Rebels v Hurricanes

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dingo" data-cid="572565" data-time="1460715685">
The 'canes lack of proper locks to take the restart is killing them.</blockquote>
 
Fifita can't do a Bardoul or Seu. Looked off the pace at lock. 
Am liking Fatialofa though. Why is he not a "proper" lock?

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="572567" data-time="1460715885">
I am also mystified. The ball appeared to be out of the ruck. just sitting there waiting for the Rebels halfback to pick it up and the Canes blindside flanker stepped through the loose pileup, starting form a perfectly legitimate onside position.</blockquote> 
Yes. A weird one. Since when can't you drive through the middle if a ruck?

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="572609" data-time="1460720135">
I read in the media the suggestion that the ABs "don't need" Barrett, if Cruden has the 10 jersey & Sopoaga on the bench, because DMac would make Barrett superfluous.</blockquote>
 
It wasn't Rattue or Reason was it?

booboo

Good performance by the Canes. Only spoiled by second half finishing. Probably left another 20 or more points on the paddock.

Dice

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Supercanes!" data-cid="572618" data-time="1460721692">
<div>
Awesome game.BB unstoppable. Fatialofa played well tirelessly working all game. Gotta be the find of the season so far. Mid field defence was awesome. And the Bus is certainly on his was back. Can't wait for next week.
</div>
</blockquote>
He was one of the best locks in the ITM Cup last year. I was surprised the Blues didn't sign him. He's a good pick up for only a WTG contract.

Higgins

Geoffrey Cridge must a be a seriously good player if he is rated above Fatialofa, given he holds a full contract. Just a shame no one other than those that turn up for Hastings Rugby and Sports club matches ever gets to see him play, if they are lucky.

Stargazer

That shit ground in Melbourne is the stadium where today the A-league (football) final will be played. Unbelievable! 

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
AAMI Park surface: Concerns over state of AAMI Park turf ahead of Melbourne Cityâ€™s A-League final April 16, 2016 6:57pm Matt WindleyHerald Sun 
 UNDER fire AAMI Park ground staff worked feverishly to repair the stadiumâ€™s maligned surface in time for the A-League elimination final between Melbourne City and Perth Glory to be played on Sunday. 
 A Super Rugby game between the Melbourne Rebels and Wellington on Friday night again wreaked havoc with the pitch, with parts of the ground resembling a sandpit following scrums. 
 Lashed as being â€œquite dangerousâ€ to play on by respected Hurricanes captain Dane Coles, the Rugby Union players association (RUPA) also expressed safety concerns about the ground. 
 But it is football sides City and Glory that have most to lose, as the uneven surface makes it hard for players to control the ball. 
 Since a disease took hold of sections of the grass, the traditionally pristine pitch has struggled to cope under the strain of A-League, Super Rugby and NRL matches. 

City coach John vanâ€™t Schip expressed concern about all Australian grounds that A-League clubs have to share with other codes. 
 But as for his pitch expectations for what is his clubâ€™s first-ever home final, vanâ€™t Schip said he had to trust the stadiumâ€™s groundsmen. 
 â€œI am confident that they will put the best possible pitch up there for us,â€ vanâ€™t Schip said. 
 â€œI know itâ€™s not a good time, not only for us but looking at the game yesterday evening in Brisbane I thought the pitch was terrible as well. 
 â€œIt doesnâ€™t help the game that we want to play, but thatâ€™s the period of the year that weâ€™re in and we just have to cope with it.â€ 
 Sections of turf at the southern end of the ground have been replaced in the past fortnight, but it is that end that continues to suffer the most. 
 That is the end where the stages for music concerts â€” including those of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran last December â€” are erected. 
 â€œThere were three areas of the pitch that suffered from damage in areas where there were scrums last night,â€ an AAMI Park spokeswoman said yesterday. 
 â€œTheyâ€™re being repaired to ensure the best possible condition for tomorrow.â€ 
 Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd echoed his skipperâ€™s sentiments, saying the surface quality is a â€œbit of an issueâ€. 
 â€œJulian Savea tripped in that area where (the Rebels) scored that first try,â€ Boyd said. â€œItâ€™s probably not good enough.â€ 
 Chief executive of the RUPA Ross Xenos said something has to give. 
 â€œWhilst no one has sinister views towards the Olympic Park Trust and we can sympathise that theyâ€™re a multi-sport venue, player welfare has to come first,â€ Xenos said. 
 â€œWe have to have a safe environment at all times.â€
</blockquote>
 
Article with pictures: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/aami-park-surface-concerns-over-state-of-aami-park-turf-ahead-of-melbourne-citys-aleague-final/news-story/15f8d6279f0f2c8ca6fad2a6a345fd38?nk=2d17f8741c61fa7d91c48ea16fe11c6a-1460848334 '>http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/aami-park-surface-concerns-over-state-of-aami-park-turf-ahead-of-melbourne-citys-aleague-final/news-story/15f8d6279f0f2c8ca6fad2a6a345fd38?nk=2d17f8741c61fa7d91c48ea16fe11c6a-1460848334 </a>
 
I have been to Westpac stadium on two consecutive nights (last week); first for the Hurricanes game v Jaguares and then for the last Wellington Phoenix game. The pitch looked fine before the Phoenix game, so obviously sharing the field with other codes isnâ€™t the only problem in Melbourne.

No Quarter

Yeah, that kind of ground works well for Football though. Very quick drainage and it doesn't cut up because you don't have 900kgs of prime beef pushing against 900kgs of prime beef putting massive pressure on the surface. I recall a few Football grounds in the UK cutting up like that when rugby was played on them. It's just not suitable for rugby, and if Melbourne wants to have both codes played there then they'll have to compromise drainage for more stability.

hydro11

That stadium has a lot more games than Westpac though. Having 4 football codes is going to wear on a stadium.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="572936" data-time="1460855349">
That stadium has a lot more games than Westpac though. Having 4 football codes is going to wear on a stadium.</blockquote>
 
Only three played at that stadium though.

KiwiMurph

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="572945" data-time="1460858501">
<div>
Only three played at that stadium though.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
4 teams though, with 2 x A League teams.

hydro11

Yeah, I meant 4 teams. I remember ages ago there was a discussion about the turf at Westpac stadium. They reckon it wouldn't cope if there was to be an NRL team at Westpac - the turf would just be too heavily used.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="573032" data-time="1460886537">
<div>
Yeah, I meant 4 teams. I remember ages ago there was a discussion about the turf at Westpac stadium. They reckon it wouldn't cope if there was to be an NRL team at Westpac - the turf would just be too heavily used.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
I wonder what the turf at Westpac looks like now then, after the Bulldogs v Warriors game from last night. Didn't watch that game ...

The Silver Fern

Rebels v Hurricanes