NZ Match Reports

[Dismal Pillock]

haha, Marshall summoning the spirit of Mexted there,

"We welcome all our international viewers, and those in South Africa"

 

[badabing59]

Shorks will need not only 4 tries but to win by 36+ to finish 2nd. Ain't gonna happen. Brumbies v Chiefs then Shorks v Clan next week.

And being the ultimate optimist, that'll mean Clan and Chiefs through to the semis.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

And being the ultimate optimist, that'll mean Clan and Chiefs through to the semis.

so Clan to face NSFW in one semi, Chiefs vs Cantabs in the other?

Sounds about right to me.

Another all-NZ final in the offing? Uh oh. I expect, around here, that'll go down like an old lady down a well.

 

[Tomikin]

And being the ultimate optimist, that'll mean Clan and Chiefs through to the semis.

Brumbies will hammer the chiefs again

 

[badabing59]

Brumbies will hammer the chiefs again

yeah.nah. Not gonna happen twice.

 

[Dan54]

Edit: with all due respect to Iron Jaw, if Carters taking the kicks why is he out there? Surely you'd have Dan @ 10, Taylor @ 12, Crotty @ 13? Best config available IMO.

I think Slade at 10, and Dan 12 is better combo than with Taylor in there, think Dan at 12 gives ABs another option to be honest!!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Yeah I'm just worried that the side-to-side-then-back-again attack we've been using of late won't work against a really good D such as the 'tahs & whoever we have to get past to make the GF. You can generally get away with having a 10 & a 13 who drift, but only if the 12 doesn't & IMO Taylor is the guy who straightens the attack & creates the angles for the back 3 to run into.

Same goes for the AB but more so, Wallabies & Sethfrickens will have big midfielders & loosies just waiting to isolate & hold up anyone drifting in those channels, need someone to at least have the potential to punch holes so as to make the D think twice about how fast they come off their line. Also need refs to make sure the D lines are onside, but that's a whole different thread, eh.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Dan's defence at 12 is excellent, only Crotty would be as safe there, but we need him at 13 where both Lee-lo and Fonotia have struggled.

Slade takes on the line in very Mertz-like fashion, but with more pace. I like him at 10.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

It would be interesting to see how a relatively slightly built #12 went on the International Stage.
Everyone else seems to be relying on a big boppa "bash it up" centre game plan.

Cru seem to be keen to try to implement an old fashioned 2nd Five Eighth strategy, not dissimilar to the Tahs Foley/Beale approach.

Will the Darkness follow suit and go for a Cruden/Carter combo at 10/12?

 

[Bairdy]

No chance. If it aint Nonu starting, it will be SBW or even Fekitoa, who debuted at 12 alongside Conrad Smith.

 

[Dan54]

To be honest Bairdy, I don't think Fekitoa is particularly big!!

 

[Hawko]

To be honest Bairdy, I don't think Fekitoa is particularly big!!

I'd guess about the same kg's as AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). The match-up between the two was just about the game highlight.

So Fekitoa isn't big? He plays big though.

 

[Bairdy]

To be honest Bairdy, I don't think Fekitoa is particularly big!!

Wiki says he is 1.87m and 99kg. Compare that to Nonu, who is 1.82m and 106kg.

If you don't think his numbers are that impressive, I would say he plays above his weight by a few kilos; his tackle busting numbers in Super Rugby are a credit to that.

 

[teach]

Fekitoa is 99kg and 187cm so just about 2cm taller and a kg heavier than AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

 

[Dan54]

Wiki says he is 1.87m and 99kg. Compare that to Nonu, who is 1.82m and 106kg.

If you don't think his numbers are that impressive, I would say he plays above his weight by a few kilos; his tackle busting numbers in Super Rugby are a credit to that.

Yep Bairdy, you and Hawko probably right about playing above his weight, just doesn't look as solid as Nonu etc to me, actually he doesn't look a lot bigger than Crotty or Conrad to me, but then again I never really taken notice of them when they together!!
Ok Ok I could check Wikipedia, but I'm sure someone else will to save me the bother

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Teams for Sharks v Highlanders ESF:

HIGHLANDERS: Ben Smith (co-captain), Richard Buckman, Malakai Fekitoa, Phil Burleigh, Patrick Osborne, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Nasi Manu (co-captain), Shane Christie, Elliot Dixon, Joe Wheeler, Jarrad Hoeata, Chris King, Ged Robinson, Kane Hames. Reserves; Liam Coltman, Matias Diaz, JP Koen, Josh Bekhuis, Tom Franklin, Fumiaki Tanaka, Trent Renata, Gareth Evans.

Sharks: 15. SP Marais , 14. S'bura Sithole , 13. JP Pietersen , 12. Paul Jordaan , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 10. Frans Steyn , 9. Cobus Reinach , 8. Ryan Kankowski , 7. Willem Alberts , 6. Maroetzee , 5. Stephan Lewies , 4. Anton Bresler , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 2. Bismarck du Plessis (c) , 1. Thomas du Toit Replacements :16. Kyle Cooper , 17. Dale Chadwick , 18. Lourens Adriaanse , 19. Etienne Oosthuizen , 20. Jean Deysel , 21. Charl McLeod , 22. Pat Lambie , 23. Tonderai Chavhanga

Clan are at $6.00 head to head on CentreBet, if I were still a betting man I'd be looking closely at what sort of start they're giving the Shorks & if more than 8.5 throwing a lazy $20 at it.

 

[qwerty51]

I see the All Blacks are playing Samoa on July 8th next year. That date this year is in the middle of Super Rugby, what's different next year?

 

[Braveheart81]

As it is a RWC year I assume no June tour, Super Rugby is played straight through and this must be a warm up before the Rugby Championship.

 

[qwerty51]

Makes sense!

What's the word on TRC next year? Is it the same or 1 game each?

 

[oztimmay]

Off thread topic -I hope that, with the lack of June tests, that Melbourne doesn't get screwed over for a test match. Would be an interesting opportunity to try Aus v Arg at AAMI park instead of the Gold Coast.