Semi Final 1: Crusaders vs Hurricanes
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What a great game..more deserving of a final..
I thought the official was very good despite some of the coms that are popping up..
The Canes pack surprised me this evening staying in the contest for so long...If the Canes could point to one area where I thought they lost the game..It was a very poor first 38 minutes especially the kicking of Beauden Barrett and in the 2nd half while they were much better, the accuracy of the pass was very poor..
Thought Ardie and TJ were awesome for the Canes,and Walker Leawere was a work horse ...For the Saders,I was impressed with Bridge,Reece and Havilli,
In the forwards thought Whitelock and Read were very solid, but my man of the match be a country mile was Richie Mo’unga ..
Congratulations to the Saders, but the Canes have so much heart they have my respect..! -
That was an act of real desperation from Whitelock there and not something I'd be happy with him doing in a RWC knock-out game - you can bet your bottom dollar it would checked given how important it was. Pretty uncharacteristic for him.
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@No-Quarter It worked, like many other dark arts. But yeah risky!
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Great game. Few thought from a AB perspective
Great to see Coles getting back to his best
TJP outstanding and probby first choice at 9. Smith hasn't been too shabby
The Ritchie/Beauden debate will go on - good debate to have
George Bridge may have booked a ticket to Japan
Ardie's been on fire this season and Sam Cane hasn't been too shabby on his return either - who starts?
Read was anonymous tonight - interested to see how he goes in the final -
@No-Quarter Especially if it was a french referee
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@No-Quarter if the play had Brocken down sooner after Mo’unga got hit late by Coles, I am sure it would have been a yellow card, so you could say he dodged a bullet a bit like Whitelock
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@Tim said in Semi Final 1: Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
Pity, as the Canes will have a decent pack next year if they can recruit a loosehead.
Reserve LH? Smith was really good and has always been a solid prop.
I thought TJP was the best player on the park.
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@Victor-Meldrew are you kidding about Read..thought Read was outstanding in the first half,very busy...and still going full on defensively at the end...don’t tell me you have answer at 8 for the All Blacks..
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Hurricanes were the better team by some distance for about 41 minutes minus two plays. And although their game plan didn't look quite right for the first 39 they were equal to everything the crusaders could through at them.
Amazing grit from the crusaders to cling on for the win. Robertson has a gift for building never say die mentalities in squads. I'm a bitwworried about Read and Goodhue. Both are still solid, but well down on their peaks.
Feel for the canes, did everything except win in the second half.
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@Cyclops long season for many of All Blacks, I want them at their best in Japan..if you were worried about Read & Goodhue ..I was staggered by how poor Beauden Barrett’s first half was ,but you know what I will cut them some slack..!
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Well played Crusaders. Proud of our boys for putting in a big shift. All our big names stood up, especially Perenara. Fantastic performance.
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What a game! Worthy of a Final! The right team won, but geez, that was close! Great effort from the Canes until the final minute.
Mo'unga miles better than BB.
Perenara impressive.
Ardie couldn't do his thing in this game.
Laumape was outstanding.
Coles took too many angry pills before the game; according to the radio commentators he was involved in a lot of off-the ball stuff (esp in first half). Didn't sound good.
This game also showed how important Crotty is defensively; I hope he's okay (esp for the ABs).This was the best of the two semi-finals. More entertaining and better quality and intensity rugby.
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@canefan well said,gee after the first 38 minutes I thought the Saders were gonna strangle the life out of the Canes
But they came out in the 2nd half with a bit of momentum..,holding on to the ball but more importantly getting on the outside of the Saders midfield ..just a couple of occasions when they switched off defensively..
On saying that I was impressed with the Canes pack standing up..but it was the Saders evening and I think based across the 80 minutes ,it was deserving..! -
Awesome game in the end. That should have been the final. The end of this bullshit conference format can’t come soon enough.
Whitelock’s hand of god robbed the Canes of one last crack at winning but that isn’t the reason they lost. The way they played in the first half was pathetic. I hope BB remembers this game for the rest of the year. Good BB takes on the defence and sets others away like in the 2nd half. Rubbish BB endlessly kicks away possesion hoping for some miracle play like in the 1st half.
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Should I start a Who should be AB 10 v.8.0 thread? 🙂
TJP will be one of our most important players at the RWC. I’m predicting close games and his finishing will be critical.
