<p>Ummm, either you guys are just watching the Canes v the Chiefs for the first time almost a week late, or you haven't realised the Chiefs v Sharks game thread is here . . . <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/index.php/topic/41960-chiefs-v-sharks/'>http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/index.php/topic/41960-chiefs-v-sharks/</a></p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="574959" data-time="1461650178"><p>Yeah, but he did avoid a week because one of his weeks was a bye week. So, again, difference in requirements.</p></blockquote>
No, Pocock got a two game ban, which lasted three weeks becouse of the bye.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="574390" data-time="1461403973">
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<p>The loss of Edmunds is a big one. Without him, the Landers scrum looks weak. His absence is also felt in the loose. I rate him highly, more than Reggie Goodes who has a lot of fans in this forum.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>He can also play both sides too, so would have been a good choice for the 5th prop in the ABs. </p>

<p>Yeah im a sumo fan , I find his commentary good , and his one liners funny without being over the top , </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I used to be a John Drake fan too , loved his dry humor </p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="573032" data-time="1460886537">
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<p>Yeah, I meant 4 teams. I remember ages ago there was a discussion about the turf at Westpac stadium. They reckon it wouldn't cope if there was to be an NRL team at Westpac - the turf would just be too heavily used.</p>
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<p>I wonder what the turf at Westpac looks like now then, after the Bulldogs v Warriors game from last night. Didn't watch that game ...</p>

I guess that's part of the beauty of the game, not only can differing people play it, different people can take away a different perception.<br><br><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="572918" data-time="1460841471"><p>The lack of impact from Skelton kind of shows just what a leveller and game for all sizes that Rugby Union is and what makes it so awesome.<br> <br>You can't just give a big dude the ball and expect rewards. You have to work together to give him the ball effectively</p></blockquote>True, but if I've got Mumm playing as a lock, I want my tight lock to do more than a metre per carry, or more tackles than there are halves. Particularly if he weighs ~140kg. For some reason our workrate has been poor this season and we're not imposing ourselves. Doesn't help that our execution has failed us too.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cantab79" data-cid="572687" data-time="1460779278">
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<p>I'm very happy with the result, after being worried all week that this could have been a banana skin game for the Crusaders given the travel.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In saying that, if I'm brutally honest I'm not sure if this game is a reflection on how good we were, or how poor the Jags were. I thought the Crusaders were wasteful again in attack, and squandered quite a few chances that a team like the Chiefs would have taken. The set piece was still good although not flawless. Mo'unga's goal kicking has not been brilliant, but I really like the way he is emerging as a no.10. I thought our best players were Todd,Dagg, Read and Crotty. I know Matt Todd has somewhat flown under the radar this year, what with all the focus being on Cane and Ardie Savea, but he is a seriously good player. His defense is world class, his workrate is phenomenal and his support play is a real feature. He also makes great decisions in attack, in terms of when to pass/offload, when to run and when to take the tackle. </p>
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<p>Yeah - I actually thought we would lose that game. In the end we won easily and perhaps the best performance of the season. Still much to work on, but we're playing with more intent than the past few seasons - some of which is a change in approach from the coaches, but quite a bit a different attitude from the senior players who are a bit less focused on their AB careers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dagg had an excellent game - really wound the clock back a few years and reinforces my belief hat he's not been 100% for the past couple of years. Showed a clean pair of heels to the Argies for his 2nd try and a long time since he's done that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mo'unga is going very well, except for the goal kicking. A solution needs to be found, because his current accuracy won't cut the mustard in the big games.</p>
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<p>Agree on Todd - he can play!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Interesting to see Taufua appearing in various form "selections" (Breakown/Herald). His big drawback is that he's about four inches short of being the desired height for an international blindside. Admittedly, paired with Read, you'd still have a better lineout than the Collins/So'oialo pairing, but I'm still inclined to agree with Nepia (gargles with listerine 🙂  ) that his best position might be seven.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="571995" data-time="1460547104"><p>
Aren't you a Queenslander? Offer to change it to Pocock so we know you really mean it. ;)</p></blockquote>
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Oooooooooooohhhhh now you raised the stakes. For the record, despite living in Brisbane I hate Cooper with a passion and despite the media bullshit, not too many Reds fans shed a tear at his departure. I actually have a massive amount of respect for Pocock the professional athlete. It's the hypocrite sjw greenie tosser that I can't stand.<br><br>
But I digress... to show how sure I am that (a fully fit) Cruden will be selected over Lima, I will change my Avatar to a picture of Cooper AND Pocock if I'm wrong. Fark I'll even throw Ben Afflick in with them.

<p>Only the second time in the last 20 years we've won 3 in a row on tour apparently.</p>
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<p>Bloody good effort from a young team.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>It's so much better to watch this year, I was sick of the attitude of our senior ABs for the last 3 years.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It looks like we are playing with a heap more passion this year. Saw Taufua kiss the crusaders logo on his jersey before running out onto the field, good stuff.</p>

<p>most annoying thing for me watching that game was thinking how farking amazing we'd be if we had the Ioane boys... nearly had em, they were keen.. the old man stopped them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>saw him after the game and gave him sh*t about it. feel better now. ha.</p>

