Crusaders v Force R16 (Friday 30 May)

[Moono75]

In my opinion the Force played the first half like the Rebel, Stormers games. They watched, stayed in a dormant defensive line and let the Crusaders come to them who then had a chance to offload. Someone needed to take a chance and move up to make a hit. Players were slow to the ruck clean out. A couple of bad decisions when players were open on the outside. Sias looks good when he goes for the odd run. Needs to mix up the game and make people think he won't always kick.

The game was as expected after a tough trip to SA. Need to regroup and get healthy.

 

[FrankLind]

@FrankLind I have no idea why they or anyone else hasn't been rested so far but obviously Shag & his staff are comfortable with how they're tracking. And yes Todd "rotated" his FR to remind the higher-profile players they're not irreplaceable. It worked in that the newbies turned in an excellent performance so he rewarded them by giving them another shot. Coaching 101, really.

So, this year, any evidence (as in links), at all, that Hansen has any influence on how many times the ABs play for the Super 15 teams?
For that matter, any evidence, at all, from last year?

 

[Bairdy]

Kieran Read has been out for six weeks prior to this game. Wasn't he disallowed from playing due to concussion initially? You only need to be rested for a week, so obviously he has been rested/withheld/tapped on the shoulder for the other five.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Kieran Read has been out for six weeks prior to this game. Wasn't he disallowed from playing due to concussion initially? You only need to be rested for a week, so obviously he has been rested/withheld/tapped on the shoulder for the other five.

No he was still suffering from headaches and other symptoms. It was only this week that he returned to full contact training.

 

[Moono75]

Kieran Read has been out for six weeks prior to this game. Wasn't he disallowed from playing due to concussion initially? You only need to be rested for a week, so obviously he has been rested/withheld/tapped on the shoulder for the other five.

Steven Hanson taped him on the shoulder and said mate England....couple of weeks, coming here......steady on...have a lie in, read the paper.

 

[Dan54]

Unbelievable display of reffing. This competition needs neutral referees.

The whole business of neutral referees is just stupid talk, the game was not between NZ and Australia, it was between Crusaders and Western Force, so unlessd ref is employed through Crusaders organisation he would be neutral!! Same as in Reds vs Highlanders game, just because the ref resides in Australia doesn't make him biased to Reds!! Think perhaps there needs to be an understanding of what a neutral refs is.

 

[ACT Crusader]

NZRU have been managing the workload of AB for years. In 2012 Chiefs were under strict instructions as to how many matches Brodie Retallick could start, how many he could come off the bench, and how many he was to be rested for. It's usually done under the guise of advice from the medical staff but it happens & rightly so or we end up like Aussie & the Seths who flog their players during Super Rugby & don't give a shit what condition that leaves them in come the Test season.

Years you say. Explain why our starting blindside and no8 were played into the ground by Colin Cooper in 2008? And Frank makes a good point about Retallick and Whitelock. Played almost every minute and yet since our no3 lock went down with a season ending injury they have continued to play every minute.

Conrad Smith, the only real centre we've had for years has never been managed at Super level, unless playing 80 minutes every game is being managed.

There are many other players who you would think if there was head office management going on, would not have played the amount of minutes and games they have played.

The only management that goes on is when an AB player returns to Super rugby, but that has more to do with what's in the Players Collective Bargaining Agreement and the entitlement to time off.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/24011050/force-coach-blasts-refs/

Foley not happy with the ref after a 20-7 penalty.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Kieran Read has been out for six weeks prior to this game. Wasn't he disallowed from playing due to concussion initially? You only need to be rested for a week, so obviously he has been rested/withheld/tapped on the shoulder for the other five.

Todays news that he is out for the test due to further symptoms lends significant weight to Toddy and the Saders taking all the necessary precautions and time they did rather than a so called resting because of AB requirements

 

[Bairdy]

Todays news that he is out for the test due to further symptoms lends significant weight to Toddy and the Saders taking all the necessary precautions and time they did rather than a so called resting because of AB requirements

So the All Blacks doctors had no say whatsoever in evaluating his condition and advising the Crusaders to rest him as necessary? A bit disingenuous of you to claim otherwise

 

[ACT Crusader]

The Crusader doctors were on to it from the beginning. No doubt the AB doctors were advised, given the upcoming test series. Nothing disingenuous about that at all. Toddy chose to not play him on advice from doctors, not the AB coaches which is what you implied.