Super Rugby Pacific

[Kiwias]

"Christie has been superb today"

Genuinely think he was dreadful up until the try he scored.

Our Christie has been really good

[Kiwias]

Sam W my MotM.

[Jb1981]

Sam W my MotM.

No complaints with that.

It has been comprehensive and he has been immense throughout. Hats off to Razor too. The Crusaders tactics have been spot on.

[Ymx]

This was huge from Razor.

Lifting the team from the poor start to the season.

To finish like this against a pretty dominant blues team.

[JM2K6]

"Christie has been superb today"

Genuinely think he was dreadful up until the try he scored.

Tom Christie has been.

The turnover was very important.

Yes, sorry - to be clear, Finlay is who I'm on about.

Enjoyable contest even though the crusaders dominated for 80% of the game. Blues lineout was a total failure and they were destroyed at the breakdown and had to resort to trying individual stuff in the backs which did not work at all.

Huge performance from the Saders pack and Mounga had a cracking game off the back of that

[Jb1981]

Wrong sport but Juergen says it best.*



* six full competition titles in a row, not counting post season novelties.

[Gumboot]

Brilliant win, Saders. Respect.

[Guy Smiley]

That feels rather good, really.

[Dan54]

Sam W my MotM.

[MungoMan]

Both the commentary and refereeing of this high tackle by Goodhue are both insane.

Aussie and NZ rugby authorities are going to be sued into bankruptcy at some point in the future.

A wee bit of difference is discernible.

Just one example is Tom Banks being red-carded for a head clash that left him with a busted cheekbone, plus sundry other reds and yellows handed out by Strayan refs or in games played in Straya.

One suspects this was exacerbated by the game being not only a final but an all-NZ final.

[MungoMan]

I see that the Aussies are doing a South Africa and threatening to pack up their ball and go home if they don't get more money.

At present though, each country keeps what they can negotiate and NZ earns about 3 times what Oz does so they have a bit of sympathy. On the other hand, if their product isn't attractive enough to earn the extra $, how is that our fault?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sup ... t-nz-teams

Collective butthurt.

It's weird to watch it play out. The country that usually assumes the power pose in relations between the two is reduced to second fiddle in Rugby and they just don't deal well with it... right from the grass roots up. Read their supporters' comments anywhere, it's not so much a trend as it is their brand.

Nibble.

Feel better now?

[Certain Navigator]

I see that the Aussies are doing a South Africa and threatening to pack up their ball and go home if they don't get more money.

At present though, each country keeps what they can negotiate and NZ earns about 3 times what Oz does so they have a bit of sympathy. On the other hand, if their product isn't attractive enough to earn the extra $, how is that our fault?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sup ... t-nz-teams

Collective butthurt.

It's weird to watch it play out. The country that usually assumes the power pose in relations between the two is reduced to second fiddle in Rugby and they just don't deal well with it... right from the grass roots up. Read their supporters' comments anywhere, it's not so much a trend as it is their brand.

Nibble.

Feel better now?

But it's also true. McLellan's pandering to Aussies' worst instincts and will, if he's not careful, lead Australian rugby down a very dark hole.

[MungoMan]

Collective butthurt.

It's weird to watch it play out. The country that usually assumes the power pose in relations between the two is reduced to second fiddle in Rugby and they just don't deal well with it... right from the grass roots up. Read their supporters' comments anywhere, it's not so much a trend as it is their brand.

Nibble.

Feel better now?

But it's also true. McLellan's pandering to Aussies' worst instincts and will, if he's not careful, lead Australian rugby down a very dark hole.

And here's you, using crap generalisations abut 'national character' rather than addressing why H McL might - rightly or wrongly - feel a hardline opening to this negotiation might be appropriate given similar negotiations a few years ago.

[Guy Smiley]

Nibble.

Feel better now?

But it's also true. McLellan's pandering to Aussies' worst instincts and will, if he's not careful, lead Australian rugby down a very dark hole.

And here's you, using crap generalisations abut 'national character' rather than addressing why H McL might - rightly or wrongly - feel a hardline opening to this negotiation might be appropriate given similar negotiations a few years ago.

Megaphone diplomacy has worked a treat so far, right?

[Torquemada 1420]

Only just got in to see the game. As speculated on last week, Blues really needed conditions to be good.

BB's now zero tactical kicking ability simply meant Christie (who has no length) was their only exit option and so the pressure just piled up. Anyone thinking Mo'unga is remotely challenged by BB is delusional.

