2012 S15 NZ Conference

[PaarlBok]

Crusaders

Squad:
Hookers: Corey Flynn, Rowan MacDonald, Ben Funnell.
Props: Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Nicholas Barrett.
Locks: Sam Whitelock, Tom Donnelly, Luke Romano, Joe Wheeler, Ross Kennedy.
Loose forwards: Richie McCaw, Matt Todd, George Whitelock, Kieran Read, Luke Whitelock.
Halfbacks: Andy Ellis, Willi Heinz.
First-fives: Dan Carter, Tom Taylor, Tyler Bleyendaal.
Midfield: Ryan Crotty, Adam Whitelock, Robbie Fruean.
Outsides: Tom Marshall, Patrick Osborne, Zac Guildford, Sean Maitland, Israel Dagg.

Fixture List:

Rnd 1 Away Blues
Rnd 2 Away Highlanders
Rnd 3 Home Chiefs
Rnd 4 Bye
Rnd 5 Home Cheetahs
Rnd 6 Away Lions
Rnd 7 Away Bulls
Rnd 8 Home Stormers
Rnd 9 Away Hurricanes
Rnd 10 Away Waratahs
Rnd 11 Home Reds
Rnd 12 Away Rebels
Rnd 13 Home Blues
Rnd 14 Bye
Rnd 15 Home Highlanders

Rnd 16 Home Hurricanes
Rnd 17 Away Chiefs
Rnd 18 Home Force

Don't Play
Brumbies
Sharks

Blues

Squad:
Hookers: Keven Mealamu, Tom McCartney.
Props: Charlie Faumuina, Tevita Mailau, Pauliasi Manu, Angus Ta'avao, Tony Woodcock.
Locks: Anthony Boric, Liaki Moli, Filo Paulo, Ali Williams, Brad Mika.
Loose forwards: Daniel Braid, Luke Braid, Jerome Kaino, Chris Lowrey, Peter Saili.
Halfbacks: Alby Mathewson, Piri Weepu.
First-fives: Lachie Munro, Gareth Anscombe.
Midfield: Ma'a Nonu, Benson Stanley, Michael Hobbs.
Outsides: Isaia Toeava, Sherwin Stowers, Rudi Wulf, Rene Ranger, David Raikuna, George Moala

Fixture List
Rnd 1 Home Crusaders
Rnd 2 Away Chiefs
Rnd 3 Away Bulls
Rnd 4 Away Stormers
Rnd 5 Home Hurricanes
Rnd 6 Bye
Rnd 7 Away Rebels
Rnd 8 Home Sharks
Rnd 9 Away Highlanders
Rnd 10 Home Reds
Rnd 11 Away Hurricanes
Rnd 12 Home Lions
Rnd 13 Away Crusaders
Rnd 14 Home Highlanders
Rnd 15 Home Chiefs

Rnd 16 Bye
Rnd 17 Home Force
Rnd 18 Away Brumbies

Don't Play
Cheetahs
Waratahs

Highlanders

Squad
Hookers: Andrew Hore, Jason Rutledge.
Props: Jamie Mackintosh, Chris King, Bronson Murray, Ma'afu Fia.
Locks: Josh Bekhuis, Jarrad Hoeata, Culum Retallick.
Loose forwards: Adam Thomson, Nick Crosswell, John Hardie, Doug Tietjens, Nasi Manu, Elliot Dixon, James Haskell.
Halfbacks: Jimmy Cowan, Aaron Smith.
First-fives: Colin Slade, Lima Sopoaga, Chris Noakes.
Midfield: Shaun Treeby, Tamati Ellison, Kendrick Lynn, Siale Piutau.
Outsides: Hosea Gear, Kade Poki, Telusa Veainu, Kurt Baker, Ben Smith.

