Crusaders v Bumblies

[smartcooky]

52 - 10 (half-time 19 -10)

I was at this game. It had the all the atmosphere of last weekends match, but it felt like there were more people there.

One thing is for sure, and that is the Crusaders were brutally clinical in the way the dismantled the Brumbies defence, especially out wide. Robbie Fruean monstered the Brumbies midfield backs, and SBW was a pest, gaining turnovers from using his upper body strength to rip the ball from opponents' grasp while standing in the tackle.

Maitland scored four tries, while Giteau showed again that he is past his best. His binning in the first half started the Crusaders' ball rolling, and pretty much it was all over rover by 10min into the second half.

Adam Ashley-Cooper really was Robbie Fruean's ***** for the night. First, Fruean bullied him into touch, and later, ran him down on a breakaway from behind. These almost brought up bigger cheers than the Crusader's tries. Most other players would have given up the chase on AAC, and the fact that he didn't speaks volumes for his commitment and determination. This guy is really putting his hand up for a Black jersey.

This would have to be the worst performance by a Brumbies side that I can recall, and they really are in trouble. They either didn't have a game plan, or if they did, they abandoned it in the first ten minutes. They also gave away a lot of really stupid penalties and simply had no answer when the Crusaders started running the ball at them all over the park.

This also highly embarrassing for AAC; demanding the coach be sacked or he won't sign, and then stirring up a player Player Power mutiny. This performance will make it difficult to justify the players using their influence to get the coach sacked. I seem to recall they went downhill the last time they did this, when they sacked David Nucifora, and replaced him with that guy who looks more like a hippie than a rugby coach (name escapes me). They went from Champs to Chumps on that occasion, and this looks like a repeat

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

When was the last time a team lost by almost forty points, and still made the knockout rounds, I wonder...

 

[smartcooky]

When was the last time a team lost by almost forty points, and still made the knockout rounds, I wonder...

Define "almost".

I know what you mean though. The worst example has to be in 2002. The Waratahs lost by 77 points (96-19 v the Crusaders) when they were second on the table in the last round of the competition. They ended up losing the Brumbies in the semi.

 

[T-Raz]

it looked so promising...our season is faltering bad and this is before we play in SA and the tahs. Aufwiedersehn finals!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I've always thought that AAC was fairly speedy, Freuan must be something else

What was Giteaus binning for? I was watching the NRL this morning and only caught the score for this

 

[Ostrayian]

cynical foul for not rolling away in the ruck i think.

who is the committee gonna blame now?

 

[dan the man]

Git's yellow card was a joke, and it really did shift the momentum in the Crusader's direction... although his try shouldn't have happened cause there was a knock-on in the tackle.
Fruean's try-saver was freakishly awesome!!! Glad to see Dagg finding some spark.
Although i'm not the biggest SBW fan he looked solid on defense and good on attack, really there wasn't a Crusader who didn't play well.

 

[Ostrayian]

werent all super teams warned this week by sanzar about clamping down on people deliberately slowing things down in the ruck?

 

[smartcooky]

werent all super teams warned this week by sanzar about clamping down on people deliberately slowing things down in the ruck?

To be fair, Giteau's offence might not have been worth a yellow card of itself, but it was on the end of a series of ruck & maul penalties they had given away. I this case, he didn't roll away, and then he impeded Ellis from picking up the ball while still off his feet. I think referee Williamson had had enough of the constant infringing, and Giteau was unlucky enough that his action was the last straw.

 

[Ostrayian]

i didnt watch the game myself but im sure the ref would have gave a warning prior to being forced to pull out the yellow card.
if that was the case then it wasnt too bright of gits.

 

[jawmalawm24]

Frueans chase down of AAC was awesome, the Sader's were already miles ahead but he was still fully commited. It has to be the play of the whole competition so far for me, he deserved a Black jersey last season when they had the northern tour if they leave him out this time there's something wrong.

 

[Larksea]

That try saver on AAC could very well end up being a carrier defining momment for Fruen, it was pretty damn inspiring so is the fact that that he's playing the full 80min. The hurricanes will be wishing they kept Fruen and let conrad smith go!

All black selection is going to be a tricky one not just because it's world cup year but it's still early in the season and he will be basically fighting for one position with the likes of McAlister, Kahui, Ranger & Jared Payne and even maybe Tana Umaga and out of that lot Fruen is the only one who can only really cover one position.