Crusaders v Chiefs

[Stargazer]

@bovidae It's just plain weird. You'd think they'd play their best 23 against the Crusaders. Lowe is miles better than Stevenson on the wing. Weber not in the squad either. Two debutants. They might as well give Thompson a run, too.

[Tim]

@stargazer said in Crusaders v Chiefs:

Weber not in the squad either.

Must be injured.

[KiwiMurph]

I wonder if there is covid in the squad.

[Bovidae]

They play again in 2 weeks so I hope the Chiefs put out their strongest team at home.

Maybe there are some covid cases too?

[Yeetyaah]

Bruh where's Ioane?

[Tim]

This is where you see the loss of McKenzie.

[Duluth]

https://crusaders.co.nz/latest/news/crusaders-side-named-to-face-the-chiefs-in-first-game-back-at-orangetheory-stadium/

1. Joe Moody
2. Codie Taylor (VC)
3. Fletcher Newell
4. Scott Barrett (C)
5. Sam Whitelock
6. Ethan Blackadder
7. Tom Christie
8. Pablo Matera
9. Bryn Hall
10. Richie Mo'unga
11. Leicester Fainga'anuku
12. David Havili (VC)
13. Braydon Ennor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Will Jordan

RESERVES:
16. Brodie McAlister
17. George Bower
18. Tamaiti Williams
19. Mitch Dunshea
20. Cullen Grace
21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
22. Fergus Burke
23. George Bridge

[Yeetyaah]

This post is deleted!

[KiwiMurph]

The battles at hooker, lock and midfield should be good.

On paper that Crusaders team looks far too strong.

[Tim]

Matera has been pretty average so far. Hard to see how such a has-been justifies a place in NZ's most talent laden squad.

[Chris]

@tim said in Crusaders v Chiefs:

Matera has been pretty average so far. Hard to see how such a has-been justifies a place in NZ's most talent laden squad.

I thought he had an Awesome game at no.8 v MP he was awarded the players MVP.
He made a lot of metres and made a lot of tackles.
I think because he doesn't make big flashy runs on the edges,he doesn't take people eye.Watching the Games a second time he does a shit load of Tight work.

[African Monkey]

@kiwimurph Would make sense with some of the guys not there.

[Tim]

@chris Thought he got caught out on defense, and got smashed several times as a ball carrier, including conceding a try. Could not disagree more, he was shite against the NPC also rans.

[Chris]

@tim said in Crusaders v Chiefs:

@chris Thought he got caught out on defense, and got smashed several times as a ball carrier, including conceding a try. Could not disagree more, he was shite against the NPC also

We see it differently then,

[Stargazer]

I would have preferred Grace getting the start at 8, and Matera on the bench because he can cover all three backrow positions and because Grace is an All Blacks prospect who needs the starts.

[Chris]

@stargazer said in Crusaders v Chiefs:

I would have preferred Grace getting the start at 8, and Matera on the bench because he can cover all three backrow positions and because Grace is an All Blacks prospect who needs the starts.

they will get rotated a bit with 5 big games in a row v NZ sides.

[Yeetyaah]

Speaking as a diehard Chiefs fan who always backing the lads no matter what, I think we're gonna get rolled idk.

[Tim]

Chiefs forwards should be on top. 9 and 10 a disadvantage.

[Tim]

One of the most interesting results of the last few years was the rapid elevation of Cullen Grace to the ABs.

There was all this talk about how he had the hardest shoulders, he was so fucking tough, maybe he was the 10th time that him or someone like him had been talked as the new Richie McCaw.

The Crusaders PR engine was firing on all cylinders.

Now he can't compete with on holiday has-been Pablo Matera.

Perhaps the Crusaders pipeline has hit a fault that even TJ can't obscure.

[Old Samurai Jack]

Looking at those teams, I have to scale back my Chiefs claims of being the team to beat. That Crusaders team looks rather strong.
On Grace, I thought he was playing quite well. He still needs to get more abrasive in contact but has been very busy and accurate.