S5, R5: Cnuts vs. Nippers - Completed

%cnuts

Kovana Solosolo
Soft Steel
Gavin Henshaw
Yeeb
Bobby Baker
Antone Sciappapetre
Element Freak
Helen Huntsface
Fourie van der Westhuizen
Dan Larkinson
Girve Swervington
Darren Cave
Bobrad Smith
Alex Mediocre
Cunning Stunt

JJ Gravell

%crabs

OS du Toit
Lloyd Townsend
Roger Mellie
Oscar Wood
Ryu Yamadera
Hal Teja
Mike Martyn
Alec Bannerman
Bill Kirk
UVE Locity
Dan Wayne
Sam Somerset
Mathew Mitchell
Hache Emm
Sticky Phlegm

 

Should be comfortable for us here.

Nippers pack has been right buggered by the injuries - it might be useful for Bannerman to just get himself sent off - but the Cnuts haven't been able to get much out of the set piece this season anyway, all the danger comes from their backs.

 

"Should be" is operative. We should have whipped the Olympians, for example. Not that much to choose between the teams, experience-wise; odds a little misleading imo, certainly not an indication of the spread.

 

I think the Cnuts have some inroads. Bobrad will be the best centre on display and Larkinson will fancy having a go at that 10-12 channel. Plus Swervington and Emm will not be able to tackle each other, so that should be entertaining.

Yeeb has a good chance to claim an England start but he won't get any favours from up front.

 

The question on everyone's lips is whether Bannerman will play worse at #8 than he does in his normal position. [/Kazimming]

 

This'll be tonight. 9pm GMT / 8am AEST / 10am NZT

 

Game's on. Du Toit showing some muscle early on.

 

3 strikes against the head in the first five minutes.

 

( 0:12.45: Cnuts 0 - 6 Nippers) H--|-----/-----||-----/----0|--A The next phase to be played from 46 metres on the Nippers side of the halfway line.

Dan Larkinson to take the quick tap here for the Cnuts. He looks up and passes to Soft Steel.

Soft Steel doesn't have any real options here. He looks to run, but it doesn't look like there's anywhere to go. Great tackle by Roger Mellie causes Soft Steel to lose the ball in the tackle. Knock on, scrum.

Ol' faithful

 

Os du Toit with the ball for the Nippers. Ah, he's not going to make it all the way, he's been tackled but he managed to gain 25 metres there. He was like a wrecking ball through the middle of the park there!

RUN FAT BOY RUN

 

Bit too long to be losing for comfort, this. Problems at the breakdown to be expected with this makeshift pack but I'm not sure what's causing the dodgy handling.