Blues vs Rebels
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@kiwiinmelb said in Blues vs Rebels:
The scary part for Australian rugby , (bit early to call obviously, )
But this could be Nz's weakest team again .
I was thinking the same. Blues have clearly improved but I'm not expecting the other NZ teams to have deteriorated much from last year. If we dominate again at what point do you have to say the aussie and saffa teams are just not good enough and therefore the competition is a waste of time. (yeah I know stupidly early to be making vast predictions..could be eating my words at some point)
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Was at the game.
Impressions -
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Despite the below cant read too much into it - Blues depth is superior to Rebels but thats not saying much. Plus round 1 means little - Blues often start well - Brumbies wooped Canes week 1 last year.
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Rieko is a freak. Looked a few levels above his competition. He looks a natutal at centre - to me it looked like he has worked on his distribution and vision over the offseason.
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Pulu was brilliant - he can be hot and cold but has started hot.
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Tight 5 went well considering the names. Real solid. Tupou looks a solid captain.
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Francis and to a lesser degree Collins solid and provides the glue
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Blues used a lot of wide passing out the back off turnover/good ball - keen to use space.
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Not a bad game of rugby for round 1. Not as many dropped balls or penalties - high shots werent over officiated.
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the grass held up well.
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very good stadium to watch rugby at. Rebels small fanbase seem genuine too - diff atmosphere to Tahs games at SFS.
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10,000 was the crowd - probably 20% of that were kiwis.
So overall cant read too much into it - Chiefs next week is going to be a tough ask - but Blues started about as well as they could have hoped - that is all you can ask for. One happy Blues fan.
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@Frank He started slow. Bad missed tackle early on for Rebels first try. He got better as the game went on. Put in some great tackles-turnintomauls- which is his specialty - completely set up Rieko's hat trick - could have scored himself. Workrate looked pretty good - decent involvement. Not too bad for week 1.
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Just watched replay.
That was a bit of an arse raping. Bit difficult to gauge where the Blues are at, but IMHO they looked better than they have for a long time. I think Blues fans can dare to become a little bit excited.
Garden variety Bachop isn't very good is he. Actually the Rebels were particularly shit.
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From a marketing point of view , that rebels team lacks personality ,
Trying to promote it in an AFL town wont be easy
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Yeah Rebels struggle to market with their stars - let alone without about 5 of their best players.
One thing I was impressed with the Blues was the skills - generally the kicking and passing - that was a real weakness under kirwan and even somewhat last year under Tana. I know theyve brought in a rated skills coach from Ireland so will be interesting to see how it goes - next week v Chiefs away is a whole other proposition.
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@Tim said in Blues vs Rebels:
It's a crime that Faumaina is leaving. Easily the best defensive and attacking front row player in the ABs. No slouch in the scrums too. Especially when compared with Franks' very poor form on the EOYT.
Is this where the "Drop Dane Coles bus" leaves from?
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@Rembrandt said in Blues vs Rebels:
@kiwiinmelb said in Blues vs Rebels:
The scary part for Australian rugby , (bit early to call obviously, )
But this could be Nz's weakest team again .
I was thinking the same. Blues have clearly improved but I'm not expecting the other NZ teams to have deteriorated much from last year. If we dominate again at what point do you have to say the aussie and saffa teams are just not good enough and therefore the competition is a waste of time. (yeah I know stupidly early to be making vast predictions..could be eating my words at some point)
Didn't the Lions make the final last year?
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If he had added 'drop an aussie team' woulda made more sense
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@cheetahsBO merely an outlier!
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Good to get off to that sort of start.This is the sort of rugby we were playing post June break last year, which is why I'm optimistic that it's not some sort of fluke.
I think Fekitoa might've just wrote his first name on an overseas contract after watching last night's game. Rieko just makes it look too easy at times. I wish I had put him as my captain on my fantasy team. Looking forward to his match-up with ALB next week.
Pulu had a near complete game last night. It's good to have a halfback who can do a bit of everything.
If I had to make some changes for next week, it'd be Faiva in for Moulds, Scrafton in for GCT and maybe Faumuina in for Mafileo, although I might let Faumuina come off the bench just one more week. Hopefully Tuipulotu can manage to get himself fit enough to get on the bench next week.
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Good win first up for the Blues. Hopefully that will give them some confidence for the season.
R Ioane is a freak. Going to be good watching him develop over the next few years.
Thought Luatua was the best of the Blues loosies. Still think A Ioane does the slow upright jog and attempted fend off too much.
Sione Lauaki used to do the same. Would much rather him just run hard.
Pulu was really good. That's the most i've ever seen him pass. That try he scored was pretty awesome.
Not sure why Matt Duffy has suddenly made it to most peoples first choice starting side. Didn't offer a hell of a lot and was probably lucky not to get a red card if last season is anything to go by (Penalty only was the right call though IMO). -
@pukunui who would you have starting over Duffie? The Blues have lost Li and Lam. Duffie is no star but he is a second fullback who doesnt do much wrong, can finish and is excellent in the air. I was super critical of Duffie at the start of last year but he has improved a heck of a lot in 12 months.
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@KiwiMurph Yesh he's no star but Duffie's aerial ability brings allows us to contest attacking bombs which never really happened with previous wingers.
