2015 Super XV Final Hurricanes v Highlanders

[waiopehu oldboy]

How good is it to log on the morning after one of the great Super Rugby finals & there's not one misery guts bagging the ref/ AR's/ TMO/ judiciary..................

Gotta admit to being nervous about having rock-Peyper-scissors in the middle & Skeen as TMO but both were excellent IMO & got the only really contentious call of the night correct: for mine Dixon looked to have scored in real time & all but the slowest of slo-mo so it had to be given.

Feel a bit for @Dan54, can only put it down to karma for my suffering at the hands of those heartless 'canes supporters on those bus trips back to Levin after another unsuccessful CruSadists' trip to Westpac Stadium.

 

[Dan54]

Heartless?? Cane's supporters?? Surely you have the wrong ones WOB???
And don't feel for me WOB, as I said, I can handle losing to a team like that, I am quite happy with life.

 

[teach]

I would also add I though Naholo looked every inch an international player last night.

He looked to have Savea well and truly contained. I think he has a bright future in black.

 

[Dave Beat]

That final proves again that there's no need to change the laws to make rugby more interesting - you just need coaches/clubs/countries trying to play the game with positive intent.

So true.

Still a lot errors though..intent may have been there but in a lot of cases they pushed passes and turned balls over. It was a final and it showed. Teams tightened up big time.

I didn't notice them, i think it was 3 1/2 minutes before the first stop in play.

If there were errors the advantage rule was very well ref'd becuase that was an enjoyable game of rugby.

 

[wamberal]

That final proves again that there's no need to change the laws to make rugby more interesting - you just need coaches/clubs/countries trying to play the game with positive intent.

R-i-i-i-g-h-t. Easy as that, eh? A bit of fairy dust sprinkled, and everything's fixed.


Just for starters, the Kiwi teams have far better skill levels than most. Secondly, both teams obviously thought that their methods and tactics would prevail on the night.


They did not play that way to entertain us. They played that way to win.


Lesser teams have to adopt different tactics and game plans. Lesser teams display lower skill levels, make more mistakes, and are usually less interesting to watch.


Let's review the situation after the RWC, shall we? Meanwhile we will keep an eye on the TV ratings.

 

[Quick Hands]

R-i-i-i-g-h-t. Easy as that, eh? A bit of fairy dust sprinkled, and everything's fixed.


Just for starters, the Kiwi teams have far better skill levels than most. Secondly, both teams obviously thought that their methods and tactics would prevail on the night.


They did not play that way to entertain us. They played that way to win.


Lesser teams have to adopt different tactics and game plans. Lesser teams display lower skill levels, make more mistakes, and are usually less interesting to watch.


Let's review the situation after the RWC, shall we? Meanwhile we will keep an eye on the TV ratings.

No, but it disproves your theory that changes to the laws will automatically make the game more interesting.

As you yourself seem to say in this post - the laws aren't the problem, but the tactics employed by certain teams. That situation will exist no matter what the laws are.

RWC will rate highly in certain countries and less well in others. That will be more to do with where rugby sits in the sporting hierarchy of the particular country than anything to do with law changes.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Heartless?? Cane's supporters?? Surely you have the wrong ones WOB???
And don't feel for me WOB, as I said, I can handle losing to a team like that, I am quite happy with life.

Distinctly remember being the only one in a Crusaders top & being mocked by the other 39 people on the bus....... and the driver........... plus our esteemed tour leader 'phoning ahead to organise a lineup of 'canes supporters to slow-clap me off the bus. That's heartless, right there. Bastard took $50 off me that night but at least had the decency to buy a round of Red with it.

 

[ArmchairGeneral]

Very happy for my aunty in Dunedin - they were going off when I checked in with them.

 

[boyo]

So there's still hope for Dick Graham then

No

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlanders arrived back in Dunners this morning:

Report & coupla nice vids here:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...t-fans-greet-highlanders-after-allnight-party

 

[Ruggo]

For me that game reminded me of the beauty of rugby and just forget the bullshit that happens in the administration sphere.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

What odds were the Landers at the start of the year?

$21 apparently:

"One fan, who did not want to be named, backed his team to go all the way in February when they were at odds of $21. All he would say was that his $2000 profit would help pay for his daughter's first year at Otago University"

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...-at-tab-as-super-rugby-final-sets-new-records

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Good on the Clan and commiserations to the Canes, that was a terrific game of footy. Played at a cracking pace and with plenty of adventure all round. Can't help but feel that the Canes cooked it by playing a little too helter skelter at times. Then again that's been their way all year and you don't radically change your game plan because you're in the final, you go with what got you there. They were a bit inaccurate when it counted and the Clan punished them, particularly at the breakdown. That Clan pack were heroic again and I love it when an unsung, unfashionable group of guys produce great things when nobody expects it.

Really enjoyed it and it reminded me again why I love our great game so much.

 

[fatprop]

Just a great game of rugby, it highlighted just how far below the rest of the world is terms of intent and skills.

Most of the time, the 5:30 Friday S15 match is the best rugby match of the weekend (but that may be amplified the Aus match (often absolute dross) played afterwards).

The final was the best of the best and the Highlander's no-name pigs outworked the Canes, whilst their backs just worked so hard to pressure and to be available at the slightest sniff of an opportunity.

It also had the two best nines in the comp providing a masterclass of opposing styles

 

[teach]

I hope the game in full appears on youtube somewhere. Not only can I savour it again, it will be a handy reference for when some moron claims union is a boring game.

"watch this you stupid mutherfucker and eat your words''

There is a copy up already. unfortunately it has extra commentary. Some guy explaining the rules. But will do. I was to tense to really enjoy it first time round!

 

[Bullrush]

Aaron Smith's boots he wore for the game

 

[terry j]

There is a copy up already. unfortunately it has extra commentary. Some guy explaining the rules. But will do. I was to tense to really enjoy it first time round!

ah, excellent. Had just checked foxtel to see if a replay might be on, not that I could find anyways.

thanks!

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Aaron Smith's boots he wore for the game

View attachment 6588

Why get up indeed. I don't know why either sometimes Aaron

 

[galumay]

What is particulary annoying is that despite such a fantastic finale to the season of rugby, this site chose not to run a story about the final. That is a special kind of petty small mindedness in my opinion. Really poor form G&G.

 

[ChargerWA]

What is particulary annoying is that despite such a fantastic finale to the season of rugby, this site chose not to run a story about the final. That is a special kind of petty small mindedness in my opinion. Really poor form G&G.

All of the writers on here are volunteers. We fit it in when we can and usually because it is our team which we are passionate about. If one of the kiwi fans on here had wanted to write an article it would have been posted with gratitude.

It has nothing to do with being petty. If you could see the writers sub forum you would see the discussion underway as the next batch of articles for the RC and RWC are planned, while most of us who contributed through the Super season take a well earned break.