SR Final - Blues v Chiefs

[Duluth]

Jun 15  /  Sport

Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals: What we learned

The Blues and the Chiefs meet in next weekend's final at Eden Park, here's what we found out about them in a couple of contrasting semis.

[Machpants]

"Meanwhile, Dalton Papali'i failed a HIA but was then allowed to take another one post-match, which feels a little odd." Gotta love it when a pro reporter has no idea of how the protocols work

[Bovidae]

What chance this is a 4:35 pm kickoff?

[KiwiMurph]

@Bovidae said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:

What chance this is a 4:35 pm kickoff?

Zero. Already announced 7.05pm kickoff Sat

[mariner4life]

Ah just remembered Im heading to Port for the weekend. Guess I'll be watching on my phone

[taniwharugby]

@Machpants and he will have more again over the next few days too.

[African Monkey]

@mariner4life Save yourself the hassle and don't bother 👌

[mariner4life]

Maybe you're right, I'll just cut straight to the celebratory drinking

[nostrildamus]

@mariner4life said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:

Maybe you're right, I'll just cut straight to the celebratory drinking

Welcome onboard the Blues train!

[nzzp]

@nostrildamus said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:

@mariner4life said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:

Maybe you're right, I'll just cut straight to the celebratory drinking

Welcome onboard the Blues train!

celebratory, commiseratory, who cares right

[nzzp]

also, tickets sorted. Bandwagon jumpers ahoy - got 11 tickets for an extended group. Should be a blast

[Tim]

With Taukei'aho out we will target their lineout. Beehre or McWhannell? Beehre is the better ball carrier.

[Duluth]

@Tim

Better tackler too. I think that’s why he’s ahead of LM in the rankings now

[gt12]

@Tim said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:

With Taukei'aho out we will target their lineout. Beehre or McWhannell? Beehre is the better ball carrier.

It's pretty worrying for us, as your scrum is also a weapon.

If we get our set piece right, we still have to worry about your carry and clean. That's before even considering the talent in your 3/4. It's a good Blues team, and I've got a bit of wood for Stern Vern's style.

[Tim]

Long range forecasts are of limited value for Auckland, but here you go:

[ARHS]

Are Solomone Tukuafu or Rhys Marshall genuine options for Chiefs? Else I assume Sanerivi or maybe Vernon Bason? Shilo Klein?

[Tim]

The Post

“This year they’ve shown a really good maul, really good scrum, and that power game with their carry one off the ruck, and forwards and backs joining in,” said Larkham of the Blues. “And they’re one of the strongest teams in all aspects defensively.

“They’re very well drilled. They’re big bodies. They’re going to be hard to beat. When you get these conditions on this surface and those big bodies coming at you, it’s pretty hard to stop them.”

[Tim]

The Blues will have an extra day’s preparation, and hope to get Bryce Heem and Laghlan McWhannell back into their selection. They also shrugged off Dalton Papali’i’s failed HIA as a non-issue due to a “misunderstanding”.

[Tim]

In related news, Papali’i also sent a clear message to his team that they had achieved nothing yet. “We can celebrate just a little bit making it to a final because it takes a lot of heart. But we’ve got one more job to do. We’ve been in this position and we’ve failed. We know what’s on the line.”

[Tim]

This is just sad from geriatric Phil Gifford:

Ask anyone on the streets of Te Awamutu or Morrinsville and they’ll tell you the edge for rugby teams from the Waikato area playing Auckland has always been in the forwards, where the Queen St Yanks can’t match the grit of the rural grafters in red, yellow, and black.

No one in NZ has ever used the term "yanks".

He has dementia.