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Crusaders vs Blues a.k.a. NZ's festum odii

Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
Q: in what year did Loss Bleus last defeat CruSadists in Christchurch?
Had to consult my own personal private Wikipedia for the answer to this one:

The Auckland Blues [69] of New Zealand last defeated the Crusaders [4] in Christchurch [82] in the year 10666 BC. Christchurch was already well established as the Death Star [12] by then and was in fact already crawling with stormtroopers. In comparison, Onehunga [68] was barely a fledgling settlement at this stage and was home to just the one spaceys machine.[7]
 

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
KiwiM wins the choccy fush.

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Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
1. Alex Hodgman (48)
2. Kurt Eklund (30)
3. Ofa Tuungafasi (113)
4. Luke Romano (5)
5. Josh Goodhue (42)
6. Tom Robinson (38)
7. Dalton Papalii© (50)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (29)
9. Finlay Christie (23)
10. Beauden Barrett (10)
11. Mark Telea (31)
12. Bryce Heem (13)
13. Reiko Ioane (79)
14. AJ Lam (13)
15. Stephen Perofeta (38)

16. Ricky Riccitelli 5)
17. Jordan Lay (3)
18. Nepo Laulala (17)
19. James Tucker (4)
20. Adrian Choat (11)
21. Taufa Funaki (3)
22. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (3)
23. Zarn Sullivan (11)/ Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepens (5)

After the heroics of the Chiffs match, it will be a tough hurdle to get back up again mentally, this time for an even bigger match.

Ofa is one tough hombre backing up 1 week after the Chiefs forwards tried to give him impromptu brain surgery.
 
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Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
T-minus 2 days till KO.

Let the Blues turn to Psalm 666;

"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of the Death Star, I will fear no evil, for Boomfa is with me; my rod and my stiffy, they comfort me. You prepare the new tinpot Lancaster Park before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint Ofa's head with ointment for his stitches; TJ's stiffy overflows".

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Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
1. Joe Moody
2. Codie Taylor (VC)
3. Oli Jager
4. Scott Barrett (C)
5. Zach Gallagher
6. Ethan Blackadder
7. Tom Christie
8. Cullen Grace
9. Bryn Hall
10. Richie Mo'unga
11. Leicester Fainga'anuku
12. David Havili (VC)
13. Braydon Ennor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Will Jordan

RESERVES:
16. Ricky Jackson
17. George Bower
18. Fletcher Newell
19. Dominic Gardiner
20. Pablo Matera
21. Mitch Drummond
22. Fergus Burke
23. George Bridge
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Hawko

Tony Shaw (54)
All you'd want to say is that Cullen Grace must be having an AB year to keep Matera on the bench.

It'll be a colossal game, I'm sure our seismologists will pick up the reverberations in Oz. I spent ages trying to put my pick in, all the other games were relatively easy but I still don't know if I got even close to the right answer on this one.
 
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Jeffrey

Chris McKivat (8)
Cullen Grace is definitely not having an AB year. There is no part of his game - carrying, rucks, defense, alignment, dropping back as 8 that is world class. He's pretty decent at line-out, but I don't see him close to Pita Gus, Hoskins, Ardie. I think even Dalton is a better 8.

Beauden Barrett is a great, great player when he can do everything himself. Great run for the try, so effortless. The real challenge, as has been in his career, is as a 10, can he consistently shape the attack, getting his teammates into an attacking flow, like Dan Carter or Jonny Sexton in their pomp.

Talea is very good on attack, but looks exposed on defense. The same really for Will Jordan. Surely NZ's best attacking weapon - timing, acceleration, pace without breaking stride, direction change - so good. But always looks so uncomfortable on defence. In the Christie try, Jordan was 5% off in every aspect, from urgency, to the commitment in tackle, to his re-positioning on the line. He's so much more urgent and gifted on attack than on defence.

Leicester needs to get a look in for the ABs, I think.

Crusaders attack reminds me of the horrid years under Aaron Mauger. Shifting the ball from side to side, hoping passing beats defence, with all the activity behind the advantage line, gets you nowhere against modern-day defences. That the ball beats the man is an outdated narrative. When you can't make the advantage line with big ball carriers, and the 9 is not a running threat, you end up committing too many players to clear a backward ruck, keep passing backward losing ground until you are inevitably forced to kick. Would like to see Newell get on the park.
 

Cancelled Account

Desmond Connor (43)
Will Jordan is shaping up to be one of my favourite fullbacks. I like everything about his game. More consistency required but his overall skills, movements and thinking is brilliant.
 
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Derpus

George Gregan (70)
Fucking Crusaders. The one game I need them to turn up they throw out this Rebels quality trash.
 
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