Super Rugby Pacific 2023

[Guy Smiley]

George Bower is out of rugby for the year at least, after a knee reconstruction.

Whitelock and Grace back from injury while Will Jordan is close to a recall. The Saders look to be coming back to full strength....


just in time for finals.

[Gumboot]

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is returning to the Warriors next season, having agreed to a three-year deal with the NRL club.

Respect.

[Gumboot]

Fozzie comments on Tuivasa-Sheck and the competition for RWC midfield places...

Tuivasa-Sheck faces intense competition in the race for midfield spots. Crusaders midfielder Jack Goodhue returns from injury against the Rebels on Saturday, while Anton Lienert-Brown will also come back into the picture after his shoulder injury.

Levi Aumua, Thomas Umaga-Jensen and Billy Proctor also have their supporters, but Foster tellingly said that running over defenders in Super Rugby wouldn’t be enough for test selection.

“The one message I will send is that you get a lot of players that are really good at one part of the game, but the challenge for test matches is that you’ve got to be good at both sides of the game,” Foster said.

“They've got to be good attackers and good defenders, and often Super Rugby can chuck up some good attackers.

“If there is a message to go out, it's that we're into a World Cup where defence is going to be paramount, and it's still going to be a primary criteria for us at selection time.”

Really? So why does he keep selecting Caleb Clarke, a wing who struggles to score test tries and whose defence is comically inept?

[Gumboot]

Chiefs vs Drua kicking off shortly in Kirikiriroa.

Chiefs: 1-Ollie Norris, 2-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3-John Ryan, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 6-Samipeni Finau, 7-Kaylum Boshier, 8-Pita Gus Sowakula, 9-Cortez Ratima, 10-Bryn Gatland, 11-Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12-Rameka Poihipi, 13-Daniel Rona, 14-Shaun Stevenson, 15-Damian McKenzie
Reserves: 16-Tyrone Thompson, 17-Jared Proffit, 18-Solomone Tukuafu, 19-Josh Lord, 20-Tupou Vaa'i, 21-Simon Parker, 22-Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 23-Gideon Wrampling

Drua: 1-Haereiti Hetet, 2-Tevita Ikanivere, 3-Samuela Tawake, 4-Isoa Nasilasila, 5-Ratu Rotuisolia, 6-Joseva Tamani, 7-Elia Canakaivata, 8-Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 9-Peni Matawalu, 10-Teti Tela, 11-Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 12-Michael Naitokani, 13-Apisalome Vota, 14-Ilaisa Droasese, 15-Selestino Ravutaumada
Reserves: 16-Mesulame Dolokoto, 17-Livai Natave, 18-Jone Tiko, 19-Chris Minimbi, 20-Rusiate Nasove, 21-Phillip Baselala, 22-Kalione Nasoko, 23-Kitione Taliga

[Gumboot]

Gatland has a history of botching his touch kicks.

[Kiwias]

Second balls-up on an attacking lineout

[Torquemada 1420]

Well........ this isn't going according to script.

[Kiwias]

Drummond is not focused tonight

[Kiwias]

Well........ this isn't going according to script.

Very scrappy and careless play by the boys

[Ymx]

That’s a start

[Ymx]

Get in Grace

[Kiwias]

Finally take the lead with 17 to go

[Kiwias]

Get in Grace

Gardiner, Grace, and Strange all good off the bench

[Kiwias]

Rebs are not going down without a fight. Buggers are really digging in.

[Kiwias]

Fucking McAlister. Try saved by RMo there

[Guy Smiley]

Only woke up in time for the 2nd half... so I'm enjoying this. Lightens the bloody Covid.

[Kiwias]

The replacement hooker looks pretty good, like a stockier Tauke'iaho

[Kiwias]

RMo sets up the bonus point try. Takes us above the filthy capital scum in the table

[Guy Smiley]

so, 31=3 for the second half, yeah?

[Kiwias]

Rebels played way better than their place on the table would suggest.

[Kiwias]

so, 31=3 for the second half, yeah?

Crusaders bench was awesome, as was RMo.

[Ymx]

Good guys got the bonus point.

[Kiwias]

Love watching rival players chatting on the pitch after the match. You can sense the genuine respect these guys have for each other.

[Grandpa]

Fozzie comments on Tuivasa-Sheck and the competition for RWC midfield places...

Tuivasa-Sheck faces intense competition in the race for midfield spots. Crusaders midfielder Jack Goodhue returns from injury against the Rebels on Saturday, while Anton Lienert-Brown will also come back into the picture after his shoulder injury.

Levi Aumua, Thomas Umaga-Jensen and Billy Proctor also have their supporters, but Foster tellingly said that running over defenders in Super Rugby wouldn’t be enough for test selection.

