Waratahs vs Crusaders - 2011R03

[Gooch]

This game was going to be a tribute to the Pike River Mine disaster. With the disaster in their own town, is this tribute going ahead? The news from the quake gets worse and worse. It will be tough for the Crusaders to be on their game you would think.

 

[Gooch]

Never mind, just found this: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/4710975/Todd-Blackadder-faces-a-difficult-task#share

Will be an emotional game for the Kiwis.

 

[barbarian]

This game could be anything. The Crusaders could use the emotion of the past few weeks and come up fired up and blow the Tahs off the park, especially considering they have had a week off and the Tahs have had an incredibly physical clash with the Reds.

Or the Crusaders could be so emotionally and physically worn out from the past few weeks, and come out flat as a pancake. Put up a fight but lose by 20.

A tipsters nightmare.

 

[Moses]

The Saders are without Richie, Tahs without Waugh.
Have the Saders been training or helping with the cleanup? Where would they train?

 

[HodgoBerro]

The crusaders don't train at AMI stadium is what I hear, they have their own separate HQ.

I'm gonna have to say the cru by 20 ESPECIALLY with whats happened in recent days, and the Tahs still counting the cost of Saturday's performance.

 

[Gnostic]

Anybody got a likely Crusaders team?

I don't think the Tahs will change except for Alcock in for Waugh and Cutch to the bench.

 

[fatprop]

Anybody got a likely Crusaders team?

I don't think the Tahs will change except for Alcock in for Waugh and Cutch to the bench.

Is Palu back yet?

 

[Newb]

Is Palu back yet?

i recall him coming back after the bye in week 4. unless he's made better progress.

any chance fat cat gets a run on? he looked good in his 20 mins or so at the end.

 

[spectator]

It will be interesting to see how the Tah's bounce back physically after Saturday's game. They were extremely physical against the Reds, to the point of dominance. If they can do it again, to the same degree, and for the same effect, then they just might be the real deal. Hopefully TPN will moderate his kamikaze style, as much for his sake as any one he might tackle. Agree with those who said he should have been dragged earlier on Saturday. In the second half he was going down for treatment every time there was a break in the game, and that can't be a good thing.

 

[Ruggo]

I am going to have to go the Crusaders in this one. Both packs should have no trouble with clean ball but I don't think the Tahs will get on the front foot as much as the last two weeks. I wonder if the Saders will roll out the SBW and Fruen combo this week?

 

[Rob42]

...I wonder if the Saders will roll out the SBW and Fruen combo this week?

That's a mouth-watering clash of the centres in defence and attack...

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

No kidding Rob. The physical clashes will be, err, somewhat forceful.

 

[Hawko]

Anybody got a likely Crusaders team?

I don't think the Tahs will change except for Alcock in for Waugh and Cutch to the bench.

Given that we are playing against the Franks brothers I would swap Fat Cat for Kepu, despite Kepu's great form so far. Kepu can come on at 20 to go and create havoc, he's better than Ben in the open, though not by much.

 

[Hawko]

So the Crusaders will have watched the Tahs/Reds match with interest. What are they likely to do to respond? A number of things come to my mind:

