SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues
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@nogusta said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
So do the Blues make changes and throw some 'new' guys under the bus...or does McDonald stay conservative/status quo??
What was the eventual situation with the ginga? Could well have been a different outcome with him leading on field.
I am guessing that he won't be available so that's one change. Hodgman managed to weaken the scrum for this week.
Any change will have to be major. The halves and fullback setup probably.
Saders have struggled in the last few weeks against teams not willing to attack them through the middle. Canes didn't have the right personnel setup (or slowed their attack by not trusting their 10) but Chiefs did by giving DMac the 10 jersey and licence to keep changing the point of attack and moving the ball away at speed.
Question is whether the Blues can play like that or have the players to do so. Also whether the Saders have made adjustments to cope with opposition playing that way.
On paper the Blues loosies should dominate although Dalton P vs Sanders will be pretty huge.
If I was Rangi I would be tempted to play Perofeta at 10 to try one gameplan with the ability to change over to Blackif they need to. -
@crucial think they said Tom was a big cut (not HIA) so assume stitches and a bandaged head he could play?
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@taniwharugby said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@crucial think they said Tom was a big cut (not HIA) so assume stitches and a bandaged head he could play?
Good, because apart from his beacon head I hardly noticed Akira. IIRC he made a good hold up tackle?
They needed a forward to take things on up the guts over and over again and get others doing the same. That was an area of the Landers that could have been broken down. Once broken the opportunities would have flowed. -
Throw in the fact that they’re likely to call on their third captain of the season this week, with initial choice Patrick Tuipulotu (neck/shoulder) and replacement Tom Robinson (head knock) both looking unlikely starters
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@crucial said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@taniwharugby said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@crucial think they said Tom was a big cut (not HIA) so assume stitches and a bandaged head he could play?
Good, because apart from his beacon head I hardly noticed Akira. IIRC he made a good hold up tackle?
They needed a forward to take things on up the guts over and over again and get others doing the same. That was an area of the Landers that could have been broken down. Once broken the opportunities would have flowed.I noticed him looking pudgy and unfit when he was losing ground on MMT - that was rather unexpected as he was definitely looking fit at the start of the season and you don't expect him to get blown away by anyone pace wise.
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@stargazer Hmmm @Nogusta does know his stuff. Don't be suprised if he is in the side haha.
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@bones said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@crucial said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@taniwharugby said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@crucial think they said Tom was a big cut (not HIA) so assume stitches and a bandaged head he could play?
Good, because apart from his beacon head I hardly noticed Akira. IIRC he made a good hold up tackle?
They needed a forward to take things on up the guts over and over again and get others doing the same. That was an area of the Landers that could have been broken down. Once broken the opportunities would have flowed.I noticed him looking pudgy and unfit when he was losing ground on MMT - that was rather unexpected as he was definitely looking fit at the start of the season and you don't expect him to get blown away by anyone pace wise.
Umm, he got caught flat footed from the scrum, turned and chased him down and helped clean up the break. Caught him pretty easily, looked fast to me.
Was a good effort to fix his mistake.
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@kirwan said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@bones said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@crucial said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@taniwharugby said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@crucial think they said Tom was a big cut (not HIA) so assume stitches and a bandaged head he could play?
Good, because apart from his beacon head I hardly noticed Akira. IIRC he made a good hold up tackle?
They needed a forward to take things on up the guts over and over again and get others doing the same. That was an area of the Landers that could have been broken down. Once broken the opportunities would have flowed.I noticed him looking pudgy and unfit when he was losing ground on MMT - that was rather unexpected as he was definitely looking fit at the start of the season and you don't expect him to get blown away by anyone pace wise.
Umm, he got caught flat footed from the scrum, turned and chased him down and helped clean up the break. Caught him pretty easily, looked fast to me.
Was a good effort to fix his mistake.
Bit slow on the reply there Mrs Ioane.
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@bones said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@kirwan it's funny, I knew you'd reply and defend him to the hilt, just didn't think it would take this long
It's pretty easy to catch someone once someone else has stopped them, so yes, caught him easily, I agree!
He gained ground easily, if you were focusing on his slow reaction from the scrum you’d have a point.
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Blues team I'd like to see:
Big Karl/Apisai/Nepo/Dalton P (c)/GCT/Darry/Akira/Hoskins/Nock/Black/TJF/Rieko/Caleb/Telea/Perofeta
Bench: Lay/Tolai/Ofa/Josh G/Choat/Ruru/Plummer/Narawa
Assuming Break Gibson still out. If available, would move Akira to bench.
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@pakman said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
Blues team I'd like to see:
Big Karl/Apisai/Nepo/Dalton P (c)/GCT/Darry/Akira/Hoskins
I think Eklund is back?
I would like to see the NH locks. GCT is in the form of his life and Pierce is the only other power lock in the squad. He should play when Tuiputlotu is injured.
But if we haven't seen Pierce yet I suspect he's unlikely to get picked.Backrow - Sotutu has been just below 2020 standards all year and is drifting backwards. Not a huge issue, he wouldn't be the first player to struggle in his 2nd year as a regular starter. Ioane at 8 and Choat and Papali'i on the flanks. Papali'i is comfortable at 6 and it probably helps his AB aspirations. I'm a fan of Choat, he's still a little limited this early in his career but he will tackle a lot and accurately
