Reds v Blues
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@Canes4life said in Reds v Blues:
@Bones this is hilarious. I mention that the Blues haven't turned a corner and you throw your toys.
Just to get this on record - you think we're the same quality as last year? Because I don't, I think we're getting better. There are phases that we just dominate, and we're starting to string them together. From where we were, where we just rolled over in game after game and the players didn't seem to care, I think we have moved forward.
Despite being shite, there are two games that we have kicks to win the game, and a third where we've got the ball and chance to force a penaly to win (last night). Even with what looks like a whole lot of squad players playing last night, we're better.
It's like Auckland last year. They lads seem to be trying their uts out and not giving up. I'll go and support that, even if we have brain farts, horrific weaknesses around the park, and an organisation that's slowly turning around. In particular, when we play pick and go, our forward pack looks damn good and hard to defend against.
I'm late to the thread as I only watched the game this morning. We're not good enough to win when we can't adjust to the ref - and we didn't last night. ALso, the Pulu try being ruled out -- I have no issue with that in principle, but the frustration is so many players just stand up and run on after going down. All yo uwant is consistency - not one rule in open play, and another when you score a try. Frustrating. Not helped by the lineout from that penalty being totally not straight, and then players crawling (another pet peeve of mine) in the next two phases. All I want is consistency, and I don't get that in modern rugby. It's really annoying.
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@nzzp said in Reds v Blues:
Just to get this on record - you think we're the same quality as last year? Because I don't, I think we're getting better.
The fact it's debatable after the advances made by large parts of this squad with Auckland Mitre 10 Cup is troubling.
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@rotated said in Reds v Blues:
@nzzp said in Reds v Blues:
Just to get this on record - you think we're the same quality as last year? Because I don't, I think we're getting better.
The fact it's debatable after the advances made by large parts of this squad with Auckland Mitre 10 Cup is troubling.
Eh, very different level. If you looked at players who are going pretty well this season, a lot haven't spent time in the Blues environment. For me, the decent players from the year have been:
Nanai
Robinson
Faiane
Plummer
Pat T
Ofa
Karl (when on park)
Ma'a
Rieko (consistent, but not often spectacular)
Dalton + Blake (injuries)so 6/10 new-ish to the franchise. Here's hoping a good off season ,and more time with Leon will help
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@nzzp We're definitely an eyesore a lot of the times, but we're definitely better than last season.
Our biggest losses have been 26 - 7, 24 - 12 and 20 - 10(every other loss has been single digit). Only one team has been able to put 30 on us this season. Far better than last year. We stay in the fight, we're just very unpolished.
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Its going to be very interesting how and who McDonald recruits for next year some holes to fill and I think that recruitment will be key to more success next season.Do it wrong and another year like the last few.Totally agree about rotation you need a strong squad to win SR hence Recruitment a key for next season.
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@nzzp agree with the general thrust of that. I think Nonu is starting to show his age and that shows in the 2nd forty with his error rate. At times he looks every bit the great player he is. With my Northland hat on I think Nock in his two starts (?) started to show the promise we hoped he had.
Another comment is that players are never as good or bad as we think they are ( borrowed this from interview on the radio with Peter Thorburn many years ago ) and that selection mix, culture, coaching plays a big part in performance. In this regard the Blues have failed big time over many years. Last night I watched all the Blues loose forwards get pushed off within arms tackles a number of times. In the game before I watched the Highlanders come forward in a straight line and hit with their shoulders and drive tacklers back - and this was in the last 5 minutes when they had every right to be shagged. The culture and team work allows them to perform above the individual reputation of players in their squad.
Lastly, when are the Blues going to give Northland a Super 15 game. The Blues have always been run by the Auckland mafia and it has shat on them big time. They should have used Northland as a nursery and training ground for all the talent they have pissed away over the years. But they didn’t. Selfish pricks.
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@Chris there is going to be some competitive recruiting with every franchise having to plug holes in some way. How cool would a Super Rugby draft be.
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@Canes4life Yeah I always thought that, a draft televised would be Awesome.Would create some extra interest.
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@Canes4life said in Reds v Blues:
@Chris there is going to be some competitive recruiting with every franchise having to plug holes in some way. How cool would a Super Rugby draft be.
I think the idea of a draft is a dumb idea, I dont want rugby turning out like American sports.
Rugby has always been a tribal game in NZ... Most kids in Christchurch grow up dreaming of playing for Canterbury and the Crusaders.
Let the players decide where they want to play, don’t start telling them where to go.
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A great way of evening up the teams. Imagine Aumua at the Blues, Jordie at the Highlanders, Jordan at the Canes, Ennor at the Chiefs, Ioane at the Crusaders etc.
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@SammyC Easy to say as a Crusaders fan when you automatically attract talent based on your history and culture. I would rather have five strong NZ teams, than 2 like we do atm. I just feel like evening the playing field would bring more interest back into he game, because right now the crowds and viewership is seriously dwindling and it's a massive worry.
If not a draft, it would be cool to atleast have a trade system.
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@Canes4life said in Reds v Blues:
@SammyC Easy to say as a Crusaders fan when you automatically attract talent based on your history and culture. I would rather have five strong NZ teams, than 2 like we do atm. I just feel like evening the playing field would bring more interest back into he game, because right now the crowds and viewership is seriously dwindling and it's a massive worry.
Nah I supported Canterbury through the bad times too... early to mid nineties were pretty tough....doesn’t make a difference where we are on the table.
It’s all swings and roundabouts.....The crusaders won’t be the best side for ever, but I’ll still support them and kids in this area will always grow up wanting to play for them.
I don’t want it to end up like American sport where people pick and choose who they support based on team branding and which players they recruit.
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@SammyC Yeah after losing the shield we went through Hell as Canterbury supporter's I thought we would never beat Auckland again.And then the first year SR we finished last.Then the frustrating Blackadder years we should have won more titles and kept falling over.It hasn't been all up hill being a Red n Black man.We have had pain like every other supporter.
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@SammyC Fair call, and same goes with me, I will always support Wellington sides no matter what. I just think there needs to be a way of spreading the talent across our teams rather than having this situation where there are a stack of healthy players sitting in the stands in one team because of depth, and holes to fill in another team.
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@SammyC Agree, although I can only relate to this at NPC level. Hawke's Bay have had some really bad years under Philpott, Ranfurly Shield wins excluded. Despite all the frustration, I would never be able to support another team. Last year, we finally saw some improvements with all the new local talent coming up and now I feel hopeful again and am looking forward to the new season, more than ever. I doubt I would feel that way if we signed our players on the basis of a draft.
American sports, I hardly watch them anymore, despite some amazing talent on show, now and then. Reason: it has no heart.
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@Canes4life The problem with the holes in teams is that some teams are just shit at recruiting. One example is the so obvious Wellington bias of the Canes. Hawke's Bay and Manawatu players ending up at other franchises, while the Canes need good players in their positions, is a typical example, that could have been avoided. Fakatava at the Highlanders is a very clear and recent example. Falcon at the Chiefs (forget his injuries, because that's hindsight) is another.
