Super 15 Tipping Comp

Discussion in 'Rugby Union Discussion' started by Fiery, Feb 12, 2015.

  1. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    Chiefs paying $2.45 - not quite enough to be an upset.

    Nonetheless if it weren't for JAmes Lowe in the line up I would be confident of victory. As it is we are slight underdogs because of him and the shit plays he will do tonight.
    Ben Smith will also be immense tonight.

    I am intrigued that we have sent Leitch to the bench - and Messam to number 8. Perhaps they want him to be an impact player.

    We have a decent chance - Fire up Chiefs.
     
  2. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    @Rego and Droos.

    There is only three of us left. There doesn't seem much point in continuing. I am happy to name Rego this year's champ. I doubt we would catch Rego now anyway.

    We can still make tips for fun?

    Anyway let me know what you think.
     
  3. Rego RS Hutchinson

    Yeah let's just make tips for fun - our legit picks will probably be similar as opposed to picking the opposite of me to try and catch up.
     
  4. Droos JP Rhodes

    Well that sucks. No probs, Rego ftw!

    Picks for this week: Canes and Landers.
     
  5. Rego RS Hutchinson

    I would have gone Canes and Landers. I do think the Landers are disadvantaged with no home adv or Pryor being out but so long as they don't kick the ball to Folau too much and get a good start then they should be able to win this.
     
  6. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    Tahs to win. Home town reffing ftw

    at the canes game ATM

    nonu and Barrett are winning the game

    i have a bet for the canes to win by 13 and hopefully they do it.
     
  7. Rego RS Hutchinson

    Bet won ;)

    Yep and Ardie Savea, he was immense and others like Vito. As was Proctor when he came on, he was fighting for a starting spot. Hopefully Milner-Skudder is alright, if he is and Jane isn't fully fit I reckon I'm happy with Proctor at 14 and Milner-Skudder at FB (where he's better imo). Marshall was a bit iffy tbh. Couple of spills which would be crucial in a final.
     
  8. Rego RS Hutchinson

    You were saying???? Maybe so in the first but that call went the Landers way - I agree with the Penalty try, dunno about the yellow. Regardless, up the Landers. Aussie commentators acting butthurt as fuck too :laugh: saying that Jourbet is having a shocker.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2015
  9. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    Marshall is not an AB and never will be. He stood out like a sore thumb in that back line. You can't have stars all over the field.

    I want to comment on a couple of things from both games.

    TJ perenara played the game of his life. He just serviced the backs all night. He didn't try to do anything else. And he looked a million dollars. So unselfish. He was my MOTM.

    Aaron Smith in the Highlanders game. Is starting to move into a stratosphere of play that I havn't seen before in my life time from a number 9. I don't quite know what to say. It was a breathtaking performance for those of us who like watching a good 9 go about his business.

    The crowd at westpac was mixed. The knowledgeable fans kept quiet and just watched. Joe Public who yelled a lot calling for penalties etc didn't know his arse from his elbow and I felt embarrassed to be in the same stadium as them. NPC fans are faaaaarrrrr better. Even when I went to the NPC final some years ago it was marked how much more intelligent the fans were. Just a bunch of loud mouths yelling abuse at the refs tonight for whatever reason sprung into their minds. That and a lot of "Go Go Go" at the top of their voices whenever any one broke the advantage line. Yes I know its exciting but I am sitting here calmly and so can you until a try is scored.
    Never encountered this growing up in the tron. Although I suspect that is more of a rugby city.

    Next point Coaches

    Take a bow Jamie Joseph. Your team is not that great, but they are going to the final. You actually work out intelligent game plans for your team.

    Dave Rennie. You are smart but not that smart. Why did Andrew Horrell take the goal kicking duties when he is not really a goal kicker.

    Why did James Lowe play. Why is it apparent to me that he is a loser yet you seem to like him?

