2012 S15 NZ Conference

[p.Tah]

I felt the Crusaders passing in broken play was terrible. It was either above the player or behind him. Usually those passes are crisp and in front allowing the player to run onto the ball and this is when they score their tries. This part of their game was slightly off and they weren't their usual threatening self.

 

[PaarlBok]

The NZ conference is certainly wide open.

Advantage Highlanders. They have one away win in the bank and looked pretty damn good thus far. They sure look like taking one step further where they left off in 2011. They sure have one of the best packs in the competition and was rewarded against the Chiefs in round 1, controlling 1st phase.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

I felt the Crusaders passing in broken play was terrible. It was either above the player or behind him. Usually those passes are crisp and in front allowing the player to run onto the ball and this is when they score their tries. This part of their game was slightly off and they weren't their usual threatening self.

At times it was poor certainly. Zac threw at least x2 passes to no one but he looked great when he ran it himself. As I said, with ball in hand at times they looked quite good but the error rate (in particular from the passing as you pointed out) had me pulling my hair out. I'm not calling any particular NZ team out right now this early.

 

[Hawko]

What we can say right now is that the NZ conference looks the strongest. The Highlanders, Chiefs and Crusaders have all been good and now the Blues have bounced back to knock over the Bulls at home, no easy task. Only the Hurricanes look off the pace and yet they are 2 of 3 and won decisively this weekend. If their form continues I think we will see three NZ teams in the finals, despite them having lots of tough derbies. The Waratahs played with huge intensity last night but were still taken apart at the breakdown. Most lesser teams from SA and NZ are going to get thrashed by NZ teams unless there are some major form reversals.

Compare that with the SA conference where the Stormers are 3 from 3 but less than impressive, the former standouts the Bulls have had a touch-up at altitude, the Sharks have won 1, the Lions look mid-table at very best and the Cheetahs are not their 2011 version.

Then there is the Oz conference. The Brumbies have good points position but form is not good, the Rebels are 0 from 2 but improving, the Force are in a disastrous place, uncompetitive with the weakest NZ franchise, the Waratahs are 1 from 3 although their form is the best in the conference and the Reds head for a really tough road trip to SA with poor form but three wins.

Its a long season but early indications are that the Stormers will get first spot in SA easily, NZ will be four teams looking to fill three or four spots and the Reds and Tahs fighting for a top spot and with two of the four NZ teams for the last two spots.

 

[PaarlBok]

New Zealand Conference

Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA BPts Pts
1 Highlanders 3 3 0 0 68 60 8 7 4 0 12
2 Chiefs 3 2 0 1 72 56 16 7 4 2 10
3 Hurricanes 3 2 0 1 102 86 16 11 7 1 9
4 Crusaders 3 1 0 2 62 69 -7 4 7 2 6
5 Blues 3 1 0 2 61 71 -10 5 8 1 5

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

I caught a fair bit of Gareth Anscombe in the ITM Cup in the off season and he looked like an absolute star in that. I'd heard he was one to watch after his u-20 performances.

He looked superb from what I saw of his match on the weekend. Very exciting young player - what pace!

The Kiwis have some excellent looking talent coming up all across the pitch, let alone the 10 and 15 stock on show lately. Bleyendal (sp?) Barret, Anscombe, Cruden, all young guns with sick game!

 

[qwerty51]

All of the current flyhalfs were u20s players as well. 3 from last year and the other 2 from the two previous years.

 

[PaarlBok]

New Zealand Conference

Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA BPts Pts
1 Highlanders 4 4 0 0 87 77 10 8 5 0 16
2 Chiefs 4 3 0 1 101 78 23 9 5 2 14
3 Hurricanes 4 2 0 2 119 105 14 12 8 2 10
4 Crusaders 3 1 0 2 62 69 -7 4 7 2 10
5 Blues 4 1 0 3 78 98 -20 7 10 1 5

 

[qwerty51]

Kaino could've played his last game for the Blues already, set to sign a contract in Japan for next season

http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=34397

Can't say I'll miss him.. (from a Wallabies perspective, that's a complement )

I thought he deserved the IRB Player of the Year award last year.

