Super Rugby 2025 NZ/ Drua/ Moana matches

[zer0]

I'd support the All Time Criminal XV against the Crusaders.

Fuck it.

I'd support the All Time Ranga XV against the Crusaders.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Week 5:

Friday 14/03 Highlanders v Hurricanes 19:05 NZDT

Saturday 15/03 Chiefs v Blues 19:05

 

[Hawko]

If the Highlanders and the Chiefs win, and they would both be favourites, then it's a long way back for two of the best teams in 2023.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Week 5:

Friday 14/03 Highlanders v Hurricanes 19:05 NZDT

Saturday 15/03 Chiefs v Blues 19:05

this should be a cracker, Canes already in squeaky bumtime must-win territory.

I see no way for the dipshit dishevelled Blues to score enough to beat the Canes without D.Paps, Most Hated Hoskins, Rupeni, Michael Jones and 2003 vintage J.Roks.

Still, on the bright side, at least that Canes imposter has fucked off.

Beauden Barrett: injured.

 

[zer0]

Time for the big brain 8-0 bench split.

By my count we have seven front rowers available. Six props + Thiccitelli. Get 'em all in the team. Already playing all available locks + Suafoa so all good there. Drop the Hitler Youth and the Sevens bloke. Both too noodly armed for the game plan of playing rugby like it's 1910 where everything is just a giant rolling maul. Offloads? Banned. More than two consecutive passes? Banned. Nowt but mauls, pick-and-go's, one out running, and brutal cleanouts.

Thiccitelli and Nock play 80 minutes come hell or high water.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Drop the Hitler Youth

haha, brutal. Poor old Kaiser Anton. If I'm not mistaken he was installed as this season's Auckland Blues Designated Messiah? And like so many DM's before him, fellas been found out. He can tackle all day but he just cannot stop the run without ceding a half a metre or two. Which if course looks like half of Passchendaele as you get closer to your own goalline.....

They just never go backwards with poor old Kaiser Anton (some sort of Normandy gag lurking in there surely)

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Whether or not Damian McKenzie (knee) is available will go a long way to determining the outcome.

"Damian McKenzie is it? Experiencing
some tenderness in the knee area are
we? Perhaps, Damian, we should ERR
ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION and not
attend this weekend's sportsball fixture,
Damian..... safety first, my friend....."

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

HIGHLANDERS (1-15): Ethan de Groot, Jack Taylor, Saula Ma'u, Fabian Holland, Mitch Dunshea, TK Howden, Sean Withy, Nikora Broughton, Nathan Hastie, Taine Robinson, Jona Nareki, Timoci Tavatavanawai (c), Tanielu Tele’a, Caleb Tangitau, Sam Gilbert

Replacements: Soane Vikena, Josh Bartlett, Sefo Kautai, Will Stodart, Veveni Lasaqa, James Arscott, Ajay Faleafaga, Jake Te Hiwi

HURRICANES (1-15): Xavier Numia, Jacob Devery, Tevita Mafileo, Caleb Delany, Zach Gallagher, Brad Shields (co-c), Du'Plessis Kirifi (co-c) Peter Lakai, Cam Roigard, Harry Godfrey, Kini Naholo, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Bailyn Sullivan, Ngatungane Punivai, Ruben Love

Replacements: Asafo Aumua, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tyrel Lomax, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Brayden Iose, Jordi Viljoen, Riley Hohepa, Fatafehi Fineanganofo

 

[zer0]

Papali'i, Eklund, and Perofeta return but Riccitelli is out. Eklund is going to have to put in a full shift so the STC guys doesn't get on to help mangle the lineout again. Surely Suafoa comes on at halftime, or close to it. Can't see keeping him out of play until/keeping Segner in play the final quarter working out well.

Nock finally starting. Play him the full 80.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

"Damian McKenzie is it? Experiencing
some tenderness in the knee area are
we? Perhaps, Damian, we should ERR
ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION and not
attend this weekend's sportsball fixture,
Damian..... safety first, my friend....."

