Hurricanes vs Crusaders
-
Plenty of intrigue heading into Friday with the Crusaders not only losing their most recent match, but they also haven't won at the Cake Tin in their last 5 attempts. The Canes have made Westpac a fortress of late winning their last 25/26 games so they will feel confident they can tip up the defending champions once again.
Talks of a return for Read will ensure much of the hype centres around him over the week as the men from Canterbury look to shore up some of their sloppiness from Saturday.
This game is crucial for the NZ conference as the winner will go top overall and gain some vital momentum heading into the second half of the competition.
Early forecast is for a balmy night so this one should be a cracker.
-
The return of Read is a mini plot line at best. The real key returning player is Mo'unga. The Crusaders couldn't get any fluency in attack with either Cameron or Hunt so the return of Mo'unga will make a big difference I think.
Crusaders will have a point to prove after last week, but the canes will remember the first half when these two teams last meet so I'm expecting fireworks all around from the get go.
-
Crusaders won’t be that bad again this season. Agree that ten was their biggest problem, there second and third options are a massive step down.
Should be a great game for a neutral to watch.
-
Bring Back Delany
-
Canes at home, with AB starting 1st 5, Ardie Savea in career best form, plenty of punch in their backline against our SWB, coming off a bad loss against a lowly Australian side, paints a grim picture for the Christchurch based team. Knowing our luck, Hometown Jacko will probably get the whistle....
-
@ACT-Crusader get outta here with your sneakiness bro! I can see an underdog set up post a mile away!
-
@ACT-Crusader Hometown hates us aswell so that could be interesting.
-
@Cyclops let's just hope both teams are at full strength this time.
-
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
@Cyclops let's just hope both teams are at full strength this time.
And it's a dry track Anyone know what the weather is like in Wellington this time if year?
-
-
No Coles
Chase Tiatia, Jordie Barrett, Matt Proctor, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara (c), Reed Prinsep, Ardie Savea, Vaea Fifita, Liam Mitchell, James Blackwell, Ben May, Ricky Riccitelli, Fraser Armstrong.
Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Chris Eves, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Richard Judd, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Wes Goosen -
David Havili, Braydon Ennor, Jack Goodhue, Ryan Crotty, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Bryn Hall, Kieran Read, Matt Todd, Whetukamokamo Douglas,. Samuel Whitelock (captain), Scott Barrett, Michael Alaalatoa, Codie Taylor, Harry Allan
Reserves: Andrew Makalio, George Bower, Oli Jager, Quinten Strange, Jordan Taufua, Mitchell Drummond, Brett Cameron, Will Jordan -
So the Canes without Coles, and the Crusaders without Moody and Franks.
Don't agree with the Canes persisting with Jordie at 14, and even less agree with the Saders persisting with Cameron on the bench. I prefer Hunt.
-
@Duluth Solid backline and a fair amount of impact coming off the bench which is nice to see.
I feel like I'm repeating myself weekly but once again that tight five will need to hold their own if we are going to get the result. That front row held their own last week but the Crusaders, mostly the impact of Franks are a different beast.
(Edit): just realised Franks isn't there. Good shit.
-
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
I feel like I'm repeating myself weekly but once again that tight five will need to hold their own if we are going to get the result.
Do you think the Crusaders will maul it?
-
@Stargazer Yeah Barrett is a waste on the wing IMO. Would have liked him to start at 12 in this one as I feel the defensive system of Crotty and Goodhue will shut Laumape down as they have in recent matches. Would rather JB's playmaking ability in that area instead.
-
@Duluth is the pope catholic? Does a beer shit in the woods? etc etc
-
That Bridge vs Barrett matchup is going to be a beaut.
-
@Stargazer said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
So the Canes without Coles, and the Crusaders without Moody and Franks.
Don't agree with the Canes persisting with Jordie at 14, and even less agree with the Saders persisting with Cameron on the bench. I prefer Hunt.
With Tim Perry and Joe Moody both from the glass factory, we're missing Wyatt Crockett. Props look pretty makeshift.
