For some reason I thought that in Super Rugby, the top team got a bye in the quarter finals?

networkn:

 

For some reason I thought that in Super Rugby, the top team got a bye in the quarter finals?

 

 

 

That was the old 15 team competition. They went to 4 Quarters when 18 but kept it when went back to 15. I imagine to get more than 1 team from Australia and South Africa conferences in quarters.

Well, it was a comfortable margin in the end in that game, and the Crusaders deservedly earn top of the NZ conference and overall table. Nice to see Read playing and well at that. 

Wyatt Crockett, I don't think you can help but respect the man no matter what team you support. I doubt it will ever be emulated. Having to put in a 75-minute shift when so often most front-rowers generally might play 50-30 minutes instead would really be a hard ask at the best of times. I was disappointed he didn't take that last penalty kick though. 

Was a really nice gesture of the Highlanders to join the Guard of Honour.

networkn:

 

Was a really nice gesture of the Highlanders to join the Guard of Honour.

 

Isn't that normal? Didn't the opposition do that with Kaino last week.

Dingbatt: Two weeks in a row the Highlanders get 40+ points put on them in a 'local' derby. What's happened to them?
I saw flashes of brilliance from the likes of Smith(x2), Naholo and Squire but on the whole they looked disjointed and tired.

Lack of depth and fact had more players in the All Blacks is a big reason.

The same players have played lots of minutes and then had Test matches. In previous years less in the All Blacks so had a rest.

Jas777:

Dingbatt: Two weeks in a row the Highlanders get 40+ points put on them in a 'local' derby. What's happened to them?
I saw flashes of brilliance from the likes of Smith(x2), Naholo and Squire but on the whole they looked disjointed and tired.

 

Lack of depth and fact had more players in the All Blacks is a big reason.

 

The same players have played lots of minutes and then had Test matches. In previous years less in the All Blacks so had a rest.

So the pundits are out with their knives over the Blues performance against the Hurricanes and I do think they made the Hurricanes look better than they actually were at times. It's unbelievable to me that Laumape crossed 4 times, 3 of them essentially the same move. 

Having said that, it's pretty impossible to expect a team in the state they are, with injuries and missing players, to put a decent performance together against a strong team like the Hurricanes who have something to prove. I follow Rugby reasonably closely and I have to say, I was struggling to find names I'd heard of in the second half. There is simply no way with pulling in 3rd and 4th choice players in a single province in multiple positions allows for a cohesive performance. I hope for everyones sakes, they can have an injury free off season and get their first choice team in good shape for the 2019 season. 

I do believe that there is a failure in the coaching staff to devise sensible game plans.

I will say, however, that I feel that at times the Blues actually looked pretty good in the game against the Hurricanes. There were some positives there. 

networkn:

 

I do believe that there is a failure in the coaching staff to devise sensible game plans.

 

I'm not sure that it would be easy to tell whether the "coaching staff" have a "sensible game plan" when as you say:

networkn:

 

it's pretty impossible to expect a team in the state they are, with injuries and missing players, to put a decent performance together against a strong team like the Hurricanes who have something to prove.

 

The Blues played what appeared to be a consistent game plan through most of the match and they preformed well except for being unable to score enough tries.

Dingbatt:

Jas777:

 

Dingbatt: Two weeks in a row the Highlanders get 40+ points put on them in a 'local' derby. What's happened to them?
I saw flashes of brilliance from the likes of Smith(x2), Naholo and Squire but on the whole they looked disjointed and tired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lack of depth and fact had more players in the All Blacks is a big reason.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The same players have played lots of minutes and then had Test matches. In previous years less in the All Blacks so had a rest.

 

Chuckle.
The two NZ teams that beat them in the last two weeks had just as many All Blacks. And have been hit by injuries too.
If it was the Blues, I would understand your comment.

As for the the Chiefs/Brumbies game that has just finished, Parete nearly derailed the whole season with his foul play yellow card. Totally deserved and STUPID.
McKenzie had a great game. Fa'auli magic hands off the post for his try.
Hopefully Harris and Cane will be fit for next week.
Now for the Hurricanes/Blues game (rubs hands together).

All Black stand downs at this time of the season.........ridiculous.

Edit: Oh, you mean the Highlanders had more ABs this year than previous years.

Yes they had more this year, It does make a difference especially if those All Blacks have already played a lot games and not managed well.

The Highlanders have a good staring 15 but do not have the bench depth of the Crusaders.

Hammerer:

 

The Blues played what appeared to be a consistent game plan through most of the match and they preformed well except for being unable to score enough tries.

 

I am struggling to see them performing "well". They had patches where they looked OK, got over the advantage line (more easily than I would have expected), but then they would do something dumb. I would have given their performance a c- at best, and most pundits lambasted them. 

What a huge game between the Chiefs and the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are looking quite lost lately, and I keep thinking they are going to snap out of it. 

The Chiefs seem to be struggling to put two good halves together effectively. 3 games in a row they have been excellent in one half and average or less in the other. 

Next week is going to be a cracker I think. I am looking forward to it. It's going to be difficult for the Chiefs to win against the 'canes at home. Home advantage has proven to be so powerful this season. Few teams have overcome it.

The Red Card by the Chiefs player was one of the most outrageous bits of thuggery I've seen ever in Rugby. He lined him up, got low, drove upward no arms, none intended, fully intending on hurting him. He should be out of Rugby for a year. Disgraceful. You could easily kill someone or end someones career with a move like that. I hope they throw the book at him. Before someone gets outraged, I'd be JUST as furious and vocal if it was a Crusaders player and was a few weeks ago. This wonderful game has no place for this type of play.

Comparatively, I have been watching the Sunwolves and the red card given to the SW just now was beyond pathetic. I just turned the game off. 

I'm sorry, but I just cannot agree that it wasn't thuggery. He lined him up. It's the third time he has been suspended for such behaviour. 

Of his 6 week ban...

"The committee added two weeks to the entry point as aggravation for the fact [Fa'auli] has two previous offences of a similar nature on his judicial record and as a personal deterrent to combat a pattern of such offending by the player.

"However, taking into account mitigating factors including the player's expressed remorse and his plea of guilty at the earliest possible opportunity, the committee reduced the suspension to six weeks."

It's irrelevant he pled guilty or that he showed remorse in my opinion. Twice before, his tackling method has hurt other players badly. 

I know this is likely to be unpopular, but in my opinion, Jordie Barrett is unacceptably error prone this year. I am NOT saying he isn't a good  player when he is playing his best, but he has been far from his best this year, for the Hurricanes or the AB's. A lot of what I am seeing is unforced errors, errors in judgement, and poor decision making. I believe this to be due to the pressure of being included in the AB's so fast and having to absorb a lot of learnings in a short period of time. He seems cluttered, almost like the Dan Carter of mid 2015. He has played some amazing Rugby but my overall impression of him this year hasn't been nearly as positive. 

I don't doubt he should be able to turn it around, but right now I feel he doesn't quite have it together.