Highlanders v Crusaders
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Pretty entertaining game.
Best game from Elliot Dixon in about 3 years. Best game ever for Li.
Luke Whitelock was huge on defence.Marshall had his cheerleading going tonight which is funny because he is usually over egging the "neutral" perspective. That drop from Bateman was a knock on every day of the week. It would be opening an inconsistent can of worms to call that a strip.
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@no-quarter said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@wally said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Not enough impact or size for a lock.
Not enough impact or skill for a 6.
Too many stupid penalties.
Yeah, seems like one of those players that can play wither 6 or lock, but neither to the highest standard. Like a cricket all-rounder that is only competent at batting/bowling without being a standout.
The All Blacks very own Mitch Santner.....
But the All Blacks are too good to have Mitch Santners....they should be full of Imran Khans and Jaques Kallis's.
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Moody franks whitelock read Mo’unga Crotty Dagg. Too much quality injured for the saders
Li owned goodhue.
If only Luke whitelock had a bit more bulk. His work rate can’t be faulted. Hopefully not a false dawn for Elliott Dixon.
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@billy-tell Whitelock was listed in the pre game stats at around 116kgs. That's not bad.
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@crazy-horse said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@billy-tell Whitelock was listed in the pre game stats at around 116kgs. That's not bad.
On a weight to height ratio that stat makes him the heaviest Whitelock and yet he STILL needs to put on weight. There's just no pleasing some people.
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@crazy-horse said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@billy-tell Whitelock was listed in the pre game stats at around 116kgs. That's not bad.
The limitation on Luke Whitelock is what he does with the ball in hand as he's not very dynamic like we expect our AB no.8s to be. With his workrate and punishing tackling I think he'd go OK at 6 for the ABs playing the tighter role.
Speaking of AB no.6s, Squire is out for 6 weeks with a broken thumb so Dixon should get an extended run now for the Highlanders.
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@bovidae said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Speaking of AB no.6s, Squire is out for 6 weeks with a broken thumb so Dixon should get an extended run now for the Highlanders.
If the ABs were playing a test today the pack would be without Moody, Coles, Franks, Whitelock, Squire, Read, Hames and Laulala.
I guess they'd have to ask Wyatt to rescind his retirement to play loosehead prop.
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It’s only Canterbury B’s.....
We looked way off the pace for large parts of that game. There were good moments but our intensity waned. We lacked go forward up front and Mitch, whilst a decent player doesn’t have the class of Mo’unga the deal with that. At least with Richie, even when our forwards aren’t dominating he still stands pretty flat and has his running and kicking game that the opposition need to worry about.
Kicking game was poor as well. Landers did very well to keep us pegged in our own half for most of the 2nd 40.
Some interesting comments about Elliott Dixon. Sure he played well if he had an 11 or 14 on his back.... I thought he spent far to much time out wide. Luke Whitelock and the two locks were the standouts for me.
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@act-crusader Agree on Mitch Hunt. He's a decent player, but sits firmly in the group of "back-up" Super first fives. Not going to carry a team over the line on his own.
Mitch Drummond's distribution was good, but his box kicking was very poor. Probably didn't enhance his case to take over from Hall.
Highlanders played especially the last 20 minutes very smart. Got their noses in front and then played down our end.
We've really got to make sure that we keep some momentum going through the next three weeks, pick up at least half the points on offer so that we're not in too deep of a hole once the cavalry arrives (after the bye in mid-April).
Need to get Sammy Whitelock back ASAP. Tim Perry should hopefully be available to take over from Chris King this week.
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@chris-b said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Agree on Mitch Hunt. He's a decent player, but sits firmly in the group of "back-up" Super first fives. Not going to carry a team over the line on his own.
He seems to be a player that has a reputation above his ability. It was the same last year too
Obviously the freakish drop goal is one reason for that. Also I think he got way too match credit for the come from behind victories early last year. Those comebacks were more about Whitelock not letting the backs get the ball anymore and mauling the opposition into the ground
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