[2018 Super Rugby] Round 4: Hurricanes vs. Crusaders (10/03/2018)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Westpac Stadium
Time: 08:35 CAT (SA, GMT+2)
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Teams

Hurricanes: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields (captain), 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Vaea Fifita, 3 Ben May, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Chris Eves

Substitutes: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Fraser Armstrong, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Michael Fatialofa, 20 Blade Thomson, 21 Richard Judd, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Vince Aso

Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 George Bridge, 10 Mitchell Hunt, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Jordan Taufua, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 5 Samuel Whitelock (captain), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Wyatt Crockett

Substitutes: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Chris King, 18 Oliver Jager, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Billy Harmon, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mike Delany, 23 Manasa Mataele

 

[Icemn]

I don't know...

Canes have been their inconsistent self again

hard to call at this stage

Still going with Canes by 2

 

[SomeOke]

Hard to look past the Crusaders for me, for me after the first 2 weeks they look to be the best team in the competition, every other team has stuttered in some way (except perhaps the Lions).
It's a home game, but since they just finished their tour of SA and then South America it must hardly feel like it.

I'd say the Canes are still a little off the pace and Crusaders will just be too strong, even without Richie Mo.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

So wish I could go to this but i have a birthday to attend >_<
Hopefully we find some fluency, we'll definitely need to if we are to have any chance of winning. Crusaders are a machine, but it looks like Mo'unga might be out for a while so that'll be a big blow. He is arguably their most valuable player right now.
I'm backing the Canes to take it but realistically think the Saders will, especially taking into account the travel factor...

 

[Zero]

Saders got a bit of a kind draw this year, 2 home games then playing the Canes after a long trip to SA and Argentina.

 

[mania]

saders should take this. theyre got a huge headstart on where they need to be compared to all the other teams. saders will be the team to beat.
my heart is with the canes but my head says the saders.

 

[mania]

only upside for canes is they're their usual inconsistent selves. so they'll either get bashed and thrashed or play some outstanding champagne canes rugby.
mattTodds back ; saders are def not taking this lightly.
gonna be epic

 

[unrated]

I did not expect this results. Super rugby is really difficult to predict this year.

few points we can take away.

• Homeground advantage is real. Even when you just traveled the globe.
• Super rugby is unpredictable
• Aaron Smith has started the year better than Perenara and thus has to be in the lead for the 9 All Black Jersey

 

[Big_Grumper]

It was a funny game. I was up at 06:30 to watch it and was breathless for the first 15 minutes due to the Canes' ferocious start.

The second half belonged to the Crusaders and it felt like the 'Canes were going through the motions. The latter deserves the result but it was a strange performance.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

One of the biggest crowds I've seen at a non playoff game at the tin in a long time! Glad that they could do it for Beaudy and May. Laumape was a beast in the middle, got us on the front foot a lot. Jordie looked sharp too. The Crusaders really do miss Mo'unga.....

 

[Big_Grumper]

Is there any news on Crotty's injury?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Jordie looks like he's leaned up quite a bit (not that he wasn't already)

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Seems like with the results today we can call the Canes defeat to the Bulls an abberation rather than a sign of changing fortunes for both sides.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Jordie looks like he's leaned up quite a bit (not that he wasn't already)

Believe it or not he actually added about 6 or 7 kgs over the off season... no longer looks like a noodle lol, still very lean though. But yea he's over 100kgs now and still bulking.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Believe it or not he actually added about 6 or 7 kgs over the off season... no longer looks like a noodle lol, still very lean though. But yea he's over 100kgs now and still bulking.

Oh wow, really? Thought he looked noticeably thinner but I guess not. Good that he's bulking a bit; someone of his height should have some power to him.

 

[Zapphod]

Seems like with the results today we can call the Canes defeat to the Bulls an abberation rather than a sign of changing fortunes for both sides.

How so?
At the level, these games are played at any of the teams can win on their day, in the Bulls v Hurricanes match the Bulls simply played better and won, it isn't an aberration it is a sign of how close the teams actually are.

In my opinion it is consistency that puts NZ teams on top and little else.

 

[Radsy]

Can't agree Zapphod. Consistency can encapsulate a lot of things. Namely, the NZers are fundamentally better tactically, athletically within the tight 5, drawing and passing, and have more composure under pressure. I could go on, but Super Rugby really doesn't have that much parity. The Bulls are a better team under Mitchell (playing rugby befitting of this decade) but had no business beating the Hurricanes. If it weren't for it being the first game, a long travel, and the Barretts not playing for the most part, it never would have happened.

 

[Radsy]

Is there any news on Crotty's injury?

He and Whitelock suffered concussions.

 

[Icemn]

so... the Canes beat the Saders and the Blues the Lions...

so can we say that this is a canes superxv to lose?

Wellington Final 2018

 

[Hound]

Crusaders tend to get stronger as the season goes on...

Two points on this game:
1.) The Australian coverage of this match... Beauden Barrett very much seems all world when you credit things done by both Beauden and Jordie Barrett to Beauden Barrett...

2.) TJ Peranara was not only man of the match to me... but probably player of the week. The first 25 minutes were probably the best I've seen any scrum half play in over 3 years. Cleaned up a horribly messy platform, including rescuing possession on multiple occasions, consistently served up far cleaner ball than he was given, scored a try, and converted messy change of possession in congestion to giving an outside guy in Barrett time and opportunity to set up the Lam try. The missed tackle which led to the Mataele try was about the only foot he set wrong.