Hurricanes vs Waratahs Super Rugby R7 2025 - Friday 28 March

[PhilClinton]

The bloke that forced him to play 80 minute matches as a THP? Yeah, righto.

Whatever the cause attempting to lay the blame at the feet of McKellar really just says more about your feelings for McKellar than anything. I don't recall culture issues at the Brumbies under him?

Yeh he’s a peanut.

He took over a Brumbies team in 2018 that had been a regular top 4 finisher and didn’t really do much more than keep them at a similar or lower standard. Then when he read the room about not getting the Wallabies head coach gig, he bailed out of Australia.

 

[Wilson]

I did like some of what I saw from Saunders in this game. He's still very raw, but looks to have heaps of potential. Will need both gametime and time to grow into his frame to get there though. I wonder if he'd be best served spending a year with the 7s program and going down the Pietsch/Lancaster/Toole path to polish his game. His combination of size and pace could be absolutely lethal there.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I'm also fairly certain the Reds had a big THP injury list and depth issues in the season(s) Tupou played numerous 70+ min matches

Wasn't the Reds main issue just that their reserve 3 was Zane Nonggorr?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I did like some of what I saw from Saunders in this game. He's still very raw, but looks to have heaps of potential. Will need both gametime and time to grow into his frame to get there though. I wonder if he'd be best served spending a year with the 7s program and going down the Pietsch/Lancaster/Toole path to polish his game. His combination of size and pace could be absolutely lethal there.

He’ll be fine. Said prior to the game he’s a big raw talent atm. Playing with these guys and outside JAS will do him good. Chance with Jorgo out he’ll be around the top side for a while.

He was targeted and had a couple mistakes but also looked for involvement in a backline that was a car crash of changes. Young blokes like this are part of the reason the Tahs were ok with Pietsch going west.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

With JAS, O'Donnell and Saunders we have certainly added some size to the backline.

 

[Wilson]

He’ll be fine. Said prior to the game he’s a big raw talent atm. Playing with these guys and outside JAS will do him good. Chance with Jorgo out he’ll be around the top side for a while.

He was targeted and had a couple mistakes but also looked for involvement in a backline that was a car crash of changes. Young blokes like this are part of the reason the Tahs were ok with Pietsch going west.

Oh I don't doubt he'll be fine but if he doesn't end up in the top team (he'll probably drop back out if Reilly is only short term), I'm not sure he'll get much out of a Shute Shield season, particularly next year. His physical ability means he doesn't really need to get things right at that level because his pace will make up for a lot of mistakes there. End of this season and next is probably where it'd really pay off, to get him playing pro week in week out for a while. It's something I wish we'd sorted for Aubrey in QLD, he had some of the same problems making the step up (probably worse given his size), but finding that level where he could be tested regularly would've been a huge help.

A bunch of the outside backs who've been starring for the Kiwi teams have taken the 7s path too (Tangitau, Carter, Fineanganofo, etc) and while it's hard to tell specifically it looks like it's helped them hit the ground running. They're all coming in at 22 so not at all late (Carter is older), but looking very ready for this level.

 

[fatprop]

Struggling to see the logic of the game plan, running from the 22, wide passes, it was like we didn't want to do the work, and then the wheels fell off and the Tahs pigs were out worked, not enough cleanouts = turnovers = 1,000,000 points as they roll through us

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Oh I don't doubt he'll be fine but if he doesn't end up in the top team (he'll probably drop back out if Reilly is only short term), I'm not sure he'll get much out of a Shute Shield season, particularly next year. His physical ability means he doesn't really need to get things right at that level because his pace will make up for a lot of mistakes there. End of this season and next is probably where it'd really pay off, to get him playing pro week in week out for a while. It's something I wish we'd sorted for Aubrey in QLD, he had some of the same problems making the step up (probably worse given his size), but finding that level where he could be tested regularly would've been a huge help.

A bunch of the outside backs who've been starring for the Kiwi teams have taken the 7s path too (Tangitau, Carter, Fineanganofo, etc) and while it's hard to tell specifically it looks like it's helped them hit the ground running. They're all coming in at 22 so not at all late (Carter is older), but looking very ready for this level.

He reminds me a bit of Taj Annan who we only just started to see him settle into super rugby last year.

 

[Wilson]

This was proper savagery from Kirifi:

https://x.com/JamieWall2/status/1905535184126312944?t=gPrHZg9Yjttebl83BMUbZg&s=19

Face says it all, when asked if it was a 'tough match':

Gotta love a rare bit of honesty in a post match interview.

 

[Dan54]

That's a nice bit of editting I think. I watched it and Kirifi was just thinking of what to say, he said after that Tahs were hard work, but was saying how there are no easy games etc. He actually went on to say that No11 team can beat No1 he thought etc. He doesn't use cliches that a lot of captains do and often will hesitate before answering. Personally I never got impression he was suggesting Tahs weren't good or were easy.

