whatty
Bob Loudon (25)
I was thinking the same thing the other day, he loves playing against WP.
Nervous for this game NA Stormers by -10
Stormers vs Crusaders @ Newlands - 2011R12
- Thread starter PaarlBok
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I was thinking the same thing the other day, he loves playing against WP.
Nervous for this game NA Stormers by -10
PaarlBok
Rod McCall (65)
Nah man what kind of a score is that? Jack kakked last year on Newlands, big time. Looking forward to Elstadt game against him. Another big tester for the young man.I was thinking the same thing the other day, he loves playing against WP.
Nervous for this game NA Stormers by -10
Sandpit Fan
Nev Cottrell (35)
See the late breaking news that McCaw is out for this game, still suffering after effects (headaches) from a head injury from last weeks game. Someone belt him in a ruck?
PaarlBok
Rod McCall (65)
sad news , was looking forward to see the McAwe vs Burger show.
Ali's Choice
Jimmy Flynn (14)
I'm pretty relaxed with McCaw's absensce. He's started just one game for us this season, and Matt Todd is arguably in better form and has better match fitness. Prolonged headaches are never a good thing for a player to have though, especially when they've taken as many head knocks as Richie has over the years. There was a while there a few years ago when McCaw looked like he was headed for early retirement due to the high number of concussions he was sustaining. Hopefully this is just a precautionary measure and he is alright to ease his way back into action as the season progresses.
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
One of the better wins for the Saders for quite a few years.
Crockett a deserved MOTM, his line speed and aggression in defense is superb. Got over the chalk also.
Saders starting forward pack played the full 80 against a very good physical Stormers
Crockett a deserved MOTM, his line speed and aggression in defense is superb. Got over the chalk also.
Saders starting forward pack played the full 80 against a very good physical Stormers
Sandpit Fan
Nev Cottrell (35)
Top game from both sides. Full credit to the Saders, I though they would get done when the Stormers were camped on the 5m line for some time. Stormers played very well though, young Cronje is one to watch in the future.
Ali's Choice
Jimmy Flynn (14)
I think that is potentially a season defining win for the Crusaders. That will do so much for the confidence and self belief within the squad.
I'm a bit emotional after watching that game. The words 'brave' and 'courage' are often undeservedly used to describe rugby performances, but I can honestly say that was one of the bravest performances I have ever seen by a Crusaders team. I lost count of who was injured and who was playing where. At one stage just before half time Fotualii, Dagg, Maitland and Adam Whitelock had all been replaced, and Matt Todd appeared on the wing after a Crusaders scrum. Sometimes mass injuries can cause a team to completely lose all cohesion, but occasionally it galvanises them, and inspires the remaining players to play above themselves, and perform above and beyond their usual levels. The latter was the case today. The fit Crusaders players lifted, and as the game went on and they remained in touch with the Stormers, you could sense their levels of self-belief rise.
The Stormers structured style of play didn't allow them to fully take advantage of the mass injuries in the Crusaders backline. The Stormers are top of the South African Conference because they have ground out many tight wins this season, and relied on the best defense in the comp to keep teams out. However this style and gameplan played into the Crusaders' hands. If the Stormers had been able to score a few tries late in the first half or early in the second, heads in the Crusaders camp would have certainly dropped. But with the Stormers attack never fully firing, the bandaged together Crusaders outfit were able to keep themselves in the match. Had todays match turned into a shoot-out, the patch-work Crusaders backline would have been unable to keep up with the Stormers. But it became a scrap, and that suited the under-strength Canterbury based team. The Stormer's inabilty to put teams away when they are uner the pump kept the Crusaders in the game, and ultimately cost them the game.