    Rennie is not cut out for coaching at Super Rugby level and needs to go back to NPC level. Even if he did turn cruden around through his one on one coaching.
     
  10. Rego RS Hutchinson

    Marshall an AB? never - I don't think anyone would have or will call for him to be - he's a solid Super Rugby player and that's it. Yep TJ played well, at times I felt like the Canes were a bit loose but it didn't matter too much in the end. Hurricanes definitely played better than the Highlanders tonight (not to take anything away from them). The Highlanders won the territory battle and that was key for them, Tahs were shit to say the least.

    In terms of the fans it's no surprise. A lot of bandwagon "fans" always get up for these sort of games, not sure if it was the same NPC final (Welly lost 7-6 to Canterbury) but the crowd of about 20000 odd that night was immense and you didn't have kids running up and down the aisle - the people that were there wanted to be there, that would never happen at Super Rugby match in Welly I don't think - although next week tickets will be snapped up faster and more expensive so may deter those kinds of coming along. What section were you in also??? could be another factor.

    Canes will be definite favourites for the final but if Nehe and Ardie are out things could get a lil interesting. Gibbins is a solid player but not quite on the same level as Savea. Not sure what Jane's status is but feel like I'd rather him still over Proctor with Nehe (if fit) moving back to FB. We have that combo and we win imo. I feel Jane (while never being as great for us compared to the ABs) is more reliable. Proctor did come on with a point to prove however. Some absolute awesome match ups though - Nonu/ Smith vs Fekitoa, Julian Savea vs Naholo, Barrett vs Sopoaga, Perenara vs Smith etc. You'd have to think that this game will be a lot higher pace than traditionally finals rugby is and probably a few tries too. Traditionally finals rugby isn't that great of a spectacle but this one may prove to be different.
     
  11. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    Unless Wellington turn it into a spectacle they will lose. If they play percentage or "finals" rugby then kiss goodbye another shot at glory Wellington.

    Luckily they have Barrett and he shouldn't be overawed.

    I don't what NPC final you are talking about. I watched one 3 years ago. The Lions laid an egg. At least 20 points in it. Wellington only got expansive with 5 minutes to go and kicked it away all night before that. Sopoanga in particular basically lost it single handedly such is the importance of your number 10 in these games.

    Crowd was way better that night though. They knew rugby. Your explanation of tonights crowd sounds fair. They knew so little that they didn't seem like a Kiwi crowd. Crowds at AB matches are usually better.

    Heef to like this conversation by the way as he has long advocated for the superiority of the itm cup.
     
  12. Rego RS Hutchinson

    2008 final it was - basically one of the better years for Wellington (won the shield and all) and choked in the final. I am however getting frustrated by everyone saying that the Canes have a tendency of getting to the final and choking - ahhh no we've played in 1 final before, it was the infamous fog final and we were underdogs....it's a Wellington tendency to choke in finals not the Canes (they have traditionally just under performed the whole season in general). None of this bullshit of this team knows how to play finals rugby so will win which is good (both of those teams were eliminated tonight). I do however think that if we can't get over the line this year, we never will. This is the year.

    In regards to NPC having more clued up fans - it's logically the case. Only the faithful turn up (for the most part) to those games - especially in Wellington because it's not perceived as "good" rugby by unclued up fans due to its level. Super Rugby is marketed towards getting bums on seats and it achieves just that. More star players, higher level etc. It's really a no brainer. I do however feel that this has been one of the better Super Rugby campaigns in years (despite the bullshit conference system fucking the likes of the Highlanders and Saders over and the poor showing from SA). There's no denying that we have been treated to some bloody good rugby with some players really stepping up. I'm kind of gutted Heef chose to ditch this Super Rugby season completely.
     
  13. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    I think you understand my point about the crowd, but you will "feel" my point next week when you attend.
     
