2014 Super Rugby: Crusaders vs Hurricanes (Round 7)

[Jaguares]

 

[admartian]

I'm seeing the Saders playing their usual stifling rugby and coming out on top.

Sucks for the Canes as they've been unlucky and come up just short.

 

[Bull]

Crusaders:

15 Israel Dagg, 14 Nafi Tuitavake, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Tom Taylor, 11 Johnny McNicholl, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Luke Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Wyatt Crockett.

Substitutes: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Daniel Lienert Brown, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Dominic Bird, 20 Jordan Taufua, 21 Mitch Drummond, 22 Kieron Fonotia, 23 Nemani Nadolo

Hurricanes:

15 Andre Taylor, 14 Alapati Leiua, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Blade Thomson, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ben Franks

Substitutes: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Chris Eves, 18 John Schwalger, 19 Mark Reddish, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Billy Guyton, 22 Matt Proctor, 23 Marty Banks

 

[ABs2011]

I'd hate to try and pick this one! My take is that both teams are in pretty poor form, on paper the Crusaders should have a big enough edge in the forwards to win relatively comfortably, they also have home team adv, but in saying all that the Canes often seem to step up for Crusaders clashes. I guess if I were forced to pick a winner I'd have to go with the Crusaders, but I've got a feeling this one will be a little closer than expected.

 

[Darwin]

Should be an interesting game. The Crusaders pack should have a decent advantage over the Canes- the question is whether their backline can exploit this. I still think one of the the Crusaders need to use Dagg far more often at first-receiver, and they also need their wingers cutting back on the angle in midfield to provide them more options in attack (and again I think Guildford would help here). The main things the Crusaders players need to do is to start backing their instincts and react to what is in front of them rather than slavishly following their structures. I'm hoping to see McNicholl have a big game - I have talked him up quite a bit, but he is yet to deliver for the Crusaders.

Strangely I actually feel the same thing applies to the Hurricanes. When they play a slightly less structured game the look a much better side. Again I'm not suggesting that they should throw out all structures and attack with wild abandon, rather they need to play what is in front of them. Having Bateman back should help getting the ball out wide (as he is in my opinion the best passing 12 in the country), though they will need Savea/Leiua to come off their wing a bit more if they want to set a target in the midfield. I feel they should be trying to get the ball in Savea's hands as much as possible. Tuitavake has a bad habit of being sucked in-field on defense leaving his opposition wing open - if Savea gets a bit of space Dagg probably won't stop him (based on what we have seen in the past...).

I'm picking the Crusaders to finally find a bit of form, and win by around 10-15 points.

 

[austingtir]

Hurricanes with a decent start. They might need it. But every team in the comp should know by now that if you D up on the Saders they probably wont have many answers in attack.

 

[Darwin]

Crusaders making lots of errors so far (Read and Ellis have been the biggest culprits). J Savea has been a beast so far....

 

[austingtir]

TJ was due to redeem himself! Im actually really shocked they even started him after the previous few weeks.

 

[Darwin]

Excellent try by McNicholl. I looks easy when you play with a bit of pace!

TJ was due to redeem himself! Im actually really shocked they even started him after the previous few weeks.

Their backup halfback (Smylie) is injured, so they didn't really have much option.

Read off. Big blow for the Crusaders. I will be interesting to see how Taufua goes. I'm a big fan of him, and I'm sure he will add some powerful ball running to the Crusaders pack!

 

[austingtir]

Slade is light years ahead of the rest of the saders available 10's when they play the right way!

 

[Darwin]

Slade is light years ahead of the rest of the saders available 10's when they play the right way!

Slade's hardly been outstanding so far IMO. He's made his tackles and made one good pass. The rest of his game has been average though. His passing has been a bit lethargic, his handling has been poor (3 handling errors so far), and his kicking hasn't been very accurate. At the moment he is probably the best option at 10 for the Crusaders, but that is simply because Taylor is valuable at 12.

Back to the game. The Crusaders are perhaps lucky to be in front after the Canes played most of the rugby in the 1st half. Crotty has been the pick of the Crusaders for me, while McNicholl and S Whitelock has been pretty handy too. Savea has been a standout for the Canes - they need to get the ball in hands more often!

 

[Darwin]

SAVEA!!!! What a fantastic individual try.

I'm not surprised Tuitavake drifted in off his man (as he does it all the time), but I was surprised Savea did a chip and chase, and how well he executed it!

EDIT: And another for Savea?? No, forward pass (according to the TMO)

 

[austingtir]

Been nothing wrong with Slade if Taylor had been playing 10 it would of just been another bore fest. They've played him out of position for the start of the comp which was ridiculous and hasnt helped i reckon over the next few weeks it will be even more obvious.

 

[Darwin]

Been nothing wrong with Slade if Taylor had been playing 10 it would of just been another bore fest. They've played him out of position for the start of the comp which was ridiculous and hasnt helped i reckon over the next few weeks it will be even more obvious.

Apart from 4 handling errors, lethargic passing, and that time he ruined one promising Crusaders attack with a poor kick He has done a few good things, but overall I would rate it as an pretty average performance. I agree Slade is currently the best option at 10 for the Crusaders, but he has hardly had a great game....

Anyways.... Crusaders get the lead through a penalty. The Crusaders have looked very dangerous at times when they have spread the ball wide - Nadolo in particular has made a big impact. Andy Ellis has controlled the game well over the last 15 mins too.

 

[austingtir]

Apart from 4 handling errors, lethargic passing, and that time he ruined one promising Crusaders attack with a poor kick He has done a few good things, but overall I would rate it as an pretty average performance. I agree Slade is currently the best option at 10 for the Crusaders, but he has hardly had a great game.

Anyways.... Crusaders get the lead through a penalty. The Crusaders have looked very dangerous at times when they have spread the ball wide - Nadolo in particular has made a big impact. Andy Ellis has controlled the game well over the last 15 mins too.

Rubbish, if Carter had been playing i bet he'd of made pretty much the same errors. The difference is night and day compared to Taylor face it. And wonder boy Barrett has not exactly done much better.

 

[austingtir]

She's gunna be all on for the last 8 minutes. EDIT: Barrett missed it... that could be a big let off for the saders.

They scored anyway... WOW talk about a try out of nothing.

On watching that again.... Dagg had to make that tackle or atleast slow the guy down..... Even Mills would of made that with his walking stick! Was a hell of a try though.

 

[Darwin]

Rubbish, if Carter had been playing i bet he'd of made pretty much the same errors. The difference is night and day compared to Taylor face it. And wonder boy Barrett has not exactly done much better.

Carter may have made 4 handling errors, but I think it would be unlikely. Slade's kicking has been pretty aimless too. I'm not a big fan of Taylor at 10, but I've seen him play much better matches than Slade has today. If you think Slade has had a fantastic game I'm not going to argue with you, as you are clearly watching a very different match to me!

EDIT: Fantastic individual try by Leiua!

 

[Darwin]

On watching that again.... Dagg had to make that tackle or atleast slow the guy down..... Even Mills would of made that with his walking stick! Was a hell of a try though.

When was the last time Dagg actually made a tackle?

Taylor misses the chance to tie it up.

EDIT: Canes win. I feel they deserved it too. Crusaders in trouble.

 

[austingtir]

Crusaders, i thought they were actually very very good in parts of the match. But they've hit a Hurricanes team with about three players that just played amazing and the rest of the team backing them up.

 

[austingtir]

Saders need to get Deans back coaching ASAP.