Haven't seen last week's game, but sounds like Cameron had a shocker - Razor probably thinks it's best to put him straight back on the horse. Can't be sending a rookie first five into exile on the basis of one bad game.
-
The Canes tight 5 doesn’t look that strong
Benches are interesting Garden-Bachop - Cameron evens out there I think
Taufua,Makalio,Jordan could add a lot from the Bench.
Looking forward to this Game -
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
@Stargazer Yeah Barrett is a waste on the wing IMO. Would have liked him to start at 12 in this one as I feel the defensive system of Crotty and Goodhue will shut Laumape down as they have in recent matches. Would rather JB's playmaking ability in that area instead.
I would agree, particularly as JB clearly showed last week that 12 is his position. On the other hand, Laumape has routinely made RM his bitch so there might be some logic in having him there.
-
I wonder if we'll see Read and Douglas swap positions depending on the situation. Read shifted to blindside for a couple of AB scrums last year
-
@Duluth said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
I wonder if we'll see Read and Douglas swap positions depending on the situation. Read shifted to blindside for a couple of AB scrums last year
It makes sense from an AB point of view, 6 is the problem position and half caste Maori-Samoan Jesus can slot in at 8.
@Winger will be disappointed to see his son dropped to the bench ... especially after what was probably his best game at this level.
-
@Chris-B said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
Can't be sending a rookie first five into exile on the basis of one bad game.
Ummm... are you new around here?
-
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
@Duluth is the pope catholic? Does a beer shit in the woods? etc etc
Not normally.
However a bear ...
-
@booboo got me there. Obviously had beer on my mind. 😂
-
-
@Machpants said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
Big difference in kicking stats - I presume Barrett kicks more for territory and Mo'ounga kicks more with the high ball for possession.
-
@Nevorian said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
@Machpants said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
Big difference in kicking stats - I presume Barrett kicks more for territory and Mo'ounga kicks more with the high ball for possession.
Or the cantabs keep the ball a bit more and don't needlessly kick away possession
-
what an utterly worthless graphic
-
@Nevorian plus our lite-weight forward pack makes us really shy about playing within our own 40 or so. A fumble and we have a scrum (going backwards), and coming out of our 22 we don't want them getting a lineout and getting a maul rolling. All reasons to kick long and sometimes when we are knocking about in the middle of the pitch.
Actually I'd love to see the point of origin graphic for the above stats. Just to see if my hunch/armchair analysis is accurate or hot air
-
Yeah I was very surprised by the kicking metres, I'd be interested to see Canes kicking metres vs Saders kicking metres, are the Saders spreading their kicking around?
-
@Machpants A better comparison might be number of times kicked and number of times passed
-
Yesterday, they posted an equally stupid picture comparing Lam and Bridge, without mentioning that Lam had played a game more than Bridge. These stats without further context are indeed utterly worthless.
-
@Nevorian
Ball carries: BB 27 RM 26
Total kicks: BB 45 RM 12
Tackle completion: BB 87% RM 71%
Passes: BB 98 RM 61 -
@Toddy said in Hurricanes vs Crusaders:
@Nevorian
Ball carries: BB 27 RM 26
Total kicks: BB 45 RM 12
Tackle completion: BB 87% RM 71%
Passes: BB 98 RM 61If there's one thing RM needs to improve it's his tackling. It's not a dealbreaker as it will improve with time as it has for other 10s, but right now at test level the big boys will target him big time.
-
Hahaha, the Crusaders are doomed!
Match Hurricanes v Crusaders @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Date Friday 29 March
Kick-off 19:35 local
Referee Ben O'Keeffe
AR1 Glen Jackson
AR2 Nick Hogan
TMO Aaron Peterson -
Looks like a nice evening for running rugby. Crusaders by 20
-
Hurricanes: Garden-Bachop out; an extra forward on the bench (didn't hear who)
Crusaders: Bridge ruled out; Ennor to 11, Jordan to 14, Reece gets the 23 jersey
Edit: according to twitter, Garden-Bachop got injured playing for the Hurricanes Hunters this afternoon; he's replaced by lock Kane Le'aupepe.
-
2 errors from Read already
