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Crusaders vs Chiefs: MATCH THREAD: Napier - 2011R14

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Ali's Choice

Ali's Choice

Jimmy Flynn (14)
Lee Grant said:
Excellent thread AC and that goes for your posts in it too.

I think that we on this side of the ditch have been in so much awe of the Crusaders for most of the professional era that we think they are Super men, :D but, like any other team, they suffer from adversity also.

Last week the Cheetahs played very well at altitude, at home, but even taking that into account, the Crusaders were listless in the 2nd half.

You couldn't blame them: they showed the effect of missing some fine players and had prevailed in a heroic manner in a high intensity, physical game against the Stormers the weekend before. Add in the consequences of the earthquake and being visitors even at "home" games and you have to think that the scales will tip against them eventually.

Maybe not though; maybe not. If they win this competition it will be one of the many great NZ rugby stories to be told to small children on their granddad's knee.

I have the feeling that the trip back to NZ from the RSA will be a tipping point against them in Napier, but would not be astonished if I am wrong.
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Thanks for your feedback. Always nice to get positive comments, especially from a poster who is as well respected as yourself. I agree with your comments. Like you, I think this game could be a bridge too far for a tired, injury riddled team which has been forced to play on the road every week as a result of the earthquake. But also like you, I wouldn't be surprised if the Crusaders snare a win. Despite their missing players, the Crusaders still boast a handy team, and a pack which on paper should have the measure of any other in the S15.

I'd like to support your comments regarding how well the Cheetahs played last week. And I concede that I may not have paid the Cheetahs enough credit in some of my earlier posts on this thread, where I focussed on the Crusaders injuries and fatigue in Bloemfontein rather than the home team's excellent play. The Cheetahs certainly lift for the Crusaders, with two wins from the last three seasons against the men from Canterbury.
 
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O_fer_awesome

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Ali's Choice said:
He has not been named in the Chiefs 22, which is listed in the OP, being replaced by Nanai-Williams. Bt I'm not sure of the nature of his injury. I will try and find out and get back to you.
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Thanks for that. I heard Masaga was bracketed in there, but obviously has dropped out of the 22 as you say.

Found this on the chiefs site "Lelia Masaga has been ruled out of this weekend's clash between the Chiefs and Crusaders due to a leg injury."
 
Ali's Choice

Ali's Choice

Jimmy Flynn (14)
Getting very excited about this game, although I'd be lying if I suggested I was confident. The Chiefs have long held the reputation of being NZ's spoilers. Whilst they have more often than not missed out on playing finals footy themselves, they have consistently found enough late season form to ruin the finals aspirations of opposing teams. Without wanting to sound disrespectful, I think this illustrates that the Chiefs are a talented but mentally weak team who play their best rugby when the pressure of winning to make the finals is gone and they can simply go out and enjoy playing the game.
 
Ali's Choice

Ali's Choice

Jimmy Flynn (14)
Scotty said:
Where would the saders play a home final if they get one?
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Good question. Were the Crusaders to somehow host a final, which looks increasingly unlikely, I genuinely believe they would play in Nelson or Timaru. Given the fact that host teams revenue share in finals, the longterm benefit of keeping a final in their region would IMO outweight the modest financial benefits of playing in Wellington or Auckland.
 
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RuckinGoodStats

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Goal kickers Crusaders: Carter 77% (34 from 44); Berquist 68% (27from 40). Chiefs: Donald 73% (30 from 41) Delany 62% (16 from 26)

Ref stats:Dickinson forced to award, per game average: 20.9 pens (12.3 @ruck); 4.7 scrum resets; & 4.8 scrum infringements

Ref stats: Dickinson 5 (1=most/highest) from 16 refs to award scrum pens; 7th in scrum resets; 6th for pens

Crusaders on average (super15 rank 1=most/highest) per game: 10.5 pens (4); 6.1 pens at ruck(3); 3.9 scrum resets(12); 10.2 hand errors (3)

Chiefs on average (super15 rank 1=most/highest) per game: 10.4 pens (5;) 6 pens at ruck(4); 3.7 scrum resets(14); 10.3 hand errors (2)
 
Ruggo

Ruggo

Mark Ella (57)
Nice little reminder that the Saders were a shit hot rugby side before SBW came to town.
 
Ali's Choice

Ali's Choice

Jimmy Flynn (14)
I am very happy with that win. Mainly because the Crusaders played a style of rugby which will allow them to be competitive against the competition’s best teams despite the fact that they are missing some of their most dangerous outside backs in Dagg and Maitland.

In the first half, the Crusaders still seemed to want to play a counter-attacking style of rugby. A style of play which has been so effective for them this season. But with Israel Dagg and Sean Maitland out for the season, and SBW missing, the Crusaders no longer have the speed and attacking potency to play a style based on counter-attack. In the first half they continually ran the ball back at the Chiefs from deep, and struggled to break the defensive line. Fortunately the Crusaders changed their mindset for the second stanza. And they changed their style.

They played a much more conservative brand of rugby, and utilized the best general play kicker in SANZAR, Dan Carter, to continually pin the Chiefs down deep inside their own half. Tom Marshall also kicked well from fullback, as did Crotty, Heinz and Brent Ward. They then used their breakdown prowess and set piece strength to pressure the Chiefs into errors and giving away penalties. The Crusaders couldn’t have turned the game around like they did in the second half a few weeks ago. It required a player of Dan Carter’s quality at first five. But his return from injury has been timely, because with injuries decimating the Crusaders attacking potency, coach Todd Blackadder needed to change the settings and the gameplan to which his team is playing to.

I am excited by this change in playing style. It is in reality back to the future, because the Crusaders have traditionally built their success around the strength of their forward play. Despite all the talk of injuries, the Crusaders still have a very strong pack. A pack which on their day can dominate any team in the competition. Even last night they were fielding seven All Blacks in their run on pack, with Owen Franks and Brad Thorn on the bench. With Sam Whitelock and Matt Todd set to return in the coming weeks, if Todd Blackadder can keep his forwards fit, he has a pack and a first five around which he can build a gameplan to beat any team. I can’t wait till next week’s game between the Reds and the Crusaders.
 
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