Chiefs vs Crusaders
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@nepia said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@crazy-horse said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
While I am not conceding the Saders get the rub of the green with refs 😀, @Crucial is right. Champion teams and Champion individuals do benefit. For example, LeBron James is often referenced on here for getting calls going his way because of who he is.
I might cop some flack for this from the Village of the Damned but after a partial rewatch (I have reports I need to write for an Academic Board so I'm procrastinating) I do think the calls went the Crusaders way last night and I do think Razor made an astute tactical decision that capitalised on it.
Firstly, in the second half there were 3 rucks in about 2 minutes where first Nankivell, then Ah Koi, and then Nankivell again went for the ball, the Crusaders held it and it was play on. These were no different than what Christie was getting rewarded for. (Not sure how often it was happening in the rest of the game as I just remembered noticing it last night so went back to it). I think this is the champion team benefitting as you and @Crucial say.
To the coaching. In the first 20 minutes at lots of rucks a Crusaders player went for the ball, and dived forward for it, so that even if they didn't get the ball they spilling over past the ruck and were getting in the way of the Chiefs clearance. I think this was a masterstroke by Razor as it tested the ref, the ref did nothing about it, so therefore the rucks became a free for all. The Crusaders adjusted to this and the Chiefs didn't and regularly didn't get enough numbers over the ball. As a Chiefs fan obviously this pisses me off, but I think it's great coaching by Razor.
The Crusaders played smart, intelligent and at times, brutal and physically implemented rugby in those first 40 minutes. They kept on song with their game plan, to turn the Chiefs around and attack every ruck and kick, that they chased. It was a masterpiece of playing basic, front-foot rugby.
Their approach to mix their kicking game, to mix their runners with the ball, to attack every ruck, to ensure parity in the lineout and scrum, to go forward with ball in hand both close-in and out-wide, in my eyes, just made the Chiefs look somewhat pedestrian, in that first 40 minutes.
It's time for Wales or England to poach Razor. His coaching made a quality side like the Chiefs look very average. Not to mention outcoaching an erroneously stacked with talent Blues outfit to recent 43-23 & 29-6 bonus point defeats during the 2021 season. He's wasting his time waiting for NZR given they're likely to extend Foster past 2023 or appoint Plumtree. Razor owes NZ Rugby nothing.
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@kiwi_expat said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@gt12 said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Not to mention one of the most incredible responses to an earthquake in the local area, or getting robbed in the final in Sydney.
Who really gives a damn? They had plenty of opportunities to win those finals in 2011/2014 and chocked it away, mentality and tactically were shocking on both occasions, the facts are Blackadder failed to win any of the contests that mattered after 9 long seasons with the best squad in Super Rugby by a significant margin, they were tactically embarrassing resembling Foster's All Blacks in 2021, Slackbladder boasts a lowly win-rate of 63% compared to Razor's 87%, and Razor hasn't lost a single knockout match during his 6 year tenure, he specializes in getting his side up for winning the big matches, the only ones that matter at the end.
Should have won in 2014. Lost due to an incorrectly awarded penalty goal at the death. How the fuck we got there though I will never really know. Outplayed / ran out of legs in 2011 and can be forgiven for that considering the circumstances.
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@majorrage said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Think I get what Crowley is talking about now.
Two things were very predictable here
- Crusaders to show their class and bounce back
- Few of their fans to act like the whole world said they were the worst rugby team ever and act like complete dickheads.
Boring.
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@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@kiwi_expat said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@gt12 said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Not to mention one of the most incredible responses to an earthquake in the local area, or getting robbed in the final in Sydney.
Who really gives a damn? They had plenty of opportunities to win those finals in 2011/2014 and chocked it away, mentality and tactically were shocking on both occasions, the facts are Blackadder failed to win any of the contests that mattered after 9 long seasons with the best squad in Super Rugby by a significant margin, they were tactically embarrassing resembling Foster's All Blacks in 2021, Slackbladder boasts a lowly win-rate of 63% compared to Razor's 87%, and Razor hasn't lost a single knockout match during his 6 year tenure, he specializes in getting his side up for winning the big matches, the only ones that matter at the end.
Should have won in 2014. Lost due to an incorrectly awarded penalty goal at the death.
Blackadder lost 5 games during the 2014 season, which is more than Razor lost across his first 3 seasons.
And Nemani Nadolo's foot was in touch, so Waratahs probably deserved to win by four points anyway.
Ultimately his Crusaders failed to front when it mattered & were consigned to their 6th defeat of 2014.
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can we start a thread for the fucking Crusaders fans (or assorted sycophants) to have their little circle jerks in?
Thread after thread of the same shit. Get your own room guys
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@mariner4life I think there's only one spouting shit ... (the negative one).
