Blues v Crusaders
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Well done to the Crusaders, comfortably the best team in the comp.
We are clearly second, but still plenty to be happy about. We looked much better when Christie came on. Think we erred by being too conservative. There were plenty of gaps out wide when we when there. And our kicking out of hand was really poor.
Some weird refereeing decisions, but was going both ways. Must suck for the players when they can’t get consistent decisions.
Mounga’s tackle was a highlight. Good to see he’s working on weakness, and awesome goal kicking.
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I just saw a replay of the last try. I thought it looked weird at the time but that “turnover” was from the tackler lying flat on his back and playing the ball on the ground. Was another deliberate and cynical play by the Crusaders when another team gets them under pressure. Fuck they get away with that shit a lot.
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@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@chris I didn't notice that 😀
EDIT: forum doesn't listen to time stamps, but his arms crossed Ioane impression is in there at the end
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@machpants said in Blues v Crusaders:
@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@chris I didn't notice that 😀
EDIT: forum doesn't listen to time stamps, but his arms crossed Ioane impression is in there at the end
Very cynical pisstake from Reece. They constantly get away with it too.
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Crusaders clearly better despite the early discipline issues they've shown the last two games - resulting in precisely zero warnings even when they ship 4-5 penalties in a row. It is a study in how to infringe without looking like you infringe.
Get down the right end, accumulate points, make the other side chase.
Blues looked like they could break it open at any moment when they used those second man in passes to hold the Crusaders defence - one on one they were doing well with that right through the game, so why not chance your arm from the start? That Heem guy was doing his best to fuck it up, mind.
Sevu Reece decision: I agree with the outcome, but he should get booked for bringing the game into disrepute. Go play soccer.
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@nta I see I am going to have to watch what Reece did again. Didn't notice any theatrics apart from him putting his hand out to 'appeal' for a penalty.
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@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nta I see I am going to have to watch what Reece did again. Didn't notice any theatrics apart from him putting his hand out to 'appeal' for a penalty.
And then lying there like he'd been hit by a truck. It looked like a massive flop.
HE looked like a massive flog.
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@african-monkey said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nzzp Not saying you're wrong, but I saw it differently. I thought we were miles off the pace today. I'm confident we can improve, but yeah, there was a massive difference in quality between the sides today imo.
we were not miles off at all. Plenty to be happy about, and the bits that aren't there are mental/tactical and I think eminently fixable.
Not whinging, as in Rugby all teams cheat, but the Crusaders do it better than damn near everyone else. It's all the little things, that put together add the 1 percenters that add up to a margin. Changing lines to block runners, slowing down the ball, just lots of little things. Well played - it's a well drilled, well coached smart rugby team.
You saw when they are fresh how hard it is to break them down - half breaks won't do, you have to keep at them.
That said, when teh Blues got into their stride it looked bloody good. Two key moments for me were conceding a scrum penalty after winning 3-4 in a row ... different outcome there and it's a possible YC and a different game. Then the Sevu Reece flop - stupid from Ekland.
That said, despite the comments here, I thought htere was about 10-15 minutes early in the 2nd half where we just kept giving away penalties and letting the Crusaders ride away with points. It's that discipline that's the differnece between winning and losing.
So, all in all, set piece was fine (or dominant), defence was generally pretty strong, and the mauls were a work on (as they are for everyone playing the crusaders).
As I said above - you only have to win one game against them, and it better be the final. Would be nice to take one down south, but it's unlikely. Crusaders are better, but the gap has certainly closed
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@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nta I see I am going to have to watch what Reece did again. Didn't notice any theatrics apart from him putting his hand out to 'appeal' for a penalty.
I'm astonished ... he went down and stayed down like he'd been shot. Very soccer-like
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@nta is he the first player ever to do anything like that though? Unfortunately it's not unusual.
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@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nta is he the first player ever to do anything like that though? Unfortunately it's not unusual.
No, he's not. The fact that others have gone the Hollywood doesn't make any of it right.
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@nzzp said in Blues v Crusaders:
@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nta I see I am going to have to watch what Reece did again. Didn't notice any theatrics apart from him putting his hand out to 'appeal' for a penalty.
I'm astonished ... he went down and stayed down like he'd been shot. Very soccer-like
Must have been too busy reading this place. I've always wondered how people can watch the game and post at the same time. It seems I can't.
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@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nzzp said in Blues v Crusaders:
@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nta I see I am going to have to watch what Reece did again. Didn't notice any theatrics apart from him putting his hand out to 'appeal' for a penalty.
I'm astonished ... he went down and stayed down like he'd been shot. Very soccer-like
Must have been too busy reading this place. I've always wondered how people can watch the game and post at the same time. It seems I can't.
I was at the ground, and even from a long way away there were arms up to the ref and an elite athlete turning to jelly.
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I also don't remember Codie Taylor being so big on the whinge. Usually he just gets on with the job, but he was having a crack at the officials about lineout gaps and not being exactly where he wanted etc.
Was it a targeted ploy to get into the head of Williams? Or was he just having a bad day? The push in the face at scrum time etc.
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@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nzzp said in Blues v Crusaders:
@crazy-horse said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nta I see I am going to have to watch what Reece did again. Didn't notice any theatrics apart from him putting his hand out to 'appeal' for a penalty.
I'm astonished ... he went down and stayed down like he'd been shot. Very soccer-like
Must have been too busy reading this place. I've always wondered how people can watch the game and post at the same time. It seems I can't.
That's why I try to keep the phone down when I'm watching these days. Otherwise I miss too much
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@nta said in Blues v Crusaders:
I also don't remember Codie Taylor being so big on the whinge. Usually he just gets on with the job, but he was having a crack at the officials about lineout gaps and not being exactly where he wanted etc.
Was it a targeted ploy to get into the head of Williams? Or was he just having a bad day? The push in the face at scrum time etc.
with blue tinted glasses on, I think the game was closer than some folk suggest, and you saw him responding to pressure.
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@nta said in Blues v Crusaders:
I also don't remember Codie Taylor being so big on the whinge. Usually he just gets on with the job, but he was having a crack at the officials about lineout gaps and not being exactly where he wanted etc.
Was it a targeted ploy to get into the head of Williams? Or was he just having a bad day? The push in the face at scrum time etc.
Seriously? Happens every game I would have thought.
