Blues v Hurricanes
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@canefan you'd like to think seeing Sotutu carve up would be the spark he needs to up his game, immense natural talent, but usurped by a talented kid with a huge ticker...Akira is only 25, so has time on his side, but needs to start using it!
He has time, but it is starting to run down now he is no longer top dog in his own Super team. If he doesn't move elsewhere next season, in the hope of resuscitating his career and getting a strong hand on a black jersey, I think he ends up abroad in a couple of years
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Really enjoyed that.
The game got a little messy in the last 20 but the first 60 was brilliant.
Sotutu, Clarke, Black and Otere were sensational.
Canes I think need to make some personnel changes. Their attack just didn't get going aside from that great try to Coles.
Am I missing something?
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@No-Quarter said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
I think the major difference was how dangerous the Blues looked with the ball in hand. With the new interpretations you are going to struggle to retain the ball for long periods of time. We just weren't good enough to manipulate an overlap. Many times Reiko Ioane created one from a two on two situation and put the winger away.
Lineout must improve for the Crusaders as well.
I feel like Rieko moved to centre a few years early, but man he has the potential to be world class in that position. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of seasons.
Rieko
JackFirst world problems.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@canefan you'd like to think seeing Sotutu carve up would be the spark he needs to up his game, immense natural talent, but usurped by a talented kid with a huge ticker...Akira is only 25, so has time on his side, but needs to start using it!
IMO Akira at his best is better than Sotutu at his best.
But I suspect we'll see more of Sotutu at his best than Akira.
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@kev said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@No-Quarter Agree. Reiko is just a fantastic runner. As the game opens up he excels. He is not a natural passer yet
He straightens and takes on the line, has the gas to go outside his man and put away the winger - a seriously good player.
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@No-Quarter said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
I think the major difference was how dangerous the Blues looked with the ball in hand. With the new interpretations you are going to struggle to retain the ball for long periods of time. We just weren't good enough to manipulate an overlap. Many times Reiko Ioane created one from a two on two situation and put the winger away.
Lineout must improve for the Crusaders as well.
I feel like Rieko moved to centre a few years early, but man he has the potential to be world class in that position. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of seasons.
Today was the best I've seen Rieko play at Centre. Great lines and angles of running. Defended the big channel confidently. Still needs to work on his passing game to get up to AB standard as a 13.
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@canefan said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Akira didn't even make the bench? He's got to leave and try to find himself elsewhere, he has already been overtaken in the pecking order in AKL
Akira should joins the Crusaders or the Canes next year.
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@No-Quarter said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
I think the major difference was how dangerous the Blues looked with the ball in hand. With the new interpretations you are going to struggle to retain the ball for long periods of time. We just weren't good enough to manipulate an overlap. Many times Reiko Ioane created one from a two on two situation and put the winger away.
Lineout must improve for the Crusaders as well.
I feel like Rieko moved to centre a few years early, but man he has the potential to be world class in that position. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of seasons.
I think centre is a tough position and he needs the time to learn. You need to move early and it's best to do it in year one of a World Cup cycle.
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@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@No-Quarter said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
I think the major difference was how dangerous the Blues looked with the ball in hand. With the new interpretations you are going to struggle to retain the ball for long periods of time. We just weren't good enough to manipulate an overlap. Many times Reiko Ioane created one from a two on two situation and put the winger away.
Lineout must improve for the Crusaders as well.
I feel like Rieko moved to centre a few years early, but man he has the potential to be world class in that position. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of seasons.
I think centre is a tough position and he needs the time to learn. You need to move early and it's best to do it in year one of a World Cup cycle.
That's silly, we all know it's way better to shift outside backs into the midfield immediately before or even during a RWC campaign
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@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@No-Quarter said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
I think the major difference was how dangerous the Blues looked with the ball in hand. With the new interpretations you are going to struggle to retain the ball for long periods of time. We just weren't good enough to manipulate an overlap. Many times Reiko Ioane created one from a two on two situation and put the winger away.
Lineout must improve for the Crusaders as well.
I feel like Rieko moved to centre a few years early, but man he has the potential to be world class in that position. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of seasons.
I think centre is a tough position and he needs the time to learn. You need to move early and it's best to do it in year one of a World Cup cycle.
Most AB wingers crap out in their mid to late twenties. He’s just getting in early.
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@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@No-Quarter said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
I think the major difference was how dangerous the Blues looked with the ball in hand. With the new interpretations you are going to struggle to retain the ball for long periods of time. We just weren't good enough to manipulate an overlap. Many times Reiko Ioane created one from a two on two situation and put the winger away.
Lineout must improve for the Crusaders as well.
I feel like Rieko moved to centre a few years early, but man he has the potential to be world class in that position. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of seasons.
I think centre is a tough position and he needs the time to learn. You need to move early and it's best to do it in year one of a World Cup cycle.
Toughest position in the backline for sure.
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@Machpants said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@sparky nonu couldn't pass for shit when he first started in the midfield, hopefully Ioane improves as much as nonu did!
Yet by 2015 Ma'a was the best midfield long passer in the game and he still passed some gems last year.
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@No-Quarter said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@hydro11 said in Blues v Hurricanes:
I think the major difference was how dangerous the Blues looked with the ball in hand. With the new interpretations you are going to struggle to retain the ball for long periods of time. We just weren't good enough to manipulate an overlap. Many times Reiko Ioane created one from a two on two situation and put the winger away.
Lineout must improve for the Crusaders as well.
I feel like Rieko moved to centre a few years early, but man he has the potential to be world class in that position. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of seasons.
Agree with this, but I cannot say that he hasn't been impressive. Having him playing well at 13 gives the ABs more options and coverage in the match day squad too. Not that it's something we are likely to see, but with him, ALB / Goodhue and B Barrett in the match day squad, you can almost run a 6/2 split on the bench if you want.
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@sparky said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Today was the best I've seen Rieko play at Centre. Great lines and angles of running. Defended the big channel confidently. Still needs to work on his passing game to get up to AB standard as a 13.
The biggest work-on for Rieko at centre will be his defensive reads but he is showing improvements this season.
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@nzzp Have to say this game was more exciting to watch than yesterdays one. Man, the Chiefs serve up some dross sometimes. Not so the Blues! They did everything right and were in the right parts of the field when it counted. Rieko and Clarke were just loving their roving commssion weren't they. We may see Rieko end up at centre I dare say (needs a bit of time on D first)
I would have given MOTM to Sotutu, he was everywhere. The Blues loosies completely outplayed the Canes trio. Big Red was a star in the LOs and Paps/Gibson were excellent too.
Patty T gets a pat on the back - jeez he was good, solid and uncompromising.
If only the Chiefs had a forward pack...... -
Ref was fine.
Canes found wanting, probably says something when your best back is arguably JGB.
Something which would be interesting to see would be Blackwell on the blind, one of the hardest workers in the game but just not that effective right in the tight.
I hadn't been convinced by Ioane at centre previously but definitely am now. He looked a lot keener and I thought he also looked leaner. Good to see him hungry.
Savea also looked like he's lost a lot of bulk and it seemed to show. No impact at all.
Funny that this game is being deemed so much more exciting and "proper rugby" as opposed to the game which went to the wire yesterday and only had one less try.
Mafileo looked impressive for a young fella.
Canes looked poorly coached, no vision and awful option taking.
Take a bow Black, not many would've thought you had that performance in you.
Lastly - as I hoped, Sotutu and Telea carried on looking goooood.
