@no-quarter said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

I wouldn't begrudge the Lions a Super title. They've been great the last few years, really the only team to keep up with the top NZ sides. And that loss last year must have really hurt.

Can't see it happening though, way too much class in that Saders team.

As good as their run has been, they get an easy ride through the regular season because of the competition structure, so they should be made to work hard to win it all. Kiwi teams beat themselves senseless every week and only get a rest when the others come to play

Crusaders by eleventy billion

The Crusaders are GAY!

Ticket prices way up. I have season tickets but it’s an extra $85 for each ticket for the final. Price to public for same seats $120. To sit in a crappy stand built on scaffolding. Getting a bit greedy I think.

@wally said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Ticket prices way up. I have season tickets but it’s an extra $85 for each ticket for the final. Price to public for same seats $120. To sit in a crappy stand built on scaffolding. Getting a bit greedy I think.

They've lost touch with the fans.. So many people I know aren't going because of the price.

Sell out should be a priority, price tickets accordingly.. $120 for seats that cost $50 in the regular season is shit.
Especially in that shit stadium where they can't even guarantee we will have a big screen for replays if we get a slight breeze during the day.

They've probably made a loss last two games, cos of the way they have to pay visiting teams. I can see why they're doing it, not saying it's a good idea. Probably end up with a loss in a winning year, that'd be shite

"Pot, this is Kettle, colour check,over?"

@machpants said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

"Pot, this is Kettle, colour check,over?"

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you know what? it's fucking disgraceful that a coach is allowed to say that shit. I would be more than happy with a $20k fine straight up for it. He's essentially saying the refs of previous Crusader games are either biased; incompetent; or both. That's before the ridiculously blatant attempt to get the refs to rule in favour of his side this weekend. How is this shit allowed to stand?

Who the fuck would be a ref in a rugby code? What a shit job.

Long live us getting away with things for many years to come.

My only disappointment is that Glen Jackson won’t be reffing this weekend.

What does he mean 10 metres at the scrum, anyway- the cheating Jaapie.

There should be at least 15 metres - more with those giant SA locks!

The poor old Lions really are like the winners of the NBA Eastern Conference. Only without the best player in the game (well, it would be 3 players wouldn't it).

"There is a reason why there are 10 metres at a scrum, I looked at TJ Perenara when he touched that ball they are already five metres away, it can't be. They have to be 10 until the ball is out. Those are the little things that we will address."

That's hilarious.

What is a hit on the left side of the loosehead?

It's the Lions who just travelled half way across the world.

They are massively up against it. Just a coach trying to get an edge wherever possible.

Can't say I like it, but it's nothing new.

@chris-b Jaapie Retard nothing changes they have been cheating for years just ask the Allblacks from years ago thats why we never could win over there

@bones I always thought it was 5m at scrums, 10m at lineouts....guess you learn somethign new everyday.

@taniwharugby duh. It's obviously 20m at lineouts.

He's going to have fun addressing those.

Pretty funny when you shoot down your own argument by not knowing the laws.
If I was his employers I would be questioning his competence in not knowing the basic environment he is working in.

@chris said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@chris-b Jaapie Retard nothing changes they have been cheating for years just ask the Allblacks from years ago thats why we never could win over there

Every SA I know says the same thing about their teams touring in NZ around that time.

Swings & Roundabouts I suppose.

@majorrage or payback

@chris-b said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

What does he mean 10 metres at the scrum, anyway- the cheating Jaapie.

There should be at least 15 metres - more with those giant SA locks!

Actual genuine question ... isn't it 5m?

@booboo said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@chris-b said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

What does he mean 10 metres at the scrum, anyway- the cheating Jaapie.

There should be at least 15 metres - more with those giant SA locks!

Actual genuine question ... isn't it 5m?

Yep.
(But keep it quiet... if the saffas want to stand 10m back, let them continue)

@sammyc said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@wally said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

Ticket prices way up. I have season tickets but it’s an extra $85 for each ticket for the final. Price to public for same seats $120. To sit in a crappy stand built on scaffolding. Getting a bit greedy I think.

They've lost touch with the fans.. So many people I know aren't going because of the price.

Sell out should be a priority, price tickets accordingly.. $120 for seats that cost $50 in the regular season is shit.
Especially in that shit stadium where they can't even guarantee we will have a big screen for replays if we get a slight breeze during the day.

