Super Rugby 2020

sydthebeat

Interesting that there was very little handling errors (10 in total, only 3 for the Highlanders) and the effect that had on scrums. Six in total I think.

If that trend continues, which I hope it does, it was put pressure on tight five forwards to have better ball playing core skills and less scrummaging. Also, because of the penalty count the number of line outs greatly increased. 32 in total!!

Hopefully as the players get to grips that number with drop, but until then it will be a dominant feature of the game

irishbucsfan

Very interesting to see how enforcement goes over a few weeks. Especially after a few weeks of coaches in the ears of referees before/after games.

lawrencesummers

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Very interesting to see how enforcement goes over a few weeks. Especially after a few weeks of coaches in the ears of referees before/after games.

From one game it looks like teams will be more defensive minded, won’t mind playing without the ball if they have good defence and a Strong lineout / Maul.

You could come away from watching that game thinking 10 man rugby is the way to go.

A back making a half break is at bigger risk of being turned over, which is a pity.

bilston

Great finish to the game. Bit of a whistle fest at times but that's not unexpected due to rustiness and the law changes.

A more than decent watch after three months of rugby tumbleweed!

Also, while I appreciate the necessity for sport being played behind closed doors, this was an illustration that you can't compensate for a crowd watching live sport!

hahashake

Congrats sydthebeat and other landers fans! Boys were a bit rusty and adapting to the new rules didn't help, but fair play to the landers. The boys I talked up were fairly quiet but plenty of time to get back into form.

Looking forward to a packed Eden Park with hopefully a slightly better standard of game.

sydthebeat

hahashake wrote: »

Congrats sythebeat and other landers fans! Boys were a bit rusty and adapting to the new rules didn't help, but fair play to the landers. The boys I talked up were fairly quiet but plenty of time to get back into form.

Looking forward to a packed Eden Park with hopefully a slightly better standard of game.

Cheers hhs, cracker of a game. Thought we were gonners when nareki got that second yellow card for us.... 20mins a man down, yet I think we came out of those 20 two points up... That was the big difference I think, your boys didn't capitalise on the extra space, Wainuis try excepted. Your line outs killed ye too, both in attack and defense... Which I found very surprising for a gatland coached team. It was as if he didn't know they were going to be told to take their line before the throw.

hahashake

sydthebeat wrote: »

Cheers hhs, cracker of a game. Thought we were gonners when nareki got that second yellow card for us.... 20mins a man down, yet I think we came out of those 20 two points up... That was the big difference I think, your boys didn't capitalise on the extra space, Wainuis try excepted. Your line outs killed ye too, both in attack and defense... Which I found very surprising for a gatland coached team. It was as if he didn't know they were going to be told to take their line before the throw.

Lineouts weren't helped by the fact we are down to a loose forward and rookie lining up in the second row (although the throwing was as much to blame!).

Nice bit of intrigue that a late injury meant that Gatland jr was responsible for beating his old man.

Bring on game 2!

swiwi_

Enjoyed that. The law book says tackled player must play ball immediately. Nice to see a move away from « tackled player can hold on for 3 seconds while opposing players try and get ball and get smashed to pieces by clean out  ». Pocock would have a field day though.

Not sure what the future of rugby holds but it’s nice to have it back.

BonnieSituation

sydthebeat wrote: »

Isn't it fantastic to see the players mingling with the fans after the game

That was by far one of my favourite things* about this morning. It was class. Looking forward to seeing what happens now at Eden Park later.

There was NRL on around the same time with no crowds, but even just seeing the players walking around chatting to each other was great.

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On the current match, the first 20' of this feels like the first half this morning was a different sport never mind the same league!

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*Obviously the double DGs were class too.

hahashake

Love this:



Blues looking like serious contenders.

hahashake

Unfortunately no DC again this week for Blues vs Chiefs, or Sam Cane for that matter. Should be another cracker though, expect to see Akira Ioane putting in a big performance after being in the stands last week. Just hope the Chiefs can play a bit more cohesively under the supposed greatest ever rugby coach.*

*according to readers of Rugby World magazine...

[Deleted User]

McKenzie v Barret. Let's go

Buer

The penalty count is making this very hard to watch.

Interested Observer

I've only started watching in the second half but man this is not good.

Muligatawney

Wasn't great in the rain but Blues look really good. Tuipulotu really making the case for an AB starting spot.

hahashake

Muligatawney wrote: »

Wasn't great in the rain but Blues look really good. Tuipulotu really making the case for an AB starting spot.

