Crusaders v Reds

Crash

This game just gets weirder as Macilai denied a 4th try as ref says double movement...

antipodean

How is the ref missing all the obvious neck rolls in front of him but whistling every single fucking thing else?

Crash

That'll do us - Saders win 38-5 final score.
Taufua, Franks, Moody, Taylor, and Mounga all very good tonight. Macilai stepped up to the plate too.
Discipline an issue though? Penalty count must have been horrendous

Chris B.

Even aside from the tries, I thought Macilai really stepped up - looked physical and confident. Another good game from Taufua. Scrum looked better with the bench props on (and Romano pushing) - especially once Taylor came back for Funnell. Taylor a long way better than Funnell these days. Romano looked good as well.
 
Matt Todd let Ardie Savea get a half step on him, though. Too many errors.
 
Does that take us top of the table on points difference? I think it might! :)

Crash

Only until tomorrow... :yes:

Stargazer

Just watched that try from Taufua again. Absolutely brilliant!

Stargazer

<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/rugby/dumbfounded-queensland-winger-buys-dummy-century'>https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/rugby/dumbfounded-queensland-winger-buys-dummy-century</a>

Crash

Agree with the comment on Todd. Was watching him to see if he could bring something different to the table, but he didn't seize the opportunity. In fact I thought he was somewhat overshadowed by Taufua whose workrate was outstanding - he seemed to be everywhere.
A word for Mounga - he is really starting to grow into the role and is starting to look the goods.

Stargazer

Don't fully agree with the comments about Todd. He made most tackles in this game (18) with a 100% success rate. Won also 4 turnovers. I'm not saying he was faultless, but he was much better than you give him credit for.
 
I think it is very hard to compare Todd and Savea because they are very different players. Savea is more an attacking player (he almost plays like a back), while Todd is stronger on defence.

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="577501" data-time="1462531446">
Don't fully agree with the comments about Todd. He made most tackles in this game (18) with a 100% success rate. Won also 4 turnovers. I'm not saying he was faultless, but he was much better then you give him credit for. 
I think it is very hard to compare Todd and Savea because they are very different players. Savea is more an attacking player (he almost plays like a back), while Todd is stronger on defence.</blockquote>
 
Was at the game and Todd was huge on defense. One passage of play right in front of us he made 3 big tackles within 20 seconds, the third resulting in a turnover and an opportunity squandered by McNicol.

Crash

Agree Todd stronger on defence than Ardie, however Todd stood off a fair few rucks tonight, and came in as tackle assist only - to be fair the Saders didn't need him to do much more than that - just doing what they needed to do to eke out the BP win over the Reds who really didn't have many answers.

Stargazer

The Chiefs have been talked up from the start of the season; the Crusaders have mostly been underestimated.
 
This is the picture with the top 4 of the NZ conference having played the same number of games (obviously, after having played different opponents).
 
Tomorrow's game is a must-win for the Highlanders, if they still have hope to end on top of the NZ conference.

ACT Crusader

Not a great game to watch. Had the intensity of one of those one sided ITM cup games. 
I thought Todd started well in attack showing his good support play, running ball in hand and then passing. But then made a number of errors. His defence was huge though. He was a tackling machine. But his hands did let him down and he wasn't alone there with some poor handling from others too. There was some good stuff in amongst it though. 
Reds have major issues in their pack and at 10. That young centre has wheels and well done to him for stepping up with Kerevi's injury.

Billy Tell

Enjoyable enough game, but faded away a bit. Best was probably the combo of Scotty S and Mehrts in commentary, gave me a few chuckles. Ref was fine, stop whingeing people...
 
If Naholo doesn't come thru, I'm predicting Dagg 15, Smith 14 for NZ, Dagg's in good form, proven, and better defensively than the wunderkind.
 
Todd's handling let him down, he'll come to regret it when black rolls around.
 
Mounga has been a great find - was wondering if the Crusaders would do a "Blues" at 10 with the 3 lads moving on, but he's really stepped up. Crusaders rookie of the year for sure.

Dan54

Only thing I can say is How good is Scott Barrett, he was m MOTM for me, I know we all like to look at the Tafuas, Daggs etc who were bloody good I know ,but that Barrett kid is everything I want in a lock, tackles like hell, never seems to shirk the tight stuff, and every now and then will pop up in support, seems to scrum ok too, actually reminds me a bit of Brad Thorn.

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dan54" data-cid="577539" data-time="1462569738">
Only thing I can say is How good is Scott Barrett, he was m MOTM for me, I know we all like to look at the Tafuas, Daggs etc who were bloody good I know ,but that Barrett kid is everything I want in a lock, tackles like hell, never seems to shirk the tight stuff, and every now and then will pop up in support, seems to scrum ok too, actually reminds me a bit of Brad Thorn.</blockquote>
 
Agree, he's turning into a real hard man ala Brad thorn. Great to see from such a young player

Chris B.

Yeah - it's interesting that the backline is going significantly better this year and the key personnel changes are Mo'unga and Havili in for Slade and Danny. Quite a bit of it I put down to the forwards playing with a lot more intent - some of it down to us not actually having played any of the really top teams since Round 1. But pretty much everyone is looking better.
 
Agree on Barrett, the only reservation I have about him is that, at 1.97 metres, he's short for an international lock. He's probably in a similar boat as Taufua, who's playing some outstanding footy. Jordy's big problem is that he doesn't offer the genuine lineout option that guys like Kaino and Luatua do. He might be able to pick up the Masoe/Vito/Messam bench role, though. Aside from his height, he's going at All Black standard.
 
I think I was most pleased with Macilai - towards the end he was knocking people over and slinging them about, where previously he's looked a bit timid. If he can keep that attitude we'll have genuinely scary options on both wings.

Billy Tell

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dan54" data-cid="577539" data-time="1462569738">
<div>
Only thing I can say is How good is Scott Barrett, he was m MOTM for me, I know we all like to look at the Tafuas, Daggs etc who were bloody good I know ,but that Barrett kid is everything I want in a lock, tackles like hell, never seems to shirk the tight stuff, and every now and then will pop up in support, seems to scrum ok too, actually reminds me a bit of Brad Thorn.
</div>
</blockquote>
I think he's overtaken Romano. But all the AB threads on this forum seem to keep favouring Romano. We see when the squad is announced. Crusaders forward pack has been awesome all season. Now that Dagg is back, Mounga is playing better, and even my favourite player Fonatia has actually been not too bad, I'm starting to think the Crusaders can go deep into the competition.
 
I really don't see Taufua ever being an AB (or at least not more than a token cap on an EOYT), not least because he's just not a lineout option.

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="577544" data-time="1462574662">
<div>
I think he's overtaken Romano. But all the AB threads on this forum seem to keep favouring Romano. We see when the squad is announced. Crusaders forward pack has been awesome all season. Now that Dagg is back, Mounga is playing better, and even my favourite player Fonatia has actually been not too bad, I'm starting to think the Crusaders can go deep into the competition.
 
I really don't see Taufua ever being an AB (or at least not more than a token cap on an EOYT), not least because he's just not a lineout option.
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</blockquote>
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Taufua'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Taufua</a>
 
Jordy's had a growth spurt on Wiki today. He's no longer 2cm tall, but he's been on a crash diet and has that BMI well under control at 91kgs. :)

Toddy

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="577548" data-time="1462575407">
<div>
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Taufua'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Taufua</a>
 
Jordy's had a growth spurt on Wiki today. He's no longer 2cm tall, but he's been on a crash diet and has that BMI well under control at 91kgs. :)
</div>
</blockquote>
It's 108kgs now That sounds about right.

The Silver Fern

Crusaders v Reds