2013 Super Rugby Semi Finals - Chiefs vs Crusaders

[ChargerWA]

I said to the wife that I couldn't believe the odds on the chiefs before the game n the 1-12 bracket. It would have been worth throwing a tenner at them. But I don't gamble, so the point is moot.

 

[Dan54]

I can back from watching live footy at 1/2 time.

Woulda given updates if I knew foxtel challenged Gaggerlanders were on line.

Geez HJ, I too tense in that kind of game to even take eyes off TV screen, let alone put up live scores

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Bloody good game of footy.

The Whitelocks and Their Friends have participated in most of the best Soup games of the year.

 

[RoffsChoice]

No matter who wins the other semi, the final will be the first time the two teams play this year.

 

[Blue]

Chiefs can dust off the trophy cabinet. No way either of the other teams can travel for a day and then come up with enough to beat them at home.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I think they would struggle against the Bulls. Brumbies would probably fall like the Sharks did last year, beating the Bulls would be their final.

 

[Dam0]

Does this result just indicate that the Reds were really dire last week?

Also, a small nitpick. At the top of the page there is a poll for which team will win between the Waikato Chiefs and the Canterbury Crusaders. The provincial names haven't been used for over a decade, and for good reason - the teams are much more than just the major province they base their HQ in.

 

[ChargerWA]

Why have we underestimated the Chiefs all year?

They really have been more than the sum of their parts. Dave Rennie has to be on the radar for higher honours.

 

[Athilnaur]

We already knew they were dire last week. And you are right, that is a small nitpick

 

[RoffsChoice]

Also, a small nitpick. At the top of the page there is a poll for which team will win between the Waikato Chiefs and the Canterbury Crusaders. The provincial names haven't been used for over a decade, and for good reason - the teams are much more than just the major province they base their HQ in.

Slightly out of date, but here you go

 

[tigerland12]

What a game....rest of world take note, that's how to play footy.

 

[Chiefton]

Absolutely over the bloody moon with that win (got on the h2h odds with a pineapple so a wee dent in my party bill for next week is paid off)

Stoked with the way our defense stepped it up again tonight.

Roll on next week

 

[Athilnaur]

What a great game. Cruden was superb. That try by Masaga was insane, damn but he was amped up.

 

[hawktrain]

Said it earlier in the year, the Chiefs are THE team in NZ now, and they proved it last night by surviving such a brutal, intense game. Very disappointed for the loss but at least it was to the Chiefs who are a fantastic rugby team, and hopefully they do the business next week and go back to back.

Whilst the last 5 years might seem like a lot of finals losses for the Crusaders, if you think back to it, they always finished about where they should have. The Bulls were a better side than them (just) in 09 and 10, and home ground advantage helped, and the Chiefs have been a better side than them the last two years (again, just) and home ground advantage also helped them, which they got by being better throughout the year. In all of those seasons, the Crusaders were about the 3rd best team in the comp, and finished appropriately. The only year I would say they finished short of where they deserved to would be 2011, I think they were the best team that season but the travel buggered them.

What a game though, out of this world. Unfortunately, as Justin Marshall said, is that if the Chiefs keep playing the Crusaders in semi finals every year, then the final will never be able to match the quality of the semi.

 

[fatprop]

I thought the moment of the weekend was Retallick's cleanout of I think Flynn (?)

Made an old forward proud

 

[Dam0]

We already knew they were dire last week. And you are right, that is a small nitpick

Perhaps to Australian ears, though it is broadly equivalent to calling the Waratahs, the Sydney Waratahs or the Reds the Brisbane Reds.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Perhaps to Australian ears, though it is broadly equivalent to calling the Waratahs, the Sydney Waratahs or the Reds the Brisbane Reds.

I think NSW Waratahs, QLD Reds and ACT Brumbies stand their own and make sense. Similarly, this year we also had the Melbourne Rebels and the Western Force.
And you can see here that the Crusaders and Chiefs aren't that bad when it comes to being named after their location.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Perhaps to Australian ears, though it is broadly equivalent to calling the Waratahs, the Sydney Waratahs or the Reds the Brisbane Reds.

They might as well be the Sydney Waratahs.

They only ever play in Sydney or Homebush.

At least your Wellington Hurricanes play in New Plymouth and Palmerston North sometimes. Like a good Guinness, the Tahs don't travel well.

The Brisbane Reds. No comment. It could start a flame war or be considered a troll post if the truth about things north of the border were out.

 

[Athilnaur]

Perhaps to Australian ears, though it is broadly equivalent to calling the Waratahs, the Sydney Waratahs or the Reds the Brisbane Reds.

Ironic given I am a Waikato management grad!