[2018 Super Rugby] Round 9: Sunwolves vs. Blues (14/04/2018)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium

Time: 05:05 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

It'd be a giggle if this was another Blues defeat in Japan. If the Sunwolves get thumped I'll be starting to reappraise the coaching abilities of Jamie Joseph and Tiatia.

 

[Brigantine]

After this, the Sunwolves only have one more home game left this season - vs Reds in round 13 after the NZ tour. (Not counting games in Singapore and Hong Kong)

Semisi Masirewa and the *new* Georgian remain in the squad. Some players from down the order stay in the starting XV...
Only 3 changes from the team that got smashed by the Waratahs.

1 CRAIG MILLAR
2 SHOTA HORIE
3 JIWON KOO
4 JAMES MOORE
5 Grant HATTINGH (replacing Sam Wykes)
6 YOSHITAKA TOKUNAGA
7 PIETER LAPPIES LABUSCHAGNE
8 KAZUKI HIMENO
9 YUTAKA NAGARE◎
10 YU TAMURA
11 LEMEKI LOMANO
12 MICHAEL LITTLE
13 TIMOTHY LAFAELE
14 SEMISI MASIREWA
15 KOTARO MATSUSHIMA

RESERVE
16 JABA BREGVADZE
17 Shintaro ISHIHARA
18 NIKOLOZ KHATIASHVILI
19 WIMPIE VANDERWALT
20 Willem BRITZ (replacing Edward Quirk)
21 FUMIAKI TANAKA
22 HAYDEN PARKER
23 William TUPOU (replacing Hosea Saumaki)

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Ioane at 12 again for the Blues. 0 consistency in selection for them. Obviously injuries play a part but you can't be completely switching around the back like every week.

 

[AM_Bokke]

52nd minute. Blues just took the lead. Pretty exciting so far. At least two turnovers on the try line by Sunwolves defense. Good for them!

 

[AM_Bokke]

Congratulations to the Blues.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Ugh. I was excited watching the highlights and then the Sunwolves forgot how to tackle. Two soft long range tries conceded seems to have been the difference here?

 

[AM_Bokke]

Sunwolves just had zero 2nd half. It was kind of weird. It wasn't like they were tired, just like they were not there or something.

First half was very good though.