THE TORCH 669 Report post Posted April 18, 2011 I thought some of the game was pretty awful. But the win was merited. I wouldnt be selecting anyone for the ABs from the game. Pretorius is really sticking his hand up for a Springbok jersey. Has been the form halfback of the comp in my opinion. Going back to other comments on the thread, I think that the Canes are long overdue to change their culture. Despite some terrific players each year - they havent won the Super comp yet - so it hasnt worked. Heard that Rennie left because of the culture and in fighting going on here. it appears that if you arent from the right school or the right club then you dont get a fair go coming through the grades. There is a lot of talent that has been picked up by the northern and southern scouts. Case in point - Cory Jane. Never made a single age grade side coming through because he went to Upper Hutt College despite displaying great talent from an early age. Hopefully, new blood like Jim Te Puni (Wgtn CEO) can make a difference. Agree! That should keep him in for another season. Ouch. Great to see Barrett get a run - hopefully the first of many! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bblunt 334 Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Myk, after last year's similar pointsfest between the Chiefs and Whoever (the Lions?), one of the Northern Hemisphere anti-Super-Rugby newspaper folk wrote something like '99 points scored, 2 tackles seen...' When Jeremy Thrush can run 50 metres to score a winning try you have to agree with that sort of summation! Indeed, it was tiddlywinks. Rubbish rugby - whoever had last throw of the dice won. So in that light, it wasn't tiddlywinks but Yahtzee Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
4bettor-orworse 21 Report post Posted April 18, 2011 A current-form All Blacks XV would probably feature very few, if any, Hurricanes. Probably only Hosea Gear. But we all know there is a handful of Hurricanes who played very well last year in the All Blacks. Henry will probably remain loyal to them and re-select them. They will probably raise their performance in that environment. It isn't really the number of points scored that makes a game exciting - its the skill and intensity of the play. High scoring rugby is not always 'frothy'. The Crsaders v Sharks game at twickenham was both high scoring and high quality. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE TORCH 669 Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Agree! That should keep him in for another season. Ouch. Great to see Barrett get a run - hopefully the first of many! Sorry that was a response to Props post, not Kiahs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooboy 1 Report post Posted April 18, 2011 A current-form All Blacks XV would probably feature very few, if any, Hurricanes. Probably only Hosea Gear. But we all know there is a handful of Hurricanes who played very well last year in the All Blacks. Henry will probably remain loyal to them and re-select them. They will probably raise their performance in that environment. It isn't really the number of points scored that makes a game exciting - its the skill and intensity of the play. High scoring rugby is not always 'frothy'. The Crsaders v Sharks game at twickenham was both high scoring and high quality. Hosea on the left and Jeremy Thrush on the right wing??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooboy 1 Report post Posted April 18, 2011 I reckon the conditions play a big role in these games becoming high scoring affairs. Hard grounds, short grass, 20C+ temp, thin air, etc all appear to put the players into a "Touch rugby" mindset. Would it have been 50 -47 at the Cake Tin? I think not. Back in the days (1970's)when we were regularly getting 12 - 6 results here in NZ the All Blacks would travel to Sth Africa and play some relatively high scoring affairs against Nth Transval etc. So long as these sort of 100 points + games don't come up every week then to my mind you just sit back and go along for the ride. Especially if your team are not so keen on the grinding out wins and are picking up only their second win of the season. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
myk 4 Report post Posted April 24, 2011 in hearing Mark Hammett after the Sharks game saying he was happy with the improvement of his side after again blowing their lead and letting the opposition put 40 points against them.A similar remark from Hore.With accepting losses like that,they may as well not bother turning up.The backs should be made to tackle bags of cement for an hour each day this week,then they might learn that tackling the correct way won't hurt them.And sbw must be in fits at watching the Nonu show,he's playing as though he's conceded his AB jersey to sbw already. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiah 13 Report post Posted April 24, 2011 An intercept type try ... and the usual points conceded by Nonu being in the bin again! I can understand Hammetts comment - as it is a quality side that they played. SBW was given very little room - so I doubt he is smiling too much tonight after that performance. Well done Highlanders! Not really a supporter but your fans deserve the success. Gutsy display. Not happy with the poor leadership displayed by the Crusaders though. The last ten minutes were headless chook stuff. Disturbing to see our best super team not shoot for goal or set up for a DG when 8 points down in the last 7 minutes. Dumb stuff - really dumb. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
