Sunwolves v Lions
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<p><span style="color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunwolves team to play the Lions (Saturday 27 Feb, 5.15pm)</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Keita Inagaki 2. Shota Horie 3. Shinnosuke Kakinaga 4. Timothy Bond 5. Hitoshi Ono 6. Liaki Moli 7. Andrew Durutalo 8. Edward Quirk</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Atsushi Hiwasa 10. Tusi Pisi 11. Yasutaka Sasakura 12. Yu Tamura 13. Harumichi Tatekawa 14. Akihito Yamada 15. Riaan Viljoen</span></span></p>
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<p><em><span style="color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:helvetica, sans-serif;">Reserves</span></span></em></p>
<p><span style="color:#444444;"><span style="font-family:helvetica, sans-serif;">16. Masataka Mikami 17. Takeshi Kizu 18. Koki Yamamoto 19. Shinya Makabe 20. Yoshiya Hosoda 21. Kaito Shigeno 22. Derek Carpenter 23. Hajime Yamashita</span></span></p> -
<p>Apparently the game is a sell out - 27,000</p>
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<p>It'll be the most polite packed rugby stadium ever.</p>
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<p>Sunwolves are paying about $5 head to head to win this! </p>
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<p>I take it Kaito Shigeno won't be back for Auckland or Ponsonby this year............</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="561017" data-time="1456467232"><p>Sunwolves are paying about $5 head to head to win this!<br></p></blockquote>
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Don't waste your money. The Lions had an excellent season (taking their history into account) last year, and they've only gotten better since then. They are the most well coached SA side. -
<p>I didnt....made my multi look attractive, but didnt take this game at all.</p>
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<p>Yeah Lions look primed to make the next step into the finals this year. They are a great chance of winning their group and getting a home playoff. Good to see - their fans have had tough years - exciting team on the rise.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="bbarcs" data-cid="561244" data-time="1456525242">
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<p>Don't waste your money. The Lions had an excellent season (taking their history into account) last year, and they've only gotten better since then. They are the most well coached SA side.</p>
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<p>Unlucky to miss out last year. Ackermann is one of the best coaches in the comp imo.</p> -
<p>Janties having a shocker off the tee.</p>
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Sunwolves looking a good chance after 15 minutes the way Jantjies is kicking.
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If you look up efficiency in the dictionary you'll see a picture of Marnitz Boshoff.... But they left him at home.
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These Sunwolves aren't that bad. Maybe the Hurricanes could look at poaching their coach?
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Referee allowing the Sunwolves to seal off the ball at every second ruck which is frustrating.
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They're doing well so far with almost no possession.<br><br>
Halfback gives great service to Pisi. -
Ha! Rugby, US style
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They give up meters pretty easily. Good turnover to get them out of trouble.
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Happy for the Sunwolves and all that they're being competitive but the referee needs to be taught about breakdowns.<br><br>
No releasing the ball after the tackle has been made then he's blowing them up for not releasing.<br>
Players sealing off the ball.<br>
Blowing penalties for half-hearted attempts at the ball but playing on when the ball was properly contested.<br><br>
It's a lottery.<br><br>
I'm praying for a better year with refereeing cause the last 2 years especially has been a farce. -
Finally the Lions take advantage and score. <br><br>
Sunwolves really need to work on their line speed. They just give the Lions too much time to hurt them. -
<p>If the Lions can cut out the errors then I think they should win quite comfortably.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="bbarcs" data-cid="561292" data-time="1456549240"><p>Happy for the Sunwolves and all that they're being competitive but the referee needs to be taught about breakdowns.<br><br>
No releasing the ball after the tackle has been made then he's blowing them up for not releasing.<br>
Players sealing off the ball.<br>
Blowing penalties for half-hearted attempts at the ball but playing on when the ball was properly contested.<br><br>
It's a lottery.<br><br>
I'm praying for a better year with refereeing cause the last 2 years especially has been a farce.</p></blockquote>
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Well, neutral refs would help. I think JP refs are terrible, as a rule. -
Not that he is JP, I just realized
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<p>It's like watching a Super 12 match in the early 2000s. There is a crowd in attendance.</p>
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That was a great break.<br><br>
Who are the comms? 2 guys they found in the stadium? -
Good try there and then a bit of a shame with the quick throw.
