Waratahs vs Crusaders 2014 Super Rugby Grand Final

[Scoey]

Ba-Ba all the talk is about the crowd because the kiwis have gone bloody quiet. This is what happens in a match thread with no opposition chat.
They already know it. They're nervous as fuck. They would be out in numbers if they were confident of a win but they're not. Tahs have got this. Chill the fuck out boys. It's gonna be aaaaaaaalright.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bessa]

Jeez you guys are getting yourselves into such a lather over the crowd.

The result will mean far more to the overall health of NSW rugby than the crowd. This year they have already come out way ahead of previous years $$$-wise, and this is just icing on the cake for the bottom line. But shedding the 'underachiever' tag will be huge in the overall context of the club, and that has nothing to do with crowd numbers.

Remember the all-time Super record is only 55,000. The talk of 80k is ludicrous- we only just got that for a Lions decider!

50,000 is a realistic goal, and beating the all-time record would be very nice indeed. But I wouldn't be surprised if we end up in the mid-to-high 40s.

But frankly I'd prefer to talk about the game.
.

That's what I was getting at above.....

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

With apologies to Bill.......

WTF? O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in Sydney
That will not rock up to ANZ on Saturday!

PFITZY What's he that wishes so?
My cousin WTF? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from NSW.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, WTF?, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd Grand Final Day.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Waratah.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Grand Final Day.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Grand Final day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
[insert Waratah tragics]
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Grand Final Day shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in Sydney's Insular Peninsular now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That rocked up to ANZ with us upon Grand Final day.

 

[Wazza2013]

Got my warratahs Jersey and cap proudly on display in the rear window of my car for all too see.

Ive had a few thumbs up while driving

.... Go the Tahs ,,,,,,,

 

[Braveheart81]

It was great hearing Hooper in the presser after the semi final saying that it was the most noise he's ever heard from any home crowd he's played in front of and how much it pumped up the team.

Hopefully we can better that this weekend. Go Tahs!

 

[ACT Crusader]

Ba-Ba all the talk is about the crowd because the kiwis have gone bloody quiet. This is what happens in a match thread with no opposition chat.
They already know it. They're nervous as fuck. They would be out in numbers if they were confident of a win but they're not. Tahs have got this. Chill the fuck out boys. It's gonna be aaaaaaaalright.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Is there a game on this weekend? Wasn't sure there was after Hawko's posts....

Every week is a different game. Against the Highlanders we killed them with power and precision, against the Reds we were clinical, against the Brumbies it was "they shall not pass". What did they have in common? We won by about 20 points.

We also won't have Peyper, a referee who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Most of his active decisions were technically correct, even if sometimes he chose insignificant issues to penalise. It was what he didn't penalise that cruelled the game. Not one offside penalty the whole match to try to open up the play. Open season at the ruck didn't let the game flow.

It'll be Walsh or Joubers I reckon - Walsh would be best and a resident in both camps, but I think Joubers will be given the plum because of his "impartiality". He's got a better feel for what's important than Peyper but he does tend to put away the whistle for the big occasion, to the detriment of the game.

The Crusaders have all their big guns back but I don't think they have played well enough all season to worry us. Not one performance in the regular season stood out for quality, though I haven't yet watched my tape of the semi. Their backs have been decidedly average and Carter and Nadolo aside still look average. I don't see Crotty's value at all; AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will own him. I don't agree about the "so many weapons" I reckon that the 2005 and 2008 Crusader teams would belt them.

What has made the Waratahs so good this year is the number of players who have looked like Champions. Early on I said "Horne's not a winger". Silly me. I wouldn't swap him for Nadolo right now, he's playing fantastic. Fat Cat was (finally) very good Saturday and he's been a weakness most of the season. Hoiles replaced Dennis in his role and he's back to his best Wallaby form. Cliffy's been massive. Beale has been wonderful in a position that everybody said didn't suit him. I could go on.

This has been a great team all season, even in the losses to the Blues and Force I thought we were the better team, just without the luck. There's always nervousness but I was more nervous about the Brumby game than I will be about the Crusaders. I just don't think they will be able to handle our power game.

 

[caymantim]

'Tahs fans have a duty this week to pump this game up beyond belief.

At work, at school, this is #OurYear and #OurWeek.


...Is it 2104 already?

 

[Hawko]

Is there a game on this weekend? Wasn't sure there was after Hawko's posts..

You betcha there's a game on on Saturday night and I've got my airline tickets and game tickets all booked. There's a whole lot of nervous and worried Waratahs supporters out there and my post was directed at why they could be more confident in their team.

The reason we supporters are nervous is the history. We have been abused by all and sundry for our record, in finals and semi's, especially those against the Crusaders. But we often did it really tough. In 2005 we got Jonathan Kaplan as referee and as usual he made sure we were disadvantaged. (Space doesn't allow a full refereeing competence review, just rewatch the tape with both eyes open.) In 2008 just as we were starting to get on top with Kurtley Beale running the show he badly injured his ankle and had to go off. We didn't have a viable replacement. Neither of those games were a walkover, we still could hold our heads high and we just didn't get the rub of the green.