myk 4 Report post Posted April 25, 2011 An intercept type try ... and the usual points conceded by Nonu being in the bin again! I can understand Hammetts comment - as it is a quality side that they played. SBW was given very little room - so I doubt he is smiling too much tonight after that performance. Well done Highlanders! Not really a supporter but your fans deserve the success. Gutsy display. Not happy with the poor leadership displayed by the Crusaders though. The last ten minutes were headless chook stuff. Disturbing to see our best super team not shoot for goal or set up for a DG when 8 points down in the last 7 minutes. Dumb stuff - really dumb. I'm not sure that SBW is any better option than Nonu,except unless SBW loses his arms or legs,he looks a sitter in the w/c squad after what the NZRU paid him.SBW has the advantage of currently playing outside Carter for Crusaders. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiah 13 Report post Posted April 30, 2011 I'm not sure that SBW is any better option than Nonu,except unless SBW loses his arms or legs,he looks a sitter in the w/c squad after what the NZRU paid him.SBW has the advantage of currently playing outside Carter for Crusaders. SBW is a far better option as he doesnt spend time in the bin every second game! And looking at faults - he has only thrown one intercept to Nonus three this year. We will ignore tries scored and assists given because SBW has a huge advantage due to being in a far better team. However, his combinations with Carter and Fruean are settled. He is a bigger threat offensively because he can offload and run through tackles. He is a bigger threat defensively because he physically covers more space, he monsters offensive players (forwards and backs) - and is on the field longer lol. Just a minor point - you may have noticed that he has played as much with Berquist as Carter! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traka 115 Report post Posted April 30, 2011 Get rid of the "egos" and play the team game, seems to be working quite well tonite. :y: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Quarter horse Report post Posted April 30, 2011 Get rid of the "egos" and play the team game, seems to be working quite well tonite. :y: Yep, they played like they didn't give a f**k and the egos weren't there to clog up the midfield. Cruden at the end there must have felt like the boy who had his finger in the dyke. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Properispomenon 1 Report post Posted April 30, 2011 Just home... Sheesh those Canes are a hard team to follow, lol... With their stars, they play like cr*p... Without their stars, they play like champs for (most of) the first 40 minutes... Presumably their stars told them at halftime what they were doing wrong, ha, because for l-o-n-g periods in that second half they played like cr*p again... Still, good to see the high-flying Australian team brought back to earth the first time they ran into a New Zealand team! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiah 13 Report post Posted April 30, 2011 Nice win alright. Have to admit that I put $20 on the reds because the TAB gave such crap odds on the Canes. Also thought that the Reds threw the game away when they had it in the palm of their game. I think they totally disrespected the Canes tonight thru all that they did. Nice win - and terrific form by Gear. Nicely supported by Cruden and Ngatai. Happy to lose my money tonight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Properispomenon 1 Report post Posted April 30, 2011 Nice win - and terrific form by Gear. Nicely supported by Cruden and Ngatai. Cruden's best showing all season, I thought - he's a feisty little character, most un-No. Ten like in that he likes the contact. Did TV show what he did after his last kick went over? Attempted to leapfrog one of the Reds forwards who was going hands onto knees in despair, ha... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasman man 742 Report post Posted April 30, 2011 Just home... Sheesh those Canes are a hard team to follow, lol... With their stars, they play like cr*p... Without their stars, they play like champs for (most of) the first 40 minutes... Presumably their stars told them at halftime what they were doing wrong, ha, because for l-o-n-g periods in that second half they played like cr*p again... Still, good to see the high-flying Australian team brought back to earth the first time they ran into a New Zealand team! ......did you see Chris Taylor at the game. I think he was consulted re team selection , team tactics an d scrummaging. Therefore no real surprise to see the change in fortunes. After the terrible year with Wellington cricket , you Wellies will be looking to the Saints for a bit of Sport credibility. ie Basketball for you slowies out there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Properispomenon 1 Report post Posted April 30, 2011 ......did you see Chris Taylor at the game. I think he was consulted re team selection , team tactics an d scrummaging. Therefore no real surprise to see the change in fortunes. After the terrible year with Wellington cricket , you Wellies will be looking to the Saints for a bit of Sport credibility. ie Basketball for you slowies out there. Nah, I didn't see him - although, mind, I was in what he has previously decried as the rich pricks' boxes, ha... I think Chris's best talents - hell, he'd probably even agree with me - are in Cricket. Wellington could sure do worse than employing someone with his passion to help turn around our fortunes there... