Will anyone beat the Crusader in 2011?

[fatprop]

Quote Originally Posted by disco View Post
Let's not write off the Bulls & Stormers either but anyway just for fun I'll put my team in Red for a man for man match up in the backline.

9. Ellis v Genia - Reds
10. Carter v Cooper - Saders
11. Maitland v ioane - Reds
12. SBW - Fainga'a - Even
13. Fruean - Chambers - Reds
14. Guildford - Davies - Even
15. Dagg - Hynes - Even

3 - 1 to the Reds. Could have gone even on Chambers v Fruean but Chambers was definitely the more reliable player once he got comfortable in the 13 jersey.

Feuean > Chambers
Guildford > Davies
Dagg > Hynes

4-2 to the Saders imo

Genia and Iaone are the only two that would get near the Crusaders side in the backs and maybe Higgers in the forwards.

Guildford and Dagg are two of the best young kiwi backs about while Maitland has looked great at 15 for Canterbury and Fruen was the U19 player of the year.

Todd was a dark horse pick for the current tour and if they stuck McCaw at 7, they add Whitelock's brother at 6.

The side is just ridiculous

 

[Ruggo]

It is a good looking side. Not unbeatable though. Back row will look like this me thinks

8 -Reid
7 - McCaw
6 - Sam Whitelock

Whitelock to six so Isac Ross joins Thorn at lock. They will have some good lineout options with this. SBW may be the weak link. He has shown it but not at that level under pressure. Will we see brain snaps and shoulder charges under these conditions?

 

[Blue]

Feuean > Chambers
Guildford > Davies
Dagg > Hynes

4-2 to the Saders imo

Dagg>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Hynes

 

[en_force_er]

Whitelock to six so Isac Ross joins Thorn at lock. They will have some good lineout options with this. SBW may be the weak link. He has shown it but not at that level under pressure. Will we see brain snaps and shoulder charges under these conditions?

Issac Ross is not a lock, he's an over sized loosey, maybe even a center. I'm sorry but if his size impedes his ability to play a position that his skill set is suited to then he just shouldn't be playing professional rugby.

I understand that in the modern game running a lock in the outside backs in a great way to get a mismatch but there's a difference between a ball running lock with great hands and someone that doesn't do a lock's job.

Whitelock on the other hand is a great lock, don't fall into the trap that people fell into early in both Thorne and Mumm's career in playing him as a 6 just because he isn't particularly big.

 

[Ruggo]

Tell that to Blackadder. Unlike me, he has some control over that.

 

[qwerty51]

Isaac Ross is a tall winger playing lock.

 

[Bowside]

And hes going to the chiefs anyways isnt he?

 

[Tiger]

That is an amazing team. Very strong.

Worth noting however that the Reds play them on a Sunday afternoon in Brisbane (ie the temperature could easily be high 20s) after having a bye. The Crusaders, however, will have gone Christchurch-Perth-Cape Town-Bloemfontein-Christchurch-Brisbane.

 

[en_force_er]

Isaac Ross is a tall winger playing lock.

To be honest I'm more then a little pissed off you said when took me several paragraphs in a sentence.

Being concise was never my strong suit.

 

[DPK]

Isaac Ross is a tall winger playing lock.

Sort of New Zealand's Matt Banahan? Except the reverse.

 

[en_force_er]

Sort of New Zealand's Matt Banahan? Except the reverse.

The thing I don't get about Banahan is, who had the logic that if you have a lock who is fast but isn't good in the tight/set-piece then you move him to wing?

Did they even try him at 8?

 

[DPK]

The thing I don't get about Banahan is, who had the logic that if you have a lock who is fast but isn't good in the tight/set-piece then you move him to wing?

Did they even try him at 8?

Probably. From what I've seen, he's a big cat who doesn't like the tough stuff. Not good 8 material. Good wing material to a point.

 

[Joe Mac]

I don't think anyone will come close to that Sader's team at home this year.

The Red's playing at home might be able to beat them but there is no way my beloved Tah's will beat that team if they were at home. There will be more Crusaders fans there than Tah's...

 

[farva]

My pick of the Aus teams this coming year is the Tahs. And I think they will challenge the Crusaders in the forwards. Consider:

Robinson vs Crockett - Fatcat
TPN vs Flynn - TPN
Baxter vs Franks - Franks, but Baxter knows the ropes
Vickerman vs Thorn - Thorn, but if Vickerman can find his old form, then this is interesting
Douglas vs Whitelock - Even, but I think Douglas might be able to step up and beat Whitelock
Mumm vs McCaw - McCaw.
Waugh vs Todd - Waugh
Palu vs Read - Even, providing Palu can get back to form after injury.

