Super rugby week 2

Just a thread for those of us following the game down under:

The story so far (http://www.superxv.com/):
The Australian conference started last week:
Rebel bt Force
Brumbies bt Reds

The games this weekend are
Highlanders vs Chiefs
Rebels vs Brumbies
Bulls vs Stormers
Hurricanes vs Blues
Reds vs Waratahs
Cheetahs vs Sharks
Kings vs Force

Over night saw victories to the Chiefs, Brumbies and Bulls. I saw part of the NZ derby game and loved it. High intensity, skill levels, pace and was a lot closer than the score suggests. There was a enough to suggest that the chiefs could go all the way, even without SBW and Kahui. Sam Cane, Anscombe and Tim Nainai looked great, as did the hooker from last years under 20 team (who's name I forget). Highlanders were without Brad Thorne and Andrew Hore and played well. Gear looked good as other players.

Haven't seen anything of the blues game, but sounds like Styen kicked them to victory. I only saw highlights from the Brumbies game (Mogg looks like he has the goods at full back) and I see that Beale is injured. I'm interested on anyones thoughts on these games.

I saw the Burmbies match and bits of the -Highlanders-Chiefs.

Brumbies ground down a lesser team the way good teams should. They are clearly showing the effect of Jake White. All of a sudden, they have a pretty strong pack which sets a nice platform. Some of the backs have some real speed. Not so sure about their 10. Hard to really tell how good they are until they play a few matches out of their conference.

Chiefs simply look terrific. Exciting match against Highlanders.

Thanks Dr Grey

Chiefs v Highlanders was exciting and some good attacking play but both defences made basic mistakes that lead to tries. Blues v Canes this morning is not as good a game, with lots of handling errors and looks what it is, first game if the season for both sides. They look rusty.

New TMO rules have just passed a really contreversial decision there. Penalty try and a yellow card..decision stunk and I am no where near a Blues supporter either.

Just saw that. Agree, very controversial.
Can't see how the TMO can be so confident the Try would have been scored if the Blues player did not get his hand on the ball.

Bulls and Stormers were hard and physical, lots of stoppages for knocks and bruises.

Steyn did kick Bulls to victory, but Stormers almost got back into the game and then a controversial TMO try was awarded to the Bulls which took them too far ahead.

Bulls still play territory game with lots of kicking, Hougaard is still urged by the referee to clear the ruck, Wynand Olivier and Zane Kirchner still run straight and then lose possession when tackled.

Habana had some sniping runs from the back, Elton Jantjies had a very poor game. His dad passed away in the week due to a Bee sting, so prhaps he should rather have spent this emotional week with his family, his mind was not in the game. Siya Kolisi is back and looked solid, Jean de Villiers looked good.

Overall the teams did try to run with ball in hand at times, but there isno variation, no creativity, just straight running. It does make for spectacular collisions, but few tries.

Didn't see Bulls-Stormers yet, but I recorded it. Will be part of my Sunday when I don't move off the couch. Today, I am driving three hours to a tournament my younger son is playing in. Forecast is for rain and snow.

I wouldn't mind a bit of rain or snow here, it has been very hot this past week.

We're Back!

I would be happy to trade you. At least my lads will be running around. I get to drive three hours then stand around for 6 or 7 hours, then drive another three hours back. I am done with winter for this year.

How hot is it?.

Low to mid thirties

Laurie. Great performance.
What did you think of that play, the penalty try?

Biltong wrote:Low to mid thirties

Trade you in a heartbeat.

That was a good win for the Blues, I think the NZ conference is going to be very tough this year.

doctor_grey wrote:

Biltong wrote:Low to mid thirties

Trade you in a heartbeat.

i'll swop you twodays of heat for one day of snow and one day of rain.

Deal!

OK when?

NOW. I don't want to drive in the snow, then stand around in the rain. All around 0°C. Yes, as I age (either like fine wine or bad cheese, you choose) I really like the summer more than winter.

doctor_grey wrote:Laurie. Great performance.
What did you think of that play, the penalty try?

That would have to be one of the biggest bulls..t decisions I've ever seen come from a TMO. Luckily it didnt have any bearing on the outcome of the match.

Yeah. I thought I might have missed something because I had just woken up and put the tv on. Can't see how the TMO could have presumed the try. Did you think Halai was trying to bat the ball away?

If he was, it still wasnt conclusive intent because Julian savea also batted away Halai's hand (the one that touched the ball) so you can always argue that intent cant be substantiated, by the mere fact of the "double" contact.

