Super Sunday
So I just realized that I had written the post yesterday about Super Saturday...and it was Sunday. Poo. Apparently I wasn't paying attention. I just wanted to finish off the weekend because there were still some significant mentions from my stand point.
Blues (16) vs. Chiefs (13)
So the big news here is that the Chiefs were missing 5 people out of their starting line up. Mils is still out which is a bit worrisome but I think the NSRU is pulling the trump card on the situation because it's more important to EVERYBODY that he's healthy for the RWC in September. I'm seeing evidence of this
not only with Mils, but Richie McCaw, and others as the Aussie and SA players who are their "Would Be's" are getting pulled off faster and kept off longer when injuries are nagging. Afterall, it's just SupeRugby...right?
Stephen Donald is out for a month. I'd like to say it's because they're wanting him to save up for the RWC but I think he's just a monster wimp. And that way, Mike Delany has a better chance to make some impressions before things shut down for the summer and all the players go into training camps to prep for the World Cup. He's had better games than this one against the Chiefs...he missed some really big penalty kicks but the conditions were crap...but good players don't make excuses - they just fix problems.
The Chiefs applied amazing pressure at lineouts. Really. The rolling maul, Herringbone, The River - whatever you want to call mauling these days has been something that has stumped defenses and has really become an important part of the game - turning penalties 35 yards out into 7 pointers rather than taking the 3pt kick. It's helped to turn the game back into a playing game rather than a kicking game. And has really glamourized the pack for special skills. But the Chief's defense against these mauls was amazing. Really solid and driving forward. The Blues' mauls were shown as uneffective. And that's a big thing.
Sventi Sivivatu...Amazing. The man - whatever I have said before...is not done playing. And I don't think that he will be anytime soon. Joe Rokocoko should take a page from Sivivatu's book in how to stay relevant. Fiji will need Sivivatu in top form in 6 months.
Brumbies (22) vs. Waratahs (29)
I'm quite sad that these scores were not reversed. The Brumbies NEEDED a win to have a chance in this season. They may be able to work something out if they start winning but now it is not just up to the Brumbies to decide their fate but how everybody else does - and t
hat's not a great place to be in. Nobody wants to sit around and hope for a certain outcome - you want to be able to decide your own. The other looming doom here is that Adam Ashley-Cooper will be deciding this week who he will be playing for in 2013. If the Brumbies lose him and Matt Giteau (going to Toulon, FR) in the same year - I don't know how the Brumbies will manage. This game was head to head the entire 80 minutes with the Tahs surging ahead in the last 15. Ben Alexander (of course) pushed one across in the 78th minute but they could not finish it off with a third try.
Can I just say that Kurtley Beale is a doorknob. Really - the man has phenomenal skills but they're so touch and go. I don't know if he was dropped on his head repeatedly as a child but there's just no consistency in how he delivers, kicks, or tackles.
Crusaders (40+) vs. Sharks (28)
Sorry - I didn't get around to actually remembering the score. These teams played at Twickenham, England...for whatever reason. Promotion of the sport maybe? It was a little interesting to listen to the British commentators though make snide comments about the high scores of the SupeRugby league...like that's some kind of slight to our defense. And yes - I just grouped myself in with the southern hemisphere (SA, NZ, AUS)...I'm one of them.
The Crusaders scored three or four tries right off the mark. But credit to the Sharks - they didn't give up. They made a game of it even though it was pretty evident that the Cru would win. I have been pretty skeptical of Sonny Bill Williams in the past - not really getting all the hy
pe around him. I've called him a brute and that his skills were not above Nonu's. But eh...Nonu - you may want to expand your horizons because SBW is coming for your spot and he's coming fast. I dare say that SBW has pace, off-loading ability, and kicking on Nonu. Yes, Nonu can break lines like no other right now but as I have learned that there is more to be said of hitting the gaps...SBW is a gap hitter who is physical to boot. Nonu will be carried on the squad but he might be letting his starting position slip.
And the 10-12 combination between Dan Carter and SBW is priceless, effortless, and beautiful. I can't say that Nonu and Carter have that kind of connection. But I guess we'll see. Carter, Reid, and a couple of others went off with injuries which is a little scary for the future.
Lions (23) vs. Bulls (30) - kind of a no brainer but the Lions but up a good fight.
Stormers (44) vs. Western Force (16) - The Stormers are quickly becoming the heavy favourite to win. A game between the Stormers and the Crusaders would be the next big one to watch. Poor Force...they're missing so many good players...:( Get well soon Force!
