Lions v Crusaders
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<p><strong><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Crusaders</span></span></strong></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Wyatt Crockett 2. Codie Taylor 3. Owen Franks 4. Luke Romano 5. Scott Barrett 6. Jimmy Tupou 7. Matt Todd 8. Kieran Read (C)</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Andy Ellis 10. Richie Mo’unga 11. Nemani Nadolo 12. Ryan Crotty 13. Kieron Fonotia 14. Johnny McNicholl 15. David Havili</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Reserves</em></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">16. Ben Funnell 17. Joe Moody 18. Mike Alaalatoa 19. Sam Whitelock 20. Jordan Taufua 21. Mitchell Drummond 22. Ben Volavola 23. Sean Wainui</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Some players have been rotated (not due to injury) and </span></span>5/3 forwards/backs split on the bench (last week: 6/2). Sean Wainui comes into the 23, Tim Boys loses his spot on the bench.</p> -
<div><strong>Lions: </strong>15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies/Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley ©, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira/Lourens Erasmus, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith.</div>
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<div><strong>Replacements:</strong> 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Ruan Ackermann, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Rohan Janse van Rensburg</div>
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<div>Jantjies to pass a late fitness test and Ackers can't decide between Andries or Lourens, IMO I would start with Lourens as he has the X-factor the Lions need for this match.</div> -
<p>Jimmy Tupou getting a rare start at 6 - seems he's finally graduated to the forefront of Toddy's mind.</p>
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<p>A bit of cavalry on the bench - especially in the forwards with Moody, Whitelock and Taufua - but, I'm also pretty happy to see Wainui back and hopefully we'll be able to give him 20 minutes for Fonotia. </p>
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<p>Would be great if we can somehow grab a second win in Jaapieland and hopefully head for home with a few more of our backs heading toward full fitness.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="568855" data-time="1459475632">
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<p>Israel Dagg back from injury this week too, playing for University on Saturday</p>
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<p>Good to hear! That has been a long road to recovery for Dagg. Got injured on 24 September last year, so more than 6 months ago. Hope they can keep him in one piece during club rugby.</p> -
<p>Yes very good news for the Crusaders. If Dagg can stay fit he has arguably the longest general kicking game in NZ. This will take pressure off Mo'unga and Ellis in general play. The Crusaders have been executing a territory based gameplan anyway, and he will only strengthen this.</p>
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<p>This is the same ref that reduced the Crusaders to 12 men last year for some time. He just loves handing out penalties and cards, preferably against the visiting teams. He's the guy that wants to put his stamp on everything, and not in a good way.</p>
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Mcnichol having a great game<br><br><br>
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -
<br>good to win away, the overall standard by the NZ teams this season is awesome.
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<p>Ryan Crotty is chosen Man of the Match. I think he had an outstanding game and scored a hat-trick. He'll be penned in by Hansen as well.</p>
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<p>Also a great game from McNicholl, Taylor, Mo'unga, Franks, to name a few.</p>
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<p>Different from the Chiefs and Highlanders, the Crusaders have a 3-week tour. Force is next. They've already 8 points in the bag. Not. bad. at. all!</p> -
<p>Careful giving any praise to McNicholl, you'll get called <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/index.php/topic/41798-crusaders-v-blues/page-4'>all sorts of things </a>by <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/index.php/topic/41831-hatiest-teams/?hl=hatiest'>people racist against Cantabs</a>.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canerbry" data-cid="569060" data-time="1459538782"><p>Careful giving any praise to McNicholl, you'll get called <a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/index.php/topic/41798-crusaders-v-blues/page-4">all sorts of things </a>by <a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/index.php/topic/41831-hatiest-teams/?hl=hatiest">people racist against Cantabs</a>.</p></blockquote>
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Cantabs are a race finally?<br><br>
Congrats. Your inclusive breeding programme has finally paid off. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="569062" data-time="1459539095">
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<p>Cantabs are a race finally?<br><br>
Congrats. Your inclusive breeding programme has finally paid off.</p>
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<p>Obviously more succesful than your repeated attempts to crossbreed with a cow....</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canerbry" data-cid="569065" data-time="1459539328">
