Crusaders 2018
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@stargazer said in Crusaders 2018:
The 2018 Super Rugby draw for the Crusaders is:
You can find it here (pdf)
Pretty happy with that draw..
Chiefs at home is a great first up game.
Lions then Jags away followed by the bye works well too, will be good to beat the Lions away 2 years in a row.
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@stargazer said in Crusaders 2018:
@sammyc Yeah, too bad that those early games will be played without Moody, Franks and possibly Dagg though. Will be tough.
We've managed without Dagg for most of the past couple of seasons.
Moody and Franks are big losses, but I've got a lot of confidence in Crockzilla and the backups after this season, Alaalatoa really stepped up and played some big minutes at tighthead in our run to the title.
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So we don't play the Sharks or the Reds. That's about average - I guess.
Having to play the Jaguares in BA is probably the fixture you don't want from a travel side of things, but someone has to do it. Getting the bye directly after is helpful.
Seems like it is a "somewhat fairer" competition than the past couple of seasons.
Has anyone got a link to how the play-offs are structured?
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@chris-b I haven't seen any further info than this:
The three conference winners will automatically qualify for the playoffs as well as the next five best performing teams (with the most points) regardless of conference.
See the last bullet point in this article:
http://superrugby.co.nz/News/30606/new-zealand-rugby-welcomes-investec-super-rugby-revamp -
@stargazer You'd imagine the finishing order and home advantage will work the same as this year i.e. advantage conference winners.
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@chris-b Yes, I think so, too. I assume they're not going to change anything else. In that case, the finals schedule will be:
- seeding according to points total (after the round robin) of the conference winners: 1-3
- seeding according to points total (after the round robin) of the five wild cards: 4-8
Quarter-finals (first named team plays at home):
QF 1: 1 v 8
QF 2: 2 v 7
QF 3: 3 v 6
āQF 4: 4 v 5Semi-Finals (highest ranked winners from the respective quarter-finals play at home):
SF 1: Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 4
SF 2: Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 3Final:
Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 -
@chris-b said in Crusaders 2018:
So we don't play the Sharks or the Reds. That's about average - I guess.
Having to play the Jaguares in BA is probably the fixture you don't want from a travel side of things, but someone has to do it. Getting the bye directly after is helpful.
Seems like it is a "somewhat fairer" competition than the past couple of seasons.
Has anyone got a link to how the play-offs are structured?
Come on Chris, some might start (incorrectly of course) thinking us Crusader fans are arrogant, already talking about finals
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@act-crusader Far from it!!!
Since they'll doubtless list the conference tables in alphabetical order, we're currently struggling in third place behind the Blues and the Chiefs and need to buck up our ideas.
Far be it from me to suggest that the supporters of the leading teams should enjoy it while they can!
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I see that Oli Jaeger has signed a new contract with Crusaders until 2020. What's people's view of him? Good prospects? Middling?
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@pot-hale Yeah - he's very promising. He's not had much super rugby time yet, but he's got good size for the position and he'll be well coached and learning from Owen Franks.
Just not sure who he's a good prospect for!
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@frye Digby Ioane was useful when he played and also signed. As is Macilai.
Like Stargazer, I'd snap up Tim Bateman and, assuming we get Jordan, that would be a pretty decent complement of outside backs - with room for probably one more (Mataele?).
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@frye said in Ta$man (feat. Robbie Malneek) vs Southland:
Crusaders backs looking good with Crotty, Jordan, Ennor, Havili, Seta, Dagg, Bridge and Goodhue.
@chris-b said in Ta$man (feat. Robbie Malneek) vs Southland:
@frye Digby Ioane was useful when he played and also signed. As is Macilai.
Like Stargazer, I'd snap up Tim Bateman and, assuming we get Jordan, that would be a pretty decent complement of outside backs - with room for probably one more (Mataele?).
So much better than the Blackadder era already. Fonotia, McNiccol, Tuitavaki are already distant memories.
Assume Marty Mackenzie wont be re-signed. Spent the whole season being useless for the University club.
So room for 2 more? I'd take 2 of Cameron/Macckay/Mataele.
