Crusaders v Reds Super Rugby R6 2020 Friday 4:05PM (Q)

[Finsbury Girl]

I can't help but feel that Tate should have been injected a lot earlier. Some decisions on attack by Maloula were poor & cost us points.

I wonder if anyone is actually practising goal kicking these days. I cannot criticise Jock too much apart from his goal kicking he was superb. Maybe some will see why we having been raving. He is absolute quality.

We have a 10 foot bloke on the field and we still cannot win a line out. massive problem costing us games.

Some massive pluses:

Jeez how good are Frasier's cameos. He has made massive impact every game. My oh my he is an outrageous football player. The best I have seen for a long, long time. Surely he is forcing his way into the XV.

Wilson - best game in maroon. sensational game. Wallaby cap(s) beckons.

LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) - he has upped his work rate massively, I am happy to be eating my words he has come on a song since last year. Weakness the lineout and scrummaging however. Still work to do.

Finally my quiet achiever, Hamish Stewart. The form 12 in the country at the moment. In absolutely everything tonight, just superb.

Unfortunately exactly like last year we've been left with nothing on the board. Gut wrenching for the boys.

Plenty of time I suppose.

Massive props to the Cantabs they soaked up that pressure their line out was superb and how good was that 3rd try. Barret was absolutely immense. They managed to really stand up at the crucial times, well played.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]


Just watch too much Rugby like many here I suspect


You could be right re: the assistants. I wonder a little at the temperament of some of the newer lads too. Time will tell. Still a great club with great systems and coaching.






It's become a habit as they say. I think this is the first year in awhile I look at them an think someone could take them. Still a lot of talent there though.

Two things to remember:

1. You don't win the comp in Feb/Mar (though you can obviously put yourself in a position from which you can't win it).

2. Winter is coming & before that duck-shooting season, at which time CruSadists typically park up the Lamborghini & de-tarp the Massey Fergusson. As Sir JK is fond of saying, you don't want to be playing the Crusaders in Christchurch in duck-shooting season!

 

[molman]

Two things to remember:

1. You don't win the comp in Feb/Mar (though you can obviously put yourself in a position from which you can't win it).

2. Winter is coming & before that duck-shooting season, at which time CruSadists typically park up the Lamborghini & de-tarp the Massey Fergusson. As Sir JK is fond of saying, you don't want to be playing the Crusaders in Christchurch in duck-shooting season!


A few less Massey Fergusson's in the barn than the past couple of years and some of those Lambos look like the wheels aren’t properly aligned


I have no doubt Razor will get things humming but still feel there is more of chance for some other teams this year. Like I said time will tell

 

[Oldschool]

Lamborghini is the tractor of choice, way more horsepower.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Only just watched the game due to travel reasons.

My comments mirror most others, but here they are:

-Harry was obviously phenomenal, I can't say any more about him.
-Lukhan is an incredible, game-breaking lock, please leave him there forever.
-Mafi is becoming a really incredible hooker. He is a player that has made me scratch my head in the past. I can see it now.
-Hockings has terrible timing in contact, he often is very inaccurate in cleanouts and mauls. Bit worried about his contact work, think Blythe is better at the moment.
-Tupou is a star.
-Hamish Stewart was incredible, thought he was as good as any one on the field. The detail in his game is terrific, he does so many jobs. Hasn't he proved alot of doubters wrong? Myself included (although I did nominate 12 as his spot). Would much prefer him to Sami Kerevi (genuinely).
-Jock is doing great things, but I am not sure if he is the right option at fullback. I really liked what Hegarty added back there.
-CFS is playing very well, and think he players 13.
-Daugunu looked good and probably needs to start so he can show us where he is at.
-Fraser was good off the bench, and his turnover was great, but I dont think he is demanding first XV just yet and ASY (Angus Scott-Young) is playing well.

General play observations:

In the first try where Sautia scores, the Reds run a BEAUTIFUL screen - which I wish we would see more of in Australian rugby.

Stewart appears to be at first receiver with players outside him, and Lucas off his hip inside him. Stewart and the players in his mini backline run and insider screen (keep the defenders inside) and then the ball goes out to Lucas behind where we have another mini-backline set up much wider. This is a Jim McKay special, and it made me very happy to see because that was a carefully considered, and more importantly executed play.

 

[PhilClinton]

Re-watched the game last night. Goal kicking obviously an issue, but it wasn't just the misses that bothered me. We turned down a number of very kickable penalties, especially in the first half. Points = pressure and when you're playing away from home against a team that no one expects you to beat, that is invaluable.

