Crusaders v Blues
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@mariner4life Our front row has been a real weakness this year, especially with Hodgman out and Eklund out of form.
Crusaders are solid favourites at the TAB:
Crusaders $1.47
Blues $2.70 -
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Stargazer said in Crusaders v Blues:
The Crusaders are still missing way too many players to be favourites (particularly Newell, Whitelock, Blackadder and Reece as starters, and Bower on the bench).
Hodgeman, Laulala and Perofeta out for us. Both sides are affected by injuries.
Where's your normal Crusader confidence?
Take your blinkers off mate, look at the Crusaders current back-row options, they are easily the worst of the NZ franchises, 3 guys in that 23 would not even make Landers' 23 (Christie, Lo-Willie, S.Havili), they have a development player on the bench (Sykes-Martin) and a largely patchwork midfield and backline.
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Their starting halfback is a journeyman who wouldn't make the wider squad of other NZ sides & their replacement halfback is a 19 year old. Leon's Blues ought to be firm favourites and you know it mate.
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Definitely a big choke if the Blues don't comfortably win it
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Crusaders v Blues:
Definitely a big choke if the Blues don't comfortably win it
Lol! There it is.
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Gardiner injured or paying the price for a slightly disappointing few games at 6?
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@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
The Blues should have an advantage in the scrum once the props are replaced.
I think that's the plan for Akira as well, they want to finish strong.
Why are they starting with Choat ahead of Akira?
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@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
Do you not think Jordan is a factor, or home advantage?
He's no R. Ioane, or even Caleb Clarke, I've been told.
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@Frank said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Bovidae said in Crusaders v Blues:
@mariner4life said in Crusaders v Blues:
The only place i give the saders the advantage is in the tight 5.
The Blues should have an advantage in the scrum once the props are replaced.
I think that's the plan for Akira as well, they want to finish strong.
Why are they starting with Choat ahead of Akira?
Because Choat is better with a higher workrate?
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@nostrildamus said in Crusaders v Blues:
@Kirwan said in Crusaders v Blues:
Do you not think Jordan is a factor, or home advantage?
He's no R. Ioane, or even Caleb Clarke, I've been told.
Please look up what "on par with" means. It'll help future conversations.
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@Duluth said in Crusaders v Blues:
Suafoa has been one of the Blues best this year and he's also on the bench. Lay has been going better than Renata. They seem to be putting an emphasis on how the pack finishes the match.
Yeah, Suafoa has been huge for us this year and with Lay being on the bench as well, it's clear what the strategy is.
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@Jailbreak7 it's more a tactical decision than one being better than the other as they are completely different styles of players.
I'd expect Akira to come on at around the 50 minute mark.
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@African-Monkey Keep expecting Akira to hit the turbo button, hoping we will see a head-turning performance from him to give Fozzie something to think about.
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@Jailbreak7 said in Crusaders v Blues:
@African-Monkey Keep expecting Akira to hit the turbo button, hoping we will see a head-turning performance from him to give Fozzie something to think about.
Did you see him last week, seemed to have ignored the turbo and just gone full V8 power.
