Super XV 2015 General Discussion Thread

sydthebeat

Havent been following this mornings game but sounds like the crusaders are getting their arse handed to them

SuprSi

sydthebeat wrote: »

Havent been following this mornings game but sounds like the crusaders are getting their arse handed to them

Yeah, it's pretty bad. They were rubbish last weekend as well with a crazy amount of handling errors, and from the senior players like Read too, which was very unusual.

sydthebeat

SuprSi wrote: »

Yeah, it's pretty bad. They were rubbish last weekend as well with a crazy amount of handling errors, and from the senior players like Read too, which was very unusual.

already starting to look like you might have to compete with the 3 south african sides for the 6th WC spot?

SuprSi

sydthebeat wrote: »

already starting to look like you might have to compete with the 3 south african sides for the 6th WC spot?

It's looking that way. 7 points behind the Hurricanes on current form is too big a gap and losing two on the bounce at home is obviously very bad for moral.

I'm sitting in the office in my Crusaders jersey and was hoping for some early morning cheer

Del.Monte

Dreadful performance by Crusaders - I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. Kicking the ball away aimlessly, kicking straight out, awful defence and this from a team stacked with class. I noticed King Richie blowing hard at the end and I wonder is he at the end of the road - I hope not but Sam Cane must have his place well in his sights.

matthew8

That was shocking from the Crusaders. They never landed a blow from the moment the Chiefs took the lead. So annoying seeing them go for difficult shots and goal again and again even though Carter was kicking poorly. He looked finished tonight.

sydthebeat

http://balls.ie/rugby/267239-fumiaki-tanaka/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

ill just leave that there

Swiwi.

Pathetic from the Crusaders. Leinster fans know all about it, because it's the exact same thing with the Crusaders. My impression is the big names in the forwards are holding back for the international season, and the backs have way too many journeyman. Carter has never been a great 12, he is a "facilitator" type of player much more suited to 10, his goalkicking is rubbish these days (why did Slade or Taylor not kick), and the plan of kicking away the ball for 80 minutes was hopeless. I know Molloy doesn't read the SXV thread, but I've now given up for the season, barring a miracle, the NZ conference is coming down to the Chiefs, Canes and I'm not discounting the Landers yet.

As for the Chiefs, nice. Sam Cane is now NZ's best openside, very good today, Retallick was absolutely immense (reportedly being offered a €1,000,000 a season to play in Europe), and I reckon Brad Webber is an outside bet for 3rd halfback spot.

Last but not least, TNW could be a star Samoa at the RWC. Scotland are exactly the kind of side that can be made to look hapless in the face of such players.

stl.ire

Ardie Savea with the gaffe of the season? Drops the ball on his foot when scoring a try. In what should be such a difficult, tight game too!

Swiwi.

stl.ire wrote: »

Ardie Savea with the gaffe of the season? Drops the ball on his foot when scoring a try. In what should be such a difficult, tight game too!

Yeah, poor. I'm telling you man, Ulster chose the wrong man! It would be unusual to get an AB bolter in RWC year, but Nehe Milner-Skudder. Looks deadly every time he touches the ball.

phog

stl.ire wrote: »

Ardie Savea with the gaffe of the season? Drops the ball on his foot when scoring a try. In what should be such a difficult, tight game too!

Hurricanes have butchered two tries already, Savea's effort was unforgivable, he knew it too.

They've just righted it now with a try from a 5 m scrum

Just as I type this, they've gone and scored again.

stl.ire

Swiwi. wrote: »

Yeah, poor. I'm telling you man, Ulster chose the wrong man! It would be unusual to get an AB bolter in RWC year, but Nehe Milner-Skudder. Looks deadly every time he touches the ball.

I love me some Skudd. What a player. So much fun to watch. The All Blacks have to have him in the squad somewhere for pure entertainment alone.

Swiwi.

phog wrote: »

Hurricanes have butchered two tries already, Savea's effort was unforgivable, he knew it too.

They've just righted it now with a try from a 5 m scrum

Just as I type this, they've gone and scored again.

It was one try, and I've forgiven him already. He won't make the same mistake twice.

stl.ire

phog wrote: »

Hurricanes have butchered two tries already, Savea's effort was unforgivable, he knew it too.

They've just righted it now with a try from a 5 m scrum

Just as I type this, they've gone and scored again.

Yeah looks like it's not such a tight game! It's really going full pelt.

And now Perenara has a huge face injury! Everything's happening!

phog

Tahs return the favour and butcher a try too.

Swiwi.

I forgive Beale too while I'm at it

phog

2nd try for Tahs

I think Hurricanes are creating more but both teams are playing good rugby.

phog

Hurricanes killing themselves, siren gone for halftime, they try and run a turnover ball from their own try and throw an intercept pass to gift Tahs their 3rd try

stl.ire

Intercept try! Oh Canes. Running it from your own 22 with the half over instead of booting it out! So it's at 19-19 half time, what a great game so far.

stl.ire

Really nice win for the Tahs. They needed it too. The Canes in many ways were a perfect opponent for them in that they kept it loose and took a bunch of risks. Eventually the power and breakdown work of the Tahs won out.

As for the Canes they had to lose at some point and at least they didn't play poorly. They gambled at the wrong times and couldn't get the scores they've been getting to cover up their mistakes and weakness. They're 1 point down on the Chiefs with a game in hand and the Highlanders are in the mix too - it's shaping up to be a great battle for the NZ conference.

matthew8

I can't believe what I'm seeing from the Blues. That's 2 99 out of 100 tries they have not scored. But how have the Highlanders not been binned for offside in a clear try scoring position?

SuprSi

And two of the worst bounces from the kick and the long pass you could ask for, with certain tries had the bounce been any way decent

sydthebeat

It could be argued that the offsides didnt really affect play at all.

Blues their own worst enemies.

matthew8

sydthebeat wrote: »

It could be argued that the offsides didnt really affect play at all.

Blues their own worst enemies.

How? Sopoaga got right up in the Blues face and forced them to kick when they had a 4 man overlap out wide.

sydthebeat

matthew8 wrote: »

How? Sopoaga got right up in the Blues face and forced them to kick when they had a 4 man overlap out wide.

It was fekitoa, and it looked like bowden was already going to take that option

sydthebeat

Third try Highlanders !

matthew8

2 Blues tries 2 conversions missed. Bowden kicking absolutely awfully has to go.

Yeah_Right

This really is a game of 2 halves.

And there is no way that was ayellow card.

matthew8

Talk about one team getting the bounce of the ball...

sydthebeat

Blues need a decent 10

Bowden was the blues biggest weakness today. Not only the missed tees, but his General management kicking was poor.

West needs to step up