Blues (16) vs. Chiefs (13)
So the big news here is that the Chiefs were missing 5 people out of their starting line up. Mils is still out which is a bit worrisome but I think the NSRU is pulling the trump card on the situation because it's more important to EVERYBODY that he's healthy for the RWC in September. I'm seeing evidence of this
not only with Mils, but Richie McCaw, and others as the Aussie and SA players who are their "Would Be's" are getting pulled off faster and kept off longer when injuries are nagging. Afterall, it's just SupeRugby...right?Stephen Donald is out for a month. I'd like to say it's because they're wanting him to save up for the RWC but I think he's just a monster wimp. And that way, Mike Delany has a better chance to make some impressions before things shut down for the summer and all the players go into training camps to prep for the World Cup. He's had better games than this one against the Chiefs...he missed some really big penalty kicks but the conditions were crap...but good players don't make excuses - they just fix problems.
The Chiefs applied amazing pressure at lineouts. Really. The rolling maul, Herringbone, The River - whatever you want to call mauling these days has been something that has stumped defenses and has really become an important part of the game - turning penalties 35 yards out into 7 pointers rather than taking the 3pt kick. It's helped to turn the game back into a playing game rather than a kicking game. And has really glamourized the pack for special skills. But the Chief's defense against these mauls was amazing. Really solid and driving forward. The Blues' mauls were shown as uneffective. And that's a big thing.
Sventi Sivivatu...Amazing. The man - whatever I have said before...is not done playing. And I don't think that he will be anytime soon. Joe Rokocoko should take a page from Sivivatu's book in how to stay relevant. Fiji will need Sivivatu in top form in 6 months.
Brumbies (22) vs. Waratahs (29)
I'm quite sad that these scores were not reversed. The Brumbies NEEDED a win to have a chance in this season. They may be able to work something out if they start winning but now it is not just up to the Brumbies to decide their fate but how everybody else does - and t
hat's not a great place to be in. Nobody wants to sit around and hope for a certain outcome - you want to be able to decide your own. The other looming doom here is that Adam Ashley-Cooper will be deciding this week who he will be playing for in 2013. If the Brumbies lose him and Matt Giteau (going to Toulon, FR) in the same year - I don't know how the Brumbies will manage. This game was head to head the entire 80 minutes with the Tahs surging ahead in the last 15. Ben Alexander (of course) pushed one across in the 78th minute but they could not finish it off with a third try.Can I just say that Kurtley Beale is a doorknob. Really - the man has phenomenal skills but they're so touch and go. I don't know if he was dropped on his head repeatedly as a child but there's just no consistency in how he delivers, kicks, or tackles.
Crusaders (40+) vs. Sharks (28)
Sorry - I didn't get around to actually remembering the score. These teams played at Twickenham, England...for whatever reason. Promotion of the sport maybe? It was a little interesting to listen to the British commentators though make snide comments about the high scores of the SupeRugby league...like that's some kind of slight to our defense. And yes - I just grouped myself in with the southern hemisphere (SA, NZ, AUS)...I'm one of them.
The Crusaders scored three or four tries right off the mark. But credit to the Sharks - they didn't give up. They made a game of it even though it was pretty evident that the Cru would win. I have been pretty skeptical of Sonny Bill Williams in the past - not really getting all the hy
pe around him. I've called him a brute and that his skills were not above Nonu's. But eh...Nonu - you may want to expand your horizons because SBW is coming for your spot and he's coming fast. I dare say that SBW has pace, off-loading ability, and kicking on Nonu. Yes, Nonu can break lines like no other right now but as I have learned that there is more to be said of hitting the gaps...SBW is a gap hitter who is physical to boot. Nonu will be carried on the squad but he might be letting his starting position slip.And the 10-12 combination between Dan Carter and SBW is priceless, effortless, and beautiful. I can't say that Nonu and Carter have that kind of connection. But I guess we'll see. Carter, Reid, and a couple of others went off with injuries which is a little scary for the future.
Lions (23) vs. Bulls (30) - kind of a no brainer but the Lions but up a good fight.
Stormers (44) vs. Western Force (16) - The Stormers are quickly becoming the heavy favourite to win. A game between the Stormers and the Crusaders would be the next big one to watch. Poor Force...they're missing so many good players...:( Get well soon Force!
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