Super Rugby 2023 Final - Chiefs v Crusaders

[Dan54]

Well Sam W was named MOTM, but mine was Scott Barrett. He was bloody great in a very good team effort I thought!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Nothing will ever top the win in Jo'burg but that's up there with Eden Park last year as a contender for second, albeit for very different reasons.

 

[Confucius Say]

Great arm wrestle final. I think the Chiefs got screwed. Angus Gardner you had one call to make and you f#cked up on the massive Crusaders forward pass leading up to their second try.

And he’s a RWC referee. Go figure. Just a dreadful call. Eyes painted on.

 

[KiwiM]

Nothing will ever top the win in Jo'burg but that's up there with Eden Park last year as a contender for second, albeit for very different reasons.

This was a much more impressive win than Eden Park last year. Crusaders haven't lost a game at Eden Park since 2014. 2023 Chiefs were a far better team than 2022 Blues.

 

[SteveWA]

Great arm wrestle final. I think the Chiefs got screwed. Angus Gardner you had one call to make and you f#cked up on the massive Crusaders forward pass leading up to their second try.

In fairness, we don't know if he was pressing the button and BOK decided he'd seen it and it was OK. It's not as if the Assistant Referees are allowed to put up their flag for forward passes.

 

[KiwiM]

Wonderful game of rugby.

Crusaders do it again. Incredible ability to play winning finals football consistently.

Chiefs can be proud of their effort but they let that one slip - they failed to close out the last 20 and their discipline was awful (including the AB captain).

From an AB perspective I thought the new ABs played well for both teams (apart from poor McCleod who had his final taken away from him).

 

[KiwiM]

In fairness, we don't know if he was pressing the button and BOK decided he'd seen it and it was OK. It's not as if the Assistant Referees are allowed to put up their flag for forward passes.

Nah if you watch Gardner he doesn't do anything - you can tell when they press their chest to talk to the ref

 

[Shiggins]

And he’s a RWC referee. Go figure. Just a dreadful call. Eyes painted on.

If the cheifs want to blame any refs it should be okeef but I think the better DISCIPLINED team won

 

[Shiggins]

That last call was one of the worst I've ever seen. LF falls over, knocks it on and takes the space from the half back and wins a penalty lol

 

[KiwiM]

That last call was one of the worst I've ever seen. LF falls over, knocks it on and takes the space from the half back and wins a penalty lol

Go back and watch it. It's the correct decision. Jacobson does a long place then when Leicester goes to contest the ball on the ground Jacobson pulls the ball back to his chest which causes Leicester to fall over. Holding on.

 

[Equalizer]

In fairness, we don't know if he was pressing the button and BOK decided he'd seen it and it was OK. It's not as if the Assistant Referees are allowed to put up their flag for forward passes.

They should be. Rugby needs to have a look at some of their rules and the way things are adjudicated. A line judge should have ultimate say on a forward pass, particularly one where it was a massive throw out to the side line and was right in Angus's face. I don't want to hear Gus on a podcast in 15 years saying "yeah that was a massive f#ckup...but hey that's the way it was then". Its supposed to be a professional game. Line ball calls yeah give the ref the call. But that ball was thrown into the next week and the TMO would be saying so.

 

[Pokinacha]

That last call was one of the worst I've ever seen. LF falls over, knocks it on and takes the space from the half back and wins a penalty lol

unsurprising from BOK really. LF off feet, offside and penalty to Crusaders to maintain the 80% win rate

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

LOL people bitching about a missed forward pass that happened in the first half & several phases before a try was scored like had it been picked up Tribe win the game . Maybe they do, maybe they don't, but I'm pretty sure that if they'd kept 15 players on the field for the full 80 that might also have produced a different result.

Ultimately though, if you break it down to units (e.g. midfield, loose forwards) & facets of play (e.g. lineout, maul defence) Tribe were matched or bettered in pretty much all of them. The only real flaw in CruSadists game plan IMO was too much uncontestable kicking to Tribe back-3 & DMac: to be fair those guys were great wrt their positional play & superb as a unit.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

As I was about to add to the above before the 'phone went...

When you've got two or three of the Tribe back-3 + DMac hanging back for the long-kick receipt & return, maybe kick short occasionally or don't kick at all rather than giving them free or cheap metres & the opportunity to shred you.

 

[Dan54]

I not sure why anyone would blame any refs , the game played out because of how both teams played, refs didn't cost anyone the game. I was a neutral, and I saw the odd things the refs/AR missed, but nothing that cost anyone the game. Boy I say it all the time, the refs don't make as many mistakes as the players, and until people don't get hung up on what they see as injustices , they will miss out on enjoying the game.
I personally though (as I said) it was a great final. absolutely what you could want from such a game. Crusaders won, because they probably made some good plays at crucial times etc, and with someone like Scott Barrett (who I am prepared to argue is best player in NZ this year) just monstering everything, the counter swung their way. Neither do I think the Chiefs were bad, they played bloody good rugby, have a pack of good players, but were beaten by best team. I will say that Narawa on right wing for Chiefs showed why he has made ABs, DMac etc all looked good, and I thought Codie taylor showed he is still probably best hooker in NZ.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I not sure why anyone would blame any refs , the game played out because of how both teams played, refs didn't cost anyone the game. I was a neutral, and I saw the odd things the refs/AR missed, but nothing that cost anyone the game. Boy I say it all the time, the refs don't make as many mistakes as the players, and until people don't get hung up on what they see as injustices , they will miss out on enjoying the game.

Because it's a G&GR match thread?

 

[John S]

I just love the hand wringing about BOK's calls in an all NZ match, when he makes the same calls against Aussie teams and its all "the ref didn't cost you that game"

 

[John S]

But as a neutral was a good game of footy. I was hoping the Tribe would get the W but wasn't to be

 

[Dan54]

I just love the hand wringing about BOK's calls in an all NZ match, when he makes the same calls against Aussie teams and its all "the ref didn't cost you that game"

You mean like I just said?? And I always do!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

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