Match thread

Stargazer

Highlanders

1 Aki Seiuli, 2. Ash Dixon (c), 3. Siosuia Halanukonuka, 4. Alex Ainley, 5. Tom Franklin, 6. Elliot Dixon, 7. Dillon Hunt, 8. Gareth Evans
9 Aaron Smith, 10. Marty Banks, 11. Patrick Osborne, 12. Richard Buckman, 13. Malakai Fekitoa, 14. Waisake Naholo, 15. Matt Faddes

Reserves
16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Siate Tokolahi, 19. Joe Wheeler, 20. Jackson Hemopo, 21. Kayne Hammington, 22. Fletcher Smith, 23. Teihorangi Walden

Unavailable due to injury: Shane Christie, James Lentjes, Dan Pryor, Lima Sopoaga, Ben Smith, Luke Whitelock, Liam Squire (Out for the season: Jason Emery, Hayden Parker).

KiwiMurph

Is this the smallest Super rugby crowd of all time?

Tordah

@KiwiMurph said in Bulls v Highlanders:

Is this the smallest Super rugby crowd of all time?

I don't know, but you can hear every little word both of them are saying

ACT Crusader

The condition of the ground is not great.

What a try for the Landers.

Tordah

that was pretty funny just now with the ball scratching the dead ball line and Banks standing there pointing at it so the TJ would see

Wairau

surreal, both teams look exhausted just before halftime, heavy conditions, water on the park, longish grass, muddy, highlanders should fillet the Bulls in the second half

Tordah

refereeing performance was very good so far IMO, really let the game flow and narrated the little decisions / non-decisions. A few forward passes or knock-ons maybe wrong, but that's minor to the overall performance

Wairau

yep, mostly very good hands, but 59 kicks tells the story

Tordah

Highlanders with zero attacking shape

Tordah

Bulls score after Faddes gets an unlucky bounce from a Bulls grubber. 10-10

African Monkey

I think the Bulls should forget about using their backs.

Tordah

terrible hairstyles seem to run in the Jantjies family, as Tony (Elton's little brother) looks like the work of a mad hairdresser's.

mimic

Stupid by naholo .. red carded

African Monkey

Stupid from Naholo and a deserved red. No doubt people on here will try and blame the ref for his decision.

Wairau

what! a joke! really stupid decision on Naholo, red card
he was going for the spilt ball, he didn'tchange his line to hit the Bulls player
sh*t local reffing in SA

Stargazer

I'm not so sure that was a clear red. Lots of theatrics in the fall of that Bulls' player. He also seemed to fall onto Naholo's shoulder.

Tordah

@Wairau said in Bulls v Highlanders:

what! a joke! really stupid decision on Naholo, red card
he was going for the spilt ball, he didn'tchange his line to hit the Bulls player
sh*t local reffing in SA

I was wondering whether Naholo was purely going for the ball, because his hands / arms pointed in that direction, but he then looked at the Bulls player instead of the ball. Red is OK I think

Tordah

Aaron Smith has been very disappointing, he should worry about the ball himself, not pointing at the ref and not doing anything

African Monkey

It was a clear red only a biased kiwi would think otherwise.

Stargazer

@Tordah said in Bulls v Highlanders:

Aaron Smith has been very disappointing, he should worry about the ball himself, not pointing at the ref and not doing anything

He shouts and makes gestures like he's panicking. Totally losing his cool.