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Suddenly, this is turning into a great game to watch.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="561303" data-time="1456551765">
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<p>That was a great break.<br><br>
Who are the comms? 2 guys they found in the stadium?</p>
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<p>My comms via ESPN in the US are two Kiwis</p> -
Ken Laban on my TV. Easy to tell from the overuse of "second man play" and "short blind"
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Pisi being a bit silly here. Not sure deserved yellow, but he deserved it for being a clown
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="561308" data-time="1456552065">
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<p>Ken Laban on my TV. Easy to tell from the overuse of "second man play" and "short blind"</p>
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<p>thats who is on mine, couldn't remember his name. Is Kamo the second? Or maybe Willie Lose?</p>
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<p>Bring back Murray Mexted!</p> -
And that's it. Lions score pretty easily after some weak defense.
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Sunwolves are going to win a couple games this season. <br><br>
Had me worried for large parts of the game. -
Too easy with the SW wingers having no physical presence. They've been held up and turned over a few times. <br><br>
Actually, looks like everything is falling apart - scrum has gone to pieces. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="bbarcs" data-cid="561312" data-time="1456552688"><p>Sunwolves are going to win a couple games this season. <br><br>
Had me worried for large parts of the game.</p></blockquote>
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My guess is 1 win this season. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="bbarcs" data-cid="561312" data-time="1456552688">
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<p>Sunwolves are going to win a couple games this season.<br><br>
Had me worried for large parts of the game.</p>
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<p>Thought the Lions let them off the hook tbh. Still, good effort from the sunwolves.</p> -
<p>Good effort first up, but plenty to work on for the SWs. Overall, they don't have the class of other teams, so they'll have to win by grit, that means better line speed and better discipline. </p>
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<p>In terms of Japan and my experience playing over here, we'd fucking kill Pisi in the 'Hansei-kai' at the end of the game - That sort of shit is just unacceptable anyway, but no way in Japan*, and particularly so when you are trying to build a fanbase here.</p>
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<p>Good points: I like their halfback, Pisi and the centers were better than I expected - especially <span style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:helvetica, sans-serif;">Tatekawa who I thought would be a bit light for that position. Be great if they had Sau with him, but oh well. Ono went pretty well, and Horie is playing well at this level now.</span></p>
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<p>However, the set piece needs work. From what I saw of the line-out, it was fine - but the scrum is a worry, particularly when the subs come on. Line speed was fucking weak, and tackle efficiency is a problem (and missed tackles). They also need better physicality and body position on attacking ball, they got held up and turned over too easily.</p>
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<p>Changes: Honestly, they don't have much class that they could use - but they are light out wide, so I'd get the new Mako winger in there.</p>
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<p>* For those that missed it, he had a go at the ref after being called for being offside at a ruck, which he was. Then got yellowed. I wonder if his attitude affected the decision..</p> -
<p>They were much better than I expected after having only trained together for 3 weeks.</p>
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<p>That's pretty shocking isn't it? This is a hugely important expansion team, particularly since the RWC will be held in Japan. Yet, they throw the team together 3 weeks before the season kicks off and hire a coach who puts the S in shit. Not exactly the best starting point for success, Kind of reminds me of those crappy expansion teams in the old Super League (Rams and Reds). Hopefully they'll succeed in spite of these handicaps. They certainly showed plenty of heart.</p>
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<p>I could have been hearing wrong, but it sounded like the crowd were howling like wolves during the game. That was pretty funny.</p> -
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjKv-_r6pvLAhUFIpoKHW-lBroQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smh.com.au%2Frugby-union%2Fsuper-rugby%2Fjapan-sunwolves-reveal-terrifying-super-rugby-mascot-20160226-gn51jt.html&psig=AFQjCNF1QK-jSMUCb4b8YO_Nh1cVtjdVXA&ust=1456796185041863'><img height="347" src="http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/5/1/j/p/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gn51jt.png/1456487630874.jpg" width="620" alt="1456487630874.jpg"></a></p>
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<p>Mascot's name is Pinging. That is too good.</p>
