The Crusaders travel to Auckland to take on the Blues in a last ditch effort to keep their season alive.
Okay, it is probably not last ditch, considering they have won their last two matches.
Should the Crusaders lose this match, their season will be over. It is as simple as that, no permutations, no points difference calculations, they need to win to stay in the running.
The Blues are already out of the competition, but could end as high as 7th, with a bonus point win over the Crusaders.
The result of this match will draw a massive amount of interest from South African, with the Sharks requiring the Blues to win to keep the Sharks’ play-off chances alive. Again very simple, The Blues need to win for the Sharks to stay in it a little bit longer.
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 19:35 Local time, 09:35 SA time
Referee: Bryce Lawrence
ARs: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Jonathan White (New Zealand)
TMO: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Blues:
15. Rudi Wulf, 14. Rene Ranger, 13. Anthony Tuitavake, 12. Isaia Toeava, 11. Joe Rokocoko, 10. Jimmy Gopperth, 9. Chris Smylie, 8. Jerome Kaino, 7. Tom Chamberlain, 6. Justin Collins, 5. Kurtis Haiu, 4. Jay Williams, 3. John Afoa, 2. Keven Mealamu (Captain), 1. Tony Woodcock
Replacements:
16. Tom McCartney, 17. Tevita Mailau, 18. Dean Serge Budd, 19. Peter Saili, 20. Grayson Hart, 21. Jamie Helleur, 22. Paul Williams, 23. Andrew Van der Heidjen
Crusaders:
15. Leon MacDonald, 14. Jared Payne, 13. Tim Bateman, 12. Ryan Crotty, 11. Adam Whitelock, 10. Stephen Brett, 9. Andy Ellis, 8. Thomas Waldrom, 7. Richie McCaw (Captain), 6. Kieran Read, 5. Isaac Ross, 4. Michael Paterson, 3. Owen Franks, 2. Jason MacDonald, 1. Wyatt Crockett
Replacements:
16. Daniel Perrin, 17. Bronson Murray, 18. Ross Filipo, 19. George Braeden Whitelock, 20. Kahn Fotuali`i, 21. Sean Maitland, 22. Hamish Gard
Go Blues!!!!!!!!
Go Blues!!!!!!!!
i picked blues to win by 5, as im avereging 5pnts per round
i do want the blues to keep the saders from scoring any bonus points tho
@JarsonX (Comment 3) :
Seesm the majority of SB think the Crusaders are going to win.
Picks for Blues 6829 (17.95%)
Picks for Crusaders 31147 (81.87%)
Picks for draw 68 (0.18%)
AND
I haven’t managed to organize a “meeting” today
@JarsonX (Comment 3) : i picked saders to win by 5
I have a nasty feeling the Cru are going to win this by 30+
@JarsonX (Comment 5) :
I picked them by 8
@KSA Shark © (Comment 4) : my boss is a bulls supporter and he invited me for a braai, what went through his mind? The Tool
@robdylan (Comment 6) : you are
a prophet of doom 
Goodmorning everybody
@Charlie (Comment 10) : morning charles, i’ll tell u if its a good one after this game
@JarsonX (Comment 8) :
@JarsonX (Comment 11) :
It could turn kak during either of the next to games.
Please watch this referee’s performance he has just been named as one of the referees to referee the semi-final, on MERIT making him one of the top three in the competition!!!!!!!!!
:#46:
uke: :kots:
@KSA Shark © (Comment 14) :
home refs shouldnt ref home games!
ok, i’ll be back in 10 to 15mins, give me good news when i return
GO BLUES!!!!
Any comments on that last no-try of Lions, forward pass or not
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) : two?
@robdylan (Comment 19) : if the canes manage to lose i geuss, if saders win, it wont matter anyway
i see the score is 3 points each, aint no 1 commentating?
this is probably THE most important game, and you are all keeping to yourselves
Halftime
Blues 3-6 Crusaders
1 penalty by Goppert and 2 penalties by Macdonald
i just wanna be alone today, i just wanna take a little breather
why do we have more guests online than members? Shame on you all
Bloddy work is interfering with my social life.
Gooooooooooo Sander’s……
2nd half on
LoL
Just joking Sanders….
