Sup, er, Rugby? 2020 thread

[zer0]

You love the bantz.

[Mikey Brown]

Is Sotutu the blonde bombshell at number 8 for the Blues? I was just coming here to ask if he was on the radar and it seems yes. Is he new?

He’s got a touch of that Vunipola dump-truck style about his carrying when he decides to put his head down. Not knocking him or saying he’s limited, but looks very difficult to stop even from a standing start. Doesn’t seem like NZ generally have too many of those sorts.

[zer0]

That's the one. He was at the Blues last season but never got a run, for whatever reason(s). Instead Akira Ioane, our starting #8, got run into the ground for the second season running. He should definitely be in contention for an All Blacks cap.

[cashead]

Yeah, Sotutu is making the most of his chances. Ioane played well the last time he started, but right now, the 8 jersey appears to be Sotutu's to lose.

[cashead]

Hey Lizard! Hey! How do you like them apples, huh?

[Mikey Brown]

Wow.

Not only I didn’t realise his first name is Hoskins (!) but this pass I’d thought was Ioane (and thought that was more passing skill than he actually had) was him too.



A few tidy offloads in that game too. He’s got some decent hands. Not that you guys tend to feel the same need to make a song and dance about a forward being able to pass, as we do up north.

[Cameo]

Blues looking very good all round. I'd still move Barrett to ten sooner rather than later though.

[Banquo]

Blues looking very good all round. I'd still move Barrett to ten sooner rather than later though.

yes, whenever I see Barrett not at 10, I think......why?

[Cameo]

Marchant gets a bench spot for his final game. It's funny, I think everyone is impressed and sees his loan as a success but, still, he's not quite cracked the first choice 23.

[Stom]

Marchant gets a bench spot for his final game. It's funny, I think everyone is impressed and sees his loan as a success but, still, he's not quite cracked the first choice 23.

There’s reasons other than skill at play though...

[Cameo]

Marchant gets a bench spot for his final game. It's funny, I think everyone is impressed and sees his loan as a success but, still, he's not quite cracked the first choice 23.

There’s reasons other than skill at play though...

What do you mean? Marchant has been good but he's clearly not a better winger than the starters and isn't a better thirteen than Ioane

Another very good game last night. Blues would have kicked themselves if they lost that but Highlanders will be kicking themselves about their decision making. Players taking a drop kick when they have advantage has long frustrated me but it was bizarre here when they didn't then want the three points. By all means go out for the try but do it when you have advantage too.

[Puja]

Marchant gets a bench spot for his final game. It's funny, I think everyone is impressed and sees his loan as a success but, still, he's not quite cracked the first choice 23.

There’s reasons other than skill at play though...

What do you mean? Marchant has been good but he's clearly not a better winger than the starters and isn't a better thirteen than Ioane

Another very good game last night. Blues would have kicked themselves if they lost that but Highlanders will be kicking themselves about their decision making. Players taking a drop kick when they have advantage has long frustrated me but it was bizarre here when they didn't then want the three points. By all means go out for the try but do it when you have advantage too.

Agreed on him not being a better winger (AFAIK, he hadn't played wing before coming to NZ), but I think there's a reasonable conversation to be had about him being a better 13 than Ioane, which he wasn't realistically able to compete for because Ioane would leave if he wasn't played at centre (and why would they risk that over a loan player).

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Is that based on something? Or just the speculation above that Ioane has likely looked at the shelf-life of previous AB wings and wants to give 13 another go?

[Eugene Wrayburn]

I see the Aussies are starting this weekend too. Is this the future of Super Rugby? Regional competition followed by maybe a Heineken Cup type affair? Might aid the expansion as well.

NZ
Home and away league 8 games (Is there a way you could add 1 more team to take it to 10?
Knock outs? 2 games?
Super Rugby Intercontinental - 2 teams from NZ, SA, Aus, Japan, Arg, (remaining) PIs = 12 teams. Byes in 1st round based on seeding (4 year rolling and probably some country multiplier) for 4 teams who get home fixtures QF. Remaining 8 play off to get there, drawn randomly. QF, SF, F. 3 games.