Fixtures
Rnd 1 Away Chiefs
Rnd 2 Home Crusaders
Rnd 3 Home Waratahs
Rnd 4 Away Hurricanes
Rnd 5 Away Brumbies
Rnd 6 Home Rebels
Rnd 7 Home Stormers
Rnd 8 Bye
Rnd 9 Home Blues
Rnd 10 Away Cheetahs
Rnd 11 Away Sharks
Rnd 12 Home Hurricanes
Rnd 13 Home Bulls
Rnd 14 Away Blues
Rnd 15 Away Crusaders

Rnd 16 Home Chiefs
Rnd 17 Away Reds
Rnd 18 Bye

Don't Play
Force
Lions

Hurricanes

Squad
Hookers: Dane Coles, David Hall, Motu Matu'u.
Props: Michael Bent, Reggie Goodes, Ben May, Tristian Moran, Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen
Locks: James Broadhurst, Jason Eaton, Mark Reddish, Jeremy Thrush
Loose Forwards: Jack Lam, Faifili Levave, Karl Lowe, Brad Shields, Victor Vito
Half Backs: Chris Eaton, TJ Perenara, Chris Smylie
First Fives: Beauden Barrett, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Tusi Pisi
Midfield: Tim Bateman, Jayden Hayward, Charlie Ngatai, Conrad Smith
Outsides: Richard Buckman, Alapati Leiua, Julian Savea, Andre Taylor, Cory Jane

Fixture List
Rnd 1 Away Stormers
Rnd 2 Away Lions
Rnd 3 Away Force
Rnd 4 Home Highlanders
Rnd 5 Away Blues
Rnd 6 Home Cheetahs
Rnd 7 Home Sharks
Rnd 8 Bye
Rnd 9 Home Crusaders
Rnd 10 Away Chiefs
Rnd 11 Home Blues
Rnd 12 Away Highlanders
Rnd 13 Home Brumbies
Rnd 14 Home Rebels
Rnd 15 Away Waratahs
Rnd 16 Away Crusaders
Rnd 17 Bye
Rnd 18 Home Chiefs

Don't Play
Bulls
Reds

Chiefs

Squad
CHIEFS
Hookers: Hika Elliot, Mahonri Schwalger.
Props: Ben Afeaki, Toby Smith, Sona Taumalolo, Shane Cleaver, Ben Tameifuna.
Locks: Kane Thompson, Craig Clarke, Romana Graham, Michael Fitzgerald, Brodie Retallick.
Loose forwards: Fritz Lee, Liam Messam, Tanerau Latimer, Scott Waldrom, Sam Cane, Alex Bradley.
Halfbacks: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Brendon Leonard.
First-fives: Aaron Cruden.
Midfield: Andrew Horrell, Jackson Willison, Sonny Bill Williams, Richard Kahui.
Outsides: Lelia Masaga, Maritino Nemani, Tim Nanai-Williams, Robbie Robinson, Aseli Tikoirotuma, Declan O'Donnell.

Fixture List
Rnd 1 Home Highlanders
Rnd 2 Home Blues
Rnd 3 Away Crusaders
Rnd 4 Home Brumbies
Rnd 5 Bye
Rnd 6 Home Waratahs
Rnd 7 Away Force
Rnd 8 Away Cheetahs
Rnd 9 Away Sharks
Rnd 10 Home Hurricanes
Rnd 11 Home Lions
Rnd 12 Away Reds
Rnd 13 Bye
Rnd 14 Home Bulls
Rnd 15 Away Blues
Rnd 16 Away Highlanders
Rnd 17 Home Crusaders
Rnd 18 Away Hurricanes

Don't Play
Rebels
Stormers

 

[crangs81]

I hope Rennie gets something out of our pack this year. Getting sick of seeing a cracking back line getting shit service up front. If i wanted that i'd become a wallabies fan:fishing

 

[PaarlBok]

Da Chiefs look like tha team to back next year. They have some excellent new kids on da block. WC babelaas the NZ conferense coming up.

 

[Dan54]

By the way PaarlBok, thanks for great thread. I tend to think the Blues could be a bit dangerous in 2012, got a good backline and pretty good pack. C'saders will also be thereabouts as usual. I not yet convinced that Rennie a bloody good coach that he is can turn Chiefs forwards into a comp winning pack, but by the powers if he can get them firing they will go along way.