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<p>Obviously more succesful than your repeated attempts to crossbreed with a cow....</p>
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<p>Now now. Only I can talk about the missus like that.</p> -
That's a cracking win by the crusaders over a team that had been playing well. The NZ conference is just getting ridiculous and it's starting to make a mockery of the whole system. <br><br>
My tips are fucked though -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="569080" data-time="1459549707"><p>
That's a cracking win by the crusaders over a team that had been playing well. The NZ conference is just getting ridiculous and it's starting to make a mockery of the whole system. <br><br>
My tips are fucked though</p></blockquote>Agreed.<br>
I'm unsure as to how the finals work (nor what current points table looks like) but we've got the Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders all playing pretty good rugby and easily all in the best 6 teams of the comp right now. I'm guessing despite this, it'll be very hard for one conference to have 3 finalists?<br><br>
Correct, or am I way off the mark? -
<p>I think there is a clear winner in the NZ/Aus conference and then the next best 3 teams of the conference.</p>
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<p>BUt yeah, the NZ side of things looks bloody tough with all but the Blues looking like a team that could contest the final.</p>
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<p>Pretty sure I tipped the saders to win though.</p> -
<p>It's very interesting to see how the media bombarded the Chiefs as the title favourites as soon as they were on top of the NZ Conference, or the Highlanders likely to defend their title after a few wins, overlooking that the Crusaders had played one game less. Now, the Crusaders are only one point behind the Chiefs, and the Chiefs and Highlanders haven't had their bye yet.</p>
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<p>I think the media (and others) underestimating the Crusaders is all due to the fact that they have lost McCaw and Carter, but has the retirement/departure of these players really had such an impact? I think the injuries of Dagg, Fruean, (initially) Crotty have had more influence on the Crusaders' game. McCaw and Carter haven't played that many games the last few years due to injury or sabbaticals, and weren't playing that well when they did. I think the Canes are suffering the most from losing Nonu and Smith. When most injured players have returned (where possible) to the NZ teams, I expect there will be three teams fighting for top spot: Chiefs, Crusaders and Highlanders (in no particular order). And the only Aussi team that can potentially come close are the Brumbies. I don't know about you, but I think four out of the five Australasian spots in the play-offs will go to NZ teams, with the Blues the mostly likely to miss out.</p>
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<p>Current standings in Australasian group (NZ and Aussi conference leaders automatically placed for play-offs; next three in the group also go through: Wildcards): <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/#ladderstab'>http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/#ladderstab</a></p> -
although I think it's unfair , Im really not fussed about the finals system now , <br><br>
What i am smiling about is the gulf between the nz teams and the rest , which has been helped by the conference system I believe . <br><br>
So what they initially thought would be good for teams like the Aus sides has come back to bite them . It's starting to look like first division second division. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gunner" data-cid="569086" data-time="1459554724">
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<p>Oh, so we don't have a stand alone NZ conference?<br><br><br>
That does make it easier for more NZ teams to make the finals then doesn't it.<br><br>
Edit: Fcuk spellcheck ;)</p>
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<p>There is a stand alone NZ conference, but that's only relevant for determining the conference leader, which qualifies automatically (regardless of points) for a home play-off match.</p>
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<p>All conference leaders from the NZ, Aus, Africa1 and Africa2 conferences have a home-playoff match (amongst each other, they are ranked 1-4 according to points total, which is relevant for determining their opponent in the play-offs and for who gets to play at home in SF and F).</p>
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<p>Wildcards are ranked 5-8 according to points total, and play their first play-off match away from home as follows: 1 v 8, 2 v 7, 3 v 6, 4 v 5.</p>
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<p>Australasian group has two conference winners and three wildcards.</p>
<p>African group has two conference winners and one wildcard.</p>
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<p>From Sanzaar website:</p>
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<p><img src="http://www.sanzarrugby.com/sanzar/assets/File/Screen Shot 2016-02-18 at 9_50_04 am.png" alt="Screen%20Shot%202016-02-18%20at%209_50_0"> <img src="http://www.sanzarrugby.com/sanzar/assets/File/Screen Shot 2016-02-18 at 9_50_27 am.png" alt="Screen%20Shot%202016-02-18%20at%209_50_2"></p>