Of course, the total implosion at the lineout simply added to that and it was a huge mistake not to pull Eklund at 1/2 time by which point he probably could not have been worse throwing the ball over his head. At least one lineout, the Saders simply pushed their luck in jumping across and pulling the arm. Real smart. What makes the Saders a cut above the rest: their decision making and the ability to think on the fly. In the ref's mind, the Blues' lineout was a mess and so he probably stopped looking for any opposing infringement.

In a game which developed into a massive defensive shift, Akira was shown yet again to be an expensive luxury.

How Papali'i was missed from the start.

After that, everything else crumbled in line with the Blues' self belief and in the end, they couldn't even string 2 passes together.

[Guy Smiley]

Akira was busy in the final 2 minutes of the game...

did he do anything before that?

[Torquemada 1420]

Akira was busy in the final 2 minutes of the game...

did he do anything before that?

One carry down the right is all I could recall. If he were in my side, he'd p*ss me off because he is seriously talented but a lazy b*stard. CW Papali'i for example.

[Dan54]

Akira was busy in the final 2 minutes of the game...

did he do anything before that?

I struggled to see anything!

[MungoMan]

But it's also true. McLellan's pandering to Aussies' worst instincts and will, if he's not careful, lead Australian rugby down a very dark hole.

And here's you, using crap generalisations abut 'national character' rather than addressing why H McL might - rightly or wrongly - feel a hardline opening to this negotiation might be appropriate given similar negotiations a few years ago.

Megaphone diplomacy has worked a treat so far, right?

The unkind might say, McLennan is just another Sydney spiv. The unkind might also add, There are three types of JASS - smug/slimy, loudmouthed, smug/slimy and loudmouthed - and McLennan looks to be in the third category.

As I'm not an unkind person I could not possibly agree.

[convoluted]

Wow. It appears from all the above that Akira 'seagulls' at times not because he's briefed to do so but because it's what he feels like doing when he feels like doing nothing.

For mine he's locked in at 6 for the first test, whereas the Super final has turned most other pre-selections on their head.

[Guy Smiley]

And here's you, using crap generalisations abut 'national character' rather than addressing why H McL might - rightly or wrongly - feel a hardline opening to this negotiation might be appropriate given similar negotiations a few years ago.

Megaphone diplomacy has worked a treat so far, right?

The unkind might say, McLennan is just another Sydney spiv. The unkind might also add, There are three types of JASS - smug/slimy, loudmouthed, smug/slimy and loudmouthed - and McLennan looks to be in the third category.

As I'm not an unkind person I could not possibly agree.

I find myself in agreement, my learned colleague

[Enzedder]

"Christie has been superb today"

Genuinely think he was dreadful up until the try he scored.

Tom Christie has been.

The turnover was very important.

Yes, sorry - to be clear, Finlay is who I'm on about.

Enjoyable contest even though the crusaders dominated for 80% of the game. Blues lineout was a total failure and they were destroyed at the breakdown and had to resort to trying individual stuff in the backs which did not work at all.

Huge performance from the Saders pack and Mounga had a cracking game off the back of that

Have another look. I thought his clearance was slow and also aimed straight at the receiver who had to wait flat footed (rather than run onto it) most of the night. I don't want a bar of the guy

[Kiwias]

Tom Christie has been.

The turnover was very important.

Yes, sorry - to be clear, Finlay is who I'm on about.

Enjoyable contest even though the crusaders dominated for 80% of the game. Blues lineout was a total failure and they were destroyed at the breakdown and had to resort to trying individual stuff in the backs which did not work at all.

Huge performance from the Saders pack and Mounga had a cracking game off the back of that

Have another look. I thought his clearance was slow and also aimed straight at the receiver who had to wait flat footed (rather than run onto it) most of the night. I don't want a bar of the guy

I guess you are talking about Christie the 9?

[MungoMan]

Yes, sorry - to be clear, Finlay is who I'm on about.

Enjoyable contest even though the crusaders dominated for 80% of the game. Blues lineout was a total failure and they were destroyed at the breakdown and had to resort to trying individual stuff in the backs which did not work at all.

Huge performance from the Saders pack and Mounga had a cracking game off the back of that

Have another look. I thought his clearance was slow and also aimed straight at the receiver who had to wait flat footed (rather than run onto it) most of the night. I don't want a bar of the guy

I guess you are talking about Christie the 9?

Yeah nah. Christie the Pom strangler.

[Torquemada 1420]

Tom Christie has been.

The turnover was very important.

Yes, sorry - to be clear, Finlay is who I'm on about.

