Round 4: Highlanders v Brumbies. Sat 2.35PM AEDT @ Forsyth Barr, Dunedin
- Thread starter Rudderless
- Start date
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Not sure what to make of the Highlanders yet though, and I guess the teams they've played as a result. They don't have the talent to blow many teams away but they're dogged and feast on the errors they're given. Big question is how many of those errors are unforced and how many are they making through pressure. This week and last it has mostly looked like unforced errors but the pattern is starting to build.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Brumbies really showing the value of winning ugly. They've got a lot of form to build back still but being able to eek the win out this week and last while still building form is so valuable come end of season. Given it's only really taken 4 or 5 wins to make the 8, picking up 2 early wins they probably shouldn't have gives them plenty of breathing room.
Rudderless
Trevor Allan (34)
Brumbies 27 Highlanders 21
griffins
Ted Thorn (20)
The miss on Harmon was poor but otherwise a massive shift (again) from Valetini. Just keeps turning up and getting us over the gainline.
Signs of the defence improving too, though the Highlanders didn't throw a lot at us.
Ikitau and Schoup didn't look great, not a lot of depth midfield either
Signs of the defence improving too, though the Highlanders didn't throw a lot at us.
Ikitau and Schoup didn't look great, not a lot of depth midfield either
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
A better performance in the second half but still a long way off where they were last year. Want to see improved form from the likes of Kautai, Neville, Hooper, Noah, and Muirhead.
Noah is looking extremely pedestrian in a situation where the Wallabies No 10 spot is wide open. He's not doing himself any favours and I think is currently not as effective as Meredith when he comes on. Sefo seems to not be putting effort into his tackles and is missing too many. Hooper and Neville are falling behind others in the battle of the locks and need to improve their lineout operations. Andy Muirhead is simply a shadow of his earlier self and is missing too many tackles and making handling errors.
Can't wait for Allan A to return and for the forward pack as a whole to start to look like the efficient unit they always were. The wing situation is another matter. Not sure how to fix that area without moving Tom Wright back to the right wing. But can't see that happening unless Larkham is prepared to use Debreczini at fullback when he's ready.
Noah is looking extremely pedestrian in a situation where the Wallabies No 10 spot is wide open. He's not doing himself any favours and I think is currently not as effective as Meredith when he comes on. Sefo seems to not be putting effort into his tackles and is missing too many. Hooper and Neville are falling behind others in the battle of the locks and need to improve their lineout operations. Andy Muirhead is simply a shadow of his earlier self and is missing too many tackles and making handling errors.
Can't wait for Allan A to return and for the forward pack as a whole to start to look like the efficient unit they always were. The wing situation is another matter. Not sure how to fix that area without moving Tom Wright back to the right wing. But can't see that happening unless Larkham is prepared to use Debreczini at fullback when he's ready.
Alex Sharpe
Ward Prentice (10)
Cant be too upsewith a win in NZ. The Brumbs have heaps more points in them though. Perhaps they will peak later in the season…
griffins
Ted Thorn (20)
You've watched a different game to me with respect to Neville and Hooper who looked pretty solid to me. Couple of key turnovers to Hooper and good contact work from both. Lineout issues are largely on the hookers at the moment, along with Frost for mucking up his delivery to 9 at one point (he does this a bit).
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
That's a sensational win away in NZ for the Brumbies. Got it done playing ugly. Really gets their season going now.
Toole with a world class finish and van Nek really iced the game with his scrum work in front of his posts with 5 mins to go.
Toole with a world class finish and van Nek really iced the game with his scrum work in front of his posts with 5 mins to go.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
thank God Gilbert doesnt play for the Blues. His Reece Hodge rocks and diamonds malarkie would drive me insane
Landers might have the fancy dan signings out wide but Cam Millar, wft. What a handbrake
Tomikin
David Codey (61)
Lenny and Scouppe went off injured... Murihead looked like he might of broke his nose
whitefalcon
Ron Walden (29)
Muirhead said post match he had broken it