There was a lot of contact between the players. It appeared to me he was simply trying to get his hand on the ball as they were in contact. Very harsh.
Would really like to see what other people have to say. I'm sure someone is probably posting on You Tube as I sit here.

I can see why it was given. If the Blues player doesn't illegally knock the ball away the Canes player falls on it and it's a try. It's one of those that you feel aggrieved if it's given against you but youd be screaming for it if it happened up the other end.


Israel Folau looking all at sea defensively on his debut.

I thought the penalty try + yellow was a tough call. I thought if the Blues player did not touch the ball as he dove, it was still a reach to presume the Hurricane's player would have scored. But, to be fair, I am a better TMO when sitting on my couch.

Didn't Foleau lose the ball in a tackle which resulted in a Reds try? Or do I need a second cup of coffee?

If anyone is watching the reds v waratahs can they explain something to me. The SR blocked Cooper's clearance and went through and touched the ball down but just short of the try line. It went to the video ref and he gave a knock on. Can someone tell me why it was given as a knock on because if that had been over the line a try would have been given. How is that passage of play different short of the line to over the line?

Killer,
When the ball is touched down in the in-goal. Play stops and thetry is awarded. When the Waratahs player went to ground before the try line it was still open play. The ball went forwards, hence the knock-on. If the ball squirts forward after being touched down in the in-goal, it doesn't matter beciase play automatically stops after the touchdown in the in-goal.

Does that make sense?

Ah ok, cheers for that doctor, don't know why I didn't know that, been watching rugby long enough, but that does make sense now, think the fact that it was so close to the line threw me off a little, thinking about it, I would expect a knock on to be given anywhere else on the field if that happened.

I don't understand this tournament. How come the Reds are playing twice and my beloved Crusaders haven't even played a game yet? How can you have an opening weekend with just two games? WTF!

Hurricanes captain went off clutching his face. Any of you Kiwi boys know if it's to do with the retina injury he had last year? Looked like Hurricanes of old out there tonight with a lot of bumbling errors. Good to see the Blues get some confidence after last year's horror season. They have some young talent in the squad and they will be much better for the win.

Can't play the ref but you can certainly blame the video ref. I think yellow card was a legit call for throwing the ball deliberately out of play or at least batting it way in that direction but penalty try was going too far. Luckily for Halai it wasn't a decision that came to haunt him and he got his second try to seal the match. That kind of mistake can haunt a player.

Lions tour mate. Stuffs up the flow I know.

Sharks vs Cheetahs were so much more entertaining than last night's crash ball running.

Sharks eventually won 29-22, but the Cheetahs were all over them in the second half and nearly git their fourth try.

Was it not for Goosen's slow start with the boot and struggling for match practice the Cheetahs could have won this match.

Second half Goosen looked very good and made some great passes into space, Johan Sadie was the recipient of one of those passes and had enough pace to run through for the try.

New Trevor Nyakane had a very solid Super arugby debut.

Me thinks the Cheetahs are going to surprise a few teams.

Well slap me with a wet towel.

The Kings have beaten the Force 22-10

The Force had most of the posession and the Kings had to live off scraps, they must have made twice as many tackles as the Force.

Another Aussie team who might go home winless

Southern Kings sitting pretty at the top of the SA conference.

Biltong wrote:Sharks vs Cheetahs were so much more entertaining than last night's crash ball running.

Sharks eventually won 29-22, but the Cheetahs were all over them in the second half and nearly git their fourth try.

Was it not for Goosen's slow start with the boot and struggling for match practice the Cheetahs could have won this match.

Second half Goosen looked very good and made some great passes into space, Johan Sadie was the recipient of one of those passes and had enough pace to run through for the try.

New Trevor Nyakane had a very solid Super arugby debut.

Me thinks the Cheetahs are going to surprise a few teams.

Absolutely love watching the Cheetahs. If the Boks combined their back play with the forward play of the Stormers you'd massacre teams!

The Cheetah's scrum looked appauling though. I've never seen a scrum go backwards at such a pace in my life...Os Du Randt will have some choice words to say to his boys this week...

I was at the caketin and though a canes supporter thought there was nothing in it. I was expecting a 5 metre scrum. We were flippin' poor.

Read that Conrad smith suffered concussion this weekend. Hope he will recover quickly

How good does that blues backline look!! Charles Piutau surely will be getting called up to the AB's this year.