Enjoyable contest even though the crusaders dominated for 80% of the game. Blues lineout was a total failure and they were destroyed at the breakdown and had to resort to trying individual stuff in the backs which did not work at all.

Huge performance from the Saders pack and Mounga had a cracking game off the back of that

Have another look. I thought his clearance was slow and also aimed straight at the receiver who had to wait flat footed (rather than run onto it) most of the night. I don't want a bar of the guy

I'm really in Enz's camp here. I've said before on this thread that if Christie is an AB, they are in trouble because he'd not make the top 6 SHs in France. Yes, he did very well for the try (I was surprised the Saders made so many subs just before that critical scrum and maybe they were a bit dozy too) but the Mako man's distribution reminds me of Parra much of the time.

That said, he was not the problem for the Blues and he was their only kicking option because BB offered up nothing in that dept.

[Jimmy Smallsteps]

Only just got in to see the game. As speculated on last week, Blues really needed conditions to be good.

BB's now zero tactical kicking ability simply meant Christie (who has no length) was their only exit option and so the pressure just piled up. Anyone thinking Mo'unga is remotely challenged by BB is delusional.

Of course, the total implosion at the lineout simply added to that and it was a huge mistake not to pull Eklund at 1/2 time by which point he probably could not have been worse throwing the ball over his head. At least one lineout, the Saders simply pushed their luck in jumping across and pulling the arm. Real smart. What makes the Saders a cut above the rest: their decision making and the ability to think on the fly. In the ref's mind, the Blues' lineout was a mess and so he probably stopped looking for any opposing infringement.

In a game which developed into a massive defensive shift, Akira was shown yet again to be an expensive luxury.

How Papali'i was missed from the start.

After that, everything else crumbled in line with the Blues' self belief and in the end, they couldn't even string 2 passes together.

Excellent post.

[Torquemada 1420]

Only just got in to see the game. As speculated on last week, Blues really needed conditions to be good.

BB's now zero tactical kicking ability simply meant Christie (who has no length) was their only exit option and so the pressure just piled up. Anyone thinking Mo'unga is remotely challenged by BB is delusional.

Of course, the total implosion at the lineout simply added to that and it was a huge mistake not to pull Eklund at 1/2 time by which point he probably could not have been worse throwing the ball over his head. At least one lineout, the Saders simply pushed their luck in jumping across and pulling the arm. Real smart. What makes the Saders a cut above the rest: their decision making and the ability to think on the fly. In the ref's mind, the Blues' lineout was a mess and so he probably stopped looking for any opposing infringement.

In a game which developed into a massive defensive shift, Akira was shown yet again to be an expensive luxury.

How Papali'i was missed from the start.

After that, everything else crumbled in line with the Blues' self belief and in the end, they couldn't even string 2 passes together.

Excellent post.

Only wish I had stuck to my motto of "never back against the Saders"!

[JM2K6]

Yes, sorry - to be clear, Finlay is who I'm on about.

Enjoyable contest even though the crusaders dominated for 80% of the game. Blues lineout was a total failure and they were destroyed at the breakdown and had to resort to trying individual stuff in the backs which did not work at all.

Huge performance from the Saders pack and Mounga had a cracking game off the back of that

Have another look. I thought his clearance was slow and also aimed straight at the receiver who had to wait flat footed (rather than run onto it) most of the night. I don't want a bar of the guy

I'm really in Enz's camp here. I've said before on this thread that if Christie is an AB, they are in trouble because he'd not make the top 6 SHs in France. Yes, he did very well for the try (I was surprised the Saders made so many subs just before that critical scrum and maybe they were a bit dozy too) but the Mako man's distribution reminds me of Parra much of the time.

That said, he was not the problem for the Blues and he was their only kicking option because BB offered up nothing in that dept.

Both of you are in my camp. I was quoting a commentator who claimed he'd been superb, I thought he was dogshit for most of the game

[Torquemada 1420]

Have another look. I thought his clearance was slow and also aimed straight at the receiver who had to wait flat footed (rather than run onto it) most of the night. I don't want a bar of the guy

I'm really in Enz's camp here. I've said before on this thread that if Christie is an AB, they are in trouble because he'd not make the top 6 SHs in France. Yes, he did very well for the try (I was surprised the Saders made so many subs just before that critical scrum and maybe they were a bit dozy too) but the Mako man's distribution reminds me of Parra much of the time.

That said, he was not the problem for the Blues and he was their only kicking option because BB offered up nothing in that dept.

Both of you are in my camp. I was quoting a commentator who claimed he'd been superb, I thought he was dogshit for most of the game

Sorry, didn't read you right!