Un-Australian Activities 2019

[Finsbury Girl]

I like you FG, think Chiefs are actually capable of an upset they way they going at moment, full of players who got that ITM cup mentality of f*** it lets give it a go, backed up with 3-4 real good players. Saying that Jags are a bloody good team and deserve to win their way to final O think.
I can accept HB as a team to support (thinking of maybe settling there when I go home) but you realise that Wairarapa Bush boys are in the same comp as the Mighty Nua, so WOB and I may not be able to speak to you during Heartland Championship,. Geez Wairarapa is where I born too in Carterton!

Traitor!

I really admired how the Chiefs turned things around. They were gone for all money, showed some real grit & played some stupendous footy. Looking forward to the game.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I would not be surprised if the mighty moo loo men pull it off. Waikato are one of my 3 NZ teams (the others are HB and the mighty Wairarapa Bush) so I'll be cheering the boys on.

Lots of history between HB & WB, some of it somewhat controversial, so it's a brave Girl who supports them both! At least they play in different comps these days. As for Mooloos & Chiefs I have to admit that having been back in Hamilton for three seasons now I'm starting to dislike them somewhat less than I did whilst resident in SEQ. Who knows, one day they may even become my second team(s)............

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Word is that Moody & Taylor are both good to go for Friday so here's hoping we finally get to see the Crusaders' best eight out there.

Not much coming out of Clan camp except that Bender's a good chance to play. I'll be interested to see which of Squire or Frizell starts & who's on the bench.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Match officials have been named:



Crusaders v Highlanders
Ref: Peyper
AR's: Williams & Pickerill
TMO: Skeen

Jaguares v Chiefs
Ref: Jackson
AR's: Briant & Anselmi
TMO: Santiago Borsani (local guy)

Hurricanes v Bulls
Ref: Berry
AR's: O'Keefe & Pickerill
TMO: Newman

Brumbies v Sharks
Ref: Fraser
AR's: Gardner & Cooper
TMO: Leckie

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Jaguares v Chiefs

Ref: Jackson

​

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ thought you might pick up on that . Personally I'd have given Gardner Crusaders v Clan & Peyper Jags v Tribe just to avoid any suggestion of bias.

Clan now have Johnstone on the "doubtful" list. He'll be a big loss as Franks seems to be working himself into some pretty decent form (or so I'm told by people who claim to understand these things).

This is odd: Bulls wanted to leave SA on Sunday but SANZAAR apparently said they had to wait til Monday meaning they only got to Wellywood early this morning:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-late-for-super-rugby-playoff-with-hurricanes

What's really odd is that newshub did a live cross to Auckland airport Sunday night & Tribe had already checked in for their flight to BA.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Bender's back but Li's out & Johnstone's been benched so presumably they don't want him exposed v Franks. A 6/2 bench again which tells me they're gunna look to keep it tight which I'm not sure is such a great idea v the likely Crusaders pack & bench:

Highlanders: Ben Smith (cc), Waisake Naholo, Rob Thompson, Teihorangi Walden, Patelesio Tomkinson, Josh Ioane, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock(cc), James Lentjes, Liam Squire, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Tyrel Lomax, Liam Coltman, Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: Ash Dixon, Ayden Johnstone, Siate Tokolahi, Josh Dickson, Shannon Frizell, Kayne Hammington, Marty Banks, Elliot Dixon

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Crusaders at full strength incl the all-AB front row for the first time this season:

Crusaders: David Havili, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Ryan Crotty, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Bryn Hall, Kieran Read, Matt Todd, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Sam Whitelock (captain), Scott Barrett, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Andrew Makalio, Tim Perry, Michael Ala'alatoa, Luke Romano, Jordan Taufua, Mitchell Drummond, Mitchell Hunt, Braydon Ennor.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...-franks-and-codie-taylor-return-for-crusaders

 

[Derpus]

Crusaders at full strength incl the all-AB front row for the first time this season:

Crusaders: David Havili, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Ryan Crotty, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Bryn Hall, Kieran Read, Matt Todd, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Sam Whitelock (captain), Scott Barrett, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Andrew Makalio, Tim Perry, Michael Ala'alatoa, Luke Romano, Jordan Taufua, Mitchell Drummond, Mitchell Hunt, Braydon Ennor.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...-franks-and-codie-taylor-return-for-crusaders

Pretty close to an all-AB side, entirely.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Pretty close to an all-AB side, entirely.

ha, basically the AB forward pack.

Poor old Whetu Douglas.....

​

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Clan now have Johnstone on the "doubtful" list.

Jeez, I could've confirmed it for them long ago.

TJ is 100% cantab.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Pretty close to an all-AB side, entirely.

16/23 by my count incl a coupla one-Test wonders.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Jaguares: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente (captain), 11 Matias Moroni, 10 Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Mayco Vivas. Substitutes: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Tomas Lezana, 20 Francisco Gorrissen, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Santiago Carreras

Chiefs: Solomon Alaimalo, Shaun Stevenson, Tumua Manu, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sean Wainui, Jack Debreczeni, Brad Weber, Pita Gus Sowakula, Sam Cane (c), Lachlan Boshier, Tyler Ardron, Brodie Retallick, Angus Ta'avao, Nathan Harris, Atu Moli. Reserves: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Aidan Ross, Nepo Laulala, Jesse Parete, Mitchell Jacbobson, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Marty McKenzie, Alex Nankivell/Ataata Moeakiola.

Of the four QF I think this is the one where the away team has the best chance of an upset.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Hurricanes: Jordie Barrett, Wes Goosen, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Gareth Evans, Ardie Savea, Reed Prinsep, Isaia Walker-Leawere, James Blackwell, Jeff To'omaga-Allen, Dane Coles (c), Toby Smith. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Fraser Armstrong, Ben May/Alex Fidow, Kane Le'aupepe, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Richard Judd/Finlay Christie, James Marshall, Salesi Rayasi.

Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Handre Pollard (captain), 9 Andre Warner, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Lizo Gqoboka. Substitutes: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Ruan Steenkamp, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Divan Rossouw

 

[Blue]

Bulls are playing their winger who was the backup 13 for the last few weeks at 12 because of injuries to the other 12's in the squad.

Canes will see this and send Laumape down his outside channel all night.

Laumape is hard enough to defend but if you aren't an experienced 12 at this level you are going get owned. Barret will run a slight angle towards Kriel at 13 and offload to Laumape running straight. He comes with such power that you have a split second to get the tackle right.

Shit.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Cool & breezy in Cheechee tonight with zero chance of rain. Should be a good night for Bender's farewell.........

 

[Finsbury Girl]

Geez it's hard to pick against the evil Cantabs, but I hope the Highlanders give it a red hot go. I'm looking forward to a good game regardless.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Early penalty & SamW points to the posts not the sideline. Must be Finals Footy. Evil Cantabs + Angelic Mako 3-0.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

God I hate 9's milking penalties by throwing the ball into a retreating player when they've other options available. Ioane hits the post. Karma, that.

 

[Up the Guts]

Not quite going to plan for the Crusader Cheer Squad in the comm box as of yet.