 

[Derpus]

That's a nice bit of editting I think. I watched it and Kirifi was just thinking of what to say, he said after that Tahs were hard work, but was saying how there are no easy games etc. He actually went on to say that No11 team can beat No1 he thought etc. He doesn't use cliches that a lot of captains do and often will hesitate before answering. Personally I never got impression he was suggesting Tahs weren't good or were easy.

Why do you exist?

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Face says it all, when asked if it was a 'tough match':

 

[Dan54]

Why do you exist?

To piss you off?? But genuinely why was that posted, it made it look like the Tahs were being treated as a joke, and they weren't.

 

[Wilson]

He doesn't use cliches that a lot of captains do and often will hesitate before answering.

Doesn't use cliches?

I watched it and Kirifi was just thinking of what to say, he said after that Tahs were hard work, but was saying how there are no easy games etc. He actually went on to say that No11 team can beat No1 he thought etc.

That looks just a "full credit to the boys" or "a game of two halves" short of a bingo.

You're living in your own world Dan. It was posted because it's a genuine bit of honesty and character shining through before the media training kicks in. If you don't think that will sting the tahs players (just as the commentary around their embarrassing maul defence did a few weeks ago) you're kidding yourself. If it's of no interest to you that's fine, don't comment, but there's a reason the clip has been doing the rounds of social media and it absolutely makes sense to be posted here.

 

[TSR]

Thorn ran him into the ground.

Did he though- or did we just all except that narrative that Stiles put out

I don’t know the answer - maybe Thorn 100% did, but it is also without doubt that Stiles has a vested interest in convincing Tupou that was the case.

One thing is true - Tupou has never been in the same physical shape since he moved on from the Reds.

 

[TSR]

Wasn't the Reds main issue just that their reserve 3 was Zane Nonggorr?

Nonggorr missed most of the year with injury

 

[Braveheart81]

Doesn't use cliches?

That looks just a "full credit to the boys" or "a game of two halves" short of a bingo.

You're living in your own world Dan. It was posted because it's a genuine bit of honesty and character shining through before the media training kicks in.

It feels like the issue here is that the commentator was going through the standard cliché questions and should probably not ask the same questions you ask when the game is close vs a 40 point flogging.

Could have easily made it meaningful by asking about the early exchanges where the game was pretty even and then pivoted to what changed to let them score freely before half time to put the game away and turn it into a flogging.

Although maybe the commentator was setting it up to troll the Waratahs and in that case, fair play.

 

[Dan54]

Doesn't use cliches?

That looks just a "full credit to the boys" or "a game of two halves" short of a bingo.

You're living in your own world Dan. It was posted because it's a genuine bit of honesty and character shining through before the media training kicks in. If you don't think that will sting the tahs players (just as the commentary around their embarrassing maul defence did a few weeks ago) you're kidding yourself. If it's of no interest to you that's fine, don't comment, but there's a reason the clip has been doing the rounds of social media and it absolutely makes sense to be posted here.

Ok mate. like I said I saw whole interview, and I took it as a considered response, but no worries you took it different. I usually like his interviews because he tends to give well thought out answers etc, and doesn't use all the quotes.
I remember one for example when the Canes lost, and the commentator said commiserations , he looked at the commentator and said "why? we only lost a game of rugby, noones died".

Another comment I heard after game that I liked, when Castle asked Bailyn Sullivan if he was surprised with size of the win? He said that it's what they train for, but never expect. Another good reponse I thought.

 

[Qwertyrick]

lol embarrassing game

 

[Major Tom]

Thoughts on the game:
-I thought the tahs were playing ok for the first 55 odd minutes until the wheels fell off. The canes clearly had a plan to attack the breakdown and the tahs just couldnt get any momentum. I thought the refs probably let the canes get away with a bit too much at the breakdown in the first half but thats just part and parcel of having the advantage of a home crowd.
-Thought the canes were excellent - their best game of the season by far.
-The reality of super rugby is (and has always been) that winning away from home particularly overseas is heavy hard and its what seperates the best sides from the rest. I think some people on this thread may have too high expectation of a team that finished at the bottom of the table last year. They are still a work in progress quite obviously. I think they are going to run hot and cold this year. That said i think the pessimism is also too harsh. I reckon theyll be a tough side to beat at home but are going to struggle on the road - thats just where theyre at which is a massive step forward from last year
- people trying to point the finger at tupou seem to be under the impression that he's still the one man wrecking ball x factor player he was 4 years ago. He not that player anymore. That said he still performs the core duties of a tighthead well and he certainly wasnt the reason the tahs fell apart at the end of the game

Most rational view I’ve read so far!