Hurricanes v Chiefs

Unco

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="600918" data-time="1469679166">
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Just so the Horrell fans don't get all upset, not considered for selection: 
Nepo Laulala, Mitchell Karpik, Pauliasi Manu, Sam Henwood, Johan Bardoul, Glen Fisiiahi, Maama Vaipulu, Michael Allardice, James Tucker, Charlie Ngatai, Andrew Horrell, Stephen Donald, Augustine Pulu (All Blacks Sevens).
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Yet he's playing for Waikato this weekend? WTF?

Unco

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="canefan" data-cid="601070" data-time="1469706870">
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There is no home field advantage between kiwi teams in the playoffs, we are injury riddled, we are the underdogs
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Oh bugger off, the Chiefs just flew to South Africa and back, that alone makes the Canes the favourites.

? Offline

I always find the talk of someone being favourite or underdog as being an exercise in futility.
 
Whatever each team's circumstance is, it's not going to stop them preparing, training, planning and playing to win, is it?

canefan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="601096" data-time="1469729468">Oh bugger off, the Chiefs just flew to South Africa and back, that alone makes the Canes the favourites.</blockquote>Gotta love a trier mate, just getting my karma ducks in a row

taniwharugby

Craig Clarke said that the game being in NZ was more of a positive for the Chiefs than it not being in NZ.
 
Also, with the way TJP played last week and toyed with his opposite, surely a strong defensive 9 is what you need to combat him?

nzzp

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="601119" data-time="1469738446">
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Also, with the way TJP played last week and toyed with his opposite, 
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He looked bloody good, didn't he... those AB selectors may know more than we do :|

SammyC

There's a couple of things in sport that make me laugh.
 
1. The warriors missing the playoffs after telling us all pre season that they are fitter than ever and this is their year
2. Wellington or the Canes choking in a semi or a final.
 
for the above reason, I'll actually be supporting the chiefs this weekend. There's a first time for everything I suppose :)

Richie8-7

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="601130" data-time="1469740400">
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There's a couple of things in sport that make me laugh.
 
1. The warriors missing the playoffs after telling us all pre season that they are fitter than ever and this is their year
2. Wellington or the Canes choking in a semi or a final.
 
for the above reason, I'll actually be supporting the chiefs this weekend. There's a first time for everything I suppose :)
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It's better if they lose in the final for the schadenfreude.
 
And I want the final to be at socially acceptable viewing times so I want a Hurricanes win. I actually think Highlanders will beat the Lions but don't want to take the chance of an Ellis Park final, so a repeat of last years final with Hurricanes choking in a way that hurts people like Devlin the absolute most will be perfect.

Bovidae

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Richie8-7" data-cid="601132" data-time="1469741985">
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And I want the final to be at socially acceptable viewing times so I want a Hurricanes win.
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I am the opposite as I won't be able to watch the final live if it is in NZ due to attending another event next Sat evening. So it's either watching the final (including the Chiefs) in the early hours or watching a replay of a NZ final if I can be bothered.

Bovidae

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="601094" data-time="1469728853">
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Yet he's playing for Waikato this weekend? WTF?
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Yep, go figure!

canefan

Wynne Gray: Boyd's rise graft over glory

<div>5:00 AM Friday Jul 29, 2016</div>
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<div>Canes role shows old ways can still foot it.</div>
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<img height="310" src="http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201631/dd6a86d131cc9218947f25ff185ec646807efc90_620x311.jpg" width="620" alt="dd6a86d131cc9218947f25ff185ec646807efc90">Chris Boyd has made a strong start at the Hurricanes. Picture / Mark Mitchell</div>
Chris Boyd is a nod to the past and a beacon for those with ambitious determination.
He is a rugby junkie who was saturated with a love for the game and rode that passion through his First XV years and into senior club rugby with Tawa as an outside back. The pharmacist changed direction to run some shoe shops in Wellington while he had to also turn his skills towards managing a family holding when his father died suddenly almost 30 years ago.
In 1989, Boyd took over at the Tawa club and began the long trek to coach of the Hurricanes via stops with Wellington, the Sharks, the International Rugby Academy, Tonga and the NZ under 20 side.
He is the odd man out among the New Zealand head coaches, the only leader without international or provincial playing experience. It is a select group.
In the 21 years of Super Rugby, Graham Henry, Brad Meurant, Jed Rowlands, Tony Gilbert and Boyd are the select few who have become head coaches without first class playing experience.
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The game has changed enormously since Boyd began his coaching career when club training rituals, nationwide, were still pretty much a few stretches and jog to warm up, groups split into forwards and backs for drills then a team session before a few beers.
Science was about experience, listening to others and getting in some fitness with coaches - those men who had enough time to get down to the club two or three times after work in often bleak wet weather.
When rugby became a pay-for-play occupation, it opened the way for fulltime professional coaches. Development courses began, certificates were issued and as players ended their careers, they gravitated towards teaching the game. Rugby continued to be their breadwinner.
It also seemed New Zealand clubs, provinces and franchises were seduced more when coaching applicants had an impressive playing summary - a professional career, almost like another star they could advertise to administrators and officials. That trend has continued. Take a look through the Super Rugby coaching rosters this year in New Zealand which are stacked with former All Blacks, Super Rugby or provincial players.
Save 
Their rise is clearly no bad thing as the results show this season with the Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders all making the playoffs.
There is one exception though - at the Hurricanes, where Floyd, as Boyd is known by those who go way back with the 58-year-old, has risen to the top through the old methods of hard yards and perseverance.
Boyd did not play provincial footy. Many who are dazzled by playing records and blind to practical coaching requirements, would have tut-tutted and blanked Boyd's progress. Not fancy
enough, how can he handle guys with lots of test experience and so on.
There were obstacles but Boyd pushed on. He detoured to South Africa to hook up with his running mate John Plumtree, came home again to coach and wait while the Hurricanes remained an erratic combination. Last year, Boyd got his chance as the big dog, the lead man.
The Hurricanes were beaten in the final when they faltered against the irrepressible surge from the Highlanders but it was some ride from a novice Super Rugby coach.
Probably a one-off, first-year fluke many felt as the Canes began this year with two losses then a squeaky win against the Blues. Now the Canes sit as top qualifier and host a provocative semifinal against the expressive Chiefs.
We've been spellbound by the deeds of Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles, Ardie Savea, Michael Fatialofa, Vaea Fifita, Wills Halaholo and the rest.
Tomorrow night at the Cake Tin? Who knows. But someone we should not ignore is Boyd, the bloke from Pauatahanui, who has once again shown you don't have to be from the old boys network or have all the fancy reputations and paperwork to pin a team together.
His involvement is a victory already, a triumph for common sense.
- <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzherald.co.nz/'>NZ Herald</a>
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Nice to see that every once in a while a guy who hasn't played at the top level can get through the coaching ranks to the top

