Blues v Brumbies

[antipodean]

Lineout has gone to shit now Eklund is on the field.

[Bones]

Great question TJ.

Basically "Do you like your coach"

[Victor Meldrew]

Ofa saying Cotter has them concentrating on the basics and then expressing themselves

[KiwiMurph]

Clarke finally showing that hustle and workrate.

[antipodean]

@antipodean said in Blues v Brumbies:

Lineout has gone to shit now Eklund is on the field.

Another lost lineout.

[Machpants]

The phrase 'step someone in a phone booth' was written for Telea

[African Monkey]

Eklund in. A shame his throwing has been poor as he goes well around the field.

[antipodean]

I'm going to enjoy the next week here in Canberra.

[Canes4life]

Well played Blues, a statement performance tonight.

[Duluth]

Blues player of the match voting:
https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/6635/blues-motm-v-brumbies

[Gunner]

46-7, 2 v 3 on the table, doesn’t say much for the competition as a whole does it?

[Bovidae]

McWhannell is the best aerial lock in NZ at the moment.

[sparky]

Lots to like about the Blues tonight, but let's start with Dalton Papalii who is surely going to be the All Blacks' first choice Openside flanker this year.

[antipodean]

Rikki Swannell got the same entertainment credit card clause in her contract as Ian Smith?

[sparky]

@Bovidae Yes, Laghlan McWhannell is backing up his performances and looking a class player at the moment. He's deserving of higher honours and a shot of the Black Jersey.

[Bones]

@Gunner said in Blues v Brumbies:

46-7, 2 v 3 on the table, doesn’t say much for the competition as a whole does it?

I'm waiting for @Horatio to share their thoughts.

[antipodean]

@sparky said in Blues v Brumbies:

Lots to like about the Blues tonight, but let's start with Dalton Papalii who is surely going to be the All Blacks' first choice Openside flanker this year.

Perhaps you haven't heard of this Crusaders player, Blackadder?

[sparky]

@antipodean Not nearly as good.

[ruggabee]

@antipodean said in Blues v Brumbies:

@ruggabee said in Blues v Brumbies:

@antipodean said in Blues v Brumbies:

I constantly criticised his coaching and selections. I think some people were just pleased it wasn't Tana or JK bad.

Maybe so, but he had the tied most talented squad in Super Rugby for his last 3 seasons (2021-2023) and still had an overwelmingly poor record against the Crusaders and Chiefs overall. Couldn't win the title in those seasons and only made the final once - the year Schmidt was orchestrating their training sessions and was the coach in all but name.

I don't know what point you're making here. I'm not disagreeing - hence why I question his involvement in the ABs.

I strongly disagreed with the sentiment that just because he's not JK or Tana level bad that fans should be content, clearly they were poor but many forget those coaches didn't have the quality of wider management staff compared to McDonald - they were not afforded the equivalent support and resources from a barely functional Blues organization at the time. Pat Lam had two assistant coaches for his entire tenure and did a pretty reasonable job.

The point is that McDonald was given a long rope compared to previous coaches and ultimately oversaw five seasons of unfulfilled potential.

[antipodean]

@ruggabee Ok, so we agree he was a shit HC.