Crusaders v Chiefs

SammyC

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Live on SS1 Saturday night at 1935hrs, New Zealand's all conquering Crusaders take on the might of the Waikato. Be there or be NOWHERE!!!!!
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I'll be there, 14th Season in a row as a season ticket holder.
 
I'm not expecting a whole lot from the crusaders this year, but reckon we could pinch this one. We will be hurting after the 74-7 humiliation last week.
 
Also, did I hear correctly the the new AB captain is coming back early and expected to play?
 
 
Will be an interesting year for the chiefs, Messum and SBW gone, First choice tighthead and starting lock also out.. plus no Wayne Smith. If Rennie manages a successful season then maybe I'll change my opinion of him :fishing:

Hooroo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="560683" data-time="1456363758">
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 If Rennie manages a successful season then maybe I'll change my opinion of him :fishing:
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Same here.
 
I truly have no idea about this match and I won't be surprised if either side wins but even in a preseason, you don't ship 74 points unless you have your 3 string team out there.

mariner4life

I'm honestly struggling to see why the Chiefs are rated so highly still. Maybe if Bird and Laulala were fit, and we had Messam and SBW running about. 
 
But this current mob? Our best players stick out like dog's balls. We're going to be relying on a couple of break-out seasons (like the Highlanders last year i guess).

Hooroo

I agree.
 
I've tipped Chiefs in KP's comp and NZherald comp (Thanks or the reminder, Paj) but the more I look at the leikely teams the more I realise that the Chiefs will be lucky to get the silver this weekend

KiwiMurph

The reason the Chiefs are highly rated is simple - their halves and head coach.
 
Their halves are class and it's proven you can with with class halves while lacking in other areas but not visca versca. Also their coach has a record of 4 seasons for 2 titles and 2 other finals appearances. The two other final appearances occuring in years where they had injuries to their halves - whereas I believe Cruden played every game of the 2 title winning seasons.

Hooroo

I like that theory!
 
I have just don $10 on the Blues to win the comp darn it!

Frye

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The reason the Chiefs are highly rated is simple - their halves and head coach.
 
Their halves are class and it's proven you can with with class halves while lacking in other areas but not visca versca. Also their coach has a record of 4 seasons for 2 titles and 2 other finals appearances. The two other final appearances occuring in years where they had injuries to their halves - whereas I believe Cruden played every game of the 2 title winning seasons. 
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Correct. Having the best first five in the comp goes a long way.
 
And while they don't have a plethora of All Blacks, they've still got some of the best young talent in the comp.

Bovidae

The Gallagher Chiefs team to play the BNZ Crusaders is:
1. Pauliasi Manu 
2. Rhys Marshall 
3. Hiroshi Yamashita 
4. Michael Allardice 
5. Brodie Retallick 
6. Taleni Seu 
7. Sam Cane (C) 
8. Tom Sanders 
9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow 
10. Aaron Cruden (C) 
11. James Lowe 
12. Charlie Ngatai 
13. Seta Tamanivalu 
14. Shaun Stevenson 
15. Damian McKenzie
 
Reserves: 
16. Nathan Harris 
17. Mitchell Graham 
18. Siate Tokolahi 
19. Maama Vaipulu 
20. Johan Bardoul 
21. Brad Weber 
22. Anton Lienert-Brown 
23. Latu Vaeno
 
Not considered for selection:
Nepo Laulala, Mitchell Karpik, Andrew Horrell, Hika Elliot, Toni Pulu, Augustine Pulu, Dominic Bird, Sam McNicol and Glen Fisiiahi.
 
Yikes! Marshall at hooker. I'll call it now and say the Chiefs' lineout will be poor. Last man standing on the right wing. The Chiefs team could be so much stronger.

pukunui

It's funny isn't it. Both these teams have been battling it out to be top of the NZ teams for a few years now but both got upstaged by the Highlanders and Hurricanes last year. Now they have both lost a whole lot of experience and quality.
I can see this one being a hell of a battle again with two somewhat different styles going at it.
Good to see Cruden back after a long lay off.

Unco

Interesting to see Yamashita thrown straight in at the deep end.
 
Not a great Chiefs team, especially in the front row, but I think it should still be way too much for a Saders team who always start the season at a snails pace and are lacking Richie, DC, Slade, Taylor and the all important Luke Whitelock.
 
Edit: Oh and very interested to see how Sanders, Seu, Stephenson and Tamanivalu go. Hope they step up.

Stargazer

Crusaders line-up for Saturday:
 
1. Joe Moody 2. Codie Taylor 3.Owen Franks 4. Scott Barrett 5.Samuel Whitelock (c) 6. Jordan Taufua 7. Tim Boys 8. Kieran Read
9. Andy Ellis 10. Richie Moâ€™unga 11. Nemani Nadolo 12. Kieron Fonotia 13. Sean Wainui 14. Jone Macilai 15. David Havili
 
Reserves :
16. Ben Funnell 17. Wyatt Crockett 18. Mike Alaalatoa 19. Jimmy Tupou 20. Reed Prinsep 21. Leon Fukofuka 22. Ben Volavola 23. Johnny McNicholl

Nepia

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Crusaders line-up for Saturday:
 
1. Joe Moody 2. Codie Taylor 3.Owen Franks 4. Scott Barrett 5.Samuel Whitelock (c) 6. Jordan Taufua 7. Tim Boys 8. Kieran Read
9. Andy Ellis 10. Richie Moâ€™unga 11. Nemani Nadolo 12. Kieron Fonotia 13. Sean Wainui 14. Jone Macilai 15. David Havili
 
Reserves :
16. Ben Funnell 17. Wyatt Crockett 18. Mike Alaalatoa 19. Jimmy Tupou 20. Reed Prinsep 21. Leon Fukofuka 22. Ben Volavola 23. Johnny McNicholl
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Toddy blew his chance to install Taufua at 7 and Tupou at 6. I
 
WTF has happened to the skinny white boys backline?

KiwiMurph

While there are plenty of questions on first-five on out for the Crusaders, that is a pretty tidy outfit jerseys 1 to 9, 5 current ABs and 1 former AB.

SammyC

Exciting team, very happy with the 2 Fijians on the wings

ACT Crusader

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Toddy blew his chance to install Taufua at 7 and Tupou at 6. I
 
WTF has happened to the skinny white boys backline?
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Tupou's a better impact player off the bench in my view.

ACT Crusader

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Exciting team, very happy with the 2 Fijians on the wings
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The ingredients are there and add to them Havili at fullback, there is plenty of speed and power.

Nepia

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Tupou's a better impact player off the bench in my view.
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Someone else at 6 then - as I've stated in the past (probably a billion times) IMHO Taufua's career is going to stagnated unless he swaps to openside due to his height.

Tim

Jeez that's a weak Chiefs frontrow.

Bovidae

Is Drummond injured or dropped?

Dice

This bulky guy has to mark Nadolo in his debut game.
 
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The Silver Fern

Crusaders v Chiefs