SR2023 - NZ Derbies & v Drua/ Moana

[Dismal Pillock]

Nature is healing.

"Nature giveth and nature restoreth."
-Plato.

 

[Dan54]

And DMac? The man won 3 lineout balls!!!!

 

[Dan54]

And anyway after a nights sleep etc, still wrapt with the game, even as a neutral. I think it was slightly unusual that Crusaders won the tighties battle , just by a little, but probably lost the forward battle overall, thanks to Cane and Jacobson. In fact the 6-10,12 axis is where the Chiefs won the game. Thought Cody Taylor edged Samisoni in hookers, Crusader props were same Whitelock and Barrett as locking pair just over BBBR and Vai'i. And perhaps outwide Nawara had better of LF. Game was incredibly intense and why I think RMo showed his biggest wealness, he struggles in this type of game, and had Cane and Jacobson in his eye line a bit. Pretty happy with it all though.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Round 11

7:05NZT Friday Clan v Tribe
2:05 Saturday Drua v 'canes - ANZ Stadium, Suva
7:05 Saturday Loss Bleus v Moana

Edit: IMO Clan v Tribe & Drua v 'canes fall into the category of "crossovers" between top-five & next-five teams (there's now a nine point gap between fifth & sixth) where the visitors might be vulnerable: Tribe as they might take the opportunity to rest any AB they haven't already, 'canes due to travel & climate.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Clan have said Billy Harmon & Josh Dickson will be available for selection. Reckon they should fast-track Dickson into the XV & give YC magnet 3P a week to sort his shit out, they'll be up against it as it is & can't afford to be a man down for 10 minutes at any stage.

Edit: meanwhile 'canes are expecting Delaney to be out for 12 days - they didn't even bother with an HIA as he was so obviously concussed - but not sure about Blackwell's availability yet. Good news is that Sangster should be back & they've also got Dom Bird if required.

 

[Dan54]

Good call on Harmon and Dickson WOB, and PPP surely needs to be left sitting in shed to contemplate about giving away stupid penalties.

For Canes I will be real happy to see Sangster back, though I think they had hoped to ease him in through club rugby, we need him!

 

[Dctarget]

Friday 5 May 5:05 pm AEST – Highlanders v Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium, ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport

HIGHLANDERS (1-15): Ethan de Groot, Andrew Makalio, Jermaine Ainsley, Fabian Holland, Will Tucker, Shannon Frizell, Billy Harmon (c), Hugh Renton, Aaron Smith, Freddie Burns, Scott Gregory, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Fetuli Paea, Connor Garden-Bachop, Sam Gilbert

RESERVES: Rhys Marshall, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma'u, Josh Dickson, Sean Withy, Folau Fakatava, Mitch Hunt, Jona Nareki

CHIEFS (1-15): Aidan Ross, Samisoni Taukei'aho, George Dyer, Tupou Vaa'i, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Pita Gus Sowakula, Sam Cane (co-c), Luke Jacobson, Brad Weber (co-c), Damian McKenzie, Peniasi Malimali, Anton Lienert-Brown, Daniel Rona, Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson

RESERVES: Bradley Slater, Ollie Norris, John Ryan, Josh Lord, Kaylum Boshier, Cortez Ratima, Bryn Gatland, Alex Nankivell

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ Lurch out with a groin strain & may also miss next week v Reds in New Plymouth according to coach McMillan today.

Good to see AL-B back, so too Alex Nankivell.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

1 Ofa Tuungafasi
2 Kurt Eklund
3 Marcel Renata
4 James Tucker
5 Sam Darry
6 Akira Ioane
7 Dalton Papalii
8 Cam Suafoa
9 Taufa Funaki
10 Harry Plummer
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
13 Bryce Heem
14 AJ Lam
15 Beauden Barrett

Reserves:
16 Soane Vikena
17 Joshua Fusitu’a
18 James Lay
19 Tom Robinson
20 Anton Segner
21 Finlay Christie
22 Rieko Ioane
23 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

6 Akira Ioane
7 Dalton Papalii
8 Cam Suafoa

10 Beauden Barrett Harry Plummer

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Six-try half including two TOTY contenders. Not too shabby.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Landers backs ffs. Paea, Gilbert and Gregory are NPC level.

That jailbreak try to the Chiefs prop was toasted razorballs blitzkrieging hell on ice.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Landers backs ffs. Paea, Gilbert and Gregory are NPC level.

And on tonight's showing CG-B is Heartland at best.

That jailbreak try to the Chiefs prop was toasted razorballs blitzkrieging hell on ice.

Thought he'd hungused it but managed to pull off a sidestep without falling over his 2 x size-20 left feet so all good.

 

[Dan54]

Geez christ fellas slow down, I getting worn out watching!! This is what I call bloody good rugby to watch. By geez this Tribe are surely showing their skills again this week.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

DMac brings up 1000 Super Rugby points. Ninth player to that mark.

All time records

super.rugby

Not sure if Rona will be at Tribe next year on account of their already stacked midfield (assuming Tupaea returns) but you'd have to think someone will have room for him in their roster. Edit: forgot Nankivell is off overseas so he might end up staying.

 

[Dan54]

DMac brings up 1000 Super Rugby points. Ninth player to that mark.

All time records

super.rugby

Not sure if Rona will be at Tribe next year on account of their already stacked midfield (assuming Tupaea returns) but you'd have to think someone will have room for him in their roster. Edit: forgot Nankivell is off overseas so he might end up staying.

Yep you would think they will be trying to make sure Rona stays WOB. but by geez you couldn't balme him form sneaking where he will get more starts apart from covering injuries? Not even sure I would ne trying to grab him for Canes as they got plenty of midfield players, so can see Clan, Blues or Crusdaers looking for Carrots to danle in front of him.

Bloody another entertaining bloody game. Good seeing ALB back.

 

[Shiggins]

How good the Fijians in that game. All backs want to poach them away

 

[The Red Baron]

The Drua really look like world beaters at home, but far out do they make some stupid decisions. They really had the Canes on the rack then, but let them off because one of their forwards thought it would be a cracking idea to tap and go without any support whatsoever.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ perhaps he's one of the many domestic 7's players Drua recruited.

 

[The Red Baron]

Talk about butchering a try! He had an unmarked support player on his left shoulder!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Super Rugby record-equalling try for The Bus.