WillieTheWaiter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="600918" data-time="1469679166">
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Just so the Horrell fans don't get all upset, not considered for selection:
Nepo Laulala, Mitchell Karpik, Pauliasi Manu, Sam Henwood, Johan Bardoul, Glen Fisiiahi, Maama Vaipulu, Michael Allardice, James Tucker, Charlie Ngatai, Andrew Horrell, Stephen Donald, Augustine Pulu (All Blacks Sevens).
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seems strange that tucker is playing for waikato tomorrow then...
 
is he just coming back? have been wondering where he is.
 
not that we need him now that Bird is back and playing some good footy.. starting to see why he got in the AB's.. he's a farking big unit.

Damo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="canefan" data-cid="601141" data-time="1469745771">
Nice to see that every once in a while a guy who hasn't played at the top level can get through the coaching ranks to the top</blockquote>
Rennie is another without a stellar playing career. Did he play Npc at some stage?

antipodean

Too close to call, but I'm hoping the Canes get up. A home final and hopefully a maiden title.

? Offline

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Damo" data-cid="601158" data-time="1469751325">
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Rennie is another without a stellar playing career. Did he play Npc at some stage?
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Played second-five for Wellington in the 1980's.

canefan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Damo" data-cid="601158" data-time="1469751325">Rennie is another without a stellar playing career. Did he play Npc at some stage?</blockquote>Yes, was going to add him too. Plumtree has done well in the set-up too. And Shag I think? A life outside rugby is no guarantee but you might have a different approach to a career rugby player

taniwharugby

Odd that Shag & Henry, 2 non-AB players with superb coaching records, yet NZRU still seem keen to rush ex-ABs through....

dingo

Looking at the two likely team line ups.
 
Canes have probably got a clear advantage at no 10 where BB is beginning to have a Dan Carter 2005 breakout season. Any unbiased observer would agree the AB future is All Barrett.
 
<img src="http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/d/7/4/x/l/image.related.StuffSplash.300x400.1d6kfo.13qakt.png/1469776454784.jpg" alt="1469776454784.jpg"> u
 
 
Chiefs advantage every where else.
 
Chiefs to win, then back on a plane to play the Lions in SA for the final.
 
The game is the Chiefs to lose.

No Quarter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dingo" data-cid="601245" data-time="1469777613">Looking at the two likely team line ups. 
Canes have probably got a clear advantage at no 10 where BB is beginning to have a Dan Carter 2005 breakout season. 
Chiefs advantage every where else. 
Chiefs to win, then back on a plane to play the Lions in SA for the final. 
The game is the Chiefs to lose.</blockquote>
Yeah, this is very much a rebuilding year for the Canes given the number of key players we lost from last year. We couldn't expect them to make the final.

dingo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="601251" data-time="1469778551">
Yeah, this is very much a rebuilding year for the Canes given the number of key players we lost from last year. We couldn't expect them to make the final.
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Agreed. The canes are buggered without the finals experience from last years first choice props, locks, centers and most of the back three starting from last year. Now they have also lost the inspirational hooker. 
Basically Hanson is going to look at how BB has carried this team into the semi final, he'll decide that BB is naturally the far superior first five. Cruden had a cake walk by comparison.

The Silver Fern

Hurricanes v Chiefs