Highlanders vs Chiefs
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Big win to the chiefs , an away win there is pretty valuable
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Not exactly the stupid rugby you expect from a NZ side.
Highlanders reserve tighthead was born with a single brain cell quite clearly
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Two intercepts, a piece of set piece brilliance, and a shit load of tackling and guts. It's like the glory days of (pro) Springbok rugby.
Rarely will you see a less deserved bonus point win
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@Stargazer fuck off it does!!
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It was like the Highlanders had been practicing heaps but hadn't learned all their lines, lots of set piece moves that came to nothing and some shithouse individual performances. They had no answer for the Chiefs' 22 defense.
TKB, DMac join Rieko in the team of the week.
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Defence like that can take you a long way in a competition.
Landers can take some solace in what they created. Some more accuracy and patience, they'll do fine.
Can't say I was impressed with Fraser's refereeing, but good teams manage it and the Chiefs were superb in that regard.
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Yeah, I think the Chiefs scrambled well but were busted a few times by the likes of Naholo and Squire in close.
This game reminded me of a few Chiefs-Highlanders games in the previous 6-game losing streak where one team creates plenty of opportunities but poor options and handling means they get nothing from it. In the past that has been the Chiefs but the Landers had that disease tonight.
I thought Cruden was very quiet tonight.
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@Unco said in Highlanders vs Chiefs:
I keep forgetting the Super season started this week, so I missed the game. Great to hear of the win, let alone the bonus point. Hasn't been one of those over the Landers for far too long.
How'd Faauli go?
Defence was excellent. Was a little too keen at times, but he fitted in well.
Cruden will be a big loss. His organisation and reads on defence were excellent. They looked to be playing with a system of calling for one guy to rush hard at the point in the backline the move was expected to hinge around. It worked well for them but needs top identification and communication. Cruden was providing that. -
@Bones said in Highlanders vs Chiefs:
What a bucket of shit that was.
Hammett! You fucking fuck just fuck off and stop ruining my teams!
But I'm sure they scored a 9 out of 10 at training...
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@Bones said in Highlanders vs Chiefs:
What a bucket of shit that was.
Hammett! You fucking fuck just fuck off and stop ruining my teams!
As much as I like that comment it was actually the poor execution by the Highlanders backs that lost them that game.
Although the forwards didn't look as good as they did with JJ whipping them.
JJ had the ability to get a lot out of the no name players whereas the Hammetuer always seems to instill mediocrity as a virtue. -
@Bones said in Highlanders vs Chiefs:
For all the talk of the Chiefs defence, I think they were in trouble a few times if you take out the fuck ups by ABs.
Agreed, Highlanders were breaking the line almost at will at times but kept pushing passes and killing the movement.
Naholo, Squire, Thompson and Li were particularly good. Fekitoa was shit. That forward pass into the back of the dummy runner when he had two other guys outside was pathetic. He will be competing with Tamanivalu and Moala for 5th or 6th spot for the ABs this year. R Ioane and SBW should easily go past him.Strange game really. Chiefs didn't actually do much, just took their chances and defended until the Highlanders fucked up.
Hope Ben Smith is fine. Early in the game i found myself holding my breath every time he went into contact like back in 2008-2011 with Carter, not wanting him to get broken.
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@Crucial said in Highlanders vs Chiefs:
Looked to me like BFA was taken off as a precaution. Not a player you want to risk.
It wasn't mentioned as being a HIA was it? I guess he would have to pass the protocols anyway given that he whacked his head on the ground.He failed the concussion test.
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@Bones said in Highlanders vs Chiefs:
I thought it might be broken jaw or some such, DMac landed almost on it didn't he?
His head hit the ground hard when DMac landed on him. That's why they first checked his neck and then he had to go for a concussion test, which he failed.