Super XV 2015 General Discussion Thread

matthew8

Bizarre match. If Bowden had kicked well and the Blues scored one of 2 easy tries in the first half you could say they should have won. Then again it looked the only reason they were in it at all was the Highlanders easing off in the second half. Big difference was the Blues stopped kicking.

matthew8

Naivalu looks like yet another pacific winger Super Rugby star. Incredible how many Fijians all over the world are the stars of their teams.

sydneybound

Rebels beat the Brumbies 13-8.

Great they got the win but the stadium was practically empty and the last 10 minutes were a joke, scrum reset after reset. Shocking game to attract support for the game in Australia., shame.

Kiwi_knock

It was hardly a classic. Weather was a factor;the match was just kick, knock-on, scrum. Brumbies without Toomua look lost for ideas.

irishbucsfan

Greg Holmes looking good for the Reds

sydthebeat

Some finish to that

Joe pietersen hits the post from 33 m pen in the last minute

Reds first win of the season 17 - 18

Good call pudsey

matthew8

You would have banked on Pietersen to make that. Great performances from the Australian props as well as James O'Connor. Sharks very poor earlier, you wouldn't have known by looking at them that it was a competitive match, let alone a derby. Some urgency for the first 5 minutes of the second half, otherwise Bulls dominance and the scoreline flattered the Sharks.

sydneybound

nicolas sanchez signed a three contract with the Argentinian Super Rugby side.

aimee1

Cruden acl injury apparently. Out of world cup??

Del.Monte

aimee1 wrote: »

Cruden acl injury apparently. Out of world cup??

Dan Carter's lucky break?

stl.ire

That's devastating news.

Cruden is a massive blow to the Chiefs. They were the best side in the competition and now will probably struggle when the playoffs role around. Damien McKensie is a huge talent but barely out of school and they'll need him to step to a new level. Will be interesting to see him though, he's a future AB for sure.

As for the NZ team, although the papers are talking it down (they seem to believe Carter hasn't slipped at all) there is no way this doesn't hurt for the World Cup. He was locked in as the starter the way this season was going. Now it will be a hopefully somewhere near his best Carter and Slade when Carter needs a rest. I'm a Canes fan but Barrett is essentially a more athletic Madigan, he barely controls a game. I'd have Sopoaga before Barrett. It's not a strong position to be in at all.
Steve Hansen needs all the cotton wool on the south island sent to Aaron Smith's address. Oh and keep Stephen Donald's number handy!

Swiwi.

stl.ire wrote: »

That's devastating news.

Cruden is a massive blow to the Chiefs. They were the best side in the competition and now will probably struggle when the playoffs role around. Damien McKensie is a huge talent but barely out of school and they'll need him to step to a new level. Will be interesting to see him though, he's a future AB for sure.

As for the NZ team, although the papers are talking it down (they seem to believe Carter hasn't slipped at all) there is no way this doesn't hurt for the World Cup. He was locked in as the starter the way this season was going. Now it will be a hopefully somewhere near his best Carter and Slade when Carter needs a rest. I'm a Canes fan but Barrett is essentially a more athletic Madigan, he barely controls a game. I'd have Sopoaga before Barrett. It's not a strong position to be in at all.
Steve Hansen needs all the cotton wool on the south island sent to Aaron Smith's address. Oh and keep Stephen Donald's number handy!

I dunno, I think the biggest elephant in the room is the standard of goalkicking in NZ rugby at present. Heading into a world cup with your starting 10 being a flaky 40m kicker is hardly ideal. If he remains injury free maybe Carter will get the nod, but his kicking was awful last week too. Personally, I think the NZRU should rapidly lobby World Rugby for NFL laws: specialist kicker brought on just for the kicks...

skippymac6

What a try from the chiefs. Literally the length of the pitch. Couple of rucks and just unreal off loads and lines of running

skippymac6

Red card for the force scrum half for a tip tackle. This could get ugly!

He really has no excuse as he lifted him above the horizontal and drive him into the ground. What makes it worse is there was no need for it as Nanai Williams had spilled the ball and it was a force scrum coming up

sydthebeat

not looking forward to the next game, it could be a big enough win for the brumbies

the highlander have rested their 'big namers' in A+B Smith and Fekitoa, and have two newbies on the bench in half back Renton and lock Latta. I wouldnt question their abilities, but leadership and calmness under pressure is what you get with the smiths.

great chance for Fumi to show what he can do over the full 80, and a lot of pressure on Sopoaga to control the game as much as he can.

theyve also gone with a 6-2 bench with two back rows ...

matthew8

Great try from the Force there but this is all Chiefs. Chiefs had a scrum penalty try from around 20 metres out.

Buer

Oddly enough it's 14-14 since the red card.

skippymac6

Buer wrote: »

Oddly enough it's 14-14 since the red card.

Yeah the Force have really knuckled down and got a good breakaway try followed by another lineout maul going over. The Chiefs will be stung into action on the back of that and still need a try for the BP

skippymac6

skippymac6 wrote: »

Yeah the Force have really knuckled down and got a good breakaway try followed by another lineout maul going over. The Chiefs will be stung into action on the back of that and still need a try for the BP

And right on cue, Nanai-Williams goes over. That might break the Force's resistance but they are only a try away from their own BP

sydthebeat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOZVlGeFETg

The tip tackle, mindlessly stupid

matthew8

As long as the Chiefs have the ball they are moving forward with ease.

SuprSi

sydthebeat wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOZVlGeFETg

The tip tackle, mindlessly stupid

That is such a bad tackle, and one he didn't even have to make.

Buer

sydthebeat wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOZVlGeFETg

The tip tackle, mindlessly stupid

I don't think they replayed it enough times.

matthew8

Chiefs have played a bit brain dead this half. Absolutely heroic second half from the Force to cover the handicap :pac:. It's amazing how many super rugby teams surrender huge leads and good situations.

Swiwi.

How did Marty McKenzie go at 10 for the Chiefs please.

skippymac6

Swiwi. wrote: »

How did Marty McKenzie go at 10 for the Chiefs please.

Not bad. He didnt do anything too flashy and just fed his potent outside backs when possible. Only one blemish from the kicking tee which was a bad miss but he kicked well as a whole.

sydthebeat

17 - 0 after 17 mins

matthew8

Good display of the Brumbies turning the screw. Highlanders haven't even been that bad and they're 24-6 down. Brumbies goal line defense to keep Highlanders to 3 was crucial.

sydthebeat

pococks second try, 3 tries already to the brumbies 24 - 6 after 30 mins

sydthebeat

pococks third try !!! bonus point within 35 mins