Hurricanes v Blues
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@No-Quarter Home advantage is pretty huge, so I kind of like the Canes for this one - especially given that the Blues are missing a few big players.
Blues will be desperate to keep the heat on the Crusaders, while Canes will be desperate to get back on level terms with the Blues - points-wise.
Should be a cracker.
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@KiwiMurph said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@No-Quarter said in Hurricanes v Blues:
Blues are crazy continuing to play Beauden at 15. From a Canes POV the less he gets the ball the better.
Why punish your 10 who is playing well and who actually will be with the team next year?
Depends if you want to actually win this year I guess? The more Beauden touches the ball at this level, the better he gets, and the more unstoppable the Blues will become. As it is he's struggling to get himself into the game from the back and his form hasn't picked up.
Black is playing pretty well but his ceiling is so much lower than Beauden's it's not even funny.
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@canefan yeah Smith looked far more assured against the Highlanders. I don't know where Holland's head's at, there is absolutely no consistency in selection apart from Blackwell & Prinsep.
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@No-Quarter I actually have it the other way around. Our bench looks better than the Blues and I expect us to pull away in the last 20.
It could really go either way though, really depends on which team decides to turn up on the day.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@canefan yeah Smith looked far more assured against the Highlanders. I don't know where Holland's head's at, there is absolutely no consistency in selection apart from Blackwell & Prinsep.
I heard he's gonna swap out Aso for Umaga Jensen as well. Why not leave the combo that did the business against the Landers?
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@canefan yeah Smith looked far more assured against the Highlanders. I don't know where Holland's head's at, there is absolutely no consistency in selection apart from Blackwell & Prinsep.
I didn't think Smith looked far more assured. JGB has been playing well enough. One area where JGB is better is his in field kicking. He also has more bulk when needed. Maybe that's the Canes game plan. To try and smash though the other team. So Aso goes. Replaced by a less skilled but bulkier player.
My bigger concern is Armstrong returns (his defense can be awful). As does Prinsep (although his last start was much better). And Blackwell is still there. Hopefully he doesn't pass the ball to the ground like he does at times. Or waves opposing players through as he did in the last Blues match. And the lineout goes ok with only one good line-out forward
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@Winger said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@canefan yeah Smith looked far more assured against the Highlanders. I don't know where Holland's head's at, there is absolutely no consistency in selection apart from Blackwell & Prinsep.
I didn't think Smith looked far more assured. JGB has been playing well enough. One area where JGB is better is his in field kicking. He also has more bulk when needed. Maybe that's the Canes game plan. To try and smash though the other team. So Aso goes. Replaced by a less skilled but bulkier player.
We must be watching a different game. JGB's passing and distribution is laboured, he takes space from his outside players instead of giving them more space. More comfy at M10 level IMHO
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@No-Quarter I actually have it the other way around. Our bench looks better than the Blues and I expect us to pull away in the last 20.
Pretty sure you said this the last time we played.
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@canefan said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Winger said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@canefan yeah Smith looked far more assured against the Highlanders. I don't know where Holland's head's at, there is absolutely no consistency in selection apart from Blackwell & Prinsep.
I didn't think Smith looked far more assured. JGB has been playing well enough. One area where JGB is better is his in field kicking. He also has more bulk when needed. Maybe that's the Canes game plan. To try and smash though the other team. So Aso goes. Replaced by a less skilled but bulkier player.
We must be watching a different game. JGB's passing and distribution is laboured, he takes space from his outside players instead of giving them more space. More comfy at M10 level IMHO
JGB passing was good in the Chiefs match. Before this game the whole attack of the Canes was poor. Whereas Smith has a odd passing style. But Smith has certainly improved (he was awful in his first few starts) but for me is not clearly better. His main advantage is he's much faster but that's about it. With Barrett at FB I think either can start. But if I had to pick one for this match I would just go for JGB
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@Tim said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Hooroo Three of our regular loose forwards are out!
Not easy going into a match without the likes of Jones, Brooke and Blowers 😉
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@Canes4life the Smith/Laumape/Aso combo looked good last week. Probably the most promising on both sides of the ball.
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@Winger said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@canefan yeah Smith looked far more assured against the Highlanders. I don't know where Holland's head's at, there is absolutely no consistency in selection apart from Blackwell & Prinsep.
I didn't think Smith looked far more assured. JGB has been playing well enough. One area where JGB is better is his in field kicking. He also has more bulk when needed. Maybe that's the Canes game plan. To try and smash though the other team. So Aso goes. Replaced by a less skilled but bulkier player.
Genius game plan against the Blues.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Canes4life the Smith/Laumape/Aso combo looked good last week. Probably the most promising on both sides of the ball.
thats why only one of them backs up against the second beat team in the comp WTF?!
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@canefan said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@ACT-Crusader said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@Canes4life the Smith/Laumape/Aso combo looked good last week. Probably the most promising on both sides of the ball.
thats why only one of them backs up against the second beat team in the comp WTF?!
To be fair the combination the previous week (starting this week) did well enough as well. I would certainly start Aso but I'll see how it goes
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@Canes4life said on 13 June in Hurricanes v Blues:
@No-Quarter I actually have it the other way around. Our bench looks better than the Blues and I expect us to pull away in the last 20.It could really go either way though, really depends on which team decides to turn up on the day.
Hopefully you're right this time
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@Machpants said in Hurricanes v Blues:
@nzzp what was the story with Sotutu? Return time frame wise
TBC - having a second scan done.
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