NZ Domestic Rugby 2021

[KiwiM]

Any NZ watchers wanna post a XV of the first few rounds? I haven't been following too closely.

I'll give it a crack.

It's worth noting that like the AU comp - the Aotearoa comp has two standout teams well above the rest (Crusaders and Blues) so they will make up most of the team - arguably the gap between the Crusaders/Blues and the rest of NZ is even bigger than the gap between the Reds/Brumbies and the rest of Aus.

Here is my team.

15 - Will Jordan (just carrying on his 2020 form - DMac and Jordie are too up and down in struggling teams. Perofeta playing very well for Blues but Jordan is another level above him).
14 - Sevu Reece (back to his 2019 form after a down 2020)
13 - Rieko Ioane (his hands let him down at times but his comfort level at centre gets better and better and Goodhue has been fairly quiet so far)
12 - David Havili (no real standouts here - Havili was wonderful on the weekend)
11 - Leicester Faainganuku (could easily have Caleb Clarke or Jona Nareki here - left wing play has been brilliant)
10 - Richie Mo'unga (Otere Black is in career best form but Richie is playing at his typical Crusaders level of god-mode).
9 - Aaron Smith
8 - Ardie Savea (Sotutu was excellent yesterday but Savea is a standout in a poor team)
7 - Dalton Papali'i (Tom Christie from Crusaders also very good but Papali'i offers more ball in hand)
6 - Akira Ioane (so accurate and impactful in everything he is doing - the best 6 in the country. Frizell also very good but has a higher error count)
5 - Whitelock (shows no sign of slowing down)
4 - Tuipulotu (Scott Barrett gets dinged for his discipline but could easily be here)
3 - Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Laulala from the Blues also very good)
2 - Codie Taylor (by all accounts had a huge offseason/preseason and it's paying off. Aumua from Canes playing well too)
1 - Joe Moody (still the standout loosehead. Bower from Crusaders was also good on Saturday night).

 

[zer0]

Some top tier shitposting from the Blues official account.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMah4UplBR7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

[KiwiM]

 

[Dan54]

I'll give it a crack.

It's worth noting that like the AU comp - the Aotearoa comp has two standout teams well above the rest (Crusaders and Blues) so they will make up most of the team - arguably the gap between the Crusaders/Blues and the rest of NZ is even bigger than the gap between the Reds/Brumbies and the rest of Aus.

Here is my team.

15 - Will Jordan (just carrying on his 2020 form - DMac and Jordie are too up and down in struggling teams. Perofeta playing very well for Blues but Jordan is another level above him). Perhaps DMac by a pinch as he has had 2 good games to Jordans 1
14 - Sevu Reece (back to his 2019 form after a down 2020)
13 - Rieko Ioane (his hands let him down at times but his comfort level at centre gets better and better and Goodhue has been fairly quiet so far)
12 - David Havili (no real standouts here - Havili was wonderful on the weekend)Agree but McLeod was pretty good over 2 games, so McLeod
11 - Leicester Faainganuku (could easily have Caleb Clarke or Jona Nareki here - left wing play has been brilliant)
10 - Richie Mo'unga (Otere Black is in career best form but Richie is playing at his typical Crusaders level of god-mode).
9 - Aaron Smith
8 - Ardie Savea (Sotutu was excellent yesterday but Savea is a standout in a poor team) Sotutu is playing house down I reckon so he gets it
7 - Dalton Papali'i (Tom Christie from Crusaders also very good but Papali'i offers more ball in hand) I reckon Cane, in a real hopelss pack he has been bloody good, 25 tackles on weekend's game But Papali'i next funnily enough he closest to Cane's style of 7
6 - Akira Ioane (so accurate and impactful in everything he is doing - the best 6 in the country. Frizell also very good but has a higher error count)
5 - Whitelock (shows no sign of slowing down)
4 - Tuipulotu (Scott Barrett gets dinged for his discipline but could easily be here)
3 - Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Laulala from the Blues also very good)
2 - Codie Taylor (by all accounts had a huge offseason/preseason and it's paying off. Aumua from Canes playing well too)
1 - Joe Moody (still the standout loosehead. Bower from Crusaders was also good on Saturday night).

My changes are pretty minor and would probably be changed easily, but only my opinion. I agree we got left wings to burn at moment, and Ioane looking bloody good at 13, stuff anyone who only remembers him stuffing up try for ABs last year, I thinking he going to be 13 in test team real soon.It can be noted that both 10s are behind pascks that are steamrolling everyone else, but are going well. Still theink Ardie's best for ABs will be off bench, and at 8 Sotutu is really going well, but we loosie is not a huge problem area just now. PT I not hell of a sure of, thought Vaii was bloody good on weekend , only Chiefs tightie that was, and there seems to be a couple of reasonable young un's coming through here.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Tom Christie has dislocated a shoulder & won't play on Sunday. They've an adequate replacement in Sione Havili but bench could be an issue if either or both of Grace & Blackadder are also ruled out.