Impossible Standards wrote:How good does that blues backline look!!

gee some of us have been waiting over 10 years to see that comment...Was at the game too- not many were it seemed. Most yellow seats everywhere...weird.

Good start Blues...but early days and an acid test this week with the saders at Eden Park.

Time for the boys to own that park again methinks...looooooong overdue...

have to say watching Highlanders v chiefs highlights the match looked completely mental, it just looks a completely different sport to the NH style. was brilliant to watch

welshy6 wrote:have to say watching Hurricanes v chiefs highlights the match looked completely mental, it just looks a completely different sport to the NH style. was brilliant to watch

Canes played the Blues...Chiefs played the highlanders but I know what you mean.

One key thing there is the grounds are at their very best this time of year- probably too good with the temperatures in Oz and SA at the moment and our guys are just starting a new season fresh with good injury free training over the summer (for most).

So contrasting that with the horrid snow and rain and most of all cold that seems to be plaguing this NH season its no wonder. This time of the year is the worst/ best time to compare the two depending on your point of view.

I was very impressed with the Blues backline being able to make 9 linebreaks to the Hurricanes 4, and that was with the Blues having a wing in the bin for 10 minutes.

Heres some more stats from the New Zealand cinference.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10867803

What were the Kings like? haven't managed to watch that one yet. I don't know what happen, just got tivo and somehow managed to record every single S15 game this weekend. Surely I can't watch them all can I....

Taylorman wrote:

welshy6 wrote:have to say watching Hurricanes v chiefs highlights the match looked completely mental, it just looks a completely different sport to the NH style. was brilliant to watch

Canes played the Blues...Chiefs played the highlanders but I know what you mean.

One key thing there is the grounds are at their very best this time of year- probably too good with the temperatures in Oz and SA at the moment and our guys are just starting a new season fresh with good injury free training over the summer (for most).

So contrasting that with the horrid snow and rain and most of all cold that seems to be plaguing this NH season its no wonder. This time of the year is the worst/ best time to compare the two depending on your point of view.

my bad, have to say it was refreshing to see such attack based rugby (albeit because of the conditions) am annoyed I haven't got sky/Espn to watch the SH games as they look good spectator matches!

Good start for the rest of the sides I thought. Too early to make assumptions about the Blues as theyve started like this before and completely crumbled 2 or 3 games later.

Chiefs sure have started where they left off and all of a sudden the Highlanders with Manu out for the season look fragile.

The Bulls were back to their best I thought with Steyn keeping an excellent pack in front of him in a way he does best. That will get Meyer rethinking about playing him as I'd thought end of the year.

The Kings got a good win over the Force who will struggle to win many games this year, many players having left. Sharks and Cheetahs both look good so overall a fairly good start with plenty to work on.

The Saders enter this week and with a match behind them and at home the crowd will be willing them on the new look Blues look ready. JK is right in wanting to get the fans onside.

They've lost many over the years and seeing him rant and rave during the half time break was JK with all his old passion coming back to the heart of Auckland rugby where it should be.

Early days for sure...but a good start.

Currently due to financial problems so relying on media coverage and press.
BUT it seems NZ are continueing to unearth new talent as they always have.
Blues especially appear to be going well early and Ali Williams who you wrote off seemed to have had some solid games.
The defection of Thomson,Kahui,Callum Clark,SBW,and now rumoured Rene Ranger is a worrying trend though.

Yeah to be honest Alis done nothing wrong and is a dedicated Blues man for sure. I think the effort to rejuvenate him has done its bit but I cant see it reviving his AB career with Retalick now showing so strongly as Whitlocks partner.

Those are all seasoned veterans who have gone Alan and Ranger is denying anything at the moment. This looks as strong a NZ conference as any so far.

SA look good as well, their backplay again undermining what we see with the Bok side. But I still have a feeling that as the Bok pack gets stronger Steyn will emerge as a key figure- the leopard... spots syndrome making a comeback.

Don't know why but I get the feeling Goosen is SA's Slade or Kahui, prone to injury.

Deans looks as though hes giving the Lions top prio which is good for us all.

Agree, a good start to the tournament. Was good seeing the Blues playing a nice up tempo game and doing it well.

It was also good seeing Brumbies start off on the right foot. Not quite sure how solid they are, but still a good start. Obviously Canberra agrees with Jake White.

I didn't see the Kings-Force match yet, but maybe tonight. Will be interesting to see if they were actually good or if the Force were simply bad.

Did you catch the passage of play that lead to the Nanai Wllliams try. Lost my breath watching it it was all over the place.