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@pot-hale said in Crusaders 2018:
I see that Oli Jaeger has signed a new contract with Crusaders until 2020. What's people's view of him? Good prospects? Middling?
Very promising, glad he's stayed as I'm sure Irish clubs would have been interested.
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Just to bring this conversation on the team across...
Contracted Crusaders:
Codie Taylor (until 2021), Sam Whitelock, Oli Jager, Mitchell Drummond (2020); Kieran Read, Owen Franks, Israel Dagg, Joe Moody, Ben Funnell, Tim Perry, Mitchell Hunt, George Bridge, Jack Goodhue, David Havili, Richie Mo'unga, Tom Sanders, Braydon Ennor (2019); Matt Todd, Ryan Crotty, Seta Tamanivalu, Wyatt Crockett, Jordan Taufua, Scott Barrett, Luke Romano, Mike Alaalatoa, Jone Macilai, Leon Fukofuka, Pete Samu, Digby Ioane, Bryn Hall (2018).So eight slots remaining - plus presumably injury cover for Moody and Franks.
Not yet signed from last year's squad:
Jed Brown
Quentin Strange
Andrew Makalio
Heiden Bedwell Curtis
Mitchell Dunshea
Tim Bateman
Manasa Makaele
Marty McKenzie
Sione Fifita
Sean WainuiNew signings:
Tom Sanders
Braydon Ennor -
@sammyc I think there's four unfilled spots if we have the same number of backs as last year.
I'm suggesting Bateman and Jordan take two of them. I'm still suggesting that we sign Enari (or Stratton) and just carry Fukofuka as a fourth halfback in the squad (if we can't get him signed elsewhere).
I reckon Bateman can be the third first five if we want (thanks for your efforts, Marty) and plays 2nd five and centre. Seta, Ennor, Havili and Digby Ioane can also play in the midfield behind the top two if necessary.
Dagg and Seta are probably the top wings - with Ennor, Macilai and Bridge as cover.
And Havili, Jordan, Dagg and Bridge can play fullback.
So one more spot - a specialist first five (Cameron), a specialist midfielder (given a few of those I've named as cover are slightly ropey - Wainui?), or a power winger (Mataele) - or McKay (I struggle to see where he'd get a game).
We (well a mod) could shift this discussion to the Crusaders thread.
Edit: Thanks Duluth!
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@chris-b said in Ta$man (feat. Robbie Malneek) vs Southland:
@sammyc I think there's four unfilled spots if we have the same number of backs as last year.
I'm suggesting Bateman and Jordan take two of them. I'm still suggesting that we sign Enari (or Stratton) and just carry Fukofuka as a fourth halfback in the squad (if we can't get him signed elsewhere).
I reckon Bateman can be the third first five if we want (thanks for your efforts, Marty) and plays 2nd five and centre. Seta, Ennor, Havili and Digby Ioane can also play in the midfield behind the top two if necessary.
Dagg and Seta are probably the top wings - with Ennor, Macilai and Bridge as cover.
And Havili, Jordan, Dagg and Bridge can play fullback.
So one more spot - a specialist first five (Cameron), a specialist midfielder (given a few of those I've named as cover are slightly ropey (Wainui?), or a power winger (Mataele) - or McKay (I struggle to see where he'd get a game).
We (well a mod) could shift this discussion to the Crusaders thread.
Good post Chris.
I think it's an absolute certainty that we pick Bateman, he's an excellent team man and a great back up at 12/13 and probably 10 also.
I mentioned Mackay based on potential, but I'm still not sold on him either to be fair. Have seen him play 14/15 for lincoln a few times and he doesn't have the "wow" factor of their more high profile backs (J Barrett and Goodhue).
Matele is probably a good signing. I know he's very close to Seta Tamanivalu so probably a good thing for squad moral. And Mataele played damn well in limited minutes this year.
I hope Wainui is gone.... he's a skinny version of Fonotia as I see it. Lacks the pace to cut it at the next level
Sorry @Duluth one more post to move (just to be a pain in the arse
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