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@kiwi_expat said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@kiwi_expat said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@gt12 said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Not to mention one of the most incredible responses to an earthquake in the local area, or getting robbed in the final in Sydney.
Who really gives a damn? They had plenty of opportunities to win those finals in 2011/2014 and chocked it away, mentality and tactically were shocking on both occasions, the facts are Blackadder failed to win any of the contests that mattered after 9 long seasons with the best squad in Super Rugby by a significant margin, they were tactically embarrassing resembling Foster's All Blacks in 2021, Slackbladder boasts a lowly win-rate of 63% compared to Razor's 87%, and Razor hasn't lost a single knockout match during his 6 year tenure, he specializes in getting his side up for winning the big matches, the only ones that matter at the end.
Should have won in 2014. Lost due to an incorrectly awarded penalty goal at the death.
Blackadder lost 5 games during the 2014 season, which is more than Razor lost across his first 3 seasons.
And Nemani Nadolo's foot was in touch, so Waratahs probably deserved to win by four points anyway.
Ultimately his Crusaders failed to front when it mattered & were consigned to their 6th defeat of 2014.
Like I said, don't know how we got there. But still could have / should have won it at the death. Still don't know who or what you're arguing for, or against. Seemed you were looking to defend Blackadder for a bit, and then you attack him.
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I'm not going to bother reading through the thread, and judging by @mariner4life's comments, it's best I don't.
A couple of points from my viewpoint at the game, which I am sure have been mentioned often, and have been stated by Cane today. The Chiefs definitely lost the aerial kicking battle, and this is one reason I am not a fan of Trask at fullback. I still think Stevenson is the best option at 15. 1.90 m vs 1.80 m - a no-brainer.
The box kicking was also really poor, particularly from Weber, but also from Ratima at the end. They resulted in stupid penalties, field position, and eventually tries. These are easy to fix.
The turning point in the game was obviously Nankivell not passing early to an unmarked ENS early in the 2nd half. And then Reece scores not long after.
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Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
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@cgrant said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
Jesus, don't praise Cullen Grace. The Fern wrote him off already, not enough X factor, too pasty etc etc.
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@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@cgrant said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
Jesus, don't praise Cullen Grace. The Fern wrote him off already, not enough X factor, too pasty etc etc.
Making things up now.
He hasn't been written off here. He was just put in the same basket as all the other contenders as no one could see what the hype was about. As above, 'best game in two years'. That's pretty much true and it tells you why, whenever he gets mentioned by Saders fans everyone else yawns.
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@stargazer said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@dan54 He played his one test match in 2020, after an outstanding 2020 SR season. He only played 4 games in SR and no NPC in 2021 due to injury. So not many games to judge him on, last year.
Yep. "Written off" because he wasn't showing up not because of any other made up chip on shoulder reasons
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@crucial said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@cgrant said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
Jesus, don't praise Cullen Grace. The Fern wrote him off already, not enough X factor, too pasty etc etc.
Making things up now.
He hasn't been written off here. He was just put in the same basket as all the other contenders as no one could see what the hype was about. As above, 'best game in two years'. That's pretty much true and it tells you why, whenever he gets mentioned by Saders fans everyone else yawns.
Here is one example, from the Crusaders 2022 thread:
As for Grace - I think he disappointed at 8 because he lacks the skillset. I'm sure he'll go well back at 6. Compare him to the other franchises 8's from this year - Sotutu, Jacobson, Savea & Himeno. They are all better ball players than Grace and that seems to be the role at the moment. I think Matera can do that role better than anyone else in the Crusaders squad
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@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@crucial said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@cgrant said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
Jesus, don't praise Cullen Grace. The Fern wrote him off already, not enough X factor, too pasty etc etc.
Making things up now.
He hasn't been written off here. He was just put in the same basket as all the other contenders as no one could see what the hype was about. As above, 'best game in two years'. That's pretty much true and it tells you why, whenever he gets mentioned by Saders fans everyone else yawns.
Here is one example, from the Crusaders 2022 thread:
As for Grace - I think he disappointed at 8 because he lacks the skillset. I'm sure he'll go well back at 6. Compare him to the other franchises 8's from this year - Sotutu, Jacobson, Savea & Himeno. They are all better ball players than Grace and that seems to be the role at the moment. I think Matera can do that role better than anyone else in the Crusaders squad
@Duluth ’Grace likely a better six than 8’
Saders supporters ‘Everyone hates Grace, get out the armbands’
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@dan54 said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@crucial Agree mate, I was on Cullen Grace's wagon a couple of years back, and still am for future, but I reckon he has had one good game in last couple of years, and certainly would want to see a lot more before elevating him to far!
Funny how some guys - such as Keith Robinson - gain legendary status during lengthy injury absences, and others are considered to have played poorly whilst sitting on the couch.
