Qualifying Final: 2.Crusaders v 5.Reds 6/06

[Pfitzy]

Man can only be so strong in the face of raw, undeniable passion

My wife manages it

 

[Pfitzy]

What’s the go with the crowd last night? Concerning?

Cantabs like to tell you how tough they are, but they're soft as a pensioner's turd.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Zane Nonggorr match high 18 tackles last night

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

What’s the go with the crowd last night? Concerning?

Probably. I know they’re use to it but said 5 degrees and raining.

Even though it’s a final, Aus teams aren’t the draw like NZ ones aren’t in Aus… some people saving it for next week?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Tate may struggle to make the match day XXIII with Louis Werchon waiting in the wings.

Don’t know if I’d go that far with it but his bench impact may be very attractive when Thomas is a class starting option. I also don’t think it would hurt Tates selection for the Wallabies bench if he was on the Reds bench.

 

[Sword of Justice]

I’ve been flirting around with Thomas to start and clearly have put my disappointment with Tate on record in these here fori but I still believe that he is the most talented 9 in this country.

It makes me wonder if the coaches are drilling technical standards hard enough. That can also be said for breakdown recycling and line outs/mauls which Thorn was so good at. It does seem that we are sliding as that muscle memory fades.

It’s a concern for me at the Wallabies level after Schmidt. RA need to insist on someone assisting who has the requisite skill knowledge because Les doesn’t have that.

 

[Shiggins]

I love Tate but we looked better when Thomas had the reigns at the end there. I know the game was effectively dead but he just seemed to clear the ball far quicker. For me at test level Tate is better off the bench. His snipes are so much more effective against tired bodies. His pass is just too ineffective to be relied on for 60mins.

Ifl is very quick and passes well too but at test level half backs need to do all the basics well but the decision making is most important. That's why white might get the nod. He has a better boot as well. I rate Thomas. He reminds me of ifl when he was in great form. I just can't see how putting a young bloke into massive games like bled or lions is a good idea. A poor decision and the opposition can end up scoring. Even Tate could be a worry if the forwards don't keep an eye on him when he decides to run. The lions will eat him up and turn the ball over if he doesn't get ruck support quick.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I do think the lineout issues (eg against the Force) have mostly disappeared once LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) got injured, which is actually pretty concerning!

I don't really see the maul problem? The Reds are probably the best in the comp at it, and are in fact getting most metres per maul in all of World Rugby and second most tries per game from the maul

 

[Shiggins]

100% it’s not why we lost, and arguably wouldn’t have changed the scoreline at all…

I agree. I don't think the score would be any different. Maybe a tad but not significant at all. Reds scrum got ate up and this stopped any chance of momentum.

 

[emuarse]

Blame the ref. It’s all his fault.

Front row packs that lose close to all their scrums, many via penalties, rarely win games. You could say that Canterbury had 9 forwards.

 

[Sword of Justice]

I don't really see the maul problem? The Reds are probably the best in the comp at it, and are in fact getting most metres per maul in all of World Rugby and second most tries per game from the maul

I was more thinking about our maul defence but I grant you that stat.

 

[dru]

Fight that urge.

Hey, Pfitzy. I’m interested in your thoughts on the Crew THP bind to Faga’ase. One of the early scrums he actually dropped his bind and re-bound on his arm. Then pulled it down. Faga’ase was pinged for dropping the scrum. The arm-bind and/or pull continued through most of the match,

Is that no longer an issue?

@fatprop your thoughts also appreciated.

 

[dru]

We had a 35 year old TH as the reserve loose head and a 19/20 year old with less than 40 minutes of professional rugby as the reserve TH. Going up against All Blacks who would illegally bind or over extend and fall on their bellies.

Newell won penalties where he never moved his feet after the chase and would just go down lack a sack.

Look, my vision glasses are more than a little red tinted, but that is how I saw it. Though 35 is fine for a prop imo.

