I saw the Eddies Villa game on the weekend and I guess you are rating Villa ahead of Eddies on the sole fact that Eddies couldn't win a line out to save themselves because the Villa forwards never made ground with the ball in fact if they didn't find the line and win the line out they wouldn't have made any ground. If Eddies had won only their line outs the score would have been in triple figures. Villa dominated possession in the second half inside Eddies 22 but failed to make any inroads if the situation were reversed I don't think they could have done the same. I think if Eddies learn to compete in the line outs and win only theirs they will go from competition favorites to certainties.
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Larry Dwyer (12)
I rated villa forwards before eddies because:
yes you are correct in saying that villa's line-out was far superior to eddies
but the main reason I rated them before eddies in that game was they held onto the ball for 70-80% of the game, it takes a strong forward pack to do that. (villa's body height and speed at the break down was better than eddies.)
You are correct in say that villa fail to convert pressure into points.
and I would suggest that if eddies forwards were able to hold possession that yes the score would have been triple as they have an deadly back-line.
IMO if eddies forwards improve on last week performance they will be very difficult to stop for the premiership.
J
johnrugby
Guest
Are villa forwards rated because they all work together or are there standouts
don't_go_latho
Chris McKivat (8)
Pats v Ashgrove: Ashgrove will be looking to unload last weekends disappointment on Pats. I thought Pats were very average last weekend and were lucky to be only 22-0 down at halftime. To their credit though they dug in and really had a go in the second half. Ashgrove by 20.
Eddies v Lauries: Lauries played a very good first half last weekend and will be fired up by some of the disrespect being shown by some of the Eddies players during the week. Will be even in the first half but Eddies might run away with it in the second half. Eddies by 20.
Padua v Villa: Toss of the coin as mentioned already, Villa are a better side than what the scoreboard showed last weekend and their forwards might get them over the line here. Villa by 3.
Peters v Iona: Iona are slowly improving and the loss against Ashgrove is hard to analyse because of the poor conditions. I'm of the opinion that Iona are the side most likely to upset Eddies. Great moment for Peters rugby last weekend but it might be hard to back it up again. Iona by 5.
S
Saints supporter
Guest
Final score.... Saints 20 Iona 15
St Lawrence's got cooked (just like there namesake), by a red hot Eddies. Manu, Humphries, Bennett and Roe made martyrs of them all, especially the podgey smart mouthed 12 who was quickly silenced by Bennett's 4th try. It going to take a freakish side with the assistance of an over zealous/bias referee to roll Eddies. Very enjoyable team to watch play, who have yet to play their best rugby.
S
SEATO
Guest
S
SEATO
Guest
It's Saint Laurences two heads
don't_go_latho
Chris McKivat (8)
Lauries were terrible in the first half today. Full credit to Eddies who ran amok out wide The 2,4,13 and 15 outstanding for Eddies making consistent breaks. The 5 and 7 tried their hearts out for Lauries.
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Larry Dwyer (12)
headed out to witness the st peters machine today v iona.
first i have to say what an awesome setup for the spectator, has to be the best in the aic comp from spectators point of view and i'm not talking about the school girls.
I initially thought that I was at the wrong ground, and had just walked into an Indigenous All Stars training session. I was reassure that was the St peters 1st XV warming up.I must say watching the backs warm up they looked very crisp, and all of the hype about this team was warranted.
However then game began well at least Iona did, iona look like they were going to crush peters premiership dreams for 2012 applying a
lot of pressure and coming up with 2 two quick tries and a fail penalty attempt.
apart from the first 10- 20 mins peters dominated ball scoring once in the first half.
The saints would had scored more if they had exercised some patience, they were far to quick to go to their backs, suck them in first then spread them, I'm sure that would had been the half time message.
Second half started with a intercept try to peters that iona's 15 will lose sleep over. Another try each for both teams and the score was and finish up on peters 20 iona 15, the last 10 mins which seem to go on for 20 was very tense. peters resisted the iona pressure then apply their own.
stand out player for me was iona's 8, he a really good footballer and will back up again for 1st for his third year next year.
apart from him, iona appear a little short on talent however what they lack on talent they make up with effort and spirit.
as for Peters yes this does appear to be there best ever peters 1st team
but sorry boys IMO not good enough to win the premiership undefeated. peters will be sweating on ash beating eddies, cause from what i seen they are no match for eddies, particularly because peters like to play it in the backs and that's eddies domain.
first i have to say what an awesome setup for the spectator, has to be the best in the aic comp from spectators point of view and i'm not talking about the school girls.
I initially thought that I was at the wrong ground, and had just walked into an Indigenous All Stars training session. I was reassure that was the St peters 1st XV warming up.I must say watching the backs warm up they looked very crisp, and all of the hype about this team was warranted.
