Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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Networkn
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#2691291 12-Apr-2021 11:14

Jas777:

Got to say also that Cullen Grace looks off the pace so far this season. Got to think he was picked too early for All Blacks and getting 10 minutes last year when he could have been playing week in week out in the NPC has put his game back.

Maybe. I'd be interested to see his stats.

Codie Taylor is having a screamer though. 24 Tackles made yesterday, 0 misses. Amazing.

Akira Ioane seems to have gone backwards again as well. He was pretty good last year, somewhat less so this year, at this rate, I'd be surprised if he makes the cut for the AB's with the form some of the other loosies in the country are at.

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Jas777

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#2691310 12-Apr-2021 11:16

Agree about away jerseys. Only when a clash.

Golden point doesn't do it for me. The only rugby played is to set up for drop goal or milk a penalty.

I have no problem with draws. But if they have to do extras then either change points the teams get if golden point or play the full 10 minutes regardless of who scores first.
If golden point both teams get 2 plus who wins gets a extra point or 2 .

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#2691314 12-Apr-2021 11:29

Jas777: Agree about away jerseys. Only when a clash.

Golden point doesn't do it for me. The only rugby played is to set up for drop goal or milk a penalty.

I have no problem with draws. But if they have to do extras then either change points the teams get if golden point or play the full 10 minutes regardless of who scores first.
If golden point both teams get 2 plus who wins gets a extra point or 2 .

100% agree with this. I don't like Draws, however, if draws aren't happening, 10 minutes of play, whomever with the most points wins.

My issue with the extra time is that the chance of an injury beyond 80 minutes is exponentially higher I read somewhere recently.

I thought the Crusaders were very clinical in extra time, it was really the difference. The charge down etc. It was something they seemed very familiar with (my guess is that they have spent time preparing for it), whereas the Hurricanes seemed a little confused.

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#2691316 12-Apr-2021 11:30

On an unrelated note, as good as Ardie is, I think AB's captaincy could hamper him and weigh him down. Just a gut feeling.

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#2693124 15-Apr-2021 11:43

So, Moody out for an undisclosed period, Jack Goodhue gone for the season. Hardly great news for the Crusaders or AB's.

I see the 2 promised Pasifika teams look to be shaping up to join Super Rugby next year as promised. Good signs there I think.

Jas777

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#2693212 15-Apr-2021 12:32

networkn:

So, Moody out for an undisclosed period, Jack Goodhue gone for the season. Hardly great news for the Crusaders or AB's.

I see the 2 promised Pasifika teams look to be shaping up to join Super Rugby next year as promised. Good signs there I think.

Those 2 injuries plus Ennor out and Christie bring the Crusaders back to the pack. The loose forward play and inside backs have been good but not better than anyone else.

The thing I will look out for in the next 2 games is using Leicester Fainga'anuku at centre. In the long run that might be his best position.

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#2693307 15-Apr-2021 15:58

I'm sad to see the injuries in that game; my feelings were a little heightened because they are All Black players. I found that game really deflating when it looked like we might have three All Blacks off injured in the first half.

But what was more deflating was the extra time to attempt to force a winner. It could have been a clear disaster if there were no deciding point and some more players were injured. Thankfully, neither happened.

A Hurricanes win would have provided some joy to balance but it wouldn't have removed my overall concern about where Super Rugby rules are heading.

networkn:

On an unrelated note, as good as Ardie is, I think AB's captaincy could hamper him and weigh him down. Just a gut feeling.

It's too easy to join the naysayers. Faint praise and negative speculation can only be expected have one outcome which is to deflate his reputation.

I'd much rather hear positives about other potential contenders than unsubstantiated speculation that defames contenders.

I'm not saying you are biased against Ardie, but what would be the point of me expressing my actual gut feelings about, say, Scott Robertson: "On an unrelated note, as good as Scott is, I think AB coach could hamper him and weigh him down. Just a gut feeling."

Perhaps someone has some real inside knowledge, something the rest of us don't know, about Savea's ability to cope: like evidence that he is failing to perform as captain of the Hurricanes?

If that evidence doesn't exist then I hope, and expect, that the selectors won't heed such speculation. New captains regularly perform better than expected in the role of All Black captain. That occurred even before this era when new captains now get training to help them grow into the role.

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#2693797 16-Apr-2021 13:20

Jas777:

The thing I will look out for in the next 2 games is using Leicester Fainga'anuku at centre.

Turns out you were spot on.

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#2693804 16-Apr-2021 13:30

So it must be contract negotiation time, I see some commentary about TJP 'seriously' considering a move to Rugby League. I have my doubts he would actually do it though.

I do agree with some comments that he would probably make the switch to League fairly seamlessly though. I think his physical attributes would make him a fairly natural league player.

The question is, who would be paying big money for him to make the switch? He is nearly 30, so perhaps he has 4 years left in a league career, remove the adjustment time, and time to build into something 'excellent' and that's quite a bit less time.

For the record, this isn't really TJP specific, I'd feel the same way no matter who it was.

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#2694042 16-Apr-2021 22:44

That was quite a game until Alex Hodgman lost his mind. I suspect he will be spending a *long* time contemplating his actions. That was outright thuggery.

Blues still had their chance to win it.

I have no idea what they wanted a captains referral for? They did themselves in twicefold with it?

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#2694061 17-Apr-2021 08:11

networkn:

I have no idea what they wanted a captains referral for? They did themselves in twicefold with it?

Papalii was adamant he hadn’t obstructed (I think he did) but obviously was unaware his team mate had also infringed. At that point in the game the points from the penalty made a big difference.

Smith’s captain’s challenge on the other hand was justified and (IMO) wrongly adjudicated. The player cleaning out the ruck was looking at Smith before his clean out and lifted his arm to include him. The onus is on the player doing the clean out not to contact the head. A try was disallowed in the Highlanders/Chiefs game in the first round for a way more innocuous high tackle in the lead up play on a Captain’s challenge by Smith.

The Highlanders brought the same intensity to last night’s game that they did against the Crusaders.

Im picking a Crusaders win tonight (sadly), and so moving the competition back to a race for positions 2-5.

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#2694065 17-Apr-2021 08:34

Agreed Papalii was obstructing, he was very upset by the accusation though. Also agree that the swinging arm was 100% intentional.

I suspect the Crusaders will probably win tonight, though honestly, I just want to see them put in an 80 minute cohesive and disciplined performance.

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#2694310 17-Apr-2021 21:33

Ugh, another tough watch. Fair play to the Chiefs who looked much better with ball in hand. Accuracy and lack of patience and discipline continue to plague the Crusaders! Romano straightened us up and made us move forward, but he was one of the only ones. Our scrum looks shaky as anything too.

Jas777

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#2694373 18-Apr-2021 11:48

networkn:
Ugh, another tough watch. Fair play to the Chiefs who looked much better with ball in hand. Accuracy and lack of patience and discipline continue to plague the Crusaders! Romano straightened us up and made us move forward, but he was one of the only ones. Our scrum looks shaky as anything too.

The lack of a true number 7 is hurting them big time. Plus back play is a bit too one dimensional. Halfbacks dont run and move side to side.

They still going to be in the final as only blues or chiefs can pass them not both

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#2694404 18-Apr-2021 14:33

The fact that the Crusaders had a 7 to 1 penalty count against them early in the first half also speaks volumes. The “1” Chiefs penalty was for Sevu Reece running into the back of Jacobsen and then falling over. A piece of acting that would have done a premiere league football player proud, although he didn’t clutch a body part in agony.

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

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