Highlanders v Chiefs
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Fuuucckk that's awesome, at no point during this season did I think the Canes would top the conference. Bring on the finals!!
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Wow.. canes win conference.<br><br>
Jackson still bloody ordinary (loved hearing about him in second 40 fellas)<br><br>
TMOS still no clue<br><br>
Picking all kiwi final... -
<p>Such a good game of rugby. Game of the round (& round robin??)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chiefs came up against a team that defended their hearts out and they had no answer.</p>
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<p>Feel for Cane. He was huge in the 2nd half. Real 'follow me' performance. </p>
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<p>You really notice how niggle Brodie is when you don't have your All Black blinkers on.</p> -
Fuck I can't get over how shithouse our backs were tonight. Midfield was utter mud, right from the KO.<br><br>
Forwards were good, tho Messam totally anonymous a mile of the pace.. Normally in games like this he'd be dominant.<br><br>
Bird really starting to fire. Such a massive unit. -
<p>So Highlanders get Brumbies.</p>
<p>Chiefs get Stormers</p>
<p>Crusaders get Canes if the Lions get at least one bonus point against the Jaguares - if not they get the Lions.</p>
<p>Canes get the Crusaders unless they win it all in which case they get the Shorks.</p> -
Where I think the game was lost is that Landers kept Pryor and one or two other strong players on the bench and brought them on fresh in the second half and while we seemed to a) run out of gas and
be reluctant to bring on our replacements even if they were quality people like Donald and Hika Elliot. I mean I know they came on eventually, but the Landers subs came sooner amd our lads started to flag it a bit with 15 to go.<br><br>Jamie Joseph is quite the coach. Super Rugby Coach of the year in my opinion. Not only his player changes in this match, but just the tactics he seems to come up with at half time seem to help as well. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="WillieTheWaiter" data-cid="597311" data-time="1468661711">
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<p>Fuck I can't get over how shithouse our backs were tonight. Midfield was utter mud, right from the KO.<br><br>
Forwards were good, tho Messam totally anonymous a mile of the pace.. Normally in games like this he'd be dominant.<br><br>
Bird really starting to fire. Such a massive unit.</p>
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</blockquote>
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<p>Agree that Bird had an excellent game.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which it makes it more odd that he was subbed off when playing well. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hurricane" data-cid="597314" data-time="1468661793"><p>Where I think the game was lost is that Landers kept Pryor and one or two other strong players on the bench and brought them on fresh in the second half and while we seemed to a) run out of gas and
be reluctant to bring on our replacements even if they were quality people like Donald and Hika Elliot. I mean I know they came on eventually, but the Landers subs came sooner amd our lads started to flag it a bit with 15 to go.Jamie Joseph is quite the coach. Super Rugby Coach of the year in my opinion. Not only his player changes in this match, but just the tactics he seems to come up with at half time seem to help as well.</p></blockquote>
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The way he manages his squad uses his bench is sublime -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="597312" data-time="1468661752"><p>So Highlanders get Brumbies.<br>
Chiefs get Stormers<br>
Crusaders get Canes if the Lions get at least one bonus point against the Jaguares - if not they get the Lions.<br>
Canes get the Crusaders unless they win it all in which case they get the Shorks.</p></blockquote>
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Does that put the lions ahead as they will have the same wins as the canes and the canes beat them in RR -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mattasaurus" data-cid="597318" data-time="1468661958"><p>The way he manages his squad uses his bench is sublime</p></blockquote><br>Yes agree 100%.<br><br>Also his tactical change at half time was there for all to see. In the first half the Chiefs were getting numbers to their own rucks and making ball secuity and repeat phases/recycled ball a priority.<br><br>And we were doing well because of it. Joseph noticed that and directed his terrier like players to just be agressive to the nth degree of the law at the breakdown to stop the chiefs multi phase play.<br><br>Luckily for them the referee seemed to allow it. Often I felt the Landers were too aggressive. Yet it proved decisive. The Chiefs themselves could see what Otago were doing - and decided to launch into<br>some aggressive clean outs to send a message. This culiminated in Ben Smith flagrantly going in from the side and forcing the Chiefs player to react, which Sanders did illegally. I don't think the Landers<br>changed their tactics with the goal of that outcome, but they knew something good would come from them harrassing us at the ruck.
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<p>good game of footy that. </p>
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<p>one number 7 was head and shoulders above all the others on display in either game tonight. very pleased to see cane play like that at the business end of the season. he then dixon were the two best loosies on the park. messam very quiet, sanders very stupid. luke whitelock is a pretty decent super player now, almost at george levels. both those tight 5s are all hard workers eh - big bird the surprise package- i had started thinking he was never going to get there, so am stoked to see that. retallick lucky not to be carded i reckon, silly niggly shit and offending on the try line. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>forwards pretty even but chiefs probably shaded it, the landers backs were far better though. ben smith, aaron smith, sopoaga, naholo, osborne all better than their opposites by varying degrees.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Number 10" data-cid="597316" data-time="1468661913"><p>Agree that Bird had an excellent game.<br>
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Which it makes it more odd that he was subbed off when playing well.<br></p></blockquote>
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Think they were just trying to inject some pace as the game was slipping away.<br><br>
Only sub that was stupid was bring weber on for TKB when we needed his D<br><br>
Not sure if seta was injured or he's just shit in big games but fuck me he was crap tonight.<br><br>
Same with lienert brown. Had been talking him up today he was crap too.<br><br>
Lowe showed why they keep going with Naholo for ABs. Just owns him every time -
<p>Huge game again by Cane. If you want to see an openside dominate in defence and set others up, watch this game.</p>
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<p>fekitoa is a good player. he just needs to sort out one decision: if the outside break is not on, don't try to take it. just run hard and straight and keep the ball safe. that sideways shit is a nightmare for outside backs, a nightmare for forwards, a recipe for turning the ball over or getting penalised for obstruction.</p>
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<p>not many players i can think of who have only one such glaring problem, and shouldn't be a tricky one to sort out.</p> -
<p>Harris quietly had an impressive game, his lineout throwing is outstanding.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rocky Rock Rockbottom" data-cid="597338" data-time="1468663958"><p>
What a sumptuous double header of rugby. Holy shit it was intense.<br><br>
Hansen spoke about players stepping up at this stage.<br><br>
Ben Smith.<br>
Aaron Smith.<br>
Sam Cane.<br><br>
Big match temperament players. We knew it then and now we know it again.<br><br>
Tamanivalu, DMac, James Lowe and Fekitoa need to do more than that.<br><br>
Fekitoa is just a mini tornado that peters itself out. Just keep in front of him and let the fricasee of dissipation run its carbonating course.<br><br>
Lowe dropping the ball with tryline begging like he'd just seen his mum pashing Jamie Joseph in the stands.</p></blockquote>Quality alias and two quality posts. I like this guy already.
