SR Final - Blues v Chiefs
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The Blues will have an extra day’s preparation, and hope to get Bryce Heem and Laghlan McWhannell back into their selection. They also shrugged off Dalton Papali’i’s failed HIA as a non-issue due to a “misunderstanding”.
Ok, they didn't list McWhannell as injured last week. So you'd assume Evans and Thompson drop out of the 23.
Maybe McWhannell does come back in to start? Beehre was a big part of the win last week though. The young second row had plenty of power in the scrum and he was everywhere in general play (top tackler with 20 etc)
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I think this game is for the Blues to win, they play a "finals - style" type of footy, low risk but brutally effective, heavy forward runners to draw the defence in then effective closers out wide to get past the defence once it's all been sucked into the middle of the field.
Just a very effective style of play that utilises the skills of their players, it's smart rugby.
The one advantage the Chiefs do have is Dmac and their kicking game, if they can draw the Blues into a kicking game the Chiefs will win it and if they put pressure on the ruck as the Blues try to work their way out of their half and feed of their errors it could be a repeat of the semi final.
While I'm confident that the Chiefs can win the kicking game, I'm not confident that they can pressure the Blues ruck as the Blues have been very effective there all season.
The Chiefs will need a bit of luck and a few calls to go their way (like if one of the Chiefs ball carriers get direct head-to-head contact by a tackler that player gets yellow carded instead of being let off Scott-free).
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@ARHS said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
Are Solomone Tukuafu or Rhys Marshall genuine options for Chiefs? Else I assume Sanerivi or maybe Vernon Bason? Shilo Klein?
Marshall is back playing, and played in the club game BB made an appearance in. Tukuafu doesn't really play hooker now. I think they would use Sanerivi, who is playing club rugby in Auckland. No chance for Bason as the NZ U20s are in camp.
McMillan did mention bringing in a hooker from Waikato club rugby for training. Maybe that is Hakaraia Richards-Coxhead, who was involved with the Chiefs Dev team.
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I suppose if you are concussed it would be normal to misunderstand a question 😉
Read his quotes and it does seem fairly explanation on the HIA.
Will be a big step for Dalton if he can play well and lead the Blues to a title.
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@booboo said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@Tim said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
This is just sad from geriatric Phil Gifford:
Ask anyone on the streets of Te Awamutu or Morrinsville and they’ll tell you the edge for rugby teams from the Waikato area playing Auckland has always been in the forwards, where the Queen St Yanks can’t match the grit of the rural grafters in red, yellow, and black.
No one in NZ has ever used the term "yanks".
He has dementia.
Actually have heard the term - but not for many much years. You're likely far too young.
I have heard it as well just not for about 2 or even 3 or 4 decades
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@nostrildamus said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
not for about 2 or even 3 or 4 decades
I don't think i've heard 'Queen St Yanks' since it was superseded by the always affectionate 'jafa'.
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@Bovidae said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
Marshall is back playing, and played in the club game BB made an appearance in. Tukuafu doesn't really play hooker now. I think they would use Sanerivi, who is playing club rugby in Auckland. No chance for Bason as the NZ U20s are in
Hey thanks. Was hoping either Marshall or Tukuafu for the bench for such a big occasion due to their familiarity with the team. Hakaraia too green for the bench yet. Tough for Sanerivi to debut in a final. Fingers crossed.
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@nzzp said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@nostrildamus said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
Maybe you're right, I'll just cut straight to the celebratory drinking
Welcome onboard the Blues train!
celebratory, commiseratory, who cares right
win or lose we Booze
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@mariner4life said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@nzzp said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@nostrildamus said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
Maybe you're right, I'll just cut straight to the celebratory drinking
Welcome onboard the Blues train!
celebratory, commiseratory, who cares right
win or lose we Booze
There's a Fern motto I can get behind
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@nostrildamus said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@booboo said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@Tim said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
This is just sad from geriatric Phil Gifford:
Ask anyone on the streets of Te Awamutu or Morrinsville and they’ll tell you the edge for rugby teams from the Waikato area playing Auckland has always been in the forwards, where the Queen St Yanks can’t match the grit of the rural grafters in red, yellow, and black.
No one in NZ has ever used the term "yanks".
He has dementia.
Actually have heard the term - but not for many much years. You're likely far too young.
I have heard it as well just not for about 2 or even 3 or 4 decades
May even have been Gifford who I recall having used it back in my pre dementia days.
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@Crazy-Horse said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
Stupidly I have gone and scheduled a trip to the grand old US of A that happens to coincide with this game and also the ABs first test of the season. Does anyone know if my Aussie Stan app will work in the States?
Big ask, it doesn’t even work in Australia a lot of the time
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@mariner4life said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@nzzp said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@nostrildamus said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
Maybe you're right, I'll just cut straight to the celebratory drinking
Welcome onboard the Blues train!
celebratory, commiseratory, who cares right
win or lose we Booze
win or lose
we choose
to Booze(I suggest it scans better)
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
@nostrildamus said in SR Final - Blues v Chiefs:
not for about 2 or even 3 or 4 decades
I don't think i've heard 'Queen St Yanks' since it was superseded by the always affectionate 'jafa'.
From the quote, I thought it was the name of a team of some sort