Yep. I agree. But playing devils' advocate, they need to make some hay while the sun shines; hosting two SA teams in the finals ain't cheap and it's not like they can get an extra 10,000 people along all of a sudden. I would expect to pay a bit more for the final, should I have needed to. Luckily I haven't had to pay for tickets though (in fact this is my fifth game at the dump this season and I've not had to pay for a ticket at all).

@kruse said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@booboo said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@chris-b said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

What does he mean 10 metres at the scrum, anyway- the cheating Jaapie.

There should be at least 15 metres - more with those giant SA locks!

Actual genuine question ... isn't it 5m?

Yep.
(But keep it quiet... if the saffas want to stand 10m back, let them continue)

Imagine that conversation with the Ref:

Swys: They're standing 5m away

Ref: yep, I'm happy with that

Swys: YOU FILTHY CHEAT

Ref: [i dunno, some funny emoji thing here]

On the actual game, I think nine times out of ten we'd clean them up under these circumstances. There's been a helluva media beat-up about Malcolm Marx which appears to be the only thing keeping people thinking the Lions will be in it. But he's only one player. I'd expect Kwagga Smith to join him in turning in a blinder given the occasion and circumstances so perhaps they'll have a couple of guys who individually can match the Crusaders pack in terms of performance, but as a unit our eight will be too good, and then when Jantjes craps the bed on the big stage again under pressure from our guys, it'll all fall apart. So I predict a fairly tight first 50 minutes but then - as has often been the pattern this season against the better sides - we'll pull away with around 30 to go. I'd put $30 on the Lions at $7 so that I would come away with $200 as consolation if we lost, but this week I just think I may as well grab the cash and put a match to it as this would have the same effect.

@shark yep, as long as Razor can keep his boys grounded and ignoring all the talk that the title is thiers, it will be.

I think the Crusaders could end up putting 50 on the board after 80 mins.

@booboo said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@chris-b said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

What does he mean 10 metres at the scrum, anyway- the cheating Jaapie.

There should be at least 15 metres - more with those giant SA locks!

Actual genuine question ... isn't it 5m?

Five metres each, but also the width of the scrum.

Crusaders

1 Joe Moody
2 Codie Taylor
3 Owen Franks
4 Scott Barrett
5 Sam Whitelock (c)
6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
7 Matt Todd (vc)
8 Kieran Read
9 Bryn Hall
10 Richie Mo'unga
11 George Bridge
12 Ryan Crotty (vc)
13 Jack Goodhue
14 Seta Tamanivalu
15 David Havili

Reserves
16 Sam Anderson-Heather/ Andrew Makalio
17 Tim Perry
18 Michael Ala'alatoa
19 Luke Romano
20 Pete Samu
21 Mitchell Drummond
22 Mitchell Hunt
23 Braydon Ennor

Looks shit. Lions by plenty

@mariner4life yep, only 12 capped players in the starting lineup, they should default now, save everyone the embarrassment.

Lions a real chance with a disrupted starting lineup and a debutante at backup hooker. Crusaders without experienced All Blacks Wyatt Crockett and Israel Dagg.

@act-crusader

Lions chances given a further boost with the Crusaders being far too emotional this close. Should be more business as usual like.

@act-crusader We should take heed at Shag's warning.

No-one thought the ABs would lose in 1999, 2003 or 2007 until they did.

I feel sorry for Wyatt Crockett, this long serving and faithful player, and even more when you know that the preferred option is far from being an outstanding LHP. Is it because WC is a penalty magnet at scrum time ?

@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@mariner4life yep, only 12 capped players in the starting lineup, they should default now, save everyone the embarrassment.

And some Ferners firmly believe that number is too low.

@cgrant It is a bit sad for Wyatt, but on the other hand - if Razor believes that Perry is better and given that Perry will be with the Crusaders next year - I'm going to applaud his ruthlessness.

I have a recollection of Toddy, early in his tenure, giving Ben Franks a start in a play-off game when he wasn't the No.1 option, on the grounds that he "deserved it". Pretty sure we lost.

@chris-b said in Super Rugby Final 2018:

@act-crusader We should take heed at Shag's warning.

No-one thought the ABs would lose in 1999, 2003 or 2007 until they did.

Eh? 2003? The holes in that team were well known.

The way we lost was gut-wrenching. But we'd been flakey all season.

@chester-draws We'd beaten the Wallabies twice that year, though. Once was a thumping.