SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil)
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@Stargazer said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
@Winger That's such a cliché.
Unless you're Jordie against Italy.
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@Winger said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
@Steve said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
Ennor
Easier to look good in a team that's winning so easily.
Contributing to that winning is all that matters
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@Bovidae said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
You have to accept that the breakdown is a mess with Gardner. Best to try to be dominant/physical and take your chances.
AG was pants, but you play to the whistle. Blues ought to have just abandoned the rule book, grasped AG's indulgent style and let chaos prevail.
Mind you one has to take one's hat off to the Saders's ability to lurk offside a whole match without being penalised out of the game.
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Finals are about applying pressure and Blues don't play a style that applies pressure.
Their kicking game doesn't apply pressure and their attacking shape doesn't apply pressure.
Their attacking shape if anything invites pressure by involving a lot of standing still, passing behind the gain line and slow developing plays. Anything but direct.
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The Chiefs v Brumbies game will be interesting, expecting a nail biter of a game. Saders would probably prefer facing the Brumbies at home. Macmillan said he was hoping tonight's game would see each team bash each other up. It was a statement by the Saders to towel up such a starstudded side.
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Super Rugby Pacific: Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan reveals savage hopes for rival teams' semi-final | Newshub
Clayton McMillan pulled no punches when asked what he wanted to see go down between the Blues and the Crusaders - a match that will decide his side's potential final opponents.
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Wow.. didn't expect that. Pretty much contradicted what anyone said on the forum.
Can I repeat what I have said previously a number of times? Blues loose forwards as a unit are not the sum of their parts (although Papalii was a soldier). And I will repeat once again, Clarke should not be anywhere near the All Blacks.
OK, these Super finals have always been interesting because every game has different tactics depending on the game and opponents. Tonight the Crusaders attacked the breakdown, brought in the defenders, and exposed defensive holes on the wide channels. Next week, if it is the Chiefs, it won't be so easy. McMillian has proved to be Razor's equal and the bounce of the ball has decided things. -
Notice there was no fucking around in the Crusaders 22 this week. The exits were excellent. Made a grumpy old man smile.
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@KiwiMurph said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
Finals are about applying pressure and Blues don't play a style that applies pressure.
Their kicking game doesn't apply pressure and their attacking shape doesn't apply pressure.
Their attacking shape if anything invites pressure by involving a lot of standing still, passing behind the gain line and slow developing plays. Anything but direct.
I disagree, the Blues kicking game, especially BB, applies plenty of pressure.... To themselves 😉
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@Steve said in SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil):
@MiketheSnow said in [SF: Crusaders (Good) v Blues (Evil)](/post/8462
Blues midfield made Ennor look like Philippe Sella
Two horse race now for the ABs number 10 shirt
Based on this performance, RM in pole
Jordan is a thoroughbred
The people saying Jordan was a marginal call for the Allblacks squad d to delete their accounts.
A batshit mental opinion.
The boy is a freak.
You are fighting a straw man. There was a discussion about whether to pick him if his form didn't return. Who suggested dropping him if he was fit?
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I think the Crusaders style is probably the best suited to knock out and test footy, they have those subtle plays (sure some maybe less than subtle) most similar to what we see the NH teams do and get away with.
I dont think they get the free ride with refs as some say, IMO they are simply smarter about what they do to win those 50-50 calls.
While the Blues I think have a bit of a mental block for the Crusaders and especially at finals time, they lose a bit of composure and struggle with that upped intensity so all those 50-50 balls and calls that normally fall right, dont.
I dont think the gulf between the 2 is as big as the score, but I do think the preparation and big game experience (not necessarily from many of the players obviously) is where the Crusaders are a gulf apart and then getting them to play as a team with so many of the better parts missing is huge.
I am actually a little bit excited to see what Razor can do with the ABs in the next couple of years.
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I can honestly say I can't remember a team getting so soundly at the contact area, Crusaders hit everything hard whether it was tackle or ruck/mauls, and Blues looked gun shy to me. And on a dream ride the backs rightly did what they wanted, and when people talk about who went well out in backs I would add Brayden Ennor, he has looked pretty good the last few games.
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Now that I think about the Blues’ shellacking this morning, I was struck by the Sky interview with Beauden Barrett ahead of the game. Asked about the game day ritual he sounded exceedingly chilled - talking about a nice lie-in and the extra space granted by being away from home and the kids. There was time for a leisurely breakfast and catchup with the US Open on TV before a team chat around lunch. Maybe this was their way of not being overawed by the occasion. But from what we saw on the field the result was they came on so ‘underawed’ and mentally unprepared they had no answer for the Crusaders’ intensity.
