staying in NZ? Didn't @WillieTheWaiter say this was a short-term arrangement?

[Tim]

How did McWhannell go?

[Chris]

@Tim

Went off injured shoulder or chest by the look.

[Tim]

@Chris Thanks. Not great to hear for the Blues.

[Bovidae]

@Tim McWhannell was playing well and made a couple of those trademark runs in the midfield. He went off in the 2nd half, as did Wrampling, which looked like a similar injury.