Highlanders vs Blues
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@jaycee said in Highlanders vs Blues:
@crucial after the Blues performance last night, it's going to be extremely tough opening two weeks on the road for the Chiefs.
Yeah. Always was going to be.
As I keep saying. The NZ conference is massively difficult and coming third, fourth or fifth can come down to a few moments, injures or calls. Someone has to come last and they aren’t necessarily shite -
@crucial said in Highlanders vs Blues:
No one going to comment on that nice piece of play from Collins at the end there? A nice step and offload that put the Landers under pressure at the next phases leading to a penalty.
Did a couple of good things to make half breaks. Imagine if Nanai had been in those positions ...
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@pukunui said in Highlanders vs Blues:
So good to have the rugby back. Great game to start. Both sides looked pretty good for their first game. A Smith and B Smith showing their class.
Funny to see people complain about the yellow. Last year at the start of the super seasonthat was red. Show how fucked the policing of that area is. I fully expect that same tackle will be both red and penalty only at some point this season.
The communicator pulled of probably his best ever play at super level for the Ioane try. He is still mud though.
Akira really needs to shelve his tough guy from the mean streets attitude. No need to come running in for a shove. It will cost him one day.
I agree with big-gut-guy here. Yellow at least. Direct forceful contact with the head. Lucky it wasn't red.
As for Squire good decision. Late and unnecessary. No head contact. Advantage played. Try scored. Move on.
Interesting to see how who you support skews you view on the above.
BTW I wanted the Blues to win.
Liked what i saw from Paddy T's few minutes. Looked angry.
Scrafton is bigger than I recall.
Good game to watch through a slight red win haze.
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@steven-harris said in Highlanders vs Blues:
You just no it’s not gonna be your night when when there’s daylight Reiko Ioane and the ball rolls over the touch line.
I do wonder if the Blues should have been awarded a penalty for the Highlander (Squire?) pushed Ioane way back at the start of that chase?
If he hadn’t have been pushed off balance he would have collected that ball before it went into touch. -
Enjoyable first game. Thought Pulu was really poor. Collins was better than expected. Squire was good.
But my wet dream will be BFA. Looked super refreshed and ready to rumble.
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Some random thoughts
SBW is slow as hell in the open field. Strictly a 12 only - cant be considered for 13.
Naholo and Rieko were both excellent - brilliant to watch.
Rob 'Matchbox 20' Thompson really strong.
Akira made a statement - workrate up - looks bloody fit - x factor galore. Outplayed Luke Whitelock.
Pulu clearly outplayed by Aaron Smith but by no means was he poor - error free, was decisive at ruck time, made good captaincy choices.
Gatland's boot a huge step up from Ihaia.
Preston looked out of his depth - I had my suspicions when Steve Bates talked him up - sure enough.
Nutbrown wasnt atrocious but he isnt a very good ref - Highlanders got the rub of the green.
Cracking game considering first for both.
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I am not convinced about the "Akira workrate up" observation.
Will wait and see, think he drifts in and out of games a lot, hard to argue with two tries but they were not super difficult, the second against A Smith more difficult but he should be scoring those tries. His lineout work looked pretty good at times on opposition throw.
No question he outplayed Whitelock L, how is Whitelock an AB number 8, can't break tackles or beat a man, the only thing he seemed to offer last night that he didn't really make any stupid mistakes and turn the ball over when he went into contact, and goes into contact without much impact.
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As a neutral, I think the better side won. The Blues can be brilliant but they lack the necessary composure to be clinical.
Positives :Hodgman can scrum.
Scrafton was very effective in the rucks. Good game from him.
Tuipolutu was very good when he came in.
Akira's workate has greatly improved. Early days admittedly, but he's on his way into the AB squad if he can keep on playing like that.
Gatland is better and quicker than I expected.
Collins was not as awful as most ferners think he is. Solid game despite the early penalties.
Squire has shown why he is an All Black (Whitelock not so).
Really impressed by Aaron Smith. Damned, he is really fit to get behind every ruck so quickly !
Walden was sharp in his both tries. Otherwise, he was very quiet.Negatives :
Coltman can't throw.
George Moala was pretty ineffective. From what I saw in this game, the Blues best backline should be : Collins - Duffy - Ioane - SBW - Nanai (or Duffy at fullback and Moala on the wing).
The Blues bench props were not up to the standard in terms of scrummaging. -
Here are the Ioane and Whitelock stats:
Tries 2:0
Ball carries 9:9
Good passes 2:3
Line breaks 0:0
Offloads 0:1
Tackle breaks 2:1
Turnovers conceded 1:0
Turnovers won 0:0
Tackles dominant 1:3
Tackles made 8:11
Tackles missed 1:2
Handling errors 2:1
Penalties 0:0
Lineouts stollen 0:0
Lineouts won 3:0 -
@username said in Highlanders vs Blues:
Here are the Ioane and Whitelock stats:
Tries 2:0
Ball carries 9:9
Good passes 2:3
Line breaks 0:0
Offloads 0:1
Tackle breaks 2:1
Turnovers conceded 1:0
Turnovers won 0:0
Tackles dominant 1:3
Tackles made 8:11
Tackles missed 1:2
Handling errors 2:1
Penalties 0:0
Lineouts stollen 0:0
Lineouts won 3:0What is that saying about statistics?
There's lies, damn lies, then statistics ...
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@username said in Highlanders vs Blues:
Here are the Ioane and Whitelock stats:
Tries 2:0
Ball carries 9:9
Good passes 2:3
Line breaks 0:0
Offloads 0:1
Tackle breaks 2:1
Turnovers conceded 1:0
Turnovers won 0:0
Tackles dominant 1:3
Tackles made 8:11
Tackles missed 1:2
Handling errors 2:1
Penalties 0:0
Lineouts stollen 0:0
Lineouts won 3:0Here endeth today's lesson about your opinion vs objective data.
Can I suggest every citizen on the planet retains this lesson for all aspects of life 😁
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Stats are for selectors who don’t really watch the game.
How effective were each persons carries? How many defenders did they take out of he game during that carry? How much did they each lift their team with each dominant tackle? Was their good passing under pressure, or was the opposite 20m away?
I could go on, but stats are only half the story.
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The most import stat is errors keep them to a minimum and there’s a good chance your on the winning side of the ledger.
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I notice the Whitelock stats don't include the turnover he conceded when held up like a bitch by Tuipolotu and ref ruled collapsed maul. Whitelock did nothing, Ioane was everywhere, especially helping out Collins with the high balls.
I really enjoyed this game, astounding to think it was the first of the season. Very even, very open, some cracking tries. In the end i thought the difference was the Highlanders elite players were just better. Aaron Smith is easily the best halfback in the world, and makes a massive difference to any side he plays for. Ben Smith was fucking handy as well, despite not being quite as sharp (understandable given his break).
For the Blues they were pretty close, but their formation, and how flat they are playing, isn't going to work with SBW jogging on to the ball. Those big midfielders need to be hitting the ball harder to hold defenders, or generate the momentum to provide offloads (not that the blues outside backs were sniffing around them). Pulu still slows down far too much of their ball as well. Highlanders just looked more settled, and better coached.
