Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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Mad Scientist
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#1964210 26-Feb-2018 08:56

If you do a slow motion replay of any legal body contact aka tackle you will see unhuman bending of body bits as governed by Einstein's Third Law of Motion. Video replays are amazing things at showing physics at work.

networkn

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#1964213 26-Feb-2018 08:59

You guys see the Lions game? Aphiwe Dyantyi is a bolt of lightning.

This guy is going to be a big deal. Maybe the fastest back we have seen since Habana out of SA.

The Lions now have both sides of the wing as the fastest in SA! Both likely or already Springboks.

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#1964934 27-Feb-2018 10:27

Wyatt Crockett to retire! No more Black Jersey for the big guy, and last season for the Crusaders. What a legend this guy is. I imagine his record for most SR caps will stand for a LONG LONG time.

Still intending to play Mitre 10 for the Makos as well, for 2 more years.

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#1964935 27-Feb-2018 10:28

Go the Makos.

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#1965547 28-Feb-2018 09:59

Kaino is leaving for France. What a beast that man has been. Timing is right, he wasn't in contention for the AB's in the RWC for a third time.

MikeAqua

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#1965677 28-Feb-2018 11:26

networkn:

England stunned by Scotland. Beaten 25-13!

England losing is my second favourite rugby result.

Monday was a rough day for the English guy in our office. His desk was decorated with a Scottish theme and Flower of Scotland played to welcome him in. He seemed to enjoy the shortbread though.

Mike

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#1965681 28-Feb-2018 11:28

MikeAqua:

networkn:

England stunned by Scotland. Beaten 25-13!

England losing is my second favourite rugby result.

Monday was a rough day for the English guy in our office. His desk was decorated with a Scottish theme and Flower of Scotland played to welcome him in. He seemed to enjoy the shortbread though.

Haha, funny you say that, right now I feel exactly the same way.

If we played England 5 times I'd expect them to win once. Whilst we shouldn't write them off as a serious contender, they have obviously improved significantly under Jones, I don't fear them the way others seem to.

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#1967304 2-Mar-2018 21:40

Well if you wanted proof that the Blues are the fifth best NZ super rugby side, their game against an injury ravaged Chiefs (fourth best NZ side this year) tonight was it. They were up 14-5 at one stage but then leaked 22 unanswered points before Gatland's try restored some respectability. With the number of stars the Blues have, they should have absolutely put that Chiefs lineup to the sword.
No points scored in the last 24 minutes of the game. Lots of mistakes by both sides in the final minutes, indicative of two sides that had played themselves to a standstill.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

networkn

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#1967312 2-Mar-2018 22:33

Dingbatt: Well if you wanted proof that the Blues are the fifth best NZ super rugby side, their game against an injury ravaged Chiefs (fourth best NZ side this year) tonight was it. They were up 14-5 at one stage but then leaked 22 unanswered points before Gatland's try restored some respectability. With the number of stars the Blues have, they should have absolutely put that Chiefs lineup to the sword.
No points scored in the last 24 minutes of the game. Lots of mistakes by both sides in the final minutes, indicative of two sides that had played themselves to a standstill.

That was a disgraceful loss by the Blues. As you say, with that much star power, and with the Chiefs so under powered, they should have been 10 points in front.

I agree they were both knackered at the end, but it was the simple things that cost them the match.

If they were ever going to deliver against a NZ team they could not have asked for a better chance. At home.

/me SMH

Hammerer

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#1967373 3-Mar-2018 04:31

I've said it already that the Blues as a team are not that good. I say it for one reason: the Blues players are psychologically unsuited to playing as a team. They have too many "hero" players who feel the need to take opportunities to stand out. Until they learn to play for the team they will continue to make bad decisions and thwart the team strategy.

Of all the teams, the Chiefs appear to have the game plan that most clearly focuses on using their star power to break open defences.

I say this as a Hurricanes supporter who watched them spend many years squandering their star power. Now they work much better as a team and have a game plan that incorporates their star power. I don't see that with the Blues.

