Drua v Crusaders
-
@Chris-B said in Drua v Crusaders:
@Chris I hadn't seen that.
Thought the run-on team looked worryingly close to NPC-level with a few bolsters.
I reckon the final won't be played in ChCh this year.
The Crusaders have poor depth after their best 23, in contrast to Chiefs & Blues who at stages last season fielded 3rd string sides that looked as good on paper as their best sides.
I predicted last year that the Crusaders would lose up to 5 games this season, it's definitely gonna happen now.
-
@kiwi_expat said in Drua v Crusaders:
@Chris-B said in Drua v Crusaders:
@Chris I hadn't seen that.
Thought the run-on team looked worryingly close to NPC-level with a few bolsters.
I reckon the final won't be played in ChCh this year.
The Crusaders have poor depth after their best 23, in contrast to Chiefs & Blues who at stages last season fielded 3rd string sides that looked as good on paper as their best sides.
Not really convinced about that.
Our third string cover should be something like:
Brewis, Bell, Jager, Strange, Havili, Dunshea, Hotham, McLeod, Stringer, Fihaki.
The early problem is that we have a few players who are irreplaceable - Jordan and Mo'unga (probably the two Super rugby MVPs) - and that we've lost few others in positions where we are a bit thin - Goodhue, Grace and this week the guys Chris notes above..
-
@kiwi_expat said in Drua v Crusaders:
The Crusaders have poor depth after their best 23
You must have been disgusted with the All Blacks XV selection last year
-
@Duluth said in Drua v Crusaders:
@kiwi_expat said in Drua v Crusaders:
The Crusaders have poor depth after their best 23
You must have been disgusted with the All Blacks XV selection last year
Yes, If you recall I was one of the most vocal on here about it.
-
What a match
Drua thoroughly deserved that victory
-
The game might have had a close finish but 20 minutes in, I couldn't watch the crap on display. There should have been Benny Hill music in the background. Are these professionals? FFS!
-
Well have to say I watched the game live before going out for awhile , and could of gone out earlier, I don't often think I have wasted a couple of hours when rugby involved, but that was rubbish skills by both teams, just Crusaders were the worst and deserved the loss.
-
This was the antithesis of the sped up rugby in Crusaders first round. The score and the Drua handling made it a relatively good watch but geez I hate watching the Crusaders extend scrums and mauls on for penalties with no thought of creative attacking plays. We can't be surprised Fihaki and Burke missed AB XV call last year unlike all but one of their forwards.
I like the Drua loosies and centres! Great skills.
Just as well Crusaders had Reece Barrett and Whitelock to keep them in the match. Not a hell of a lot else although Ennor and the two hookers had their moments. -
Just watching now on replay - sorry but the second Drua try awarded to Droasese was clearly lost forward in that second ruck.
-
Fihaki is mud at this level.
Cobbled together midfield of MacLeod and Ennor went alright I thought. Heinz was ok in patches. Best for Saders was Whitelock by a long chalk, and maybe Barrett / Reece..
Drua looses were very good, Easily bested their Saders opposites. Drua winger Sau was good. Handling by both teams lwas shoddy at times, due in part to the oppressive heat I guess. Control was lacking for Saders in large parts of the game. Some late hits on Saders not picked up by reffing team, including a tip tackle on Christie. -
Young Saders replacement half back will reflect on that spilled ball in the 80th minute, as will whoever got caught with hands in the ruck for the Saders and gave away the ensuing penalty at the death. Control and discipline should be the work-ons for the Saders this week.