The Super Rugby weekend culminates this morning with what has to be the game of not only the round, but one of the best match ups one will see without it being a play off. The Reds host the Crusaders in what can only be described as a mini-final as the two teams battle it out for top spot on the log
The Reds will take confidence from the fact that they beat the Blues just a few weeks ago, and having tasted victory over the Crusaders last year in the Super 14, confidence should not be a problem.
The Crusaders are currently lying fourth on the log, and second in the New Zealand conference and will stay there even if they win, as the Blues have a bye and get their allocated four points to stay clear. That said, it is still a must win match for them to make sure that should they not finish top of their conference, they have a decent run in the play offs.
Kick off is at 08h10 this morning and I predict a very close win for the Crusaders.
Teams:
Reds : 1. Ben Daley , 2. Saia Faingaa , 3. James Slipper , 4. Rob Simmons , 5. James Horwill (c) , 6. Scott Higginbotham , 7. Beau Robinson , 8. Radike Samo , 9. Will Genia (vc) , 10. Quade Cooper , 11. Digby Ioane , 12. Ben Tapuai , 13. Anthony Faingaa , 14. Luke Morahan , 15. Ben Lucas
Reserves : 16. James Hanson , 17. Greg Holmes , 18. Adam Wallace-Harrison , 19. Jake Schatz , 20. Ian Prior , 21. Will Chambers , 22. Dom Shipperley
Crusaders :1. Wyatt Crockett , 2. Corey Flynn , 3. Owen Franks , 4. Brad Thorn , 5. Chris Jack , 6. George Whitelock , 7. Richie McCaw (c) , 8. Kieran Read , 9. Willi Heinz , 10. Dan Carter , 11. Zac Guildford , 12. Sonny Bill Williams , 13. Robbie Fruean , 14. Brent Ward , 15. Tom Marshall
Reserves :16. Quentin MacDonald / David Hall , 17. Ben Franks , 18. Luke Romano , 19. Matt Todd / Joe Wheeler , 20. Steve Alfeld , 21. Matt Berquist , 22. Ryan Crotty
Match Officials
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assistant referees: Nathan Pearce (Australia), Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)
Television match official: Steve Lesczcynski (Australia)
So do we hope for a Reds win leaving the Crusaders in reach, or do we hope for a Crusaders win preventing the Reds from running away at the top?
It all depends if you are a Stormers or Sharks fan I suppose.
In training, will sneak the odd peak at the phone.
Go Reds!!!!
Reds 0 – 3 Saders
8 min
PK Carter missed
Crusaders 3 – 0 Reds
8 min
Line out lost by Reds, looked like a tippical sharks lo
Marcell breaks thru the mid and then fortgets to pass
Hense the hectic pase the game is played at, a lot off knocks and turnovers… Game does not stop so no scrums…
Both teams butchering tries like crazy!
Still
Crusaders 3 – 0 Reds
20 min
Try Reds!!! Ben Tapuai
Reds try, from forward pass but they don’t care
Looked like a set move from the Lineout.
Reds 7 – 3 Saders
23 min
Convetion over
Crusaders 3 – 7 Reds
23 min
I’m out….got to go PVR to do the rest
Quade misses a PK from right in front!
Try Saders. Brent Ward
Robbie Fruean with a great run sent Brent away. Try converted.
Reds 7 – 10 Saders
30 min
This game is hectic!
End to end stuff!
Cooper misses another PK.
C’mon Reds!!
Penalties conceded
Reds 3 – 7 Saders
Cooper having a go at goal just before HT. 45m on the angle.
He misses
Half Time
Reds 7 – 10 Crusaders
2nd half under way
Will Genia picks up and scores in the corner. Crusaders went to sleep.
Cooper converts.
Reds 14 – 10 Saders
46 min
Handling errors
9 a piece
20 mins left
Carter slots a PK
Reds 14 – 13 Saders
69 min
Carter slots another PK. Saders take the lead.
Reds 14 – 16 Crusaders
75 min
what a kick DC…
Quade Cooper slots a PK!
Reds 17 – 16 Crusaders
79 min
FULL TIME
Reds 17 – 16 Crusaders
That was close at the end… good game.
The Reds are certainly the real deal this year.
well done Reds.
Sevens Cup QF FT.
SA 28 – 5 Samoa
Sevens Boks playing Aus in the final.
Barbarians scoring a last minute try to beat England.
@McLovin (Comment 40) : Big Joe would give a few of the Super Rugby 8th men a run for their money
@Mocho (Comment 41) : I believe he played well on the flank today, though I only saw bits & pieces.
@McLovin (Comment 42) : Lol u probably right.
Anybody watching sevens now
@McLovin (Comment 40) : did u wacth the game, was out most off the day. How was it?
Sevens
SA 7 – 21 Aus
Half time
SA 14 – 28 Aus
7 min to go
SA 19 – 28 Aus
5 min to go
SA 19 – 35 Aus
3 min to go
@franshark (Comment 48) : the loss of too many key personal had a negative affect on the Blitzbokke
SA 24 – 35 Aus
2 min to go
SA 31 – 35 Aus
Half min to go
Unbelievable
SA win!!!!!!!!!
