Super Rugby

[rowan]

Maalesef! Personally I'm backing the Lions then. Hope they can win their first title. It'll be good for the comp.

[rowan]

TBH, it's the best result for a competition which has been Kiwi-dominated and predictable this year. Now we have an international final at Ellis Park which could easily go either way.

[morepork]

Ellis Park will be white hot. Should be a good dogfight this one. Crusaders easily the best traveling soup team.

[rowan]

I'll take the Lions. It would be kind of ironic in a year which has seen such overwhelming Kiwi domination, but the home-team are obviously a quality side and are hungry for their first title. The pain of 2016 will drive them on. They're in pretty much the same position as the Canes were in last year's final.

[paddy no 11]

The disallowed nanai Williams try was pretty harsh imo

McKenzie is a good bit of stuff

[canta_brian]

So Jaco Peyper to ref the final. Way to go SANZAR, as if this competition didn't look idiotic enough. They have claimed he is the best ref and therefore gets the final. This suggests they see no problem with his performance last week, and guarantees that no matter what happens this week there will be complaints of bias. Either he will be seen as having favoured a SA side (again) or the will be accused of letting Canterbury away with murder for fear of being accused of bias.

[cashead]

Angus Gardiner to ref, Peyper with one flag, Glen Jackson with the other. George Ayoub up in the TMO box, because he's actually pretty good at that. That's what the appointments should have been.

[rowan]

SANZAAR has completely lost the plot over the past couple of years. How straightforward it would be to appoint an Aussie ref for this fixture, and then nobody could possibly complain. They already screwed up the competition by trying to squeeze the Sunpoodles into a Southern Hemisphere competition so that 3 good teams had to be sacrificed as a result and the Blues went up to Tokyo and got beaten by a vastly inferior opponent in 40 degree heat. There's some really, really dumb decision-making going on at the moment, and a few heads should roll...

[rowan]

Well done, Laumape!

2017 Hurricanes Awards
Player of the Year:
Winner: Ngani Laumape
Finalists: Laumape, Ardie Savea, Brad Shields
Best & Fairest:
Winners: Ngani Laumape, Matt Proctor, Ardie Savea
Finalists: Laumape, Proctor, Ardie Savea
Rookie of the Year:
Winner: Jordie Barrett
Finalists: Barrett, Sam Lousi, Reed Prinsep
Team Man of the Year:
Winner: Callum Gibbins
Finalists: Gibbins, Reg Goodes, Brad Shields
Super XV Award:
Winner: Geoff Cridge
Finalists: Cridge, Jonah Lowe, Kylem O'Donnell
Milestones:
100 Matches: Julian Savea, Dane Coles
50 Matches: Ardie Savea, Ben May, Chris Eves
International Representatives:
All Blacks: Ngani Laumape, Jordie Barrett, Dane Coles, TJ Perenara, Ardie Savea, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Vaea Fifita
Maori All Blacks: Otere Black, Chris Eves, Mike Kainga, Ben May, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Reed Prinsep, Matt Proctor, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
NZ Under 20s: Asafo Aumua, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Alex Fidow
Hurricanes debuts: James Blackwell, James O'Reilly, Jordie Barrett, Pita Ahki, Ben Lam, Reed Prinsep, Toa Halafihi, Hugh Renton, Sam Lousi
Departing players: Mark Abbott (Japan), Otere Black (Blues), Loni Uhila (France), Callum Gibbins (Scotland), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Chiefs), Leni Apisai, Cory Jane

https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/the-canes/ ... rds-night/

[rowan]

So Jaco Peyper to ref the final. Way to go SANZAR, as if this competition didn't look idiotic enough. They have claimed he is the best ref and therefore gets the final. This suggests they see no problem with his performance last week, and guarantees that no matter what happens this week there will be complaints of bias. Either he will be seen as having favoured a SA side (again) or the will be accused of letting Canterbury away with murder for fear of being accused of bias.

Who was the ref in last year's final?

Meanwhile, 5 reasons why SA Rugby Magazine is absolutely sure the Lions will win (they were also absolutely sure they would win last week - and they were right, of course): http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/detail ... gby-trophy

[rowan]

Saders storm out to a 0-12 lead but Lions pull back a penalty. 3-12 late first half. Remember the Canes blew a big lead against the Lions last week. But the Saders are not the Canes...

[Banquo]

Peyper is a massive homer so far- ludicrous appointment.

[Banquo]

needs to be a red I'm afraid- he makes the right call, fair play.

[rowan]

Lions get a red card and it remains 3-15 at the break. Crusaders are just too good.

[Banquo]

Lions get a red card and it remains 3-12 at the break. Crusaders are just too good.

red card has shifted the balance; the Lions were breaking a lot of tackles, but making errors both forced and unforced at the wrong time. Difficult to see the Lions capitalising on (altitude) fatigue like they did last week with a player down.

(and the Crusaders are excellent)

[rowan]

3-22. No comeback today. That red card was it. Just a matter of how much the Saders win their 8th title by now...

[rowan]

Lions not giving up, and score their first try midway 2nd half. 10-25. Another try would make it interesting.

[Banquo]

Indeed. Crusaders still dropping off first up tackles and its now costing, Altitude is a bu55er

[rowan]

Lions answered the call. That's another try. 17-25 needing two scores in the last 5 minutes plus stoppage time. Seems the travel and rarified air have finally caught up with the Saders. They'll hang on though.

[Banquo]

daft pen. This will go down to the wire- fantastic from Lions.

[Banquo]

Crusaders making crucial steals and turnovers to stop Lions momentum. Great win away at altitude, but great fight from Lions man down.

Crotty really is a good player, does so many good things.

[rowan]

Yes, could have been a very different story but for the red card. Saders do it again. title 8 in the bag. The Real Madrid of Rugby!!

[rowan]

& you thought the Canes fans got carried away!

[rowan]

It's gets worse

[canta_brian]

Was the red card justified? I tend to see these things as a player ending up under a player more than someone taking someone out intentionally. Obviously the opportunity for serious injury means cards, but sometimes I wonder if it does merit the section from a foul play pov