Tahs Vs Chiefs

[Grandmaster Flash]

Sad to say it but I think Tahu's still not up to it at 12. Carter doesn't have the X-factor but defends very well, is a good bail-out option for Beale to go to when stuff breaks down.

 

[Scarfman]

Seriously, if the Tahs keep playing like that, I'm not going to watch. The backs were totally spooked by the Chiefs (!) defence. I hope Hickey has the balls to make 2-3 changes.

You could put the Central Coast Rays 10-12-13 combination in there and at least they would be lined up running onto the ball.

 

[Pfitzy]

And I'm sure you're not just saying that because SNK played 10 for the Rays 8)

I still have their 30-39 loss to the Rams on DVD if you want it

 

[disco]

hate to say it but I think Tahu's still not up to it at 12.

I'm with you on that GF he always runs away from his support & always wants to beat his man on the outside.

All in all the Tahs backs were rubbish too many stupid grubber kicks & poor handling.
The only person that would enjoyed that game was David Gallop & the nrl.

Good to see an Aussie scrum demolish a kiwi scrum for a change, I thought the Tahs tight 5 were very good last night.

Palu was good with ball in hand going forward but other than that he was pretty average.
Waugh is really off the pace he had little or no impact on that game last night.

 

[barbarian]

That was one of the worst backline performances I have seen. It was strange because with every set piece they seemed intent on crashing it through the centres, which did not work once. Which shows two things- firstly, their game plan was flawed, and secondly they did not have the brains to change it in the second half when it was clear that it was not working.

Tahu is not a 12, sadly. Tries to do too much, and should be made to watch tapes of Stirling Mortlock to learn how to run straight and hard. Burgess was up and down, single handedly caused the Chiefs try, but did some good things too and generally got stuck in.

Tight five was great, backrow were average.

 

[Ash]

Geez, this was like a Reds game from the last few years when they used to drag teams down to their messy level. Both teams just had no continuity.

Actually, the Tahs' first 10 minutes was quite good. From there it was just all miserable - for both teams.

I'd like to see the Tahs' wingers getting some ball. I am struggling to think of Turner or Tuqiri getting the ball coming out to them. But to be fair, the Tahs didn't have the platform, either.

 

[Blue]

Nah. I didn't think Burgess had a shocker. Average game though.

Something like this?
Pause
Juggle
Step back
Look left
Look right
Pass

The forwards did great work through the phases but there was always a longer than needed pause before the ball came out. As a result they just didn't catch the Chiefs on the hop.

 

[Scarfman]

I agree with Noddy - it looked worse than it was because the piggies weren't committing to the ruck and the backs were offering no options. But you couldn't say that he was good.

 

[Aussie D]

Waugh is really off the pace he had little or no impact on that game last night.

Yet he will still make Growden's 'Team of the Week' and be raved about.

I'd like to see the Tahs' wingers getting some ball. I am struggling to think of Turner or Tuqiri getting the ball coming out to them. But to be fair, the Tahs didn't have the platform, either.

He was named as the FOXsports MOTM :nta: I couldn't figure out what he had done to deserve it myself. Who do you guys think deserved it?

 

[Scarfman]

SNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiK!

 

[RugbyReg]

Who was fox MOM? Lote???? SNK or Al for mine.

 

[Lindommer]

Burgess was up and down, single handedly caused the Chiefs try, but did some good things too and generally got stuck in.

Well, apart from the fact Palu lost the pill in the preceding tackle (a bad habit of his he must eradicate) on about the Tahs' 22m line, Burgess did his bit to put the Chiefs over. The Chiefs' try stemmed solely from Palu's mistake.

Is Burgess subject to a unique set of marking criteria with some people?

 

[Lindommer]

We should all take a deep breath after this match. Three points:

• the Chiefs have always troubled the Tahs since the start of Super rugby. There's something about their niggedly play the Tahs don't like and struggle coming to grips with.
• there's no point playing your best rugby at the beginning of the season. A coach should always be looking for improvement as the season progresses.
• the Tahs are playing poorly, admittedly, but they're winning, and against Kiwi sides at that.

