Blues U20 v Crusaders U20
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First impression is that the Blues U20s seem to be at a lower skill level than the other teams. Positioning, passing, setpiece. Lots of handling errors already. They almost look like they're an age grade younger.
The Crusaders U20s lead 3 - 0 via a penalty goal from Jack Parker.
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The Crusaders U20s are better in most areas, except that also handling errors are letting them down. Without them, they would have been more ahead on the score board. Their defence has been good.
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The Blues U20s looked to pounce on a mistake from the Crusaders U20, via fullback Brady, but centre Lolohea knocks on.
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Blues U20 captain Sititi looks promising. Great turnover, but the follow-up isn't great.
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Great try to Blues loosie Frans, who slices through some weak defence from the Crusaders U20. Smith converts.
Blues U20 7 - 3 Crusaders U20.
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Making errors is killing the Crusaders U20s.
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Blues offside and then forward pass missed, but otherwise a great attack by the Blues U20s results in a try to Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo. Byron Smith converts again.
Blues U20 lead 14 - 3.
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The momentum swing looks complete. Blues U20s dominating.
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Wallace Sititi runs right though Crusaders LH prop Moli and dots down the third Blues U20 try.
Blues U20 19 - 3 Crusaders U20.
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It's half time. The Blues U20s fully deserve their lead. They've totally passed on the error-making to the Crusaders U20 squad.
Only positive for Crusaders U20 now is that they dominate the scrum, but that doesn't help much if players knock the ball on in the next phases.
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Sititi is much more prominent than Brial. Frans showed some pace too.
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Good start to the 2nd half from the Blues U20s. Lock Allan Craig scores from the pick and go.
Blues U20 26 - 3 Crusaders U20
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Great individual effort from George Bell, who goes on a barnstorming run, steps and scores for the Crusaders U20s.
Parker converts.Blues U20 26 - 10 Crusaders U20
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Great team try scored by Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo. Again weak defence from the Crusaders U20s.
After Smith's conversion it's 33 - 10 to the Blues U20s.
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Great try to Nikola Vikena, who shows his speed. Unconverted.
Blues U20 33 - 15 Crusaders U20
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The Crusaders U20 scrum is completely dominant, but somehow they never seem to benefit from it. Officiating?
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Blues U20s score after a driving maul. Jordan Hutchings's try goes unconverted.
Blues U20 38 - 15 Crusaders U20
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Great attack by Crusaders U20 reserve loosie Daniel Dixon, who passes to Macca Springer to score.
Blues U20 38 - 20 Crusaders U20
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This ref isn't good. Fletcher Anderson penalised for ... nothing.
The replacement 10 Cameron Howell (?) scores the undeserved penalty.
Blues U20 41 - 20 Crusaders U20
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And another penalty to the Blues U20. Cameron Howell misses.
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Crusaders U20' defence is like Swiss cheese. Sititi finds another hole, and Quinton Nichols scores. Cameron Howell covnerts.
Blues U20 48 - 20 Crusaders U20
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Classy attack from the Crusaders U20 via Macca Springer, who passes to Nikola Vikena to score. Not sure who converted.
Blues U20 48 - 27 Crusaders U20
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On attack, the Crusaders U20s have improved. Good bench impact.
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@Stargazer I've only seen a few minutes of this, but that Sititi looks promising!!!
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@Chris-B Yeah, he's been good all game!
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Sititi missed the first tackle on Bell when he scored, and then Brial missed Nichols in his try. All three starting Blues loose forwards played well. There is plenty of depth at no.8 and loose forward for Donnelly to select from.
I'm not sure which locks he will use apart from Holland. Some of them lack height.
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FT: Blues U20 48 - 27 Crusaders U20
The Blues U20s can be very satisfied with this win. Not only does it save their tournament, but there were also some real improvements during the course of the game.
The Crusaders U20 on the other hand can't be happy, despite some individual players going really well. I think the coaches got their selections wrong in this game. Some bench players played better than the starters. Rotation can't be avoided in a tournament like this, though.
Best player by a country mile: Blues U20 captain Wallace Sititi. Fellow loosies Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo and Chlayton Frans, midfielder Quinton Nichols and outside back Liam Brady looked good, too.
Best Crusaders U20 players were George Bell, Nikola Vikena and reserve loosie Daniel Dixon. Macca Springer went well, too, most of the time.
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@Bovidae Matt Monaghan from the Hurricanes maybe? The Barbarians have some good locks, but I don't know how old they are.
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@Stargazer said in Blues U20 v Crusaders U20:
Nikola Vikena
Is he Soane Vikena's brother? They both went to MAGS.
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@Tim I can't remember the commentators mentioning Soane, but I think they mentioned an Auckland school?
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@Stargazer said in Blues U20 v Crusaders U20:
@Bovidae Matt Monaghan from the Hurricanes maybe? The Barbarians have some good locks, but I don't know how old they are.
I don't think Monaghan is that tall either. Similar to Craig and Beehre, for example. Hannah has some height but is a lightweight.
As to the Barbarian locks, Cahill is first year out of school so should have been in the Crusaders. You might remember him playing for Hamilton BHS last year but from Chch.
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@Bovidae
Palmer (Chiefs) is a big munter. Not very tall (around 1.95) but bigger than most NZ locks. -
Among these U20s, any future ABs?
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@cgrant said in Blues U20 v Crusaders U20:
@Bovidae
Palmer (Chiefs) is a big munter. Not very tall (around 1.95) but bigger than most NZ locks.He gives away stupid penalties so will need to sort that out. Palmer often alternated between lock and prop for TBC, but wasn't very good at the latter due to his height.
It would be good to have another lock like Lord in the U20s this year.