I thought all the Crusaders who finished the game played very well. And their discipline as a team was sensational, gifting the Stormers few penalties and even fewer within kicking range. Wyatt Crockett will rightly recieve plenty of acclaim for his two tries, but his best work was at scrum time and defensively in general play. He's having his best ever Super Rugby season, and despite his inability to play both sides of the scrum must be close to a recall for the All Blacks. Matt Todd was another standout, and his work at the breakdown and linking play in attack continues to impress. I was also very impressed with Luke Romano. The rookie lock looked good during last year's ITM Cup, but I think he's actually looking even more comfortable at this level. He's effective at the front of the lineout and works hard in all aspects of general play. SBW did some excellent things, and made a few errors, but his offload that led to Crockett's first try and sublime. I've been especially pleased with his defensive work over the past fortnight.
Hard to be too critical of the Crusaders after such a gutsy win, but there were still some areas of concern. Why Berquist continually tried to run the ball himself from deep within his own half early in the game, when a kick would have been the smarter and safer option, baffled me. Equally, how many times did they put pressure on themselves through quick lineout throw ins? I know Bekker is a dominant lineout operator, but the Crusaders could have conceded a couple of tries through turnovers which resulted from quick throw ins. Especially when their lineout actually functioned quite effectively when they threw it in conventionally. I think this was an example of Bekker getting inside the heads of the Crusaders, and I hope Blackadder urges his troops to settle down at lineout time next week against the Cheetahs. Still not happy with the Crusaders control of the tempo of games, but with so many injured players I'm absolutely delighted with any win against the Stormers.
By the way, I think special credit must go to Todd Blackadder and his staff for keeping his team together this evening. A lesser coach's team could have completely fallen apart with such a horrendus first half injury toll.
I'm a bit emotional after watching that game. The words 'brave' and 'courage' are often undeservedly used to describe rugby performances, but I can honestly say that was one of the bravest performances I have ever seen by a Crusaders team. I lost count of who was injured and who was playing where. At one stage just before half time Fotualii, Dagg, Maitland and Adam Whitelock had all been replaced, and Matt Todd appeared on the wing after a Crusaders scrum. Sometimes mass injuries can cause a team to completely lose all cohesion, but occasionally it galvanises them, and inspires the remaining players to play above themselves, and perform above and beyond their usual levels. The latter was the case today. The fit Crusaders players lifted, and as the game went on and they remained in touch with the Stormers, you could sense their levels of self-belief rise.
The Stormers structured style of play didn't allow them to fully take advantage of the mass injuries in the Crusaders backline. The Stormers are top of the South African Conference because they have ground out many tight wins this season, and relied on the best defense in the comp to keep teams out. However this style and gameplan played into the Crusaders' hands. If the Stormers had been able to score a few tries late in the first half or early in the second, heads in the Crusaders camp would have certainly dropped. But with the Stormers attack never fully firing, the bandaged together Crusaders outfit were able to keep themselves in the match. Had todays match turned into a shoot-out, the patch-work Crusaders backline would have been unable to keep up with the Stormers. But it became a scrap, and that suited the under-strength Canterbury based team. The Stormer's inabilty to put teams away when they are uner the pump kept the Crusaders in the game, and ultimately cost them the game.
I thought all the Crusaders who finished the game played very well. And their discipline as a team was sensational, gifting the Stormers few penalties and even fewer within kicking range. Wyatt Crockett will rightly recieve plenty of acclaim for his two tries, but his best work was at scrum time and defensively in general play. He's having his best ever Super Rugby season, and despite his inability to play both sides of the scrum must be close to a recall for the All Blacks. Matt Todd was another standout, and his work at the breakdown and linking play in attack continues to impress. I was also very impressed with Luke Romano. The rookie lock looked good during last year's ITM Cup, but I think he's actually looking even more comfortable at this level. He's effective at the front of the lineout and works hard in all aspects of general play. SBW did some excellent things, and made a few errors, but his offload that led to Crockett's first try and sublime. I've been especially pleased with his defensive work over the past fortnight.
