SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues
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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
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@duluth said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@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?
The good oil is that Vikena will be the bench hooker!!
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Down on troops and in serious danger of missing the maiden Super Rugby Aotearoa final, Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu has put the heat on his struggling forward pack to front in a defining trip to Christchurch this week.
Tuipulotu will miss a third successive game with a neck/shoulder injury he suffered in the loss to the Chiefs but he was on hand at training on Wednesday as the Blues went through repeated lineouts and opposed scrums to prepare for a torrid tussle with the Crusaders.
"It's not good but it's one of those things you can't put a timeframe on," Tuipulotu said of his injury. "I'm just waiting until it feels right but it's certainly taking it's time. I'm not trying to rush back into anything. I want to get it right."
With stand-in skipper Tom Robinson and Josh Goodhue (both concussion) also sidelined, the Blues are light on leadership and locking stocks for Sunday's match.
Pressure falls on second-rowers Gerard Cowley-Tuioti and 20-year-old rookie Sam Darry, against his former Canterbury teammates, to deliver a much-improved platform.
Second five-eighth TJ Faiane – strangely unused for much of the early season - is expected to fill the captaincy void.Blues hooker Kurt Eklund will return from suspension this week and 19-year-old Soane Vikena, after starring for the under-20s team, could debut from the bench.
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