Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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#1337120 4-Jul-2015 22:20

networkn said it for me. My friends and I are pretty down but you have to hand it to the Highlanders.

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Batman

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#1337130 4-Jul-2015 22:26

networkn: Commiserations to the Hurricanes and their fans. Congratulations to the Highlanders, and their fans!

Great game of football. Played at a pace that pretty much stopped the commentary from keeping up at times!

Glad I wasn't TMO Skeen, that call he made to award the try was a big call. I don't think I'd have called it the same way, but it's all history now. Had to feel handling errors were the difference really.

Unfortunate for the big names in the Hurricanes to miss out on a title.

Hurricanes played amazing Rugby all year, really to be congratulated on that regardless.

1. I thought the Highlanders had a bad day today. They were really really really nervous between 51-71 mins. And they still won. Says something ...

2. The 50-50 try, i don't think is as 50-50. Ball was grounded after hitting the boot. Still got grounded by definition. Yes it they flew away forwards into no man's land, looks really dodgy, but there was grounding in that split second before.

3. No names vs big names, that's got to be a first!

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#1337131 4-Jul-2015 22:28

afe66: I'm curious how many bad games would you allow before you drop someone from All Blacks.

At super 15 level
All black game
All black game at world cup.

A.

depends. Stephen DOnald - 1. Piri Weepu, 2 years.

itxtme

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#1337132 4-Jul-2015 22:30

Congrats highlanders they were just one notch better than the canes. The lack of adaptation when things werent working cost us the game. Landers try - I dont think it was a try, and they keep using angles to view that were irrelevant to the try being scored (over the top views which dont show a grounding). However as a Canes fan dont feel hard done by. They had their chances and bombed them.

Congrats to the 2015 Super Ruby Champs!

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#1337142 4-Jul-2015 22:35

itxtme:
I guess I am unlike some other people, in so far as I'd give RM and DC the benefit of the doubt even if it cost us the World Cup, because whilst of course I'd love to get a back to back win, the RWC isn't the be all and end all. I think those guys deserve a chance if they want it, they have earned it. In reality, those guys will stand up, I am pretty sure.

Sounds like the Johnny Wilkinson sago. Nobody earns the right based on years before to lose us the world cup, thats crazy.

Had a quick look at Daggs stats, only played 5 super games, so hard to give data a fare comparison. Although the most interesting stat Turnovers Conceded, vs Ben smith 12:14 or another way to look at it

Turnovers
Dagg - 2.4 a game
Smith - 0.8 a game

It really depends on a few things. If we dominate the opponent, you can put a monkey in 10 and we'll still steam roll them.

But if we get dominated, you can put 2 Smiths in 15 and we'll still lose.

Team sport = combinations, systems, for a start. If you are losing, then you need one of 2 things. The whole team to lift and believe and then turn the game around, or one individual piece of brilliance to make something out of nothing.

I think we have enough good players to make it work. The coach will pick his combination and hopefully have a way to prepare for the worse.

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#1337223 5-Jul-2015 09:44

I think the game last night was the antithesis of the normal 'finals football' that people keep quoting.Instead of being dire and defensive with everybody too scared to make a mistake, the game was almost helter-skelter. The thing I liked most was being an impartial observer so I could just enjoy the spectacle. And it was a great spectacle.
Bring on next Wednesday.

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

MileHighKiwi

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#1337279 5-Jul-2015 12:18

Absolutely gutted. Well played, Highlanders. A top team effort from a bunch of guys (forwards especially) with a chip on their shoulder and points to prove. Missing Ardie was big for us and Barrett missing those kicks was costly. I feel like we didn't really fire last night and the Highlanders can take the credit for that. Great game plan executed well.

The atmosphere at the game was the best I've experienced at a game in NZ, that was the highlight of my night, lol.

Hobchild

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#1337281 5-Jul-2015 12:20

As a Highlanders fan I was torn with BB's goal kicking. Of course part of me was happy he was missing them but then the other part was thinking he better not keep missing them as we will need that boot in the RWC.

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#1337308 5-Jul-2015 15:23

I thought the Hurricanes played well enough to win but the Highlanders had a strategy to win that thwarted the Hurricanes.

Although the Hurricanes made a lot of good breaks they too often ended with a knock on or a turnover. It looked like they were trying too hard to keep the breaks going so they kept throwing low percentage passes which didn't come off - even passing to the Highlanders several times. They should have been more patient and just gone to ground to start a new phase. The Highlanders benefited from the Hurricane passion because their strategy appeared to focus on targeting the ball in tackles. They tried to strip the ball many times, mostly had a player quickly positioned over the tackled player, and interfered as much as they could. They got many turnovers and forced many knock-ons that frustrated the Hurricanes.

networkn

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#1337312 5-Jul-2015 15:32

I'd have to say that Nahaolo really showed Savea up. He easily had him defensively.

I thought Ben Smith had a couple of nice breaks, but I still don't rate his kicking.

old3eyes

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#1337320 5-Jul-2015 16:13

It was really a good game. Pity that the SkyGo packed a sad twice in the last 5 minutes especially during the last 30 seconds meaning that it was all over when I got it running again.

Regards,

Old3eyes

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#1337321 5-Jul-2015 16:21

networkn: I'd have to say that Nahaolo really showed Savea up. He easily had him defensively.

I thought Ben Smith had a couple of nice breaks, but I still don't rate his kicking.

This debate reminds me of Christian Cullen vs Leon MacDonald

Smithy100

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#1337598 6-Jul-2015 09:29

joker97:
This debate reminds me of Christian Cullen vs Leon MacDonald

That wasn't a debate :p

Jaxson

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#1337642 6-Jul-2015 09:50

Dingbatt: I think the game last night was the antithesis of the normal 'finals football' that people keep quoting.Instead of being dire and defensive with everybody too scared to make a mistake, the game was almost helter-skelter. The thing I liked most was being an impartial observer so I could just enjoy the spectacle. And it was a great spectacle.
Bring on next Wednesday.

Fully agree. Technically I'm in the Hurricanes catchment area, but I was very happy to see two deserving NZ teams in the final. It made for a good spectacle and I think that's where the game should head if it wants to appeal to a wider audience.

It's very much a southern hemisphere approach though, as there was a lot more running with the ball 'trying to wear the opposition out' type play which is exciting. In the past it's been savagely shut down by a good defensive team though, and we've not done particularly well when our flying runners don't get the opportunities.

All in all though, I think it was a great advert for NZ, Wellington, and supporters from both teams. The weather was really good too. Lots of bars were packed with people who couldn't get tickets to the venue, so no doubt it was a good injection into the area also.

networkn

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#1337646 6-Jul-2015 09:53

Smithy100:
joker97:
This debate reminds me of Christian Cullen vs Leon MacDonald

That wasn't a debate :p

Agreed. Leon MacDonald was an outstanding Rugby player, he was the era that I started watching Rugby, and him Merthens and Marshall from the Crusaders/AB's were the reason I love Rugby so much now.
Christian Cullen was in a league of his own however.

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