Max games for NZ players = 15. Players could feasibly play every one of those games. The problem is that I don't know if here are enough games to fund the sport. That's only 5 home games for the weaker sides. Up to 10 for the stronger ones. Possibly not enough games for TV

[Cameo]

Very good Crusaders Highlanders game with Will Jordan and Aaron Smith both on great form. Crusaders Vs Blues shaping up to be the two deciders.

Hurricanes are reasonably fun but sloppy. Chiefs are just meh.

[cashead]

It's honestly remarkable just how much the Chiefs are misfiring at the moment. Their young locks seemed to be stepping up, and there are some quality players supported by solid dudes all over the place, but they just can't seem to get it together out on the pitch, and they appear to be developing a losing habit.

The Highlanders right now are deffo exceeding expectations, especially considering how poor they were in the pre-pandemic season. They just couldn't live with the Crusaders in the second half, and really lacked the necessary clinical edge when they needed it most (namely when Nareki got psyched out by Mo'unga and ended up on the wrong-end of a try-saving tackle, when the Highlanders had a 3-on-1 overlap).

For mine, I'd say Mitch Hunt really needs to work on his kicking from hand. Watching him try to play the percentages last weekend, it's like he learned the right lesson from how Otere Black and Beauden Barrett used their territorial kicking, but just couldn't apply it properly. He kicked away possession far too often with aimless Garryowens, that had plenty of height, but severely lacking in distance. Like, going into the fixture, the Highlanders had the best functioning lineout in Super Rugby Aotearoa with a staggering 96% success rate, and one of the form locking duos in the comp in Parkinson and Dickson, so fuckin' use them!

[J Dory]

Jordan caught my eye back in 2017 in the U20 WC, as did Clarke. Both looking very good this year.

[zer0]

As a penthouse resident at the top of the table, I've no real interest in whatever it is that passes for rugby among the misbegotten SRA cellar-dwellers (perhaps Lizard can enlighten us?), but it seems the Chufs really are going all in on this whinging strategy? If Cane keeps this up, then we'll need to hire Richie as an expensive consultant to come in and give him a slap before every match and interview until he remembers not to be a lil bitch.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

As a penthouse resident at the top of the table, I've no real interest in whatever it is that passes for rugby among the misbegotten SRA cellar-dwellers (perhaps Lizard can enlighten us?), but it seems the Chufs really are going all in on this whinging strategy? If Cane keeps this up, then we'll need to hire Richie as an expensive consultant to come in and give him a slap before every match and interview until he remembers not to be a lil bitch.

Warrenball now Warrenwhinge

[Cameo]

Blues have mixed up their team a little by bringing in Scotland's very own Findlay Christie at 9 and Harry Plummer at 12. The change at 12 surprises me for their biggest game of the season especially up against Goodhue who now looks a natural 12 but possibly they want more width or even another kicking option.

[zer0]

While it could be a bluff, I suspect it's going to be a full on kicking barrage, as that's exactly wheat they did to the Stormers when they fielded Black (10), Plummer (12), and Perofeta (15).

While it's extremely unlikely, there will be a delicious irony if they win in Cheechee with the Robbie Deans era Crusadering of kick deep -> defend -> force kick from deep -> counter attack -> ??? - > PROFIT

Also no Nock at all is a bit of a shocker.

[Mikey Brown]

Goodhue is a 12 now?

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Goodhue is a 12 now?

Best centre in the world, the new Conrad Smith.

[Mikey Brown]

Well, hence my question?

[morepork]

As a penthouse resident at the top of the table, I've no real interest in whatever it is that passes for rugby among the misbegotten SRA cellar-dwellers (perhaps Lizard can enlighten us?), but it seems the Chufs really are going all in on this whinging strategy? If Cane keeps this up, then we'll need to hire Richie as an expensive consultant to come in and give him a slap before every match and interview until he remembers not to be a lil bitch.

The Bloos are the perfect exhibition team. With no pressure on, they can really shine.