Chiefs v Crusaders : MATCH THREAD : Sat 1st Aug

[Ymx]

WHEN:
Sat 1st Aug

KICK OFF:
Local - 7.05pm

WHERE:
Hamilton, NZ



VENUE:
FMG Stadium, Hamilton



MATCH OFFICIALS:
TBC

TEAMS:




1. Reuben O’Neill (9)
2. Bradley Slater (13)
3. Nepo Laulala (39)
4. Tupou Vaa’i (5)
5. Mitchell Brown (43)
6. Lachlan Boshier (55)
7. Sam Cane (120) ©
8. Pita Gus Sowakula (26)
9. Brad Weber (83)
10. Aaron Cruden (99) ***
11. Sean Wainui (36)
12. Alex Nankivell (30)
13. Anton Lienert-Brown (79)
14. Shaun Stevenson (50)
15. Damian McKenzie (82)

Reserves:
16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (34)
17. Ollie Norris (2)
18. Angus Ta’avao (33)
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (10)
20. Simon Parker**
21. Lisati Milo-Harris (3)
22. Kaleb Trask (7)
23. Quinn Tupaea (10)



Crusaders named

Will Jordan
Sevu Reece
Fetuli Paea
Jack Goodhue
George Bridge
Richie Mo’unga
Mitchell Drummond

Tom Sanders
Tom Christie
Sione Havili
Mitchell Dunshea
Samuel Whitelock
Michael Alaalatoa
Codie Taylor (captain)
George Bower

Reserves:
Andrew Makalio
Isi Tu'ungafasi
Oliver Jager
Quinten Strange
Billy Harmon
Bryn Hall
Brett Cameron
Leicester Fainga’anuku.

[FujiKiwi]

Just another great match up. We're being spoilt. God, I hope the Chiefs get a win here. I'll be cheering myself hoarse for them.

[Sandstorm]

Just another great match up. We're being spoilt. God, I hope the Chiefs get a win here. I'll be cheering myself hoarse for them.

You'll be cheering for about 12 mins max.

[FujiKiwi]

Aw, I know it sounds batshit, but I can see an upset as a possibility. If the likes of Boshier, Cruden, Weber, ALB, Laulala, Cane all fire up, and the crowd get behind them, who knows?

[Sandstorm]

Aw, I know it sounds batshit, but I can see an upset as a possibility. If the likes of Boshier, Cruden, Weber, ALB, Laulala, Cane all fire up, and the crowd get behind them, who knows?

[Jimmy Smallsteps]

Stranger things have happened than the Chiefs nabbing a win against the Crusaders in Hamilton.

Like such a good side going 0-6 in Super Rugby Aotearoa.

[FujiKiwi]

I really think they could come good, this week.

I was impressed with Nankivell—is that his name?—against the Blues. He ripped the ball off players a couple of times, and was good defensively. Then when you look at the other backs, FFS: Weber, Cruden (I don't care much for Trask) ALB, Alaimalo, MacKenzie, Wainui. That's a formidable line up.

That's just the backs.

There's just no good reason to count the Chiefs out this weekend.

[Not_Couch]

I think every Canes or Blues fans want the chiefs to win

[JM2K6]

"That's just the backs" well yeah - now do the front five...

[Ymx]

Aw, I know it sounds batshit, but I can see an upset as a possibility. If the likes of Boshier, Cruden, Weber, ALB, Laulala, Cane all fire up, and the crowd get behind them, who knows?

I’d say you’re annoyingly right.

After last week, and even the blues where we were struggling and got very lucky, we are clearly the underdog going in to this.

[FujiKiwi]

"That's just the backs" well yeah - now do the front five...

Point taken. But Laulala, Cane, Boshier, Sowakula aren’t bad. There are a few journeymen there, too, but they acquitted themselves OK against the Blues.

EDIT: When I wrote 'That's just the backs." I was thinking about the possible advantage the Chiefs might have in the loose forwards. In the tight five? Maybe not so much.

[Ymx]

Updated the OP

[JPNZ]

It doesn't happen often but every time a Crusaders team loses the bounce back is swift and strong. I expect Razor to have them fired up in Hamilton.

The Crusaders haven't lost two in a row since Round 10 Super rugby 2015.

[FujiKiwi]

I just get the sense that the Chiefs will be massively fired up as well. You could see the anguish at the end of the Blues match. A lot of passion there.

I know that on paper, the Chiefs are unlikely to beat the Saders. But stranger things have happened.

[Koalabyte]

NZ conference is on fire. Any team can win each week and most games are very competitive.

Feckin kiwis and their totally logical response to the virus.

[FujiKiwi]

I missed this. Solomon Alaimalo out for the season with a dislocated shoulder.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sup ... y-aotearoa

He'll be a big loss. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

[Gumboot]

I missed this. Solomon Alaimalo out for the season with a dislocated shoulder.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sup ... y-aotearoa

He'll be a big loss. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

That sucks, he's a quality wing.

I was surprised that Clarke got away with his late belly flop "tackle". Looked dodgy at the time and even worse on review. IMHO he had no chance of stopping the try but plenty of time to pull out.

[FujiKiwi]

Yeah. Reckless from Clarke. He was lucky. As I remember, he immediately looked a bit horrified at what he’d done. Too little, too late, I guess.

[Kiwias]

Yeah. Reckless from Clarke. He was lucky. As I remember, he immediately looked a bit horrified at what he’d done. Too little, too late, I guess.

Too many tackles like that IMHO. I called for a YC in the match thread.

[Enzedder]

"That's just the backs" well yeah - now do the front five...

That's been the problem since Round 1. The old adage about tight forwards winning matches rings true.

Also, Alaimalo is out for the season - thanks Caleb.