DON’T SCORE
BLUES need to win….
@Hmmm (Comment 28) : traitor!!
Damn….
After a very good break by he Saders and a tackle 2 meters out…te Blues turn over…seemd like a good turnover but the ref gave a full arm penalty and the McDonald slots his 3rd penalty….
Crusaders 9 – 3 Blues
44 minutes
another pk to the saders, macdonald slots it 3-9 saders
thanx for the updates Hmmm, i dont like switching between sites
The Saders are really turning it on now….this time getting over but the TMO says inconclusive….ball def grounded but the TMO says there is too many hands around the ball to say it was scored….
A Blues players was sent to the bin and a penalty given to the Saders….
Saders go for the try…Waldrum lose it as he goes across the tryline…
Blues clear….
Blues take play to just outside the Saders 22 but then tackled out….
Saders win their own LO…chip over the top and Blues get possession still inside the Saders half….
Take it through several phases without making any ground and then knock-on the ball almost on the 10 meter line in Saders half
Handling errors:
Crusaders 9 – 11 Blues
Come on Blues, you can and must win this one! The Saders are not better than you!
I think the call to go for a try (take a LO) when they got the last penalty was a poor one…
McDonald is kicking well and another 3 pointers would have put them 2 scores clear…
Everyone knows the Blues are VERY capable of scoring all of a sudden at anytime…
how much time is left
Blues player still has 7 minutes in the bin…no score since he was off
54th minute…
At Blues scrum Joe Roc slots at “blindside” to steady the scrum…
as long as the saders dont get a bp, sharks still has a shot
Blues take play 20 meters into the Saders half and get a penalty for of-side by Saders….14 meters from the touch line….
Slotted..
Saders 9 – 6 Blues
57th minute
Goppeth goes to 102 points for the season…
good blues close the margin
Back to 15 men for the Blues….Chamberlin back on…
Blues only team to score with a penalty whilst they were down to 14…
Chamberlin (Blues) injures his knee just 2 minutes back….and replaced as he cannot continue….
Go Blues!! You can do it!!
@Hmmm (Comment 46) : @Hmmm (Comment 47) : now thats
UP YOU BLUES !!!
@Hmmm (Comment 46) :
is that Tom Chamberlain who got a yellow card.
What was it for?
his folks work with Kette, he played in KSA about 5 years ago.
A few kicks wither way..Saders get LO 10 meters inside their half several phases and got tackled out 10 inside the Blues half…
Blues take LO kick but not out…McDonald chips a very good one….Blues runs the ball out in their 22 but do not want to release the ball to allow the Saders the oppo to have a quick throw in…penalty to the Saders on the 15 meter line (from touch)…this time MaCaw goes for the 3 points and McDonal slots it….
@KSA Shark © (Comment 51) : whats the ‘KSA’ for
Crusaders 12 – 6 Blues
65th minute
Oh, Come On Blues, get your groove on
Ball goes from side to side…possession turned over a few times…
Blues get a penalty in their half (Saders incorrect entry)…..they do not kick the bal out…Saders chip…Blues take the ball through 2 tackles and then get penalized for incorrect entry…
Saders go for 3…McDonald misses (short) about 42 meters from the tryline and about 8 meters from the centre of the poles….
@KSA Shark © (Comment 51) : I dont see another chamberlain in either team
The Blues clear…
The Saders take the play 3 meters out and get held off cm’s from the Blues tryline on 3 occasions…
But then lose the ball forward after a poor pass to the backline…
Scrum Blues 7 meters from their tryline…
Blues!! Blues!! Blues!!
@JarsonX (Comment 53) :
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Blues win their scrum adn clears to McDonald 2 meters inside the Saders half on the touch…
McDonald runs it up and after 2 or so phases Brett chips…Blues get the ball…and win some good ground with passes in the tackle and off the ground…
Lose possession inside Saders 22 but regain….take the play meters from the Saders tryline (1st time this half)…ref plays penalty advantage to Blues…
The Blues take it over the tryline and ref goes to TMO (try or no-try)
TMO awards the try to No 12 Toiava…
Goppeth converts…
Saders 12 – 13 Blues
73rd minute
How are the Sharks nerves this morning so far…
let it be a try! @KSA Shark © (Comment 60) :
TRY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Morné (Comment 63) : mine is near breaking point
That should not have been a try….