Hard to be too critical of the Crusaders after such a gutsy win, but there were still some areas of concern. Why Berquist continually tried to run the ball himself from deep within his own half early in the game, when a kick would have been the smarter and safer option, baffled me. Equally, how many times did they put pressure on themselves through quick lineout throw ins? I know Bekker is a dominant lineout operator, but the Crusaders could have conceded a couple of tries through turnovers which resulted from quick throw ins. Especially when their lineout actually functioned quite effectively when they threw it in conventionally. I think this was an example of Bekker getting inside the heads of the Crusaders, and I hope Blackadder urges his troops to settle down at lineout time next week against the Cheetahs. Still not happy with the Crusaders control of the tempo of games, but with so many injured players I'm absolutely delighted with any win against the Stormers.
By the way, I think special credit must go to Todd Blackadder and his staff for keeping his team together this evening. A lesser coach's team could have completely fallen apart with such a horrendus first half injury toll.
Ali's Choice
Jimmy Flynn (14)
Very much so. Over the past two seasons it's been pretty clear that the Bulls were the best team in the comp by a significant margin. But this year is much more even. Any one of a half dozen teams could foreseeably win the title, which is almost unheard of in Super Rugby at this stage of a season.
Riptide
Dave Cowper (27)
Todd really is a find, but he has a way to go to match McCaw in terms of his physical presence and impact at the tackle or breakdown. He isn't the most physical of players as yet, but he is only going to get better.
The Crusaders were missing their 7 players from their starting XV (4, 5, 7, 9 (down to 3rd string), 10, 14, 15) and still beat the leading SA team on the road. Incredible performance.
The Crusaders were missing their 7 players from their starting XV (4, 5, 7, 9 (down to 3rd string), 10, 14, 15) and still beat the leading SA team on the road. Incredible performance.
Blue
Andrew Slack (58)
The game summed up why the Stormers are not the finished article.
Three opportunities to kick goals in the last 15 mins not taken. That's poort captaincy and even slightly ignorant, thining you'll score againts one of the best teams in the comp considering you haven't scored many tries.
To not be able to win this against a depleted Saders team, fresh from travelling is a big wakeup call for the Stormers. They played badly againts the Reds, but last night they played reasonoably well and it wasn't enough.
And there ar people who want Burger as Bok captain. No thanks.
Well done to the Saders. Champion teams aren't defined by big scorelines and flashy tries, They are made by grinding out wins when you have your back against the wall.
If anyone thinks New Zealand canlt win the RWC without Carter and McCaw think again.
Three opportunities to kick goals in the last 15 mins not taken. That's poort captaincy and even slightly ignorant, thining you'll score againts one of the best teams in the comp considering you haven't scored many tries.
To not be able to win this against a depleted Saders team, fresh from travelling is a big wakeup call for the Stormers. They played badly againts the Reds, but last night they played reasonoably well and it wasn't enough.
And there ar people who want Burger as Bok captain. No thanks.
Well done to the Saders. Champion teams aren't defined by big scorelines and flashy tries, They are made by grinding out wins when you have your back against the wall.
If anyone thinks New Zealand canlt win the RWC without Carter and McCaw think again.
Victorian Reds Fan
Bob Loudon (25)
Are Saders' injuries long term? Amazing effort for them to win.
R
RuckinGoodStats
Guest
"36 missed tackles in the game, 20 by the Crusaders."
"22% of the Game was played inside the Crusaders 22, with only 13% played inside the Stormers 22."
"The Crusaders conceded 13 penalties while the Stormers conceded only 5."
"22% of the Game was played inside the Crusaders 22, with only 13% played inside the Stormers 22."
"The Crusaders conceded 13 penalties while the Stormers conceded only 5."
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
Easily the best quality game of the weekend. Really shows the difference having quality centres makes to an attack instead of just tradesmen.
Only continued point is I am sick of watching the Crusaders continually infringe in their own 22. The Stormers were denied near the end more by the professional infringements of the Crusaders than good defence.
Pollock also made a shocking error in the first half when the Crusaders took the quick throw which was intercepted.
Only continued point is I am sick of watching the Crusaders continually infringe in their own 22. The Stormers were denied near the end more by the professional infringements of the Crusaders than good defence.
Pollock also made a shocking error in the first half when the Crusaders took the quick throw which was intercepted.
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