CHIEFS (1-15): Ollie Norris, Brodie McAlister, George Dyer, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Tupou Vaa'i, Simon Parker, Jahrome Brown, Luke Jacobson (c), Xavier Roe, Damian McKenzie, Leroy Carter, Quinn Tupaea, Anton Lienert-Brown, Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson

Replacements: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Aidan Ross, Sione Ahio, Jimmy Tupou, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Josh Jacomb, Daniel Rona

BLUES (1-15): Jordan Lay, Kurt Eklund, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Laghlan McWhannell, Cam Christie, Dalton Papali'i, Anton Segner, Sam Nock, Harry Plummer, Caleb Clarke, Xavi Taele, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele’a, Corey Evans

Replacements: Nathaniel Pole, Joshua Fusitu'a, Angus Ta'avao, Josh Beehre, Cameron Suafoa, Finlay Christie, Stephen Perofeta, AJ Lam

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Injury lists per super.rugby

Blues​

• PJ Sheck (shoulder)
• Zarn Sullivan (foot)
• Ben Ake (shoulder)
• Hoskins Sotutu (suspended)
• James Mullan (head injury)
• Beauden Barrett (hand)
• Adrian Choat (Knee)
• Taufa Funaki (shoulder)
• Reon Paul (shoulder)
• Ricky Riccitelli (chest)
• Sam Darry (shoulder, season).

Chiefs​

• Josh Lord, Knee, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
• Rameka Poihipi, Knee, Season
• Kaleb Trask, Hamstring, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
• Etene Nanai-Seturo, Hamstring, Long-term
• Liam Coombes-Fabling, Knee, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
• Fiti Sa, Shoulder, Long-term
• Wallace Sititi, Knee, Long-term
• Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Shoulder, Short-term

Highlanders​

• Oliver Haig (Foot / 4 weeks )
• Jonah Lowe (ACL / 2 weeks )
• Cameron Millar (Concussion / 1-2 weeks)
• Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Neck / 4 weeks)
• Finn Hurley (Quad / 1-2 weeks)
• Folau Fakatava (Hamstring / 1-2 weeks)
• Hugh Renton (Groin / 1-2 weeks).

Hurricanes​

• Brett Cameron (Knee/season)
• Devan Flanders (Ankle/ Round 14)
• Tjay Clarke (Shoulder/ Round 9)
• Daniel Sinkinson (Hamstring/ Round 8)
• Riley Higgins (Hand/ Round 7)
• Siale Lauaki (Ribs/ TBC)
• Billy Proctor (Achilles/ TBC)

 

[Wilson]

This Cane's jersey is terrible

 

[Marbig]

Am I blind or was there absolutely zero head contact there...

 

[Sully]

Am I blind or was there absolutely zero head contact

You're blind. Shoulder to the head.

 

[KOB1987]

This Cane's jersey is terrible

Well it's kid's round isn't it? Clearly they are Trump supporters. What about the Highlanders, are they trying to be a hybrid Hulk/Phantom or something?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ Hulk wore purple trousers didn't he?

 

[Marbig]

You're blind. Shoulder to the head.

Proves my point sorry, I meant zero head on head contact. Quite clearly a shoulder to the head, which is why the yellow card was an odd decision.

 

[KOB1987]

^ Hulk wore purple trousers didn't he?

Ah yes, I forgot that - I then wondered if they were doing TMNT

 

[Wilson]

Well it's kid's round isn't it? Clearly they are Trump supporters. What about the Highlanders, are they trying to be a hybrid Hulk/Phantom or something?

Yeah, they're in Marvel jersey's for kids round, which I don't generally have a problem with (although it feels well past time at this point), but the choices are odd. Highlanders in green at least has some basis (they played in a neon green away strip for years), but the Cane's in Captain America's red and blue is an insane choice. Should be Wolverine, the Thing or Ironman leaning on the gold (Saders could've gone Daredevil or something else red).

Would've also meant the Highlanders also could've gone for something closer to their standard without a clash like Thor, though I don't mind the hulk look.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

This Cane's jersey is terrible

Yep, at least Clan have some Otago blue & Southland kinda-maroon in there but 'canes look like the Harlem Globetrotters circa 1976.

Edit: it's pretty tenuous but 'canes could've gone with Thor based on the Scandinavian origins of plenty of people from Southern Hawkes Bay towns such as Norsewood & Dannevirke (Joh Bjelke-Petersens's home town, I think).