Blues 12 made a poor chip through but Brett made a mess-up in fielding it giving a very poor pass to McDonald I think it was…to many Blues players fighting for the ball (that is what teh advantage was for) and 12 then goes over after Blues regain possession….
As I said earlier…bad call from MaCaw when they got the yellow card penalty to go for a LO….as the Blues can score from anywhere…
@Hmmm (Comment 69) : dont sound so dissapointed, i dont care how the blues win, as long as they do
Drop Goal…NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Saders run the ball and knock-on after a great tackle…Blues run the ball from their scrum 15 meters inside their half…and knock it on as well…
Saders get possession….keps ball in hand and run it at the Blues…a break by Brett sets them a few meters out…a few pick and goes aiming closer to the pole….McDonald drops back…gets pass from a ruck right infront of the pole about 18 meters out…
DG slotted…
Saders 15 – 13 Blues 77th minute
man, this is just like the lions game
15-13 Full Time
FULL TIME
Blues 13 – 15 Crusaders
The Blues kick-off deep….Woodcock charges the ball down….22 dropout to Saders….
Blues win ball from restart…take play until about 4 meters from Saders and knock-on….
Saders just pick and go to run the clock out…
Siren goes…
Brett kicks out…
Final score
Crusaders 15 – 13 Blues
The Sharks just need a bonus point win this afternoon.
You got what you asked for.
A chance, now you have it.
Log updated.
Crusaders go 3rd on the Log
Blues go 8th
ok so the Sharks needs to win with a bonus point, our points diference margin is better
I personally despise drop goals as there is NOTHING the defending team can do against them.
So…BP win against the Bulls. Plum will have to ditch the kicking the ball away strategy so the situation will actually FORCE the Sharks to play Sharks rugby. This could be a blessing in disguise.
@Morné (Comment 78) :
No. We still have to hope the Hurricanes lose to the reds for us to be in with a chance.
@JarsonX (Comment 80) :
No.
See @KSA Shark © (Comment 82) :
We still have one match that holds our future in it’s “hands”
@Morné (Comment 78) : and i hope they take it, if they screw up, im going to be pissed coz chances dont come often
@KSA Shark © (Comment 51) :
Continues infringement at breakdown…
Previous one was a penalty and another infringement within 5 min of that…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 82) : Check again
@KSA Shark © (Comment 82) :
No, you got a better points difference than the Crusaders, who will lie 4th if the Canes win.
So a bonus point win will see you on the same points as the Saders, but with a better points difference.
@Hmmm (Comment 85) :
thanks
@KSA Shark © (Comment 83) : just check again, we can still end 4th
The Waratahs have to hope the Canes and Sharks lose…
@Morné (Comment 87) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 82) : No we don’t. All the next game will determine is whether the Bulls and Sharks finish 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th. Qualification is now in the Sharks hands again.
@Morné (Comment 87) :
@JarsonX (Comment 89) :
OOPS sorry you guys are right.
if we win, say 35-34 were in, and bulls might still get their home semi i think
@JarsonX (Comment 94) : if the canes dont get a bp
The Reds have not been looking good at all…
And thus the Canes could easily get 5 points…
In that case even if the Bulls get 2 bonus points they will end 3rd on the log which would mean two away semi’s for SA teams…(that is if the Sharks get 5)…
So the best result for SA is a Bulls win and No 1 spot on the log…
@klempie (Comment 92) :
And you are right as well.
Please make sure TT doesn’t repeat what you guys have just said because I will never admit that he is right about anything.
If the Canes lose or only get 4 and the Bulls lose with 2 bonus points…and the Sharks get 5…
It would be a Chiefs – Sharks semi at Hamilton
And a Bulls – Canes semi at Loftus
With either a final at Hamiton or Loftus if the Chiefs or Bulls win…
Or a final at (where ever the Canes play) if the Canes win..
@Hmmm (Comment 98) : Wellington.
Canes points dif is about 30 better than the Bulls…
@klempie (Comment 99) :
Thanks but I did not really care enough to check…LoL