Blues v Hurricanes
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Made a last minute decision to jump on the train and take the boy to his first Super game.
Was a good crowd in, created a great atmosphere and they got their moneys worth despite the loss.
The first half was awesome, both teams playing great footy. Things tightened up in the 2nd 40 and when the Blues went ahead I was sure they would push on, but they probably lack a bit leadership in the final 20 to put games like that away, which comes back to their 10.
Anyway a few things I noted...
Canes really missed Proctor at 13, it is pretty clear the positive influence he has on Laumape, who while running strongly was a bit lost and lacked vision.
Another player that lacks vision is SBW, who is very much a one-tricky pony, the trick being take the contact and look for an offload, even when an obvious and simple draw and pass would put his outside away. I noticed it when he was playing 7s too, always looking for the contact/offload instead of passing to the man in space. That's really not the attributes you want in a test 12, so if he must be in the ABs I hope he doesn't start.
Beauden is something else. MOTM by a country mile, and if I'm being honest if he's in a Blue jersey tonight they win that game pretty comfortably. As noted by @Nepia after years and years of sub-standard 10s at the Canes I am absolutely savouring having him there. Can feel Blues fans pain in that regard.
Also mentioned by @Nepia is how quick Rieko is. Watching him chase BB live he was gaining on him but dived too early. May not have got him anyway but fuck he's good to watch in full flight, can see why the AB selectors like him.
The ball didn't go J Savea's way tonight but for such an experienced AB I expected him to impose himself a lot more. As @hydro11 mentioned he's actually been very good this year, I think the break last week was bad for him - the more he plays the better he gets.
Anyway I'm probably rambling a bit now but there's really nothing between the NZ teams again this year, while SA and Aus go through their struggles our teams are going from strength to strength. There's a heap of great work going on behind the scenes across all of NZ to make that happen - long may it continue.
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@No-Quarter said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Anyway I'm probably rambling a bit now but there's really nothing between the NZ teams again this year, while SA and Aus go through their struggles our teams are going from strength to strength. There's a heap of great work going on behind the scenes across all of NZ to make that happen - long may it continue.
Forever and ever.
Amen -
@No-Quarter watching Aso miss Luatua and a couple of other errors defensively showed how much Proctor was missed on defence too.
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Just finished watching it delayed. It's becoming very clear that if Sanza are really serious about making teams more competitive they will need to implement a strict 1 Barrett quota for all teams. Outside of BB's brilliance that 10 mins with a man down was seemless and critical in the win.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Hurricanes:
another vital error by the Blues
Error was they shoukd have taken the 3 ...
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@Rembrandt said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Just finished watching it delayed. It's becoming very clear that if Sanza are really serious about making teams more competitive they will need to implement a strict 1 Barrett quota for all teams. Outside of BB's brilliance that 10 mins with a man down was seemless and critical in the win.
I thought it was clear that Beauden was working in conjunction with the referees to implement this rule?
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@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Tim said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Billy-Tell Goosen is shit, but I'll be ropable if J. Savea is gifted an AB place again this year.
J.Savea has been good this season, just quiet tonight. Goosen was crap but he is still a very good player.
Goosen was very poor. I just hope this was a one off as he was VG last week. So did he just have a one off bad game starting out his super rugby career (just the wrong mind set after a good game last week) or is he inconsistent. Great one week and crap the next
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@booboo said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@taniwharugby said in Blues v Hurricanes:
another vital error by the Blues
Error was they shoukd have taken the 3 ...
Which time? Think Parsons was off the field this time wasn't he, so going for points not in blues gameplan?
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@taniwharugby The only time I can think of was when Barrett got his YC.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@booboo said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@taniwharugby said in Blues v Hurricanes:
another vital error by the Blues
Error was they shoukd have taken the 3 ...
Which time? Think Parsons was off the field this time wasn't he, so going for points not in blues gameplan?
think that was the one where BB was carded.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Hurricanes:
gee that ball into the scrum by TJ was no where near crooked, it was straight under the locks feet
Been a bugbear of mine this season for all teams. Seems worse this year than normal. Some feeds are quite league-esque.
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@canefan said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Kirwan said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Tim said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Every week the Blues make me think that maybe they can do it.
We played well tonight, but BB was the difference.
Sounds cliched but if the blues played almost anyone else tonight they would have won
Yeah what are they the 5th or 6th best team in the comp?
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@booboo yeah I think the points when BB was carded and the following 10 mins was very poor leadership by Parsons, think there may have been a long range shot later when Parsons was off, wasn't an easy one, so didn't take it.
@Kirwan i note your predicted line out meltdown didn't eventuate
That's because they didn't trust him to throw past 2. A smart way to deal with his throwing issues, but greatly reduces the attacking threat from the lineout. Especially seeing as we maul terribly.
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Pretty sure they threw long more than once after Moulds came on, otherwise they'd of gone to 2 all night given how shit Parsons has been this season.
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@canefan said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Over 1m people surely there could be one very good 10
For once I'll agree that they could do with a different 10. I hate to use the Warriors as an example of what to do but it's the Foran scenario.
The Blues have massive talent. Incredible speed and athleticism throughout. But they're using it wrong.
Play at that end ------> of the field. Then when mistakes happen you've got 70m to cover for them not 35m.
Stop throwing the miracle ball every play. Back your ability to get close and strike.
Said to Mrs boo when she asked "who's going to win?" (She always does.) Said "Canes. Blues have more talent but don't know how to win."
Kinda gutted for the Blues as they're a pretty good team and entertaining to watch and I empathise with a team that just can't find a way to win. They're not hopeless by any stetch. But they're now also rans.
