We started yesterday’s action with a New Zealand derby. Let’s hope we start today with better quality rugby.
The two teams tipped to possibly top the Kiwi conference face each other in Auckland. Auckland Blues host the Crusaders.
The Crusaders should come away as the victors but it will be anything but easy.
There was a lot of talk, a lot of it unjustified, about the Kiwis being allowed to get away with murder because McCaw was their Captain and supposedly because they are about to host the RWC. It would be interesting to see how the officials in todays matches handle discipline compared to the zero tolerance displayed yesterday.
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
ARs: Jonathon White (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Venue: Eden Park – Auckland
Kick-off: 08:35 RSA Time
Blues: 15 Isaia Toeava, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Rene Ranger, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Chris Lowrey, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Anthony Boric, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain),1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney/Ash Dixon, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Luke Braid, 20 Toby Morland, 21 Lachie Munro, 22 Sherwin Stowers.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Adam Whitelock, 11 Tu Umaga-Marshall, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Francis Smith, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Chris Jack, 19 Jonathan Poff, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Matt Berquist, 22 Tom Marshall/Tyler Bleyendaal.
Tweet
FULLTIME
BLUES 24 – 22 CRUSADERS
apologies for the slight interruption there
Definately good for the rest of the teams.
SB and FL . . . not so much 😯
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 1) : Now Planet Rugby says the score is 24 – 25 ❓ ❓ Superbru says 24 – 22
Superbru has the right one.
Saders were leading from the start up to the end. Blues sealed the win with only a few minutes to spare.
Saw the highlights of the Rebels/Tahs game. You can say what you like abuot the Aussies, but it’s the only place you can throw a team together in an area where rugby isn’t very popular and still pretty much pack out the stadium.
I had the Blues by 6, nice. It helps after those Highlanders upset the apple cart yesterday.
For the FL enthusiast:
Blues Tries: Mealamu, Stanley, Woodcock
Penalties: Brett (3)
Saders Tries: Ellis, Maitland
Penalties: Carter (4)
@Salmonoid (Comment 8) : Had them by 1, I jumped from 104 to about 32 😎
@Salmonoid (Comment 8) : Sammy, did you mash that jersey together yourself?
Reminds one of Cape Town fans, they would pack out Newlands to watch WP take on Boland at jukskei.
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 10) :
Im at 18. 😎
@klempie (Comment 7) :
Smoking your socks again? They have been struggling to gather crowds for years. The turn-out was so distinctive by its rarity that Mortlock even commented on it in is post-match speech.
@klempie (Comment 11) :
Im manufacturing them, only making 100 @ R1500.00 a shot. Got 18 left – do you want one, for you R1100.00.
Its a cut and paste job.
@Big Fish (Comment 14) :
Oh so then like a Cape Town crowd for a Stormers / Boland rugby game.
@Salmonoid (Comment 15) : It’s very well done. Good job. 😎
@Big Fish (Comment 14) : How can they have been struggling for years, when this is the Rebels first season? 🙄
@klempie (Comment 18) :
Sigh… Never mind klempie.
@Big Fish (Comment 19) : ARC doesn’t count china. It had disastrous support everywhere where Super14 got good crowds.
@Big Fish (Comment 19) : Welcome to the world of being an admin on this site and having to TRY and be rational and logical with Klempie. 🙂
You didn’t clarify 100% that you meant Australia as a whole and not just the Rebels. 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 21) : That makes the statement even worse. Even the Reds were getting big crowds last year. The Force supporters always come out in a sea of blue. You better change your brand of socks.
/@klempie (Comment 22) : So the aussies have been moaning about dwindling crowd attendance all these years for nothing?
Bloody aussies!!!! I knew they were trying to bullshit us again. 🙄
@klempie (Comment 7)@Big Fish (Comment 14) : : The official Rebels game attendance was recorded as +/-25500 in a 30000 seat stadium. In a region where rugby struggles to keep it’s head above water, I’d say this is a good start. They’ll need better results to keep the “fans” interested tho.
Geez the saders have 3 Whitelock brothers in their team
Why haven’t we heard anything from megatron yet???
@Ben (Comment 25) : The Crusaders have a 4th Whitelock brother – Luke in their wider training squad.
@beet (Comment 27) : Crap! 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 23) :
😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 23) : Look, if you take anything that O’Neill says as gospel, that’s your own problem.
5 o’clock where are you?
O’Neil is worse than Manie at the Lions. Mayber they were separated at birth ?
I nees 7o’clock gauge how far the Lions have come.
@Speed7 (Comment 32) : Through Verster in that boat and we have triplets.
I looked at some Aussie stats. Their avg attendance has dropped from +/-25000 per game in 2005 to +/-20000 per game in 2009. (Not sure what happened in 2010) However the report also points out that total attendance for the season has remained fairly constant – reason S12 expanded to S14 IOW more games.
So I guess yesterday’s game registers as above avg attendance in Oz.
Interesting – the avg attendance per match of Rugby Union is significantly higher than NRL, however the latter has more teams, more games and therefore a much higher per annum head count.
I have a feeling SA and NZ has experienced similar declines in avg attendances over the same 2005-2009 period.
@Ben (Comment 34) : Throw
Well googled Beet. Nice work. Our attendances in Cape Town ,Durban at Pretoria must be far ahead.
@Speed7 (Comment 37) : If you’re at home at 7pm this evening, I guess the Lions marketing team still have a bit of work to do.
@beet (Comment 35) : Thanks beet.
Big Fish and Oubaas, your thoughts? 🙄
I live in Cape Town. No game here.
@Speed7 (Comment 40) : Oops! Sorry I thought you were a Lions supporter from Jozi.
Ellis Park is possibly the worst place to be today. Started the day with touch rugby on Camps Bay. Would hate to be surrounded by those Bulls/Lions supporters. Only go to Ellis Park when the box tickets are around.
Iam a Lions supporter though. Big time. Maybe too loyal for my own good.
@Speed7 (Comment 43) : I’m confident you’ll have a better year in 2011.
@Speed7 (Comment 43) : You guys will really make my day even better if you guys win the bulls right after the sharks beat the cheetahs.