 

[barbarian]

And I must point out again a crucial fact we have all missed... no injuries!!!

It may seem a strange thing to be celebrating but it seriously matters, especially with all of the NZ teams struck down pretty badly in the first few weeks- Thorn, McDonald, McCaw, Cowan, Macintosh, Smith, Kahui, Muliaina, Lauaki, Stanley, Rocokoko and Williams (last two on personal grounds). And thats all in the first two games, and only the ones I can name off the top of my head.

As a result, all of the Kiwi sides have lost games in the last minute, which they would have won if they were at full strength. These are the little things that decide championships sometimes.

 

[Pfitzy]

• there's no point playing your best rugby at the beginning of the season. A coach should always be looking for improvement as the season progresses.

Remember in seasons past the Crusaders would start a bit sluggishly - in the back of your mind was always the statement "... but its only February..."

 

[PhucNgo]

Speaking of injuries. Dunning, Kepu, Big Rat and Beau Robinson were all at the game on Friday. Dunning looks like he'd just come from a try-out for this year's series of Biggest Loser. Must have dropped about 10kgs so far. Maybe its some weird diet designed to keep the weight off while his achiles recovers, but nevertheless was back in civy shoes and up and down the stairs without any noticeable inconvenience. So too Kepu and Big Rat, who while not appearing to have dropped weight, were both back in civy shoes (albeit those enormously long pointy things - Kepu's looked to be about a size 18 according to the guy sitting behind me). I'm not sure what Robinson's problem is, apart from poor taste. Seems to think that white wrap-around sunglasses are in some way cool. Very tacky indeed.

 

[fatprop]

Burgess was up and down, single handedly caused the Chiefs try, but did some good things too and generally got stuck in.

Well, apart from the fact Palu lost the pill in the preceding tackle (a bad habit of his he must eradicate) on about the Tahs' 22m line, Burgess did his bit to put the Chiefs over. The Chiefs' try stemmed solely from Palu's mistake.

Is Burgess subject to a unique set of marking criteria with some people?

Burgess's miss of Leonard was not good, but he did the right thing with the prop, the inside defenders didn't move across as he cut off the the wider ball.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

For mine, I see the Tahs and the saders as the two teams to beat. Both have shown they have entered the S14 in top gear, are playing great rugbyand at finals time both will be at the pointy end.

 

[PhucNgo]

For mine, I see the Tahs and the saders as the two teams to beat. Both have shown they have entered the S14 in top gear, are playing great rugbyand at finals time both will be at the pointy end.

That's a bit of a myopic/ANZ centric viewpoint. The Saffa's are coming. Be very afraid.

 

[steiner]

Tahs might want to change their tactics a bit I think. They've got some great go-forward players in Palu and Tatafu, players who will go forward at international level let alone in S14, plus a couple of other decent ones in Mowen and Mumm. Getting some good drive behind these players as well at times. But on the next phase they're slowing it down, setting up the next play, allowing a good Chiefs defence to regroup, which they struggled to penetrate. And Burgess and Beale not organizing the structured plays well enough at this point in time.

I'd say they're better off spinning the ball fast to the outside backs, after they've gone forward, and letting Horne, Tuqiri, Turner do their thing, and Kurtley's got a good long ball to get it out there fast if necessary. Ridiculous that they dominated possession at times, yet Turner, Tuqiri barely touched the ball! All of these backs from 9-15, potentially very good in these situations. Use them! May be riskier but the rewards should be there. Plus, if they do this they'll force the defence to spread quickly and Burgess and Beale can start sniping.

We know Beale's a great athlete, can throw a good long ball and pop a beautifiul short pass (though he threw a few wheelchair jobs on Friday), but he isn't yet a great organizer. So until he is I think we need to go a bit laissez-faire and use the pace and agility out wide. All Blacks '03 style!