<p>Yep they might well have won with Bender there but they need the whole squad to step up and their tacking was so poor in the first half they didn't deserve to win.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sopoanga was composed I thought and played well but they needed one or two more cool heads. Fekitoa did not seem his usual self and appeared jittery, almost like he was trying to do it all himself with both Naholo and B Smith not being there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I didn't realize how quick Sopoaga is?  70m out I thought there was no way he was going to make it all the way.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="570917" data-time="1460148166">
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<p>Yeah, people that <strong>actively search the internet</strong> looking for things they can be offended about on behalf of others.</p>
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<p>Like looking for apologies from rugby players online to whine about? :)</p>

<p>Oh yes!!</p>
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<p>Brilliant. So weak in the head, that lad</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="569709" data-time="1459727779"><p>Well, I think there are a few factors in play.<br>
 <br>
This is Gibson's first shot at the big time, and therefore he's less likely to be as confrontational as Cheika was. As with the Reds post-2011, the feeling in Tah land is that now we've done it once, let's not upset the apple cart in order to do it again.<br>
 <br>
What is shows is that personnel is not enough, and that AAC and Kepu - though maybe moreso Douglas - were important. <br>
 <br>
Blades' appointment was met with a few raised eyebrows, as was the acquisition of Ta'avao. Though in fairness the scrum was a lot better than it has been in past weeks. <br>
 <br>
One problem is that we started the season picking a THP at LHP and that has now marked us for the rest of the season. The penalty from the last scrum of the game shows that more than anything. That was, at worst, a reset, because from where I was sitting, the Rebels THP played Paddy and the AR like a fiddle. <br>
 <br>
The main issue is that we're playing the same plan we had two years ago when we won, and it isn't working, and hasn't worked, for over 12 months. The Rebels set up their first try with a nice load of Pick n Go before going wide, and getting a back on forward.<br>
 <br>
The Tahs are still trying to hit 2nd Channel with a forward, and then running laterally in the backs, without understanding that people are wise to this, and know to cut down the space of guys like Skelton and Lousi and Palu, and just drift on Folau and Foley and Beale.<br>
 <br>
Rebels did the basics well, and still could have lost that game despite all the Tahs' ineptitude. The didn't score on the second half, didn't have much territory, and didn't kick that well. But they tackle their arses off and waited for (inevitable) mistakes.<br>
 <br>
Doesn't matter how you win, really, but neither side is going to ring up huge gates with those kinds of performances.</p></blockquote>
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Ta'avao responsible for two of the Rebels tries. Timani swatted him off like he was an u-65kg winger. An improved scrum doesn't make up for that.

Moala tried too much when he came on (ridiculous fucking offload), but I think that if Tana is really about developing for the future - he'll put him in and let him develop. He and Ranger should be great there with a bit of time, a 10 who knows how to use them, and a better strategy than flinging it to them without any go forward.<br><br>
Personally, I thought Francis looked like a 10 playing 12. Maybe he deserves a shot running the ship from 10, but I'm not really convinced that the midfield was that much better than it has been.<br><br>
Even though I thought West would step up, he doesn't really take on the line enough to hold the defense, kind of like a poor man's Barrett slinging it along then occasionally running. He doesn't seem to be going to make it at this level, sadly. I wonder if he'd be better in the James Marshall role at the canes, but then who runs at 10. Perennial Blues problem.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cantab79" data-cid="569535" data-time="1459642940"><p>
Very happy to take two wins from the SA road trip, especially given the supposed quality of the two teams. I hope we don't stumble against the Force in Perth now, who have been somewhat of a bogey team for the Crusaders over the years and who played well for 60 minutes against the Highlanders in Dunedin.<br><br>
I hate people who harp on about the referee after a game, but I found Stuart Berry's officiating at scrum time extremely frustrating to watch.</p></blockquote>
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Got to agree. Appeared to be some feedback that he was pretty much blatently biased. So I was deliberately looking for it in his decisions.<br><br>
Frankly i think it was more he was out of his depth. <br><br>
The only call I think was super glaringly wrong was the tip tackle on Romano (?). Had to be a penalty if not a yc. Went with the scrum ... ???<br><br>
Oh. And when he penalised the Saders for the Ellis Park grass being shit. That was poor.

<p>Any news on the concussion suffered by Bender in friendly fire?</p>
<p>How bad is Sopoaga's groin strain - will he return this week?</p>
<p>And Edmonds was looking the goods - how bad is the knee - went to hospital for scan?</p>

That was my understanding too, as long as it was to steady on the engagement and the prop doesn't use it to drive off.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="567409" data-time="1458986288">
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<p>I am not too convinced by Weber. He is too eager and this <strong>makes him take the wrong option sometimes. </strong></p>
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<p> </p>
<p>A good example was in the 2nd half when Weber butchered a certain try by ignoring a huge overlap to his right and running himself close to the ruck and losing the ball in the tackle.  Weber's other problem is that his passing can be very inaccurate (passes can be too high or too low).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I was at the game so a few other comments:</p>
<p>Ngatai - nuff said.</p>
<p>Tamanivalu was really poor defensively.  He has a tendency to rush out of the line and miss spot tackles. </p>
<p>I really like this Chiefs loose forward trio - they complement eachother well.</p>
<p>Seu impresses more every week.</p>
<p>The Chiefs got good impact from the inexperienced bench.  A surprise to me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>BUT the highlight of the night was when Beaver took the field.  Everyone in my area rose to their feet to applaud.  :)</p>

<p>they really are justifying their win last year, while I was happy for them last year I wasnt convinced they were that good , I felt it was one of those lucky right place right time type things , </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I was wrong, they really are the real deal , even when average they have that winning clinical look to them </p>