The Silver Fern

@Bones said in Highlanders v Rebels:

@NTA said in Highlanders v Rebels:

I loved how Hardwick was pulled off his feet in a neck roll, but we don't seem to penalise that any more

I've been interested to see how much pulling there's been at the breakdown this year. I thought that was a penalty offence? Even against Australians I think.

The neck rolls and pulling players into your side of the ruck is a blight

I loved the footage from the 1988 tour where he was cheering and then a try got disallowed and then his face changed to disappointment, that look was priceless. Had a video of that tour.

I was less happy in 91 obviously.

@KiwiMurph said in Rebels v Brumbies:

More day games please.

Rebels could have won that if they were a bit smarter close to the Brumbies line.

That was such brainless play at the end. Did they not understand the law change a few seasons back about goal line drop outs for held up? One YC already, opponent on another warning, a quick tap and run straight at a defender behind his line? Moronic.

@mikedogz I chuckled when I saw him running. Such a low centre of gravity aye.
Bench firepower unashamedly won that for the Saders. Some really good cameos and nice touches from the likes of Moananu, McLeod and Goodhue. And the subbing of Drummond who was a real handbrake.

@TheMojoman said in Rebels v Blues:

@Bones said in Rebels v Blues:

@KiwiMurph said in Rebels v Blues:

Second week in a row where I've thought Blues haven't missed much with Plummer at 12.

Doesn't bode well for RTS' AB hopes.

I thought Plummer was a bit of a lynchpin really. Tidied up a lot and really helped keep the backline running smoothly.

The “glue man” all good back lines need. I do think Rieko looks better with RTS beside him though ie, straight running 2nd five who can bend the line and give him some more space to operate.

I think the jury is still out on that combination. I don't think it has looked comfortable. I'm not sure how many times it has happened and perhaps it was as a bench replacement last season(?), but the Heem/Ioane combo looked dangerous and a little more fluent.

@Mattasaurus said in Drua v Rebels:

Love the crowd over there,

Thought it amusing the line between the cheap ground admission and the side on terrace seats

@Stargazer said in Chiefs v Rebels:

@KiwiMurph said in Chiefs v Rebels:

Late change

DMac in for Ioane on the bench

Not because of an injury. Sad to read on Ioane's instagram that his father passed away (cancer).

The black armbands suggested someone had died.

@Bovidae said in Rebels v Waratahs:

The Rebels will have some confidence before playing the Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend.

They'll get smoked.

@canefan said in Rebels v Hurricanes:

@Crucial said in Rebels v Hurricanes:

Hopefully the hearing asks what blue 10 was even doing where he was for Ardie to pull him out of it. If anyone escalated the situation it was him. Comes from 20 metres away to push his way through a melee and get over the top of players on the ground.
He is the aggressor here and gets rightly pull out before doing something even stupider than he already has.
Refs first line of thought should have been to see who was mixed in there that shouldn’t have been.

He and the assistants had a pow pow didn't they? They just reached a different conclusion. Strayans... 🙄

It’s always a problem when the ref calls in the ARs and before asking them what their view was says “I see this. Do you agree?” They never contradict.

@Tim said in Force v Rebels:

@KiwiMurph how did Ekuasi go?

Didn't do much. Got on second half but couldn't make much of an impact.

A Smith-Fakatava combo offers a nice contrast. Fakatava used to run too often and tried to take on the opposition by himself, but he has learnt to temper his enthusiasm and when he has a snipe. That makes him a much more dangerous halfback.

How annoyed must the Canes be about having to set a scrum with 2 mins left?

Had the ball and momentum. Injury stoppage meant time ticked along as scrum was set and reset, and then got hit with a penalty. Don’t begrudge stopping as that Force player looked stuffed. A real sliding doors moment for the game and season.

@Canes4life said in Rebels v Chiefs:

@ACT-Crusader atleast we beat the Tahs. 😂

We’ve been underdogs all season.

@Dice I noticed that live. Funny.

@Donsteppa said in Rebels v Pasifika:

@Kirwan said in Rebels v Pasifika:

Oh fuck. Didn’t kick it out.

Terrible play to finish the game with. Got too greedy on the territory possibilities...

CF having to leave the field was crucial.

@TheMojoman said in Rebels v Crusaders:

@ACT-Crusader said in Rebels v Crusaders:

@Bones said in Rebels v Crusaders:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Rebels v Crusaders:

Havili and Goodhue as the midfield FFS!

I will be mildly surprised if Razor selects that midfield after steadfastly sticking to today's one the last couple of years. Best coach can't be wrong!

Razor has played Havili and Goodhue together a couple of times. I think it will be an easier decision now that Jordan has cemented the fullback position.

I wonder if he will have a dabble and try
12-Goodhue
13-Fainga'anuku

Fainga'anuku played more like a centre on the weekend anyway.

I don't think he'll leave out either Goodhue or Havili. Probs Goodhue to 13? Not sure if Havili has ever played 13.