However then game began well at least Iona did, iona look like they were going to crush peters premiership dreams for 2012 applying a
lot of pressure and coming up with 2 two quick tries and a fail penalty attempt.
apart from the first 10- 20 mins peters dominated ball scoring once in the first half.
The saints would had scored more if they had exercised some patience, they were far to quick to go to their backs, suck them in first then spread them, I'm sure that would had been the half time message.
Second half started with a intercept try to peters that iona's 15 will lose sleep over. Another try each for both teams and the score was and finish up on peters 20 iona 15, the last 10 mins which seem to go on for 20 was very tense. peters resisted the iona pressure then apply their own.
stand out player for me was iona's 8, he a really good footballer and will back up again for 1st for his third year next year.
apart from him, iona appear a little short on talent however what they lack on talent they make up with effort and spirit.
as for Peters yes this does appear to be there best ever peters 1st team
but sorry boys IMO not good enough to win the premiership undefeated. peters will be sweating on ash beating eddies, cause from what i seen they are no match for eddies, particularly because peters like to play it in the backs and that's eddies domain.
St Peter's vs Iona: Final score 20-15
SPLC: 3 tries , Conversions 1/3, Penalties 1/2
Iona: 3 tries, Conversions 0/3, Penalties 0/1
Iona started well with the first try and a full feel free flowing play that resulted in the second try from a clearing kick from within their own twenty-two. I think that the poor kicking at goal let Iona down with the penalty they had at a slight angle and would be hit about 80% of the time by most kickers at this level. Iona scored the first two tries and were up 10-0 and could have been 17-0 if they had hit both conversions and the aforementioned penalty. The Peters backs were quick and did get a lot of ball but I felt that they were lost in the first half and were spreading the ball back and forth across the ground without making any metres in attack. Peters scored once before the break leaving the score at 10-5 at halftime.
About twenty seconds into the second half there was an awful decision by one of the Iona backs after catching a kick and in the face of oncoming attackers elected to pass instead of kick. He unwittingly passed it into the waiting hands of a St Peter's player who scored an easy try. Peter's gained the momentum and scored again and managed to hit the first place kick of the game to lead 17-10. Iona scored back a try and were yet again unable to place the kick between the sticks. St Peter's scored a final penalty to wind the clock down and won 20-15.
Personally, I don't think there was much between the two sides and the result could easily have been the other way around. If the Iona kicker had scored the easy penalty and managed to hit one of the conversion kicks, the score could have been level. Furthermore, it was only one bad decision by the Iona back to pass that lead to an easy try for St Peter's. It could have easily been Iona up by 5 points if only a few little things were changed. Another solid performance by Brad Wilkins at 8 for Iona.
SPLC: 3 tries , Conversions 1/3, Penalties 1/2
Iona: 3 tries, Conversions 0/3, Penalties 0/1
Iona started well with the first try and a full feel free flowing play that resulted in the second try from a clearing kick from within their own twenty-two. I think that the poor kicking at goal let Iona down with the penalty they had at a slight angle and would be hit about 80% of the time by most kickers at this level. Iona scored the first two tries and were up 10-0 and could have been 17-0 if they had hit both conversions and the aforementioned penalty. The Peters backs were quick and did get a lot of ball but I felt that they were lost in the first half and were spreading the ball back and forth across the ground without making any metres in attack. Peters scored once before the break leaving the score at 10-5 at halftime.
About twenty seconds into the second half there was an awful decision by one of the Iona backs after catching a kick and in the face of oncoming attackers elected to pass instead of kick. He unwittingly passed it into the waiting hands of a St Peter's player who scored an easy try. Peter's gained the momentum and scored again and managed to hit the first place kick of the game to lead 17-10. Iona scored back a try and were yet again unable to place the kick between the sticks. St Peter's scored a final penalty to wind the clock down and won 20-15.
Personally, I don't think there was much between the two sides and the result could easily have been the other way around. If the Iona kicker had scored the easy penalty and managed to hit one of the conversion kicks, the score could have been level. Furthermore, it was only one bad decision by the Iona back to pass that lead to an easy try for St Peter's. It could have easily been Iona up by 5 points if only a few little things were changed. Another solid performance by Brad Wilkins at 8 for Iona.
S
Saints supporter
Guest
Interesting summary of the game xxxx, great to see you came to watch the game when the majority of the fourm members said the Saints would choke. Once again it was a hard fought game that could of gone either way, and yes the last minutes of the game went for ever, but credit should be given to the Saints. There was a lot of pressure to follow up after last weeks win and yes they didn't start strong in the first half but the team that came out in the second half was a different, determine team that fought to the end to win. Even Ka_ora comments had a lot of ifs, ifs and ifs for Iona but the Saints did and they won. Till next week, when we get to watch more great rugby.
I
Iona2006
Guest
I don't think Ashgrove have really dropped too much mate. Didn't they win co-premiership last year? and from the sounds of it they gave St Peters a run for their money.
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