RugbyRebels

Based on pre-season form, I think we can all agree that the Blues are going to take this one. Question then is, who will be runner up?

Post your squad analysis and early predictions here!

It is too hot for rugby to be starting yet.

Wait, this competition's still going?

Puja

Crusaders for the treble

What’s the format this year?

Lizard wrote:What’s the format this year?

Decided by some old hag from a nordic country throwing down some runes allegedly.

Doorzetbornandbred wrote:

Lizard wrote:What’s the format this year?

Decided by some old hag from a nordic country throwing down some runes allegedly.

I would say, "That's not a very nice way to describe Andy Marinos," but frankly, it's probably the best he'll ever get.

Puja

J Dory wrote:Based on pre-season form, I think we can all agree that the Blues are going to take this one. Question then is, who will be runner up?

You must not have seen their schedule yet. In short it goes like this: get beaten up by the de facto All Blacks in Rd 1. Immediately jump on a plane across the Indian Ocean to get beaten up by the Shjaarks. Wheel the remains straight back onto the plane and off across the Atlantic to get beaten up by the Argentine test team. Scoop whatever is left back onto the plane, and fly it across the Pacific in time to become the first NZ team to lose at home to the Sunwolves. Enjoy the bye after the Sunwolves game.

Smashing.

I'm sure WR will be happy as that historic win will generate a bit of interest in Nippon.

Nonu starting at 13 outside TJ Faiane, SBW on the bench in 23.

The Blues revival starts this year. I wouldn't want to be a Crusader right now.

Spy wrote:The Blues revival starts this year. I wouldn't want to be a Crusader right now.

With you Spy. Almost feel sorry for the fans of other teams.

Who is the saviour this year that will inevitably have reputation crushed by association with the Bloos?


Edit: I didn't know Rangi was the Bloos coach.

I'm more interested in seeing which referee will commit a serious "are you sure you're fit to be a ref?" level blunder that costs the Blues.

Last year's winner was: the referee who saw the match-winning try by the Highlanders' Rob Thompson scored off of a blatant forward pass* from perennial All Blacks contender Tom Franklin, which set the tone for the season.


*which no one even acknowledged other than Jamie Wall, because apparently regular rules don't apply to the Blues.

You Pig Islanders don't half whine.

Hows your posh coffees doing Jafas?

The Blues were very much robbed by shocking officiating there. Two blatant deliberate knock-ons that the referee and TMO were quick to forgive, and the Crusaders more than got the rub of the green in the rucks, being allowed to persistently infringe. How often did we see a Crusaders forward contesting possession without supporting their own bodyweight, lying down on the ball or in the way of the halfback, or in the case of Ben Funnell, blatantly take out the halfback before they've even gotten anywhere near the ball? As for the deliberate knock-ons, how the referee decided Bryn Hall did not have a case to answer for, or that Mataele was trying to "knock it back" is anyone's guess.

Nick Briant, from Canterbury, deserved to be booed off the pitch like he did at the end.

cashead wrote:The Blues were very much robbed by shocking officiating there. Two blatant deliberate knock-ons that the referee and TMO were quick to forgive, and the Crusaders more than got the rub of the green in the rucks, being allowed to persistently infringe. How often did we see a Crusaders forward contesting possession without supporting their own bodyweight, lying down on the ball or in the way of the halfback, or in the case of Ben Funnell, blatantly take out the halfback before they've even gotten anywhere near the ball? As for the deliberate knock-ons, how the referee decided Bryn Hall did not have a case to answer for, or that Mataele was trying to "knock it back" is anyone's guess.

Nick Briant, from Canterbury, deserved to be booed off the pitch like he did at the end.

All those looked fine to me Cas*

*Didn’t actually see the game.

canta_brian wrote:

cashead wrote:The Blues were very much robbed by shocking officiating there. Two blatant deliberate knock-ons that the referee and TMO were quick to forgive, and the Crusaders more than got the rub of the green in the rucks, being allowed to persistently infringe. How often did we see a Crusaders forward contesting possession without supporting their own bodyweight, lying down on the ball or in the way of the halfback, or in the case of Ben Funnell, blatantly take out the halfback before they've even gotten anywhere near the ball? As for the deliberate knock-ons, how the referee decided Bryn Hall did not have a case to answer for, or that Mataele was trying to "knock it back" is anyone's guess.

Nick Briant, from Canterbury, deserved to be booed off the pitch like he did at the end.

All those looked fine to me Cas*

*Didn’t actually see the game.

Nick Briant gave two penalty tries to the Crusaders - the first felt marginal, the second felt like a clear case of jumping the gun. Briant's second half performance was an absolute shocker. Bryn Hall, during a scrum near the Crusaders' tryline, clearly slapped the ball on to the ground to kill the Blues' momentum - it was as blatant as it gets, and yet Briant decided he didn't have a case to answer for. Later in the game, when the Blues were on the attack, a retreating Manasa Mataele, at 14, cynically killed an attacking move by reaching out to intentionally cause a knock-on. Once again, not even a penalty. There was also the case of Funnell tackling the Blues halfback (I think Pulu was on the field at this point) off the ball, which Briant claimed was legal because he "came through the gate." When the Blues turned the ball over on the 80th minute, Briant also couldn't blow the whistle fast enough, and penalised the Blues, while once again ignoring Crusaders defenders lying down all over the ball.

The Crusaders didn't beat the Blues, it was the referee that did it. Robertson more-or-less admitted as much in the post-match press conference. Say what you will about Ricky Stuart, his rant about the NRL refs a couple of years ago, and their lack of accountability rang absolutely true last night.

I did see the penalty tries on the highlights. If that second one had been given the other way I’d have been spitting tacks. Only time I’ve ever seen a penalty try given on the 22!

The Chuffs got smashed by the Canberra Pony Club. Yikes.

Yep. Not pretty.

Looks like the Aussie teams are a sterner proposition this year. Probably a good thing for the game and the tournament.

Highlanders look a bit shaky too so far. First victory over a kiwi side for the rebels for 4 years.

Aaron Mauger made a bit of a pigs arse of his time as coach in England. Is he going to be a problem?

Maybe. Will probably need at least another season to say for sure. But it's the Highlanders. If Joseph's career is any indication, there won't be that much media scrutiny.

morepork wrote:Highlanders look a bit shaky too so far. First victory over a kiwi side for the rebels for 4 years.

Aaron Mauger made a bit of a pigs arse of his time as coach in England. Is he going to be a problem?

I don't think he was that bad at Leicester - took over on an interim basis and led us to a respectable finish. Given the shower we've had since, you'd argue that we chose poorly not keeping him on full-time.

Puja

Ah, he got the Robbie Deans treatment.