Highlanders V Crusaders Round 2 (2012)

[AngrySeahorse]

Highlanders over! 20-10 Highlanders half time.

My guys are going to be happy to go to the sheds right now. Need to up the intensity in the second half. I'm hoping they'll do what they did when they hung in & won against the Blues round 1. Issue is it was errors & the Blues bad line-out IMO that the Saders took advantage of but the Highlanders have had less errors (going by what I've seen, no hard stats) & their line-out is better. Lift Saders!

 

[tigerland12]

Higanders killing it. That Gear tackle was massive.

Hope they can get up here, they are my darkhorses for this season, especially when they get the likes of Hoeata, Piuatau, Slade ect back.

 

[spooony]

Otago should have gone broke earlier. Highlanders looking good this season

Slade is on the bench

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Naturally you want your team to win every game but I'm no so concerned about what happens at the beginning of the season - provided there aren't bad signs that your team is dangerously behind the 8-ball. The highlanders looked the goods in the first part of last season then the wheels came off & they feel like a bag of you-know-what. I will reserve judgement until I see them in the latter part of the season but I agree if they can keep this up then they will be in the running for the finals.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

Check @ruckingoodstats on twitter, some interesting numbers for Cru.

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Cheers Sandpit.

 

[spooony]

That's a super kick

Crusaders are better around the fringes

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Great stuff Matt Todd!

What a try from Ellis! Tyler misses the conversion, bad miss. Replay shows Ellis clearly gets it down.

I want to treat each game by its own merits but I cant help but worry how the fast pace of this game is going to effect me watching Reds v Force next just like Blues v Saders effected the look of how fast the Brums v Force game seemed (prove me wrong boys).

Zac is back, he looks good. Saders do look good out wide. Fruean has been excellent. Agree regarding Hardy, he's been very good but he's been hooked? Strange.

 

[cyclopath]

Adam Thompson should be paying rent to the Crusaders, although he could almost claim squatting rights for the amount of time he spends on their side.

 

[spooony]

Yes they call that a Pocock mugging

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Penalty Saders, ruck infringement, Hore caught for not going through the gate. Not sure about that but he never let go of the player with the ball on the deck to start with so a penalty was there either way. Tyler gets this one Saders 21-20.

 

[spooony]

Big momentum shift.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Adam Thomson with a good turn over from Highlanders counter ruck.

I wouldnt say Highlanders have turned over momentum to Saders but Saders have def lifted more. Still under pressure with a 5m scrum to Highlanders.

 

[spooony]

Jamie Joseph is he coaching the Highlanders?

Thompson is having a cracker start to the season. Shame Ritchie is injured he gave Messem a hiding last week would love to see him put one over the poster boy

 

[spooony]

Owen Franks with a slobber knocker there.

WTF? White card? Why not give the bloke a yellow and get it done with

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Just finished Tea, baked tea & Rugby - great combo.

Saders convert penalty 24-20 with 15min to go.

Good cover from Zac. Forgot to note I think Matt Todd has had a solid game too.

 

[spooony]

I was eating my tea earlier and realized the milk has gone off.

Classic Crusaders play milking the opposition. Maybe highlanders can do the last minute try thing

 

[AngrySeahorse]

I was eating my tea earlier and realized the milk has gone off.

Classic Crusaders play milking the opposition. Maybe highlanders can do the last minute try thing

I was going to say "I hope not" but in they go. In for a cracking finish.

 

[tigerland12]

C'mon Highlanders! Finish them!

 

[AngrySeahorse]

That was such a trick move by the Highlanders not even Rutledge knew it was on!