Both games were played in Fortress Christchurch. This time its on our home ground in front of our fans. This time our team has all the form, all the confidence. This time we are playing Waratahs rugby as handed down by our forefathers; running with the ball in hand and not kicking half the time as Carter, Dagg and Slade do because the other backs lack the necessary skills.

This is our year.

 

[Marcelo]

Jeez you guys are getting yourselves into such a lather over the crowd.

The result will mean far more to the overall health of NSW rugby than the crowd. This year they have already come out way ahead of previous years $$$-wise, and this is just icing on the cake for the bottom line. But shedding the 'underachiever' tag will be huge in the overall context of the club, and that has nothing to do with crowd numbers.

Remember the all-time Super record is only 55,000. The talk of 80k is ludicrous- we only just got that for a Lions decider!

50,000 is a realistic goal, and beating the all-time record would be very nice indeed. But I wouldn't be surprised if we end up in the mid-to-high 40s.

But frankly I'd prefer to talk about the game.
.

50,000 is the minimum that should be required for Sydneysiders. Less than that would be unfortunate.

 

[RugbyReg]

In hope no one here is still umming and ahhing about whether they will go. The 2011 GF genuinely goes down as one of my greatest sporting memories. The place went absolutely off. Just nuts. I remember times just looking around the stadium and shaking my head in amazement that it was all happening. The two tries (Digby and Will) were both scored in my corner/end of the stadium which just added to it all. Just nuts.

You must get there. All in blue and scream your faces off.

If you can somehow make your way to the team after party afterwards as well, its not a bad way to top off the night. Wow. That was perhaps my 2nd greatest sporting memory.

 

[Pfitzy]

Now see here Weginald, you cwearwy don't compwehend how we do wugbee in the wight end of town. If you didn't wern that at your 50,000 a year school, you didn't wern anything old cheese!

Why bother going awwwwww the way to the outback to watch a game of wugger fwom a corrrrrprit box when I can stay in my Vawcwooz mansion and watch it on my 200" inch TV with Spiffy and Bongo and the other wads from the old school Thirds? We can wear our ties and waydeez hats and stockings just wike we used to hazing the new boarders!

Jowwee good fun!

 

[BPC]

Now see here Weginald, you cwearwy don't compwehend how we do wugbee in the wight end of town. If you didn't wern that at your 50,000 a year school, you didn't wern anything old cheese!

Why bother going awwwwww the way to the outback to watch a game of wugger fwom a corrrrrprit box when I can stay in my Vawcwooz mansion and watch it on my 200" inch TV with Spiffy and Bongo and the other wads from the old school Thirds? We can wear our ties and waydeez hats and stockings just wike we used to hazing the new boarders!

Jowwee good fun!

Pip, pip old chap! What Ho?

 

[Pfitzy]

That "ho" over there! Though we prefer the term strumpet, don't y'know!

Oh it is to lorf!

 

[Braveheart81]

Yeah, I don't understand how any rugby fan in Sydney isn't absolutely gagging to be at this game.

 

[Pfitzy]

Just hopped onto Ticketek and tested 2 x Adult each ticket in:

1) Best available - gave me Gold 610-2 row 13 - that is way back of the top tier so clearly they're not selling those as Silver!

2) Platinum - listed as single seats only

3) Gold - won't give me two tickets adjacent which was weird given the Best Avail result so tried again and it gave me those seats from 1 above.

4) Silver - best is 138-1, Row 29 (off in the SW corner)

5) Bronze - best is 139-1, Row 28 so similar to Silver.

There are still single seats in Platinum, 16 rows back in Bay 110

 

[Marcelo]

I think for most people it's because it will firstly make the atmosphere at the Grand Final electric if there's 80k screaming Waratahs fans, and secondly having such a massive crowd will mean that the appeal of the game has extended well beyond the traditional fan base.

Of course, most of us are also desperate to see the boys win first and foremost (barring the odd kiwi here), but the health of the game is also part of the equation here and the crowd numbers serves as a barometer.

This game is very very important for the Australia Rugby Union's history:

1- The Saders have many All Blacks and Tahs have many Wallabies. If Tahs are able to defeat the Saders, would be a major break and could be a boost for Bledisloe Cup will be possible this year or the Rugby Championship at least. The end of the day are practically the same players in both challenges.

2- Tahs has never won the Super Rugby, another HUGE reason

3- Tahs lost ALL their finals against the Saders

4- Next year will be the World Cup. This may favor the Wallabies, no doubt.

Damn it! This is a unique opportunity! This can be the cornerstone for the development of rugby union in Australia. I don't remember a game more important than this game. This isn't a game, this is a battle! A war!!!

Please, Tahs! Beat the f**king Crusaders! They are asking for ALL Australian rugby! This s**t is very important for our sport!

 

[Braveheart81]

Hey everyone, I think this might be the Waratahs most important game of the season.

 

[Tigger]

Bandwagon picked me up and I am at the game Sat night...pumped for an awesome match!!

 

[scaraby]

Timmy H. has publically and enthusiastically wished the Tahs good luck and is on our side (Back Page last night)...what you reckon the chance of getting him to wear a Tahs Jumper are???....onya TH was well received.

 

[A mutterer]

only single gold left now