I expect 12. Havili, 13. Goodhue, too.
Havili has played at 13 before, next to Crotty, but I doubt he'll be moved again (other than to fullback, if needed).
No way Razor will leave him out of the starting XV.

Game was ok but QLD dropped away too much ball.

Was very light on the physicality after watching Crusaders Blues.

Can not believe that the Force elected to kick the penalty, and then keep kicking the ball away when they're behind on the scoreboard.

@crucial said in Rebels v Drua:

@duluth said in Rebels v Drua:

The Rebels attack actually looked competent there

They did and the Drua look to on a down night in their up and down journey

6 handling errors in the first 15 minutes.

@nta Came across that way in a few interviews/articles I read about him.

@mikethesnow said in Rebels v Brumbies:

Banks was on fire

Got some serious wheels

Looks like he's running from zombies 🙂

He was playing against the Rebels. He's awfully average against competent players - just look at his efforts at fullback last year for the Wallabies.

@machpants said in Drua v Rebels:

@dan54 said in Drua v Rebels:

Good on the Drua , they will be happy with first win. Have to be honest while I enjoyed game a bit looked like 2 teams that aren't really super level.

Just like the saders and MP!

If that's what you think, to me Crsaders and Moana Pasifika looked like 2 teams playing their first super game of year. And I not sure will get uo to super level this year, but I haven't written them off after 1 game together.

@nta said in Rebels v Force:

@kiwimurph said in Rebels v Force:

Why the hell is Carter Gordon benched?

The problem is they have a rubbish 9 (Powell).

Yo-yo-ing isn't going to help young Carter Gordon

And To'omua isn't a 10. Kills whatever attacking opportunity is left after Powell fucks around at the base

I not convinced Toomua is all that good at 10 either NTA, I really like him, (probably because I knew him as young player at my club) but have always thought he was better at 12.

Interesting tactics, whether it was the conditions or countering the rush defense, the Reds really attacked through the middle.
Salakaia-Loto and Wilson looked busy for Reds I thought.

Yeah, living outside of NZ and enthusiastically support any NZ side against "the others". Couldn't imagine doing otherwise even if it suits the teams I support more.

@bovidae. Yep I would like to see Brodie back... But I noted the others playing club as is Finn Hoeata.

@taniwharugby they call the knock on dont they?

3 on 3 with a 3rd of the pitch i would often back the attacking team, but at least on of our three was Johnston (prop) so then you start thinking, is he going to try and barge over himself, does he have the quick hand to get it wide...really wish there was a wider angle

@mikey07 nah, we're battlers.

@african-monkey probably close to Goodhue’s most complete game , there’s a superb moment where he drops a subtle offload to Gerard Crowley Tuioti gets slightly checked but is still the first player to clean out 30 metres down field when GCT is tackled , if that clean out does not happen , it’s probably a penalty and Akira Ioane does not score down the left flank ..I watched Ofa Tuangafasi who was jogging along like he’s was out strolling on a Sunday afternoon and yet was in the best position to be the first to clean out ..

Isi Naisarani suspended for 3 weeks:

https://super.rugby/superrugby/documents/judiciary/round-10-au-naisarani-suspended-for-three-weeks/

Pone Fa'amausili also suspended for three weeks.

https://super.rugby/superrugby/documents/judiciary/round-10-au-faamausili-suspended-for-three-weeks/

@antipodean so at least he's a good 7s ref then?

@duluth said in Rebels v Force:

@gunner

They won against the Tahs in Sydney.

🤭 😏

Oh that's right, I remember now.

@nta

He "has the full confidence of the board", so he'll likely be out before the end of the season.

I thought the Rebels played close to their maximum capability given the roster they have. The Brumbies were maybe a bit below par but that was mostly because their lineout went to shit when they lost the starting hooker early.

Rebels' Hosea is a very good, athletic lock from our U20s program who looks like he could be the goods 🤔 so it is only a matter of time before he goes to Europe. Let's hope he gets a few Wallabies Tests in before then. Young.

Damon Murphy is such a shit ref. Refused to even look at the last feet at ruck time, ignoring the Brumbies for the first 25 minutes as they repeatedly infringed. Lonergan stole about half a metre for that final kick, and that is also on Murphy being useless, regardless of the result. He also couldn't tell that the Brumbies didn't have a dominant scrum, giving them a penalty for wheeling, and letting the Ponies' 9 delay the feed too often.

I'm not sayign the Brumbies are a bad team and don't deserve to win; their midfield versus the Reds will be worth the price of adminission alone. But fuck they get a legup from the officials, and Caydern Neville is a useless niggly fuckwit.

@kiwimurph said in SR Australia Round 2: Reds v Rebels:

That was a good game.

Personally although I supported Reds ,I thought game was a little disappointing. A bit pissed that refs are missing laws of the game while trying these new variations. Much as I dislike saying it no way should our(Reds) first try of been allowed under the laws that say you can only take a ball by hand and not swim back. I hope that not coming back into our game.