Blues vs Crusaders
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Stitch up. Painfully limited crusaders are the brumbies with a compliant ref
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@mariner4life Yes and yes.
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@NTA said in Blues vs Crusaders:
Impressed with Blue 6, Red 13, and Romano's work in the scrum
Romano won Crusaders the second penalty try, despite Michael A at TH. For me previous scrum, where MA ejected out the top, should have been Blues penalty. Very inconsistent reffing.
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Not Pulu’s finest moment and when the game is in the balance the Blues simply needed better. Rangi and Tana’s reaction was identical and priceless. Problem for the Blues is that there’s been a number of very poor moments like that from Pulu at this level.
Sure it might only be a turnover, but it speaks volumes in terms of what’s going on in the top two inches that he thinks he can make something of it, when it is a very very low percentage play.
Funny sort of game that, but quite enjoyable in terms of the contest at the collisions and the intensity for a round one encounter. Plenty of work ons for both sides, but always nice to walk away with some points at Eden Park.
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@Justin Marshall
A penalty try is awarded between the goal posts if foul play by the opposing team prevents a probable try from being scored, or scored in a more advantageous position. A player guilty of this must be cautioned and temporarily suspended or sent off. No conversion is attempted.
In news other than Justin Marshall's somewhat rusty knowledge of the laws of the game - thought the end of year tour, and England's start to the 6N, show that forwards need some power. In that regards, thought Shannon Frizzell stood out in his wee cameo for the Highlanders, while in this game Ioane and to a lesser extent Robinson, showed good moments.
Watching the Blues, you sort of thought they had a charity spot in the team for a local kid with special needs. This week's lucky winner was Michael Collins. For the Crusaders, Braydon Ennor went pretty well.
Think the Blues have potential, that was a respectable enough loss against last year's champions.
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@ACT-Crusader Pulu does something like that in literally every game. I'm not sure we can even risk him as a replacement now.
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Enjoyed that, was worth getting up for.
Blues should take a lot of confidence from this. But for some heads up play in the first 20, (plus Pulu at the death) they would have won. Impressed with the physicality of Tom Robinson, and Akira means business this season. Plummer will be better for the outing, he will improve, just needs time in the saddle. All in all a respectable showing against last seasons champs.
Ennor wias very good for the Saders, and their foward pack will be the envy of many. Hard to bet against them. -
The Blues lost that in the first 20 minutes when they had all the running and couldn't even get a sniff of the line. They had opportunity to strike from phase play, lineouts and at least two scrums and were easily shut down. It looked like an attitude and game plan issue. The Crusaders showed how it's done with chancing their arm on their first quality ball and almost scoring with that Ennor break, and then when they got a free kick took a high risk high reward option for the first try. Blues by contrast were vanilla, bland and directionless in the backs.
On the positive side the defence looks organized and much improved on last season.
Early days but I suspect this will be a trend throughout the season where the Blues try to make all the running in the last 10 minutes and lose by less than 7.
Also - I hear a lot of non-Cantab fans give TJ a hard time for being a homer, but I've never really got it and again yesterday with the knockdown he was adamantly against a pro-Crusaders call which IMO was pretty marginal.
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So are the blues back or not.
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@Crucial said in Blues vs Crusaders:
@rotated said in Blues vs Crusaders:
On the positive side the defence looks organized and much improved on last season.
That can’t be. The worlds worst coach is in charge of defence.
Based on the last three years he must be getting a lot of help. I won’t be surprised if Tana leaves mid season for a new “opportunity “.
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@Siam said in Blues vs Crusaders:
I'm starting to think this Akira fellow could be in the All Blacks.
Funny enough, despite my fanboi status, I can see why he is not (yet). Run on to it!
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@Crucial said in Blues vs Crusaders:
@rotated said in Blues vs Crusaders:
On the positive side the defence looks organized and much improved on last season.
That can’t be. The worlds worst coach is in charge of defence.
Tana. The coach who selected Pulu as his captain. Lol.
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@Duluth said in Blues vs Crusaders:
@Kirwan said in Blues vs Crusaders:
Of course Collins can’t catch a fucking cold
Isn’t it weird how Blues fans criticise him for making basic errors every game?
About Collins ... if he was a Tana favourite how come MacDonald selected him too?
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@hydro11 said in Blues vs Crusaders:
I'm okay with the outcome. Seems like a strange reasoning. Intent doesn't normally matter.
You referring to Mataele's deliberate knock on?
If so, I can't quite see your logic ...
He was obviously trying to knock it backwards, thus he wasn't deliberately knocking it on ...
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@booboo said in Blues vs Crusaders:
@Duluth said in Blues vs Crusaders:
@Kirwan said in Blues vs Crusaders:
Of course Collins can’t catch a fucking cold
Isn’t it weird how Blues fans criticise him for making basic errors every game?
About Collins ... if he was a Tana favourite how come MacDonald selected him too?
Because Trainor, Duffie and Perofeta are all injured?
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@chchfanatic The next 3 weeks will go along way to deciding that as well as actully beating a fellow NZ team but right now no. Not even convinced we beat the Sharks next week who looked fairly decent last night (yes it was only the Sunwolves).