 

[Bullrush]

Kaino could've played his last game for the Blues already, set to sign a contract in Japan for next season

http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=34397

Can't say I'll miss him.. (from a Wallabies perspective, that's a complement )

I thought he deserved the IRB Player of the Year award last year.

As an AB and Blues fan, I hope he doesn't go.......but as a fan of Kaino, I hope he goes and sets him and his family up for the future.

Whatever he does - good luck to him and I'll support him.

 

[qwerty51]

Just to prove his worth, the ABs only lost 2 games last year, and guess what Kaino didn't feature in both.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Kaino has to be worthy of a money making sabbadical.. surely. He's immense.

 

[Bullrush]

Kaino has to be worthy of a money making sabbadical.. surely. He's immense.

Probably. But I wonder if this injury is making him think about if it's worth it. It sounds like he's had this one for a long time and it's gotta start taking it's toll more than just physically.

 

[teach]

"All Black enforcer Jerome Kaino is set to announce that he will play in Japan next season.
The 48-Test loose forward, who played all but four minutes of the victorious World Cup campaign, will reveal his future at his agent's office in Auckland tomorrow morning.
ONE News understands the Toyota club has offered Kaino a deal that will be the biggest ever for a New Zealand player and could be too hard for him to refuse.
And with his Super Rugby season all but over with a shoulder injury, Kaino could have potentially played his last game in New Zealand although he is open to returning in the future.
Last week before his shoulder surgery Kaino said re-signing with the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Blues was a "possibility" but there have been rumours that he was looking overseas for his 2013 playing assignments."

A massive contract will help secure his future. He is 28 so really doesn't have a huge number of years left at the top.
Good on him I say.

 

[PaarlBok]

Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA BPts Pts
1 Chiefs 4 3 0 1 101 78 23 9 5 2 18
2 Highlanders 5 4 0 1 113 110 3 10 8 1 17
3 Hurricanes 5 3 0 2 145 130 15 16 9 3 15
4 Crusaders 4 2 0 2 90 90 0 7 9 2 14
5 Blues 5 1 0 4 103 124 -21 8 14 2 6

March 2012
30 Highlanders v Rebels Rugby Park, Invercargill 08:35
31 Hurricanes v Toyota Cheetahs Westpac Stadium, Wellington 06:30
31 Chiefs v Waratahs Waikato Stadium, Hamilton 08:35
31 MTN Lions v Crusaders Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg 17:05
Blues bye

 

[Tangawizi]

Hurricanes seemed to clock off after 30 mins and undid all their good work from last week in sneaking home against the Blues.

Will be hard to back them to do anything this season after a performance like that.

 

[Brisbok]

Not sure if you were watching the game very closely but the Hurricanes, despite being up 32-11 in the first 30 mins, were never the dominant team in that game. The Cheetahs had all the territory and possession and the Hurricanes scored 3 or 4 break away tries, off turnovers, against the run of play. Conrad Smith confirmed that in the post match interview.

Rather than the Hurricanes clocking off after the first 30 mins, it was more a case of the Cheetahs becoming more accurate and not losing the ball in contact in attacking positions. They turned pressure into points.

 

[whatty]

All the Hurricanes tries were effectively counterattacking tries Tin Ears were awesome and VERY dominant in all aspects of the game. very satisfying win and just have to learn to win against SA teams to progress further.

 

[Dan54]

Not sure if you were watching the game very closely but the Hurricanes, despite being up 32-11 in the first 30 mins, were never the dominant team in that game. The Cheetahs had all the territory and possession and the Hurricanes scored 3 or 4 break away tries, off turnovers, against the run of play. Conrad Smith confirmed that in the post match interview.

Rather than the Hurricanes clocking off after the first 30 mins, it was more a case of the Cheetahs becoming more accurate and not losing the ball in contact in attacking positions. They turned pressure into points.

Yep Conrad Smith said the same thing BB, he felt they were struggling all game and even tries came of counterattacks from turnovers.

 

[Ruggo]

That was a brilliant game to sit down and watch. Very entertaining and congratulations to the Cheetahs on the win.