 

[KiwiM]

Good to have it confirmed

FORWARD PASS CALL INCORRECT – LAWRENCE

National Referee Manager Bryce Lawrence has fronted following the referees round three review to discuss some of the big calls from the weekend.

A yellow card to Brad Weber in the Crusaders v Chiefs clash and a controversial forward pass decision to deny Blues centre Rieko Ioane a try against the Highlanders were the two decisions that Lawrence addressed in a video released on Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa social media on Tuesday night.

Lawrence confirmed that both calls were incorrect on review and that referees would continue to get better each week and learn from mistakes made on or off the field.

https://www.superrugby.co.nz/news/forward-pass-call-incorrect-lawrence/

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ Weber YC is only incorrect inasmuch as it should've been a Tribe scrum for Mo'unga's forward pass, otherwise it's a definite PT & by the letter of the Law a YC.

 

[KiwiM]

^ Weber YC is only incorrect inasmuch as it should've been a Tribe scrum for Mo'unga's forward pass, otherwise it's a definite PT & by the letter of the Law a YC.

It also wasn't a great look that Sam Cane had to use a captain's challenge - it was so blindingly obvious that it required a TMO look.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Woo-hoo! George Bridge is fit again & available for selection on Sunday*

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...rs-wing-george-bridge-available-to-face-blues

* should Razor lose his mind & drop either LF or Super Rugby

 

[Dan54]

Woo-hoo! George Bridge is fit again & available for selection on Sunday*

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...rs-wing-george-bridge-available-to-face-blues

* should Razor lose his mind & drop either LF or Super Rugby

Hell's teeth he not going to get more than a bench spot.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ with Havili being so versatile I'd be tempted to go with a 6/2 bench.

 

[KiwiM]

As a Blues fan I hope Bridge does get named.

 

[Dan54]

And meantime in the dance of the desperates, I strongly think advantage Chiefs
Hurricanes: Jordie Barrett, Julian Savea, Billy Proctor, Ngani Laumape, Salesi Rayasi, Orbyn Leger, Luke Campbell, Ardie Savea, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep, Isaia Walker-Leawere, James Blackwell, Tyrel Lomax, Ricky Riccitelli, Xavier Numia. Reserves: James O’Reilly, Fraser Armstrong, Tevita Mafileo, Liam Mitchell, Devan Flanders, Jonathan Taumateine, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Wes Goosen.
That a fairly average Cane's team,

 

[KiwiM]

I agree Dan54, some weird selections going on with the Canes - at the very least Flanders and PUJ should be starting.

Here are the Chiefs

Chiefs: Damian McKenzie, Jonah Lowe, Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Kaleb Trask, Brad Weber (cc), Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane (cc), Mitchell Brown, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Tupou Vaa’i, Angus Ta’avao, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Bradley Slater, Ollie Norris, Joe Apikotoa, Samipeni Finau, Simon Parker, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Alex Nankivell, Chase Tiatia.

 

[Dan54]

I agree Dan54, some weird selections going on with the Canes - at the very least Flanders and PUJ should be starting.

Here are the Chiefs

Chiefs: Damian McKenzie, Jonah Lowe, Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Kaleb Trask, Brad Weber (cc), Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane (cc), Mitchell Brown, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Tupou Vaa’i, Angus Ta’avao, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Bradley Slater, Ollie Norris, Joe Apikotoa, Samipeni Finau, Simon Parker, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Alex Nankivell, Chase Tiatia.

Just coming in to post that KiwiM, I have to admit I like that they giving Trask a start at 10, I actually quite look the look of this kid. I think actually think this a good Chiefs team.

 

[KiwiM]

Yeah one of the Chiefs' big problems is they don't have a proven quality 10 to turn to.

Trask looks much more comfortable at 15 (he played 15 for Bay of Plenty) as does DMac. Gatland isn't a proven quality 10 - more of a backup at Super level.

But yeah i'm pleased to see Trask given an opportunity - it's worth a shot.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

CruSadists: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Richie Mo’unga, Bryn Hall, Cullen Grace, Sione Havili Talitui, Ethan Blackadder, Samuel Whitelock, Scott Barrett (c), Michael Ala'alatoa, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Brodie McAlister, George Bower, Oliver Jager, Mitchell Dunshea, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Mitchell Drummond, Fergus Burke, Dallas McLeod.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Looking a bit dire for Tribe right now.....

 

[Dismal Pillock]

LLLLOOOLLLL@DMac, if you didnt know who he was you'd be saying, 20 mins in, give this guy the hook right now

I wonder what Roger Randle does? Gives off the air of a nightclub bouncer pretending to be a rugby coach

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ applying that standard Tribe need to sub ~12 players........