Super Rugby Round 12, Rebels v Crusaders - Friday 4 May @ 7:45pm

[waiopehu oldboy]

Rebs clinging to last Wildcard with 21 points but will lose it overnight to either Bulls (20) or Stormers (18).

 

[Dan54]

Thought the Rebels were pretty well beaten up in the forwards, that is a very good Sader's pack, and their backs certainly aren't the type that can play dynamic rugby under pressure. I think the Genia injury actually made very little difference as although the Rebels were close at halftime, they certainly looked like they were just hanging on to me. Pretty hard to finf too many weaknesses in the Crusaders mob at moment, I know they got a few still out with injury, but they appear bloody god skilled players that are well coached to me.
Also thought I'd add how well I though Bridges played....again, he's a pretty handy player!

 

[Rebels3]

Absolutely correct summary Dan. At the game the single biggest difference was the contact zone. I’d argue that the crusaders had 4/5 x the post contact meters. Their players are also constantly switched on, whereas the rebels constantly having little meetings at stoppages. All aus teams need to go the Brad Thorn defense and attitude focus to build a foundation.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Absolutely correct summary Dan. At the game the single biggest difference was the contact zone. I’d argue that the crusaders had 4/5 x the post contact meters. Their players are also constantly switched on, whereas the rebels constantly having little meetings at stoppages. All aus teams need to go the Brad Thorn defense and attitude focus to build a foundation.

I think wessels keep harping on how need to compare to last season where only 1 game is sandpapering or more just blantantly ignoring with all the wallabies recruited from the force plus Genia does not excuse what has been a dreadful rebels team for the last 6 weeks. Gees all those calling for wessels to replace cheika must be regretting those comments as yet to prove super rugby standard coach at this point.


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[Rebels3]

One thing that did annoy me was be flippant nature is which they played out the last play. The fans are sitting there looking for something after a dreadful performance then they try some over complicated set piece for a miracle try basically giving them the 50points mental barrier. The same happened against the canes, they were given the 50point score after trying a chip kick after the siren on their own line.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Their players are also constantly switched on

this was the key for me, didnt matter who was in the backline, they were brilliantly aligned virtually immediately, couple of dummy runners at times, sometimes not, completely unpredictable, but always going forward at pace looking threatening, unlike Toddy's shovel it side to side and go backwards bollocks and COMPLETELY unlike another certain NZ team who, having just lazily waddled into the backline, just chuck it to whoever's next to them and say ok thats my job done, good luck to ya fella, man I'm tired, looking forward to my halftime pies and Lion Red ​

 

[charlesalan]

no Genia = no magic. Pretty much holds the team together and without him they are individuals doing their best but not working together

 

[Brumby Runner]

Another disgraceful Aussie performance. Why do they look so lost when one man goes off.
I lack the size (and fitness these days) but I've got a lot more rugby smarts than most of these guys. If the Crusaders defense was up so fast why no chips or grubbers. They've got to try something different. It's the same ol' plodding stuff each week. Either Wessels is not the man that others have been talking of or these guys are brain-dead. I don't think it's effort as they were obviously trying.
I usually like Ruru but he had a shocker.
Debrezini is soft.
The Fijian wingers were both poor - why do we get the poor ones? (Isi is not a winger!)

Positives (and Yes, I am scraping here) :
The front row stood up against one of the best packs in the comp. except for two slips just before and after halftime (well, compared to last week).
I thought Rangi was good - lots of low tackles and didn't seem to miss many.
Others that stood out amongst the dross - Mafi & Hodge (despite the Yellow).
Even the laziest big man I've seen got through some good charges when he came on.

BTW, why is it that even when NZ teams do things poorly, it always seems to come off. I don't have the skills to go back through this game, or others that I have watched recently, and make up an example video but I wish I did so I could get my point across better. I have seen quite a few bounce passes from Kiwi teams recently and they always still end up with the ball. If an Aussie guy manages to knock back a kickoff or a bad pass it still goes back to a kiwi player. I could go on but it struck me how well they manage to make a bad situation good. I would even say this includes bounces of the ball. It's almost like a rugby god is looking over them. On the other hand, this never seems to happen to any of the Aussie players or teams.
Is it skill (a lot of it may be but I'm here to say some of it isn't)? Is it just luck (not mathematically possible all the time)? Is it because they work so hard off the ball? Could be part of the reason - but not always.for example there was a point in the game when a pass was a bit high for a back line player and it went straight through his hands. Blow me down, it went straight to the guy outside him. It was definitely not skill as there was no way he meant that.but it still came off. This almost never happens for the Aussies. This is just one example but it seems to happen all the time. What is it???