“The one message I will send is that you get a lot of players that are really good at one part of the game, but the challenge for test matches is that you’ve got to be good at both sides of the game,” Foster said.

“They've got to be good attackers and good defenders, and often Super Rugby can chuck up some good attackers.

“If there is a message to go out, it's that we're into a World Cup where defence is going to be paramount, and it's still going to be a primary criteria for us at selection time.”

Really? So why does he keep selecting Caleb Clarke, a wing who struggles to score test tries and whose defence is comically inept?

Not sure how long to give Fozzie to answer this... then found this...

All Blacks coach Ian Foster says he isn't worried about Caleb Clarke coping with the defensive requirements of rugby.

"His expectations are set by himself, his family and by us - he's fine. What the world wants to say is their business," Foster said.

"I'm really confident that he's grounded, he's got a lot of self-belief and self-awareness.

"He knows it's a fickle world, you get headlines one day and get shot down the next. You just have to enjoy what you're doing - and he's fully grounded in that area."

https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id ... n-grounded

[Torquemada 1420]

so, 31=3 for the second half, yeah?

Crusaders bench was awesome, as was RMo.

BB a shoe-in for RWC

[Grandpa]

so, 31=3 for the second half, yeah?

Crusaders bench was awesome, as was RMo.

BB a shoe-in for RWC

Because... Foster?

[Certain Navigator]

Get in Grace

Gardiner, Grace, and Strange all good off the bench

Agree on Grace and Strange — Goodhue and McLeod were also good — but Gardiner started and went to the bench.

[Kiwias]

Get in Grace

Gardiner, Grace, and Strange all good off the bench

Agree on Grace and Strange — Goodhue and McLeod were also good — but Gardiner started and went to the bench.

I actually noticed it later but was too lazy to go back and correct my comment

[Gumboot]

Blues v Tahs kicking off soon in Auckland.

Blues: 1-Ofa Tuungafasi, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 5-Sam Darry, 6-Anton Segner, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Harry Plummer, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Stephen Perofeta
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Jordan Lay, 18-James Lay, 19-Cameron Suafoa, 20-Akira Ioane, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Bryce Heem, 23-Zarn Sullivan

Waratahs: 1-Tom Lambert, 2-Mahe Vailanu, 3-Harry Johnson-Holmes, 4-Jed Holloway, 5-Zac von Appen, 6-Taleni Seu, 7-Hunter Ward, 8-Will Harris, 9-Jake Gordon, 10-Ben Donaldson, 11-Dylan Pietsch, 12-Joey Walton, 13-Izaia Perese, 14-Max Jorgensen, 15-Harry Wilson
Reserves: 16-Tolu Latu, 17-Nephi Leatigaga, 18-Daniel Botha, 19-Michael Icely, 20-Charlie Gamble, 21-Teddy Wilson, 22-Jack Bowen, 23-Mosese Tuipulotu

[Kiwias]

Blues should be starting Perofeta at 10 and Zarn Sullivan at 15

[Guy Smiley]

Blues should be starting Perofeta at 10 and Zarn Sullivan at 15

Yeah. It's been brutally apparent for a long old while.

BB gets the ball and reflexively kicks it. Brilliant play! from Nisbo.

BB gets the ball and shovels an awful pass into danger. Brilliant play! gushes Nisbo

Christie... my eyes bleed watching him. That godawful netball pass that went forward... what the fuck?

Perofeta is off with a shoulder injury. I hope it's not serious, he didn't look to be in too much trouble going off.

[Kiwias]

Christie looks hyperactive at times, bouncing and jumping around.

[Guy Smiley]

It would be great if he tried being a half back instead of that.

Zarn Sullivan has looked absolute class every time he's touched the ball since he came back from injury. I reckon Razor would like the look of a strapping young man like that in black.

[Gumboot]

I'd prefer Sullivan at 10. I want him piloting whatever backline he's playing in.

[Guy Smiley]

I get it but we haven't seen much of him at 10... and I like the way he injects into the line from 15. Either way I want him in there.

[Kiwias]

It would be great if he tried being a half back instead of that.

I think he believes that is part of being a halfback

[Gumboot]

I get it but we haven't seen much of him at 10... and I like the way he injects into the line from 15. Either way I want him in there.

Jordie's only started 3 tests at 12, but fair to say he's now our starting 12?

[Guy Smiley]

I get it but we haven't seen much of him at 10... and I like the way he injects into the line from 15. Either way I want him in there.

Jordie's only started 3 tests at 12, but fair to say he's now our starting 12?

Well, two things there…

An injury crisis in that position, and

Foster.

[Gumboot]

Despite all that, it worked.

[Gumboot]

Looks like the weather's already decided this game. Blues will take the win and march on....