Sotutu was looking like the next AB 8 too.

Strange to see a Gatland coached team look so unstructured, though the ref and weather didn't help the flow of either team. Players still haven't adjusted to the stricter breakdown but O'Keefe was strangely inconsistent anyway.

Blues v Crusaders looking very tasty.

Yeah_Right

Muligatawney wrote: »

Wasn't great in the rain but Blues look really good. Tuipulotu really making the case for an AB starting spot.

Absolutely. With Retalick on sabbatical, Whitelock and him would be my choice for starters. Sotutu should expect an ABs call up as well.

Good win for the Blues.

sydthebeat

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Absolutely. With Retalick on sabbatical, Whitelock and him would be my choice for starters. Sotutu should expect an ABs call up as well.

Good win for the Blues.

Your year YR!

Yeah_Right

sydthebeat wrote: »

Your year YR!

Just watched the Crusaders v Hurricanes. I think the Crusaders are definitely the favourites. The Blues visit to ChCh in week 5 should be tasty. I predict it to be a battle of 2 unbeaten teams. Sorry Syd ðŸ˜

sydthebeat

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Just watched the Crusaders v Hurricanes. I think the Crusaders are definitely the favourites. The Blues visit to ChCh in week 5 should be tasty. I predict it to be a battle of 2 unbeaten teams. Sorry Syd ðŸ˜

100%

I'm quite apprehensive about what your lads will do to us next Saturday in Eden Park. All I'm looking for with the Highlanders is progression and growth. We cannot be reliant on Aaron Smith for ever.

Watching the crusaders this morning and while they had a good win with five tries it wasn't exactly a perfect performance. Their penalty count was through the roof, and not only the breakdown pens, but quite a myriad of different ones. They are just so good damn clinical with great finishers all over the park. Ennor, reece, goodhue, Bridge, haveli.

Canes had a nightmare from the lineout.... Followed on from the chiefs last week....
Very surprising as we all knew the number of lineouts would increase greatly because of the pen count.

Yeah_Right

There is an over reliance on Aaron Smith at the Highlanders. The rest of the team seem solid but unremarkable. There doesn't appear to be creativity, strike players or power runners. I admit that I don't know a lot of their backline so some may turn out to be very good but from what I've seen theres none that look to be pushing for higher honours. You need Frizzel to return to his wrecking ball best. When is NMS expected back?

The Blues seem to be the only side with a consistent lineout but I expect the Crusaders will improve in that area. Just too many quality players in the pack. Though it looks like Scott Barrett is out for the season. Their young blindside, Grace, looks very good.

The Crusaders are one of those sides that absorb pressure and look that amazing but they grab their opportunities and keep the scoreboard ticking over. It was something I've noticed the Blues doing this season as well. Must be Leon Macdonald's influence.

Yeah_Right

The old journeyman Alex Ainley has been called up to the Crusaders squad to cover Scot Barrett. He turns 39 next month. I'm sure you remember him Syd. He was the 33 year old rookie in the Highlanders championship season. That man gives hope to all of us who are too old and over the hill.

sydthebeat

Legend!!

It would be crazy if the crusaders win this year that he'd have two championship medals, with two different teams, after only getting a SR contract at 33!

100 mitre 10 caps isn't too be sniffed at either!

Yeah_Right

Apparently he has retired from NPC rugby every season since the end of 2016. He gets asked to come and help out at pre-season or in training because some young guy has hurt himself and ends up playing the rest of the season. He moved from Nelson to Tauranga with work a couple of years ago and got dragged into the BOP team. He is moving back to Nelson and the Crusaders call him up.

I half expect to see him starting in the final for the Crusaders.

sydthebeat

Incredibly green back three named for the Highlanders versus the blues.
Incredibly fast, but incredibly inexperienced.

Good to see nareki back from injury.

Yeah_Right

Blues name an unchanged line up for this match except for English Joe coming on to the bench in place of Matt Duffie. Still no room for DC.

sydthebeat

Mon the landers!!

Good luck YR.

sydthebeat

Ah Gregory....

sydthebeat

That was an enjoyable half of rugby, even if we are 12 points down.

At least its not a penalty fest, and good handling in the wet has ensured scrums have been rare enough

[Deleted User]

Far too easy, that's just poor defence.