Smarts and higher skill levels all round. NZ players generally have the intelligence to watch and anticipate what's happening, especially on show when there is a bouncing ball or a ball on the deck. Our players either go at things like a bull at a gate and more often than not overrun the opportunity to regather, or just stand back and look bewildered at a loose ball on the ground. If they actually have a go at the ball, they most often don't have the handling skills to secure the possession. All down to poor coaching in their younger days, and the apparent refusal by senior coaches to do anything at all about skills deficiencies.

 

[Brumby Runner]

For the umpteenth time this year, Koriobete again displayed none of the skills required to play test rugby. His defensive play, both positional and tackling, is way sub-standard and he offered no attack at all last night. Cannot in any way be considered for the Wallabies this year.

Naivalu is also below standard, but looks to be unfit and slow maybe due injuries.

I think the schism between ex-Force and last year's Rebels players is starting to show. If so, they will simply continue to go backwards from here.

 

[glass half full]

Haven’t read other comments but did watch the game on the box. That Crusaders side is very skillful. Great width, good angles being run, tenacious D...a delight to watch. Down to 13 for the second week in a row, but jest get on with it. Bridges and Taufua were immense, among many good players.

 

[AFL_Converted]

Haven’t read other comments but did watch the game on the box. That Crusaders side is very skillful. Great width, good angles being run, tenacious D.a delight to watch. Down to 13 for the second week in a row, but jest get on with it. Bridges and Taufua were immense, among many good players.

they were never down to 13. The second yellow came after the first bloke returned. not that it would have mattered. The Sanders still looked good with 14, 13 may gave just brought parity

 

[AFL_Converted]

All down to poor coaching in their younger days, and the apparent refusal by senior coaches to do anything at all about skills deficiencies.

Hopefully Kafe and his team can make a difference there but I think it will be at least 5 years before we see a real difference comming through ever if he does sort out those issues.

 

[199madmave]

For the umpteenth time this year, Koriobete again displayed none of the skills required to play test rugby. His defensive play, both positional and tackling, is way sub-standard and he offered no attack at all last night. Cannot in any way be considered for the Wallabies this year.

Naivalu is also below standard, but looks to be unfit and slow maybe due injuries.

I think the schism between ex-Force and last year's Rebels players is starting to show. If so, they will simply continue to go backwards from here.

Ditto

 

[Brumby Runner]

they were never down to 13. The second yellow came after the first bloke returned. not that it would have mattered. The Sanders still looked good with 14, 13 may gave just brought parity

I think you'll find that the two periods did indeed overlap, by something like 8 minutes or so as I recall.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^ just watching the replay, they're 30 min in with Todd's bin time down to 2 min & Havili still out there.

EDIT: Todd rejoins after the Hodge try is converted. Havili binned almost immediately after the restart.

 

[RebelYell]

I thought Fereti Sa'aga had a good impact with ball in hand.

 

[eastman]

Couple of commnents regarding the backline:
- Jack D stands far too deep, generally receives the ball stationary and does not have the ability to get the most out of the back line. At this stage move him to fullback and let Maddocks develop in first grade for another year (Shute Shield ideally).
- I'd start Taylor Adams who has shown more in his time in first grade than Jack ever did.
- Start either Meakes or Hodge- not both- neither have the ability to set up there outside men
- Koribete has a high work rate and good aggression but absolutely no evasiveness- is he capable of beating a man?

 

[charlesalan]

^^^^^ yes, and, Koribete cant or wont tackle either

 

[Brumby Runner]

Couple of commnents regarding the backline:
- Jack D stands far too deep, generally receives the ball stationary and does not have the ability to get the most out of the back line. At this stage move him to fullback and let Maddocks develop in first grade for another year (Shute Shield ideally).
- I'd start Taylor Adams who has shown more in his time in first grade than Jack ever did.
- Start either Meakes or Hodge- not both- neither have the ability to set up there outside men
- Koribete has a high work rate and good aggression but absolutely no evasiveness- is he capable of beating a man?

He must have some idea, because he gets beaten so many times himself surely he can learn from experience?

 

[AFL_Converted]

I think you'll find that the two periods did indeed overlap, by something like 8 minutes or so as I recall.

Nah, Hodge and Todd yellows overlapped by 8 min.
It's why I was so disappointed to be only within 3 at the half. We didn't look like scoring a try expect when the Sanders made a mistake... Even with the extra man.
Hopefully we can do better this week.