  14. Rego RS Hutchinson

    In regards to how the Canes will play in the final - I can't see them playing percentage rugby at all which is why I don't think it's going to be your typical final game. The Canes tactically did everything right tonight, they approached the game with perfection and I can't see them going away from something that's worked all season to play "finals" rugby. The Highlanders once again need to be careful - their game plan revolves around Aaron Smith's kicking game and a few were aimless to Folau tonight - as a whole though their territory kicking stepped in and won them the game. I'm suspecting a similar approach if our lineout starts going to the shitter but they're going to have to be so careful kicking to our backline/ back 3. I was pleased from the get go that the Canes were prepared to run.
     
  15. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    I am not a Canes fan. But I live in upper hutt and it would be nice to see them get up.

    However I think Rego you are mistaken - they will change their game plan for the final and will opt to kick more. It will be the wrong thing to do. But they will do it anyway. I still back the Canes to win as I think they will only kick it away 30% more than what they did tonight.

    For your sake as a long suffering fan I hope they don't kick it more than that.

    But just to prepare you they will play "Finals" rugby. I know that as sure as the sun rises in the east. People are fundamentally stupid and I have no faith in the Canes coaching staff to treat the game like just another game. It is a final and they will treat it as such.

    One reason for treating it as a final - is that the defence will be much tighter than a semi final or a regular play off game and definitely tighter than a round robin game. The coaching staff will know that hence territory will be become more important rightly or wrongly.

    Don't chew your nails before next week Rego as you will need them for Saturday.
     
  16. Rego RS Hutchinson

    It'll be interesting, it'll be a test match feel so I feel it should be better and there'll definitely be Highlanders' fans making the trip up. It SHOULD be better but we shall see. It's a shame really, I can't ever really see it improving that much in Wellington, it kind of sucks our fan base is pretty shitty. There's not many of us loyal fans out there that watch and get into the thick of every game. What they're doing up here in the Manawatu puts Wellington to shame. Bloody strong crowds to NPC matches - even when it's pouring down raining. The Canes vs Blues game here was immense - although I did splash out and get the best seats in the house so could be a factor. The only thing that really let the atmosphere down is personally I don't like the structure of the stadium - it just feels a bit off being a lil far away from the pitch but the same applies to the Caketin in another way. Smaller stadiums that are close to the field are awesome. Manawatu is definitely a 2nd team for me now, quite good they're in different divisions and I have always loved their style of play.
     
  17. Rego RS Hutchinson

    I agree that they're not going to play exactly like they did tonight and may kick a little more but I can't see them going too far away from what they've done all season (to play finals rugby) but I do agree that they probably will go partially to that element, so some aspects is probably a fair call (a wrong one in my mind but anywho). We do play a high risk/ high reward type of game that has cost us a few tries throughout the season and the bounce of the ball in the final for that kind of thing could go either way BUT I don't want that to deter into a complete kicking game basically not backing our running game. I felt tonight we nailed it on the head and if we sort out the fact at times it was a bit disjointed I can't see the Landers really getting through with a win. They'll be a lot more tired than us. If it becomes a kicking battle/ complete territory battle, after tonight's game you'd have to say the Highlanders would win but kicking to our backline has cost teams dearly this season so they'd have to get it right on the spot or they're doomed. The high ball could be interesting for us too which is why if Jane is fit he'll be a crucial asset for us.

    We'll have to wait and see but I really hope we don't adopt a kicking game too much. I just see it failing us.
     
  18. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    Agreed.
     
  19. Rego RS Hutchinson

    Another thing that scares me a little is logically the Highlanders will be underdogs in this match. Their side is always underrated and they thrive on both of these tags. Weather forecast for next Saturday is rain (7 day forecasts are pretty unreliable however) I really hope the elements don't spoil this one. I'd actually potentially back a Highlanders side to win in a cold, windy night. Just a bit more structured than the Canes which would work a lot better in the rain.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2015
  20. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    Last post for me rego

    On a cold rainy night your fullback comes into the game more too - and guess who has the better fullback.
     

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