 

[PaarlBok]

Kiwi Facts

• 153 players across the five Investec Super Rugby franchises
• 28 players new to Super Rugby
• Of the 28, 12 ‘bolters’ were picked on 2011 ITM Cup form
• Eight players from the 2011 IRB Junior World Champions Under 20 side
• Two members of the IRB World Series winning Sevens team
• 14 players changing franchise colours

 

[PaarlBok]

Bliksem its hard to decide between the Blues and Saders, no news on da Chiefs vs Clan clash. Where is the Kiwis when you needs them?

 

[Braveheart81]

The Chiefs are absolutely on fire tonight!

 

[spooony]

Problem with the AB stars returning to their squads is that most of them were fat and unfit as they got a extra bit of time to get back. Weepu is one.

 

[PaarlBok]

Glad the Chiefs pulled this one off. The Blues will now travel to SA and face the Stormers and Brutes. The Chiefs vs Saders next week in Napier. I just have a feel the Highlanders have a good change to upset the Saders tomorrow morning. They looked pretty organised against the Chiefs, played with a lot of composure and structure after they fell behind and won it in the end. After todays Chief performance I think they have a lot to build on.

 

[spooony]

Chiefs looks like a one half team. Played for one half like last week.

 

[Bardon]

Watching the Lions v Hurricanes game at the moment. Gone to uncontested scrums as the Lions have lost two props. Maybe it will open the discussion about going to 23 man match day squads like we have up here.

 

[qwerty51]

We definitely need 23 match day teams. Uncontested scrums are a joke

 

[spooony]

Lions 28 - Hurricanes 27
Its a humdinger going back and forth

BARRETT! 28-30

 

[Bardon]

Very entertaining game, lots of back and forth on the scoreboard.

 

[spooony]

Hurricanes nicked it. I think the Cheetahs or Lions are not going to see Super Rugby next year. They will be replaced by a team that they managed to beat 88-0 lol

 

[PaarlBok]

New Zealand Conference

Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA BPts Pts
1 Highlanders 2 2 0 0 50 43 7 5 3 0 8
2 Chiefs 2 1 0 1 48 37 11 5 3 2 6
3 Crusaders 2 1 0 1 43 45 -2 3 5 1 5
4 Hurricanes 2 1 0 1 56 67 -11 5 6 0 4
5 Blues 2 0 0 2 32 48 -16 3 5 1 1

 

[SaderCheif]

Chiefs 24 Saders 19. Huge result.

 

[suckerforred]

Chiefs look like the big improvers this year.

 

[PaarlBok]

This win rectify the Chiefs loss in round 1 at home and back on track. They sure have one of the best backlines in the competition and need the forwards to give them ball. They had that bad last 40 against the Highlanders but since then their pack have really step up.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

My guys made too may errors & didn't get on the front foot with the scrum battle early, from that point on the 50/50 scrum calls favoured the Chiefs. The ball was wet but way too many errors. The slow starting whilst annoying is not something I'm too worried about this early on.

On the positives for the Crusaders I thought the back line did very well apart from Ellis' ridiculous 22m restart that went wrong & perhaps some of Tylers clearance kicks. Zac Guildford & Dagg were great with ball in hand with some wonderful stepping & in Daggs' case a great ability to go into contact with ball in one hand, near the side line, keeping it in & also under control long enough for support & then the place back. Freuan didnt get as much pill as I'd like but did fine. In general the back line did very well. The forwards IMO failed against the Chiefs pack which kept being allowed to make too much ground. Reid did very well to set Fruean up for his try & in patches the forwards looked like they were getting on a roll but didn't do it enough. Naturally I love that the Crusaders have been coming back later in the games & not dying off, that is a good sign even if they aren't winning.

The Chiefs were indeed very impressive, their backs were good but I really liked the work of Messam & co in the pack it will be interesting to see how they go. The NZ conference is certainly wide open.