SA 36 – 35 Aus
I was going to switch to Carte Blanche at half time. So glad I didn’t. Talk about the Fat Lady singing.
16 points down with less than 2 minutes to play.
NOBODY can come back from that!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@beet (Comment 54) : wow, I’m out of breath.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 55) : I think the comentators wet themselfs
A game like this can make a grown man cry…. Sharks take a leave out off these guys heart tree
The best sevens game I have watched ever….
@franshark (Comment 58) : Don’t underestimate a wounded Springbok
just as the Blitzbokke showed, we going to the world come RWC.
Just saw the Highlights of the Sevens final. Great stuff. That dive by Sithole in the end to score that try was unacceptable!!! Could have lost the ball there or if there was a TMO in sevens they might have seen that he touched the dead ball line before dotting the ball down. Very unprofessional.
sburaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!
@Megatron (Comment 62) : Megatron, these Eastern Cape boys that your semi-defunct province keeps pushing our way are fantastic.
Mbembe Payi has been one of my favourite SBR players for the past 2 years and he wowwed the crowd with another super performance on Friday. Paul Treu needs to have a look at him for the 7s setup in the future.
@Ben (Comment 61) :I’m probably wrong but doesn’t the ball have to pass the dead ball, and you can have your feet over the dead ball line?
@Mocho (Comment 64) : Nope this is rugby not soccer.
@beet (Comment 63) : glad to hear…MP was ALWAYS switched on, a natural footballer am glad he’s got an opportunity to excel.
you won’t be harvesting our talent for long though the EP Kings Academy is up and running with Danie Gerber & Robbie Kempson @ the helm. there was an academies tourney sometime back over there in kzn and they did very well…watch this space!!!!
@Megatron (Comment 66) : I’m not a big fan of the EP-(suffix) but I’m really happy to hear that they are putting together a good academy. It’s high time. The Pukke/Leopards take flack from time to time, but IMO they do South African rugby a great service. I look forward to seeing a competitive EP u19 and u21 in the C/C. Lets all pray that the people who control the funds for this project are sensible, honest and reliable folks.
@beet (Comment 67) : yep, they’ve started very well, last year the union got it’s first unqualified audit in something like 7 years…i know it’s not a big deal to some but it is for us long suffering supporters who’ve seen a lot of our youngsters leave bcoz of older people’s greed and ineptitude.
what is the basis of your objection.
Objection?
With regards to the youngsters, I have no objection. I think we’re all aware of the talent pool that exists in the region and any bona fide efforts to support and develop rugby in the region have my blessing (not that this matters).
However rugby is a big money game. My fear and irritation with EP rugby is that the guys running or wanting to run the show are not in it for the benefit of the general public or the development of youth aspect. They see the money and nothing else. I understand that all organisations need to be economically viable but I can’t help but draw the conclusion that EP want something for nothing and seemingly when (unfortunately not if)they get it, it will be a) mismanaged because of greed (good word that you used there), b) lack the proper structures to be viably sustained and c) will come at the expense of a union that has worked it’s butt off to be where it is now (presumably the Vrystaat)
I’ve said it before, I’d like to see small steps development taking place in the E/Cape. A good academy is one of those small steps, EP gaining promotion to the Currie Cup and then avoiding relegation thereafter, EP starting to achieve the same kind of results as the Griquas (a similar sized union with many of the same economic challenges). I think once we get to this stage, then only should SARU start talking about Superugby representation. Then I will have no objection.
Right now I view EP Kings as a show-house, except all they’ve built is this fancy front end for anyone driving by to see. However if you stop to go inside, you’ll discover that there’s nothing beyond the front door. They’re waiting for the S/R money to start building the rest of the house. And I think that’s the wrong way to go about it. It’s unresearched speculation, but there’s a reputation in the province of mismanagement, so that’s the way I feel.
@Mocho (Comment 64) : You are 100% correct, you are wrong.
If the person carrying the ball touches any portion of the touch, touch ingoal or deadball line they are out.
@Megatron (Comment 66) : Please tell me it’s a full time job and will leave no time for Kempson to do rugby commentary? Please, I BEG you???
@KSA Shark © (Comment 70) :
I got 6 from 7 with 6 margin and a shared bonus point!
Only got the Lions game wrong 
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 73) : The Highlanders beat the Crusaders and then end up losing to the Lions!
@Ben (Comment 74) : So did the Cheetahs, in their 1st game
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 75) : Oh yes.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 71) : it’s a full-time gig…
@Megatron (Comment 77) :
Well done to that cousin of yours….what a game!!!
@Megatron (Comment 77) :
BUT he also deserves a big kick up the backside for nearly going over the dead ball line!
@Pokkel (Comment 79) : Amen!
@Pokkel (Comment 78) : thanks on his behalf!
@Pokkel (Comment 79) : hahahahaha he LOVES that dive, his boyhood hero is Joe Rokocoko and he copied it from Joe
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 73) :
Me too.
@Salmonoid (Comment 82) :