TeaLeaf

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#1967458 3-Mar-2018 11:02

Nah I dont think its that star power thing, they simply have had some bad luck and some hangovers from previous years to be losing by very close games. That pass that led to the run away try, had that gone to hand it was a 14 point turn around and the end of the game for the Chiefs. But it didnt, thats sport, little things can win or lose a game. Blues did very well considering such little posession for a long period of the game.

I agree with Networkn, its the little things costing them, like that pass, there were 50 odd small things that didnt go right.

They are 200% better than the year before. Its going to take more than 2 games to turn things around and they clearly already have.

And lets face it, its the "Blues" not Auckland. They dont represent Auckland just like the other teams are made up of players out of their province and dont represent their province, but a commercial team. They are just commercial entities.

If super rugby had never happened, the Auckland Blues would have continued winning and winning like they did, 5 years in a row without a loss, its hard to know whats more boring, having such a successful province or a commercial entity that keeps losing. Rugby Union lost its provincial interest when Super Rugby was invented to help out poor Bob Dwyer and get the aussies competitive. The provincial cup now is of no interest as its a hangover after super rugby.

In saying all that, I do believe the "Blues" will make the finals this year and go on to better things in years to come.

What is that dodgy looking act Mckenzie does before he takes a goal kick, it looks like hes trying for a Dump, then he smiles lol.

I enjoyed the game, like the blues game the week before it was close, sure winning is nice, but who cares when Rugby is fun to watch. And that was the problem for Auckland fans prior to super rugby, winning just wasnt fun anymore it was just a given.

Even if you count Super Rugby trophies amongst trophies for provinces, no other province would come close to the trophy room at Auckland Rugby. After all Eden Park is the Lords of Rugby Union. :-)

I think the chiefs will make the finals again based on being able to hang in there in such a tough game for a long period. I hope Hurricanes make it too.

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#1967469 3-Mar-2018 11:31

Tealeaf, I think you are ignoring glaringly obviously counterpoints. The Warriors and the Blues share many common traits. They both believe that hiring big stars will fix their issues. Benji Marshall, SBW etc.

Blues have let many many players go to other provinces who have absolutely done better in a different environment. Fekitoa,Naholo etc etc I think management have too much say week to week over both teams.

Culture has continued to be an issue for both.

Teamwork is the ultimate match-winner. It's also an attitude thing. They should have won last night, and if you think it was luck that kept them out, I am sorry, but you don't understand how sport works. Luck can play a part in some matches.

There is a old saying I really love.

"It's the funniest thing. The harder I work, the luckier I get!"

Check the culture of the Blues when they won, vs now. The Blues often don't play for each other. The Crusaders, Hurricanes and Chiefs all do. The Highlanders too.

The Blues last night left 2 tries begging when players got white line fever and went on their own, when there were unmarked players to the left of them.

TeaLeaf

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#1967485 3-Mar-2018 12:00

I dont disagree. They havnt had that culture probably since 4 years into Super Rugby when the actual Auckland Rugby culture was alive.

They need to play as a unit for sure. Cohesion is lacking.

Im just saying its the best its been for a while and is clearly better.

networkn

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#1967487 3-Mar-2018 12:05

TeaLeaf:

I dont disagree. They havnt had that culture probably since 4 years into Super Rugby when the actual Auckland Rugby culture was alive.

They need to play as a unit for sure. Cohesion is lacking.

Im just saying its the best its been for a while and is clearly better.

I am not convinced. It's 3 games into the season. Twice they have let the game get away from them with panic, where they stopped playing as a team.

George Moala, a great player when he is on song was dropped from the AB's because he didn't distrbute the ball intelligently and hasn't improved in that regard. Twice in that game there were obvious advantages to passing and he didn't.

He's off overseas for a pay day now, and won't try to get back to the AB's but it feels like he had a great AB's career if he fixed some of the things the coaches gave him.

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#1967659 3-Mar-2018 21:50

Man the Crusaders made hard work of that win. Credit to the Stormers who didn't give up. The Crusaders defense team will be looking hard at the footage, they looked vulnerable up front.

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