Match thread

taniwharugby

Mounga is in some form, his gas off the mark would rival Beaudies, Crusaders so ruthless.

Donsteppa

@hydro11 said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@donsteppa said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Poor option and a terrible shot from the Lions.

I disagree. It was a very good option. You keep it close and if you miss you get the ball back. The Lions just weren't good enough to gather the loose ball.

Way too wide out for a high percentage shot, and gave a team that had conceded most of the territory and possession - and done most of the recent tackling - a chance to regroup.

Iโ€™d have backed it if they were taking three from in front, but not that far out and that long to take the shot.

Not sure why you would play the game in your own 22 with a 17 point lead?

No Quarter

@mariner4life said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Mounga

Daylight

Every other 10 in NZ.

Must start first test

If DMac is picked ahead of him again it would be an absolute farce.

KiwiMurph

Crotty perhaps unlucky but yellow the right call.

Yellow Instead of hia I guess for Crotty

Hopefully Crusaders are smart and try to kick and deep, win it back and maintain possession.

Donsteppa

Handy that the Lions canโ€™t kick the difficult goals. 30 - 23 would be a lot more nervy than 30 - 18.

Now about to be 37 - 18 because Crusaders.

taniwharugby

@donsteppa especially when he was trying to sneak a metre or 2 in, seemed he wasnt overly confident from the outset

ACT Crusader

@hydro11 said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Hopefully Crusaders are smart and try to kick and deep, win it back and maintain possession.

Nah donโ€™t need it

KiwiMurph

Makalio has wonderful hands for a hooker.

@act-crusader said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@hydro11 said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Hopefully Crusaders are smart and try to kick and deep, win it back and maintain possession.

Nah donโ€™t need it

People can disagree but that quick throw was dumb as hell. I have to be consistent and criticise when it comes off, if I am going to criticise it when it doesn't.

taniwharugby

everytime the Lions get a sniff, Crusaders strike back.

Donsteppa

Lions guilty of not reacting. Crusaders backed themselves to take the quick through with a player down, while the Lions were still on autopilot for the set piece. Difference in class between the backlines on attack is immense.

@donsteppa said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Lions guilty of not reacting. Crusaders backed themselves to take the quick through with a player down, while the Lions were still on autopilot for the set piece. Difference in class between the backlines on attack is immense.

I agree but the bigger difference is the quality of the defensive systems.

Stockcar86

Pretty quiet game from Reid, prefer he stays out of the heavy contact stuff now and saves himself for the internationals

taniwharugby

@hydro11 yep, how many minutes were the Crusaders defending inside 5-10m.

antipodean

What a different game we'd have if players were forced to stay on their feet at rucks.

taniwharugby

Lions with the unwanted Three-peat.

taniwharugby

@mariner4life won't happen, BB will start, RM should at least be on the bench, but whether he will is the question.

mariner4life

@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@mariner4life won't happen, BB will start, RM should at least be on the bench, but whether he will is the question.

Does that suit both players' strengths? Or is it just picking the two best guys in some sort of prearranged pecking order?

Donsteppa

Moโ€™unga to start, BB at fullback, B Smith on the wing (given heโ€™s not always From Accounts on defence these days).

taniwharugby

@mariner4life as always, I think they know what they want and until BB shits the bed in Black or gets injured, he starts (aside from when he is rested)

ACT Crusader

@mariner4life said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@no-quarter said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@mariner4life said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@no-quarter said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@mariner4life said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Mounga

Daylight

Every other 10 in NZ.

Must start first test

If DMac is picked ahead of him again it would be an absolute farce.

Mounga start, Dmac off the bench

Rancid

๐Ÿ˜

Weโ€™ll need someone to bring out the kicking tee. Step up Bauden....

taniwharugby

Well done 'saders, cnuts coulda got 1 more try for my margin of 25!!

No Quarter

@mariner4life seriously though, I'd like to see Mo'unga get time off the bench v Aus/SA and a start vs the Argy. He's proven himself at this level now, deserves a chance to take the next step. I'm concerned the coaches love of all things Barrett and misplaced faith in DMac will see him get limited chances.

Donsteppa

Crusaders are an all round machine this year. Deserved winners by a mile.

@stockcar86 said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Pretty quiet game from Reid, prefer he stays out of the heavy contact stuff now and saves himself for the internationals

I don't think we were watching the same game. Thought Read was immense and definitely outplayed Whitely.

mariner4life

@donsteppa said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Crusaders are an all round machine this year. Deserved winners by a mile.

Very very good side. Well done you cantab buggers.

mariner4life

@no-quarter i think starting richie and BB off the bench is best use of both their talents. DMac as a handy backup.

Barretts will start. Dmac will bench (a decision i can understand) and unless we lose, most will be cool with it.

KiwiMurph

Congratulations Crusaders. The best team in the comp by a very long way. It was not close.

Final was a better game than I thought it might be. Lions were 0 wins 5 losses this year vs NZ teams i think?

It's not great for the health of the competition how far ahead of the rest of the comp the Crusaders are. Dagg and Crockett can't make the 23 but would start for most/a lot of other teams in the comp.

Bones

Nice one crusaders. Well done that man with the France multi!

Siam

Justice

Complete piston wristed gibbons that they are ( and always will be) that Crusaders team this year and with no other Crusaders fans in the room, were a pleasure to watch playing 100% winning rugby.

Get Razor the big job - we could all do with the fun and he sure as shit knows his job

Well done red and black, fair dues

ACT Crusader

10 Mounga
15 B. Barrett
22 D. MacKenzie
23 J. Barrett

pukunui

Bloody good season by the Crusaders.
Strange game tonight. The territory and possession stats were crazy. Not helped by poor exiting by the saders.
Mounga MOTM.
Wasn't Hall's best game. Poor box kicking and doing the Pulu pause at the base of the ruck too often.
Moody has been a liability this season.

Lions need to pray harder or find a new god. 0-3 means he isn't listening.

Cyclops

That stat line was crazy, but the crusaders were so very efficient that they would score very quickly whenever they got ball, especially in the first half, while the lions were good enough to put phases together but couldn't score points.

Mounga is going from strength to strength. End of year tour will be key for him I think, he'll get at least one start there and that will be the game he needs to crush if he wants to get past Barrett and dmc before the rwc.

Cyclops

@pukunui said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Bloody good season by the Crusaders.
Strange game tonight. The territory and possession stats were crazy. Not helped by poor exiting by the saders.
Mounga MOTM.
Wasn't Hall's best game. Poor box kicking and doing the Pulu pause at the base of the ruck too often.
Moody has been a liability this season.

Lions need to pray harder or find a new god. 0-3 means he isn't listening.

Getting close to the buffalo bills now (4 consecutive super bowl losses).