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooboy 1 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 Cruden's best showing all season, I thought - he's a feisty little character, most un-No. Ten like in that he likes the contact. Did TV show what he did after his last kick went over? Attempted to leapfrog one of the Reds forwards who was going hands onto knees in despair, ha... I think Cruden liked being top dog in the backline once again, as he has been so often throughout his career at school, with Turbos and NZ age grade. No Nonu, Smith, Jane or Weepu. No second guessing how he was meant to play. On Saturday night he was the one with experience, he was the one the other players looked too and he had to take command. The self doubt disappeared and the Hurricanes benefitted because of it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE TORCH 669 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 I think Cruden liked being top dog in the backline once again, as he has been so often throughout his career at school, with Turbos and NZ age grade. No Nonu, Smith, Jane or Weepu. No second guessing how he was meant to play. On Saturday night he was the one with experience, he was the one the other players looked too and he had to take command. The self doubt disappeared and the Hurricanes benefitted because of it. Very true. I was beginning to become a bit doubtful but he put that to rest. Kicked well, took some terrible passes with ease and assurance, and looked a really confident leader. Onwards and upwards I hope. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Properispomenon 1 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 On Saturday night he was the one with experience, he was the one the other players looked too and he had to take command. Very prescient, Rooboy! Folk will be saying 'Oh, you poor deluded Canes fan' again, ha, but next year this team, with this season's experience behind them and with some of the 'stars' absent, either overseas or just plain dropped, could give the Super 15 a shake... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
myk 4 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 Very prescient, Rooboy! Folk will be saying 'Oh, you poor deluded Canes fan' again, ha, but next year this team, with this season's experience behind them and with some of the 'stars' absent, either overseas or just plain dropped, could give the Super 15 a shake... Prop,how often have those last few words been spoken,over the last few years? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Quarter horse Report post Posted May 2, 2011 Very prescient, Rooboy! Folk will be saying 'Oh, you poor deluded Canes fan' again, ha, but next year this team, with this season's experience behind them and with some of the 'stars' absent, either overseas or just plain dropped, could give the Super 15 a shake... Oh man, that's so funny! The Hurricanes finally play 40 minutes of decent rugby and suddenly they're going to rule the world! If that's what you want to believe then good on you as the franchise needs all the money it can get. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Properispomenon 1 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 Oh man, that's so funny! Heh heh, Qh... I did stand up and say 'Hit me!', didn't I? Still, I will give a couple or three reasons for my (maybe blind) optimism: 1. A lot of players are going to retire/go overseas after the Rugby World Cup. As an illustration, it seems that the ballboy is the only guy with the Bulls (in Pretoria) to say he'll be back next year. The Canes will at least have had their youngsters 'in play' for the best part of a season... 2. I actually rate the Hurricanes backs that ran out onto the field on Saturday night better than sides of this year that had Jane, Nonu and Smith in them. All three looked to be not interested in all the games they played together. Weepu back at halfback would be a big boost - the No 9 on Saturday night made a couple of truly horrific 'kicks' and seemed to be more of a hindrance to his forwards that a link between them and the backs. 3. The current Canes pack ain't half bad. They have livewire loosies, a good lineout, an improving scrum (though I'll watch that closely on Friday against the Blues!)... Critique away, heh heh... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Bomber 1 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 is it way to late for them to be in the playoffs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Properispomenon 1 Report post Posted May 2, 2011 is it way to late for them to be in the playoffs. Well, it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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