Here we go, guys.
First up, it’s Saders v Blues, live from Christchurch. Kick-off is at 08h35 SA time.
Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Jone Macilai, 13 Sean Wainui, 12 Kieron Fonotia, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Samuel Whitelock (captain), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Mike Alaalatoa, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Leon Fukofuka, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Johnny McNicholl.
Blues: 15 Matt Duffie, 14 Melani Nanai, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 George Moala, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Matt McGahan, 9 Billy Guyton, 8 Steven Luatua, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Jerome Kaino (captain), 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 Quentin MacDonald, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Replacements: 16 James Parsons, 17 Sam Prattley, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Akira Ioane, 20 Kara Pryor, 21 Bryn Hall, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Male Sa’u.
After that, it’s Brumbies v Waratahs, kicking off at 10h40.
Brumbies: 15 Aidan Toua, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano (co-captain), 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Blake Enever, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (co-captain), 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, 19 Jordan Smiler, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Nigel Ah Wong.
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Matt Carraro, 13 Rob Horne, 12 David Horwitz, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Jed Holloway, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 David Dennis, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Paddy Ryan.
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Matt Sandell, 18 Jeremy Tilse, 19 Sam Lousi, 20 Wycliff Palu, 21 Jack Dempsey, 22 Matt Lucas, 23 Bryce Hegarty.
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It is weird seeing all the new names in the Crusaders squad
Crusaders 3 – 0 Blues – 11 minutes
Crusaders 3-3 Blues – 12 min
Crusaders 10 – 3 Blues – 18 minutes, penalty try
23 minutes score still unchanged
Crusaders 13 – 3 Blues, penalty 25 min
30 min – no score change
35 min – no score change
Crusader – 60% Possession, and 69% teritory
Half time : Crusaders 13-3 Blues, with all the possession and territory, the crusaders are struggling a bit to convert that into points currently, lets see who will be up for it come 2nd half
49 minutes- no score change
Saders now on 79% territory and 70% possession
Saders 13 – 3 Blues 56 min
Saders 13 – 6 Blues 60 minutes
Saders 16 – 6 Blues 63 min
Best moment of the game: Crusaders kicks at poles and almost score a try in the corner from the wayward kick (ala Andre Joubert hitting corner flag)!
Saders 21-6 Blues try Read 68 min
75 minutes no score change as yet
saders 28 – 13 Blues FT
nice result. Blows the kiwi race open.
Really annoyed with Umaga for all the changes, I was dumb enough to make my Superbru pick before seeing the team sheet.
Honestly believe with last weeks team they would have won.
Totally, as the only one without a win now is the canes
@Seth101 (Comment 21) : Think that the Blues will be a real handful this season, they are not the weak team that they were under Kerwin, think that Umaga is more up to date on his coaching than what Kerwin was
@Henkb (Comment 23) : I agree, that’s why I backed them. I just don’t think Crusaders at home is the best time to be testing quality of depth.
@Seth101 (Comment 24) : agree, everybody know that the Sadres at home is a different team, and you should always but always pick your best line up to start against them, as they rarely loose when they are ahead on home turf
will skelton 2.03m 140kg?
@50shadesofshark (Comment 26) : Bout that yea, I know he is unbelievably heavy. Take a look at his legs, like tree trunks.
Tahs on a yellow. Score 3-0 Brumbies, 8mins.
Try Brumbies, kick to come.
Brumbies 8 – 0 Tahs 8 min
8-0 Brumbies.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 26) : https://giant.gfycat.com/SpiritedKindheartedArabianhorse.gif
Brumbies 8 – 5 Tahs 23 min
30 min no score change
Tahs got their 2nd yellow for the game now
Brumbies 8 – 8 Tahs 36 min
Any one going to the Proteas game tonight?
Brumbies 8 – 8 Tahs, HT
2nd half starting
45 min still 8 all
Brumbies 11 – 8 Tahs 47 min
Tahs are going to win this
@robdylan (Comment 42) : it will be the 1st upset of the weekend then, and I don’t believe in upsets
@robdylan (Comment 42) : Highly doubt it.
Brumbies 11 – 8 Tahs – 56min
Brumbies try Toemane 57 min
Brumbies 18 – 8 Thas 58 min
@Henkb (Comment 47) : That’ll teach Rob to try negging on my Superbru picks. Go to the Cheeky corner boss.
Brumbies 18 – 15 Tahs 66 min
@Henkb (Comment 49) : he does it regularly, trying to upset the majority here 😈 🙂
Penalty try Brumbies, whats going on today, 2nd one in as many matches
Brumbies 25 – 15 Tahs 69 min
@Henkb (Comment 52) : I order the score to stay there. I have Brumbies by 10.
@vanmartin (Comment 53) : no no, Thas must score an unconverted try now, have the Brumbies by 5
@Henkb (Comment 54) : Yeah, that doesn’t really suit me at all 🙂
@vanmartin (Comment 55) : lets split the difference then 😀 then we can share the bonus point also
@vanmartin (Comment 55) : I think we can now safely say that the Tahs did not cause an upset as the Boss indicated earlier
Brumbies 30 – 15 Tahs 80 min
@Henkb (Comment 57) : oops
@Henkb (Comment 58) : final score 32-15
@Henkb (Comment 56) : I’d happily accept that offer right now 😕
@Henkb (Comment 57) : @robdylan (Comment 59) : One thing that is abundantly clear though is that the shine came off last week’s Brumbies performance fairly quickly. Brumbies only pulled away at the death. I suspect the Canes also won’t be pushovers this week.
@vanmartin (Comment 61) : me too, 🙁 I think last weeks performance was a fluke against the canes, they are not a bad side, sure they will up their game this week, the Tahs are lacking a bit in fitness I suspect, they could have had the game closer if they did not fade a bit in last couple of minutes
@Henkb (Comment 62) : Exactly my thoughts regarding the Tahs. Brumbies looked better conditioned.
@vanmartin (Comment 63) : the Tahs is in dire need of their shot gun system to work again, they are far better of in my eys when they have Foley at 10, Beale at 12, and Folau at 15, Beale is good at 10, but in my opinion a far better 12 than 10
Typical dour aussie derby.imo tahs 16 should have been red carded for punching.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 65) : what was dour about it mate?
@Kiss_the_Gold (Comment 66) : what was exciting about it?
I though that was a great game of rugby.
@Kiss_the_Gold (Comment 66) : @Seth101 (Comment 68) : to each his own
@50shadesofshark (Comment 69) : geez mate, you’re hard to please. I thought it was a very engaging match, if a little sloppy at times. Those Brumbies backs have pace and size.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 67) : @Seth101 (Comment 68) : @Kiss_the_Gold (Comment 70) : sorry but the for me the first game between Crusaders and Blues was way better. Yes Brumbies vs Waratahs was a hard game but it was also very sloppy with lots of niggle and poor handling.
@JD (Comment 71) : Having just finished filling in my stat sheet, I can point out that the second game had a sum total of 3 more handling errors than the first
Definitely more niggle though, but for me that adds to the spectral and intensity of the game.
@JD (Comment 71) : I was so looking forward to an exciting, skilful contest. It was very disappointing.
@Seth101 (Comment 72) : it’s not only handling errors, it was poor handling like lost passes etc that does not go down as errors but for sure lost opportunities and there was a lot of lost opportunities in the game.
@robdylan (Comment 73) : maybe we just expected to much from the Ozzie’s!?!?