1. Box kick. The Reds did it badly last week with chasers going missing and not challenging for the ball in the air. But the Crusaders are masters of the kick/chase and I think they might use it often, particularly when they are in trouble in their 22 but also to counteract our fast-closing defenders.
2. Using backline kicks to counteract good backline defence. They did this a lot against the Blues as I recall. Dangerous with Kurtley and Schmoo at the back but I think they will do it close to the sideline to make setting up a good defensive cordon easier. We need Burgo working as a sweeper this week to pick up grubbers and chip kicks, should they be tried.
3. Muscle up in the forwards. Bit silly to think this is a new idea for them, but I think they will be extra switched on in the tight five and with the Franks brothers, Brad Thorn, Kieran Reid and co, they will be an entirely different kettle of fish to the Reds marshmallows. I hope Waugh can be fit, but its not a game to go into unless you are close to 100%.
4. They will get to the breakdown quickly and counter-ruck to get turnovers. I know this is rugby 101, but the Tahs are using a lot of pop passes and if you can get someone in amongst it, pop passes can be a disaster. Their new 7 is young and fast, I think he'll be told to concentrate on knocking over Burgess before he can make any ground and get his runners moving. So I think it would be wise for Burgo to clear the ball from the ruck quickly for the first quarter before he starts running just to settle everything down. With the Crusaders home record it is essential to get off to a safe start and then cut loose later.
5. They will encroach over the offside line. They've got a ref who usually favours the home team wherever he refs so they should be able to get at least a yard's start. Again this is straight from the Crusaders handbook so you don't have to be Einstein to suggest it. Waugh needs to get in the refs ear if this happens.
6. Throw down the Crusaders line to negate the Tah attacking lineout. This is one straight out of the Kaplan handbook, he used to allow it when we had Harrison and Vickerman as locks. Again we need to ask (nicely) how we can compete if the balls not thrown in straight.

That's my thoughts on what to expect, with everyone being locked in on the physical confrontation that is inevitable between these two teams.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Totally agree on poiint 2 - I suggested this was a risk against the reds but they only tried it once (from memory). On that occasion QC (Quade Cooper) got wedged betweed Mowen and Taf and tried the wendyball dive for a penalty, but there was no one covering the kick, and fortunately for us no one chasing it. The Saders will be better drilled in this regard and I expect to see this tried more often

 

[DPK]

Who's the ref for this game?

 

[Richo]

Great points, Hawko. The Saders will be a much tougher game for the Tahs and I hope we see a sustained performance at the very least.

I'm pumped for the centers clash.

Tahs by 5.

 

[#1 Tah]

Who's the ref for this game?

3 kiwis

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

I can't see anything other than a Waratah's victory here. Just can't see how the Crusaders can be focused given everything thats happened. I predict a rout. 47-12 or something like that.

Waratahs have looked the best team in the comp so far - simply not the time the Crusaders want to be facing up against them.

 

[HodgoBerro]

I hope TPN is right to play.
Sonny Bill is back.

Sonny Bill Williams will make his long-awaited Super Rugby debut for the Crusaders against the Waratahs in Nelson on Friday night.

A final fitness test on his foot stress fracture needs to be performed. But that appears to be a mere formality.

Coach Todd Blackadder confirmed if everything went OK with that test, Williams would be in the starting lineup when the team is named tomorrow.

"Sonny Bill will start if he is fit ... but he is looking good at the moment," Blackadder told Radio Sport today.

After missing the season-opening loss to the Blues because of injury Williams was set to be introduced to the Crusaders in last weekend's match against the Hurricanes in Wellington.

That game was called off as the Crusaders dealt with the earthquake tragedy in their home base of Christchurch.

Now with there "home" game shifted to nelson as damage assessment continues on AMI Stadium, Williams will wear the Crusaders jersey for the first time.

Blackadder says Williams, 25, is raring to go.

"I've never seen anyone with a work ethic like him," marvelled Blackadder believing that if there could be such a thing as a silver lining in everything that had gone on around his team over the last week, it could be in the delayed start for Williams with the added rehabilitation time.

"Maybe a week's grace has been really good for him and for some of our players to get over a few niggles.

"I think it's a good distraction for the guys to have him back in the mix," said Blackadder, aware that Williams' massive public profile will deflect some attention in these highly emotional times.

The prospect of Williams teaming with Robbie Freuan in a super-sized midfield is certainly exciting.

They were a deadly combination for Canterbury in the march to last year's ITM Cup title.

Williams' form then was good enough to earn him an All Blacks call-up for the end of year tour where he played four tests including starts against England, Scotland and Wales.

Now the heat is on Williams to show some consistency with his devastating game at the Super Rugby level.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/4717327/Sonny-Bill-Williams-to-play-for-Crusaders