 

[Pfitzy]

Hey, Pfitzy. I’m interested in your thoughts on the Crew THP bind to Faga’ase. One of the early scrums he actually dropped his bind and re-bound on his arm. Then pulled it down. Faga’ase was pinged for dropping the scrum. The arm-bind and/or pull continued through most of the match,

Is that no longer an issue?

Technically speaking they should be binding on the side or back of the opponent. So yeah, could be pinged if the ref deems it an issue.

I just rewatched the first two scrums, and it isn't the issue.

Look where Sef starts his bind: down low, not at full extension, and leaving himself in a bad position, structurally speaking; if your arm is this low, your shoulder follows, along with your back.

Another factor is his feet pre-engage. His inside (right) foot is trailing his left foot. That's fine if it's your feed to open the channel, but on the opposition feed you want to get yourself parallel and try to break the bind between their hooker and THP.

Thirdly, he's just not low enough on engage, and he has room to move based on the angle at his knees and hips. He's 90 degrees at the hip, which is probably OK but his knees are closer to 135 and therefore his feet aren't under him. Once he moves into engage he's nearly at full extension. As a THP I'm then looking to win the hit and get his arse past his knees asap.

Yes, Newell switches bind to the arm, and therefore could be pinged, but it isn't having a material effect IMHO, particularly when we're talking Crusaders feed.

For me as a ref I'm pinging it because I see white scrum go back and then down. If it was just down (as per this scrum which was the reset) then I might consider it

 

[cyclopath]

On a personal note, Damon Murphy is one of my least enjoyable officials to watch. He demeanour, tone, officiating style, hip-thrusting walking style, the way he engages players and the way he the cuts line at coffee shops is dam annoying….

That is the most heinous thing...
If anyone on here who knows me has witnessed my mood "pre-morning caffeine" they will understand...

 

[Dan54]

The Jordan non-release was a shocker. The only other player in the near vicinity was Fraser McReight who would otherwise have secured possession. IMO the most obvious missed penalty in the game.

Perhaps apart from where Ryan dived on Jordan a few plays before?

 

[Tomthumb]

Dam Tom, you’ve found more to say about a Reds loss than you did during the Tahs’ entire season of collapses

What’s this got to do with the Tahs? I expected them to suck and they did

Tahs didn’t have a playing group this good and they didn’t have

I’m the opposite. I’m disappointed with the loss and our season is done. But the effort was there. The score line was 20 points but it was closer than that. Felt like it was 12 - 0 for ages. Game was over when lynagh went off at the 35min mark, with our 2nd flyhalf injured and our 3rd guy medically retired.
The season was a disappointment in that we should have finished at least top 4.
You’re having a crack at Les for not winning a QF but he is taking this team forward, injuries and having the bye in the first week took us backwards.

That’s the problem, he hasn’t taken the team forward in terms of results

 

[fatprop]

Hey, Pfitzy. I’m interested in your thoughts on the Crew THP bind to Faga’ase. One of the early scrums he actually dropped his bind and re-bound on his arm. Then pulled it down. Faga’ase was pinged for dropping the scrum. The arm-bind and/or pull continued through most of the match.

They were a better unit, the all black front row was solid all night and dominant scrums get away with every marginal decision

 

[dru]

That’s the problem, he hasn’t taken the team forward in terms of results

This is STILL not the forum, but we have a night's sleep between the game and this comment, so...

Les was very close. A couple of games could easily have been different. And the team depth is way better than where we have been. Les shows respect and support for outside the 23. It does have an impact. The game play is way better.

With all that said, results aught dictate the way we review an HC. The results have been stagnant. Les needs to show his stuff here in Qld, let alone for a Wallaby job.

One final statement, other than for the Wallaby job interruption, I'd be hanging onto this guy as much as I could. He's got a tough gig for 2026.

 

[Major Tom]

That’s the problem, he hasn’t taken the team forward in terms of results

Well he’s not taken them backwards either. With an injury list probably the worst in the comp kiss is doing pretty well.
If he can get the wallabies to play the way the reds do with more positional depth, results would flow imo.