Crusaders v Chiefs

booboo

Will have to watch Ngatai more closely. He's never stood out for me. Perhaps i was a victim of his early hype some years ago (early Hurricanes days) so i watched him to see what he could produce and it wasn't that much so I've written him off. 
Not that my opinion counts for much. 
From reading above he's the shit so I'll keep a closer eye out.

pukunui

Its not so much that he has an awesome highlights package but he just seems to do the right thing most of the time and pops up in places to allow a movement to continue by giving a good pass or stepping a defender. A lot like conrad has done for years.

Gary

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="561629" data-time="1456734739">
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I'd like to see Fekitoa (12) and Ngatai (13) given a chance. Fekitoa lacks distribution skills at this point of his career so I think he can be a like-for-like replacement for Nonu at 2nd 5. As others have mentioned, Ngatai has similar attributes to Smith. Crotty is another option but Ngatai has more upside.
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except that Nonu was a pretty good distributor

Bovidae

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gary" data-cid="561660" data-time="1456765853">
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except that Nonu was a pretty good distributor
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Became a very good distributor. So hope for Fekitoa.

taniwharugby

I still have concerns about Fekitoas direction, so often he seems to take the wrong option (on offence and defence) or holds the ball a bit too long...granted he is still young and can learn, I am just not sure he is the right option for the ABs just yet, not that I have a better solution mind you.

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="561672" data-time="1456774172">
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I still have concerns about Fekitoas direction, so often he seems to take the wrong option (on offence and defence) or holds the ball a bit too long...granted he is still young and can learn, I am just not sure he is the right option for the ABs just yet, not that I have a better solution mind you.
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When in the ABs he follows the gameplan and I suspect that in the Highlanders he is given licence as part of the defensive plan to rocket out of the line and disrupt. It worked well for the in the final last year and you can see how the players around him deliberately re-align to close any holes he leaves

kiwiinmelb

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="561672" data-time="1456774172">
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I still have concerns about Fekitoas direction, so often he seems to take the wrong option (on offence and defence) or holds the ball a bit too long...granted he is still young and can learn, I am just not sure he is the right option for the ABs just yet, not that I have a better solution mind you.
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I love his attitude , he looks like he is always ready to get stuck into the work , 
 
But I understand where you are coming from , at times he looks like a junior footballer , the way he always seems to tuck the ball under his arm and then try to run around people

mooshld

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="561781" data-time="1456811701">
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I love his attitude , he looks like he is always ready to get stuck into the work , 
 
But I understand where you are coming from , at times he looks like a junior footballer , the way he always seems to tuck the ball under his arm and then try to run around people 
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I also love his attitude and the way he always hits the line at 100MPH.
 
For me his big work on his his retention in the tackle he needs to switch that ball to two hands when he is going into contact, sacrifice a bit of speed for security. But hes a young guy in a position that has historically allowed guys to grow into it so I think if he keeps going he will be in the mix for a long time. 
 
He seems the type who wants to develop as well not just sit back and let the world come to him.

ACT Crusader

I'm surprised how we actually stayed close in this game. There was very little happening from 10 out. Thought 1-9 played pretty well and we didn't give away that much ball at the breakdown given Todd plays a big part in securing our own ball.
 
But we sorely missed Crotty, Fruean and Dagg. A little more composure to link with a few of our wingers and green 1st 5 would've been useful.
 
Thought Cruden played well. Love it when he plays a little flatter and we can see his individual brilliance at work.

Crucial

Article from Sumo about Cruden. A bit OTT, but pretty much also what we witnessed as well.
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There was a moment on Saturday night in all the heat and the noise and the nor-west wind at AMI Stadium when Aaron Cruden simply vanished, only to materialise seconds later so far from where he was last spotted that it was all you could do to rub your eyes and wonder how he did it.
There is a subtlety to Cruden's game that is made possibly only by a supreme confidence in his one-on-one ability. He starts games in much the same way as a prize-fighter starts a bout; he works his way into the contest through process and orthodoxy; he jabs and feints, defends, and retreats. He is conscious of landing a few early punches but he is thinking rounds ahead, noting deficiencies and patterns.
He began this way against the Crusaders on Saturday night. It was his first game since his knee - and his world cup dreams - disintegrated on this very same ground back in April last year. He stood in the pocket, made a couple of darts at the line, and cleared the ball when required.

He took the first pass early and often, a safe pair of hands for Tawera Kerr-Barlow, a calm head in the early storm.
In the first ten minutes he did the things we all expect a fly half to do. He stood in the places we expect a fly half to stand. He watched and waited and for the ball and showed glimpses of his undeniable brilliance. And then he did what Aaron Cruden does best: he evaporated. One minute he was at first receiver, the next he was in midfield, then he trailed back behind the attack line and, all of a sudden, he was back where he began, four phases later.
From those early touches, he had gleaned all the intelligence he needed to remote control the game. Such is his presence on the field that even when he had no direct involvement in the play, he was still pulling the strings. His team mates filled whichever space he had just vacated, and made room for him whenever and wherever he reappeared. When the Chiefs attacked, watching Cruden in the line was akin to playing a game of human whack-a-mole.
There is a science at play here; a mastery of illusion and sleight of hand. At 80 kilograms dripping wet, Cruden is not the kind of player who will knock over defenders. Instead he bounces out and lets his wingers hit first phase ball from the lineout, or Charlie Ngatai bend the line inside. He takes the pass at odd angles and holds defenders. He hides behind screens and re-emerges on an outside mismatch. You half expect him to yell 'surprise!' as he glides through a gap.
And even while all this is happening, even while he was happy to roam the backline and job share with his blindside wingers and his second five and the impressive Damian McKenzie - as precocious a player as this country has ever produced - he still managed to piece together more touches than all but one other fly half in the opening round of Super Rugby. It was a masterclass of deception and decision making.
There was one play in particular, a Crusaders short lineout just inside their own half, in which it was impossible not to discern Cruden's dominion over the game. He lined up three wide in defence, only to watch Andy Ellis despatch the ball from the box. He turned to see Damian McKenzie slot calmly into the first receiver spot from the resultant ruck and so he simply kept his width. Two passes later, he took the ball inside his own 22, carved inside the slide and peeled off 40 metres.
It was the kind of play that reminded you of just why Aaron Cruden is so valuable to this Chiefs team, and just why he is so hard to defend against. The reality is that he is the great illusionist, a side-stepping, shape-changing amusement park shaman. And he announced his return to Super Rugby by sprinkling his own brand of magic dust around AMI Stadium, leaving us rubbing our eyes, and wondering how he does it.
- NZ Herald
 
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The Silver Fern

Crusaders v Chiefs