That tells me something about the mindset of the team/the kicker, they aren't expecting him to make his attempts. Not a great vote of confidence and you have to wonder why they've persisted so long with Jock as primary kicker if they feel that way.

 

[wamberal]

Re-watched the game last night. Goal kicking obviously an issue, but it wasn't just the misses that bothered me. We turned down a number of very kickable penalties, especially in the first half. Points = pressure and when you're playing away from home against a team that no one expects you to beat, that is invaluable.

That tells me something about the mindset of the team/the kicker, they aren't expecting him to make his attempts. Not a great vote of confidence and you have to wonder why they've persisted so long with Jock as primary kicker if they feel that way.

I would bet that the coach makes the decision, and it is communicated to the captain via the nearest water boy, or whatever they are called.

 

[PhilClinton]

I would bet that the coach makes the decision, and it is communicated to the captain via the nearest water boy, or whatever they are called.

It does vary from team to team how that decision is made, but if that is the case, does that make the situation worse? Its 10-10 and you're closing out the first half in hostile territory and the coach tells you not to take a shot at goal just outside the posts. Confidence killer.

 

[barbarian]

I thought it was a bit odd, but I can understand that if you want to beat the Crusaders in NZ then slowly accruing points might not be the best strategy.

You have to bargain on them scoring at least 25 no matter what, so rolling the dice and trying to score 30+ is an understandable strategy.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Lamborghini is the tractor of choice, way more horsepower.

Those things would probably look fine & dandy up in wine country but the men & women who farm the Canterbury Plains would be more Team MF, I reckon, & the hard-arses that scratch a living from the few hundred metres of flat ground between the Alps & the Tasman are probably still using the one granddad left them.

 

[Up the Guts]

It does vary from team to team how that decision is made, but if that is the case, does that make the situation worse? Its 10-10 and you're closing out the first half in hostile territory and the coach tells you not to take a shot at goal just outside the posts. Confidence killer.

I thought that decision was a lot less about the quality of the kicking and a lot more to do with the fact that the Reds had a one man advantage at that point and they had been slicing through the Crusaders' defence relatively easily before then. If they didn't go for the try under those conditions when were they going to?

 

[PhilClinton]

I thought that decision was a lot less about the quality of the kicking and a lot more to do with the fact that the Reds had a one man advantage at that point and they had been slicing through the Crusaders' defence relatively easily before then. If they didn't go for the try under those conditions when were they going to?

There were kickable opportunities before that card as well. I'm sure there are various reasons why they didn't take the shot, but there is no denying that kicking percentage and confidence would have held some sort of influence. Opinions vary on when to take the points but as I've said earlier, my stance is that especially away from home, you take points on offer.

Article from the Courier Mail today says Jock now kicking 57% this season after last weekend.

 

[The Grey Man]

Eh, not if he's playing for Qld mate, he'll have to pick a local club. Thems the rules.

Guess Ed is up there on more than a 4 week injury cover contract then, and we are not going to see him running around for the Woodies this Shute Shield season.

Another reason to not like Queenslanders on the sporting field.

Good to see yet another Woodie progress to professional ranks, even if it is for that team.

After he makes Wallabies, then our lot may come to their senses but it'll probably be too late and he will be a fully indoctrinated Red.

 

[Brumby Runner]

WOB, that's a Crusaders' side ripe for the picking, but I very much doubt the Reds will be doing the picking this weekend.

In case not everybody has noticed, the majority of losses experienced by the Cru in recent years have come when Mounga isn't in the side. Doubt, though, his absence will cause any headaches against the Sunwolves.

Maybe these posts need to be relocated?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ oops! Done.

 

[Penguin]

Guess Ed is up there on more than a 4 week injury cover contract then, and we are not going to see him running around for the Woodies this Shute Shield season.

Another reason to not like Queenslanders on the sporting field.

Good to see yet another Woodie progress to professional ranks, even if it is for that team.

After he makes Wallabies, then our lot may come to their senses but it'll probably be too late and he will be a fully indoctrinated Red.

It's the rules nationwide. We lose plenty of our club boys when they migrate to the Mexican states. But don't worry, I'm sure he'll be back in the Southern clubland next season.

 

[Bobby Sands]

It's the rules nationwide. We lose plenty of our club boys when they migrate to the Mexican states. But don't worry, I'm sure he'll be back in the Southern clubland next season.

I prefer zero NSW generally speaking, but in the case of Ed I’m glad he could offer cover and help us.

Wonder what the plan with O’Farrell is?

If he’s too green it’s strange they signed him in the first place - not to say I can’t see his potential.