Crusaders vs Hurricanes
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Looks the forecast in Chch for tomorrow is rain so this could even the match up a bit and will play into the Crusaders hands more. Still expect the Canes to go down and dominate with that lineup.
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I'm very happy with the team. Again
I want to see Tucker in action again. As I thought he looked OK+ without really following him closely. IWL is clearly the number 1 lock but it's one area where another lock needs to step up
Good to see Flanders back. My view he's a level above Howden who had his chance and looked a bit average
I was hoping to see Godfrey in the reserves but maybe he wasn't that good in the development match. But still hope to see him get a run at 1st at least once this year
Its a game the Canes must win. To keep the momentum going
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@Canes4life said in Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
Looks the forecast in Chch for tomorrow is rain so this could even the match up a bit and will play into the Crusaders hands more. Still expect the Canes to go down and dominate with that lineup.
If the teams and results were swapped, I would give the Canes zero hope. But I guess the Crusaders shouldn't ever be underestimated.
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@Winger I talked to a guy that was at the game in Taupo a fews ago and he said Godfrey was very threatening at 10 against the Chiefs and was a big reason they beat the Chiefs dev. He played fullback last week against the Crusader's dev (with Morgan at 10) but I'm not sure how they went. I expect they will both probably start against the Rebels next week or be included in the 23 in some capacity with rotation likely to hit almost our whole top 23.
On the Canes squad for this week there is no reason to make any tweaks right now, why change what's not broken? The Blues did that by benching Sotutu last week and it cost them an L.
I don't think Flanders has looked any better than Howden at 6 tbh. They both go about their work without having too much impact on the game, infact a couple of hits from Howden over the last couple of weeks suggests he's a harder tackler than Flanders. Anyway, Shields will get that jersey when he returns from injury, and I hope he can bring a little more steal to that 6 jumper.
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The most interesting about this matchup is how the teams handle two very different sets of pressure. The Canes; how they handle the pressure of being favourites (will their intensity drop or can they maintain how well they played last week).
Crusaders with a very unfamilar type of pressure, that potential 4-0 has to be affecting player's confidence. It's where we've heard that Razor's man management has an edge. Penny?
Just great going into games not having the result be a forgone conclusion, some great rugby this year.
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@Tim said in Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
That does look like a pretty weak team, but come the playoffs they might be able to put out a pretty solid 23:
1 Williams
2 Taylor
3 Newell
4 Barrett
5 Gallagher
6 Blackadder
7 Christie
8 Lio-Willie9 Drummond
10 Burke
11 McLeod
12 Havili
13 Crotty
14 Reece
15 Fihaki16 McAlister
17 Bower
18 Franks
19 Strange
20 Grace
21 Hotham
22 Aumua
23 SpringerHalves are decidedly weak, and the team lacks ball carriers and hitters, but that forward pack could upset some teams.
The crusaders are the new highlanders. All good things come to an end. Crusaders need to do some serious recruiting. And by that I don’t mean recalls for ex-ABs from a bygone era.
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@Billy-Tell said in Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
@Tim said in Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
That does look like a pretty weak team, but come the playoffs they might be able to put out a pretty solid 23:
1 Williams
2 Taylor
3 Newell
4 Barrett
5 Gallagher
6 Blackadder
7 Christie
8 Lio-Willie9 Drummond
10 Burke
11 McLeod
12 Havili
13 Crotty
14 Reece
15 Fihaki16 McAlister
17 Bower
18 Franks
19 Strange
20 Grace
21 Hotham
22 Aumua
23 SpringerHalves are decidedly weak, and the team lacks ball carriers and hitters, but that forward pack could upset some teams.
The crusaders are the new highlanders. All good things come to an end. Crusaders need to do some serious recruiting. And by that I don’t mean recalls for ex-ABs from a bygone era.
Pretty similar to the Clan I agree. Parts of the "spine" of the team are missing. Taylor will come back at hooker but Bell is struggling, they have capable No.8s but halfback, first-five and fullback are green as f$%k or not up to it. The scary part is that the Clan have been struggling to solidify these positions for years.
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@Dan54 said in Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
You know at the back of my mind being a Canes man, I worry tonight the bloody Crusaders will find their mojo again!!!
Course they will
But seriously, the absurdity of this comp with 8 of the 12 going into finals. They just need to be better than 4 teams and it's finals time baby. So, basically, this is not meaningful footy.
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@Dan54 yeah I'm a bit nervous about tonight aswell. I know we have the team to knock the Saders over but they won't be easy to beat at home.
In saying that I expect us to win this. If the Canes are going to win a championship this year putting their foot on the throat so to speak is exactly what they need to do. If they can find a ruthless edge in their game, it will bode well for the rest of the season.
If we can get over this Crusader's hurdle we then have the Rebels and Highlanders before the bye. A good opportunity to start the season 6-0 before a home game against the Chiefs.
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The below from Clubrugby.nz sums up this game perfectly.
If not now, when. The question for the Hurricanes, top of the table, as they head to Crusader country. Or as sometimes its has been better known, here there be dragons. While everyone wisely is nodding that the southern men can never be discounted, even from a horror three nil start to the season, then surely the Hurricanes will never have a better chance to raid the cookie jar. There’s no Scott Barrett, to add to their injury woes, and a new rookie first five is being parachuted in (Riley Hohepa). And that in a team that clearly is struggling to find its feet anyway. Against that, the worries that this is shaping up as the Crusaders’ last stand, if they want to get somewhere near the top four coming playoffs time. Actually, teams with four losses have finished as high as second – after that the drop can be sharp, although in 2022 the Highlanders made eighth with an eye-watering 10 losses. Even so, four losses from four will leave them having to be hot for the rest of the comp. I am not sure however that Australian teams are going to be easy pickings so much this year, and all the New Zealand outfits, even the Highlanders, look competitive. What mindset for the Hurricanes then, who last week turned in quite an accomplished across the board team performance? Grunt up front, guile out the back. Not much to be unhappy with, and indeed one of the most composed efforts in recent years. Obviously, the worse idea would be to assume that will be repeated this weekend. The Hurricanes should treat this as if they are playing the Crusaders of old and set out to play the sort of rugby that eventually dismantled the Blues. Ruthless and clinical, not words you’d associate with the Canes, but what will be needed. Complacency and hubris will give the Crusaders a sniff, and a drowning man, as they say, will grasp at anything. -
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smart, consistent spine players are few and far between in NZ rugby.
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@Bovidae said in Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
The other interesting stat is that Penney is on a 8-game losing streak as a SR coach as he was 0-5 with NSW before being sacked.
Will he get to 0-5 again?
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@antipodean said in Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
@Bovidae said in Crusaders vs Hurricanes:
The other interesting stat is that Penney is on a 8-game losing streak as a SR coach as he was 0-5 with NSW before being sacked.
Will he get to 0-5 again?
If he did, what would you do? Coaching change isn't a quick fix ... what happens if the next coach isn't even as good?
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nervous as about this one, this would be a true test. if Canes win this, then i would be one of those people who say "This is our year"! but id be more like "we actually have a chance" apart from Shields in at 6 and Barrett back, would likely be our best side IMO
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Raining and cold down here today, I think it'll play a big factor and benefit the Crusaders.
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@African-Monkey meant to clear before kick-off though. Shit weather always benefits the Crusaders with the way they play. Hopefully it dries up.