3 to the Tahs, 2 to the Sadists. But I think the Tahs are ahead certainly in the scrum, and also in the lineout. Around the park its reasonably even. Tahs should win the forwards battle

Then looking at the backs, the Crusaders are a little stronger:

Burgess vs Ellis - Burgess
Barnes vs Carter - Carter
Mitchell vs Maitland - Mitchell.
Carter vs SBW - SBW
Turner vs Fruen - Fruen
Anesi vs Guilford - Guilford
Beale vs Dagg - Beale. But close. Both are ridiculous talents.

So 4 for the Sadists to 3 for the Tahs. Dan Carter is the difference here. If the Tahs can nulify him, then they have a chance.

 

[fatprop]

My pick of the Aus teams this coming year is the Tahs. And I think they will challenge the Crusaders in the forwards. Consider:


TPN vs Flynn - TPN
Baxter vs Franks - Franks, but Baxter knows the ropes
Vickerman vs Thorn - Thorn, but if Vickerman can find his old form, then this is interesting
Douglas vs Whitelock - Even, but I think Douglas might be able to step up and beat Whitelock
Mumm vs McCaw - McCaw.
Waugh vs Todd - Waugh
Palu vs Read - Even, providing Palu can get back to form after injury.

3 to the Tahs, 2 to the Sadists. But I think the Tahs are ahead certainly in the scrum, and also in the lineout. Around the park its reasonably even. Tahs should win the forwards battle

Then looking at the backs, the Crusaders are a little stronger:

Burgess vs Ellis - Burgess
Barnes vs Carter - Carter
Mitchell vs Maitland - Mitchell.
Carter vs SBW - SBW
Turner vs Fruen - Fruen
Anesi vs Guilford - Guilford
Beale vs Dagg - Beale. But close. Both are ridiculous talents.

So 4 for the Sadists to 3 for the Tahs. Dan Carter is the difference here. If the Tahs can nulify him, then they have a chance.

Farva I reckon you are being too kind to the Tahs mate

Robinson vs Franks - Franks (THP v LHP) Franks showed how effective he is on the weekend
TPN vs Flynn - TPN
Baxter vs Crockett - Crockett - Crockett has the technical ability to pack as low as Baxter and thus defeating Baxter's only strength
Vickerman vs Thorn - Thorn
Mumm vs Whitelock - Even
Mowen vs McCaw - McCaw
Waugh vs Todd - Even - Waugh isn't what he used to be
Palu vs Read - Read can do everything Palu can and think at the same time

 

[farva]

Farva I reckon you are being too kind to the Tahs mate

Robinson vs Franks - Franks (THP v LHP) Franks showed how effective he is on the weekend
TPN vs Flynn - TPN
Baxter vs Crockett - Crockett - Crockett has the technical ability to pack as low as Baxter and thus defeating Baxter's only strength
Vickerman vs Thorn - Thorn
Mumm vs Whitelock - Even
Mowen vs McCaw - McCaw
Waugh vs Todd - Even - Waugh isn't what he used to be
Palu vs Read - Read can do everything Palu can and think at the same time

Blow that. I am going to be one eyed and biased towards Australian teams.
They are kiwis for christs sake.
Kiwis.

We beat them in the intelligence stakes every time, and that must count for something!

 

[farva]

Stormers look pretty good too:


1. CJ vd Linde
2. Tiaan Liebenberg
3. Wicus Blaauw
4. Fondse
5. Bekker
6. Schalk Burger
7. Francois Louw
8. Duane Vermeulen

9. Duvet
10. Peter Grant
11. Habana
12. JdV
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Aplon
15. Conrad Jantjes

16. Deon Fourie
17. Brok Harris
18. Anton van Zyl
19. Pieter Louw
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Cronje
22. J. de Jongh

And the Bulls:


1. Guthro Steenkamp
2. Chilliboy Ralapelle
3. Werner Kruger
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield
6. Deon Stegmann
7. Dewald Potgieter
8. Pierre Spies
9. FDP
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bjorn Basson
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Jaco Pretorius
14. Gerhard Vd Heever
15. Zane Kirchner

16. Gary Botha
17. Dean Greyling
18. Flip Vd Merwe
19. Danie Rossouw
20. Francois Hougaard
21. Stefan Watermeyer
22. Akona Ndungane


Sadists still the team to beat for me.

 

[disco]

Feuean > Chambers
Guildford > Davies
Dagg > Hynes

Based on last years super 14? No way Fruean was a bit of a turnstyle in defence & Guildford went backwards from 2009.

Hynes v Dagg is impossible to pick.

 

[Reddy!]

PR has a thread listing the strongest S15 sides, does anyone think the Aus sides will be able to compete with this lot? :nta:

That backline looks just deadly

The Crusaders have Dagg now? That's almost a crime grr.

Meh, Reds to still smash them by 20points plus like they did this year.

 

[Reddy!]

Ryan Cross will be Tahs outside centre won't he?

9. Burgess
10. Barnes
11. Mitchel
12. Horne
13. Cross
14. Turner
15. Beale

I would actually back that backline to completely and utterly embarress that pretend star Crusaders backline.

The end of Tom Carter