[Enzedder]

Hey mum - add this to the top of the post if you like

[FujiKiwi]

Sevu Reece has a point to prove every time he plays the Chiefs.

Two years ago, Sevu Reece's aspirations were simple - he just wanted to play for the Chiefs.

Now a Super Rugby champion and leading tryscorer, the flying Fijian feels right at home with the Crusaders, but that clearly hasn't always been the case.

"I call myself a Hamilton man and I've always seen the Chiefs as a team that I wanted to play for," he says.

Reece and his Crusaders head north to take on the winless Chiefs on Saturday, hoping to keep their Super Rugby Aotearoa lead intact, after a shock home loss to the Hurricanes last week.

A star at Hamilton Boys High School and prolific tryscorer for Waikato, Reece seemed a perfect fit for the Chiefs, but the decision-makers thought otherwise.

He didn't help his cause in 2018, when he pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges and was discharged without conviction, losing a contract with Irish club Connacht as a result.

The Chiefs also passed on him, but Reece found his way into the Crusaders squad as an injury replacement for Israel Dagg and converted that opportunity into an All Black jersey at last year's Rugby World Cup."It's frustrating," he admits. "I'd been [at the Chiefs] for a few pre-seasons, but sort of just didn't get the nod or get recognised."

That frustration now lends itself as motivation whenever Reece returns to the franchise who deemed him excess to requirements.

"I've always got something to prove whenever I'm back in Hamilton."

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/20 ... reece.html

The article also goes on to identify Will Jordan as a likely All Black this year.

[JPNZ]

These games are nearly always tight. TAB has the line at 8.5 points. I reckon it will be closer than that..

[JPNZ]

Crusaders named

Will Jordan
Sevu Reece
Fetuli Paea
Jack Goodhue
George Bridge
Richie Mo’unga
Mitchell Drummond

Tom Sanders
Tom Christie
Sione Havili
Mitchell Dunshea
Samuel Whitelock
Michael Alaalatoa
Codie Taylor (captain)
George Bower

Reserves:
Andrew Makalio
Isi Tu'ungafasi
Oliver Jager
Quinten Strange
Billy Harmon
Bryn Hall
Brett Cameron
Leicester Fainga’anuku.

[Kiwias]

Pretty strong team. I bet Goodhue has been working the tackle bags pretty hard this week

[FujiKiwi]

If Richie Mo'unga injures himself early on, watch out for All Black Brett Cameron to come off the bench and take the game by the scruff of the neck.

[FujiKiwi]

Anton Lienert-Brown picking up a mild case of Gatlanditis

Chiefs star Anton Lienert-Brown has opened up on the frustration over the side's Super Rugby Aotearoa losing streak, admitting it had played a part in the post-match incident involving referee Brendon Pickerill after a loss to the Blues on Sunday.

The All Blacks midfielder was adamant No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula scored under a heap of bodies during a late surge for the line and was frustrated that Pickerill didn't opt to consult the TMO to check a possible match-winning try.

Lienert-Brown, alongside Chiefs captain Sam Cane and first-five Aaron Cruden, surrounded Pickerill to take issue over the late game-changing penalty.

"That was definitely frustration from the losing streak, feeling a little bit hard done by," he said.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/a ... d=12352840

A clear cut win to the Chiefs today will be just what the doctor ordered.

[Hong Kong]

Atten: Ymx

Referee: Ben O'Keeffe
Assistant referees: Paul Williams, Richard Kelly
Television match official: Glenn Newman

I’ll be watching in a “restaurant” with a group of mates, no more than 2 people per group, one of whom is a die-hard Chiefs supporter and I’m guessing the Saders will do him no favours today.

[FujiKiwi]

Todgers in front of the firing squad-gers:

Chiefs by 5.

[Enzedder]

Scene set - high cloud and some rain north of here but looks dryish for the game. Probably about 11 or 12 degrees at kickoff and the wind has dropped right away to a very very light easterly breeze

[Gumboot]

Scene set - high cloud and some rain north of here but looks dryish for the game. Probably about 11 or 12 degrees at kickoff and the wind has dropped right away to a very very light easterly breeze

Enjoy the game, mate.

Hopefully we get the right result for the sake of the comp.

[Ymx]

Todgers in front of the firing squad-gers:

Chiefs by 5.

Chiefs by 10.

[FujiKiwi]

Todgers in front of the firing squad-gers:

Chiefs by 5.

Chiefs by 10.

Shameful.

You're just praying to the mocker gods.

I'm doing something far more valid:

Wishing for a jammy tournament win for the Blues.

[Ymx]

Todgers in front of the firing squad-gers:

Chiefs by 5.

Chiefs by 10.

Shameful.

You're just praying to the mocker gods.

I'm doing something far more valid:

Wishing for a jammy tournament win for the Blues.

Last week I for the first time picked a score in the tourney. Not making that same mistake.

But yes completely right on both counts

[Damo]

Evening all.

Is this place more active than the other?

[FujiKiwi]

Please don’t be injured Lachlan Boshier. You carry the weight of the Blues’ season on your shoulders.

[FujiKiwi]

Evening all.

Is this place more active than the other?

To be honest, no.

[Sandstorm]

Just another great match up. We're being spoilt. God, I hope the Chiefs get a win here. I'll be cheering myself hoarse for them.

You'll be cheering for about 12 mins max.

Bump

5-0

[FujiKiwi]

Bugger. Well-worked Sadists try. Missed conversion 5-0.

[FujiKiwi]

Just another great match up. We're being spoilt. God, I hope the Chiefs get a win here. I'll be cheering myself hoarse for them.

You'll be cheering for about 12 mins max.

Bump

5-0

Nobody likes a smart aleck, Sandstorm.