Blues vs. Canes - Live chat & banter plus post game articles & an*alysis

Canes have missed 7 tackles after 11 mins
Blues ahead ten to 3.

Reg Goodes scores a try after a great run my Marshall. Barrett converts. 10 all after 17 mins.

Kaino scores off a rolling maul after the kickoff & some good play by the Blues. Can the SA teams learn how to execute the rolling maul? Just watch the Blues
17-10 for Blues after 20 mins.

 Coles score for the Blues, his speed is impressive. But wait the Canes knocked it on when the stripped the ball from West. But wait TMO says no knock-on try Blues.
Tied up at 17 now.
I wonder if the wee stormers score tries like these kiwi teams

 Kaino scores a fantastic try off the back of a ruck, long run. His second try in this game after 23 mins. 5 tries in 13 minutes.
24-17 after 24 mins.
Kiwi forwards showing how to play the game.

 Half is over, 5 tries in the first half. Blues ahead 24-17. Canes have to win this game to have a shot at being top of the kiwi table.

 Blues get another 3 after the break. 10 point lead at 43 min mark.

 Hi there JW. It's of course Saturday morning here in Cape Town and I have some chores to do. I do hope you enjoy the game and please remember the real rugby comes on this afternoon! Hahahhahahahaha
It appears the kbbs are not interested anymore in kiwi rugby. Ou warped DUD doubtless can't wait till this afternoon! He will be glued to the screen when the Mighty Stormers play! 

Poor Beeno under Mrs Beeno's thumb again
The wee stormers game is next Beeno, one would have thought you would have watched these two kiwi teams to get a glimmer of how the game should he played.

 Barrett kicks a penalty, 5 out of 5 so his kicking game is going well. 23-27 to the Blues. after 52 mins.

 JW I must get going. I simply can' t guide you through the game. Try and find a decent article which explains what happens! 

 Canes score off a nice set piece. Canes pull ahead 30-27.

 All I can sa y is go Cloudy's Blues!

 Beeno, you can see where the wee lions got their style of play from when you look at kiwi teams play. A pale imitation of course

 Canes score, nice run by the lock showing good skills. Barrett kicks the penalty. 35 to 27 72 mins gone.

Not many kiwis left on this forum now Beeno, but Hakwa & Sasuke San will show up from time to time to assist with your education. 

 Good game, Blues really have improved but still coming up short. Canes came back from 10 behind & 2 points behind the Mighty Chiefs (MC for short).

 Hi JW ,Blues gave the canes a fright eh ? I reckon the Blues will give the comp a good shake next year ,especially if they snag wee B eaudy Barrett !

Hi Wardad, yup the Blues are on the rise. Next year there will be no easy beats in the NZ comp. No worries for the SA teams as they won't play kiwi teams very often... surely this is not the results of skulduggery?  

 Yes well they are working on making it so all saffa teams get to play the Kings at least 8 times each all at home .Now this may see m hard on the wee Kings but some of those 'games' will consist of the team physio and some old lady wot cleans the toilets .Which should prove no handicap to the Kings chances of winning or indeed their overall for and against .

 

Hurricanes claim vital victory; Gregor Paul; NZ Herald

It was a predictable result in the end but this was a game that most definitely didn't conform to expectations.

The Hurricanes got there thanks to their perseverance and greater composure and accuracy in the final quarter. When it came to that critical period when fatigue was settling in and the respective benches were flooding on, the Hurricanes held together better.

They didn't have much ball and were under plenty of pressure, but they absorbed it and then counter-attacked when half a chance presented itself.

The final blow was struck when Vaea Fifita was able to step through a weak Matt McGahan tackle to score his second try and put his side 10 points ahead with eight minutes left.

It was a cruel blow for the Blues, as they were right in it up until then. They had ample possession and territory but, while they took advantage of that in the first half, they lost their clinical edge in the second spell and allowed little mistakes to derail them.

It was a predictable result in the end but this was a game that most definitely didn't conform to expectations.

The Hurricanes got there thanks to their perseverance and greater composure and accuracy in the final quarter. When it came to that critical period when fatigue was settling in and the respective benches were flooding on, the Hurricanes held together better.

They didn't have much ball and were under plenty of pressure, but they absorbed it and then counter-attacked when half a chance presented itself.

The final blow was struck when Vaea Fifita was able to step through a weak Matt McGahan tackle to score his second try and put his side 10 points ahead with eight minutes left.

It was a cruel blow for the Blues, as they were right in it up until then. They had ample possession and territory but, while they took advantage of that in the first half, they lost their clinical edge in the second spell and allowed little mistakes to derail them.

It was a similar story in their last game before the break against the Crusaders - the Blues were good for 60 minutes but couldn't hang tough in the final 20. They didn't capitulate, they just got a bit frantic and hesitant, which was in stark contrast to how they had played earlier in the game.

For 60 minutes, the Blues played with the cohesion, accuracy, pace, vision and spirit that made it impossible not to wonder where it had been the rest of the season.

They were good. Not good in comparison with where they have been in recent weeks or seasons - properly good - and as good as the other four New Zealand sides. This was their best away performance since they thumped the Hurricanes in Wellington in the first game of the 2013 season.

It's hard to know whether it was just a case of something clicking, the break having done them the world of good or the Hurricanes hanging off them for a split second on defence to provide the extra inch or two of space they needed to attack weak shoulders and use their power to blast into holes.

Steven Luatua played with the energy and influence he did at his best three years ago. Jerome Kaino couldn't stop scoring and, when he charged over for his second, with his back straight, knees high and perfect running form, he looked like he might have a few more years left in him yet.

Their fellow loosie, Kara Pryor, was busy-busy to the extent he showed up more than Ardie Savea, which many might have felt was impossible.

And then, having to front against the man the Blues are courting to fill his jersey in Beauden Barrett, Ihaia West played on instinct and yet was never wild or loose. He didn't goal kick - that was left to Piers Francis - and being free of the responsibility suited him perfectly.

Maybe the Blues don't need a new No 10. Maybe when the forwards do their job as well as they did and the ball is fast and the team know what they are trying to do, West can be the general the Blues need.

By next year, the Blues will have Augustine Pulu at halfback and Sonny Bill Williams at second-five - the sort of players who could steer West through the toughest games.

Hurricanes 37 (R. Goodes, D.Coles, V. Fifita (2) tries; B.Barrett 4 cons, 3 pens) 
Blues 27 (K. Pryor, J. Kaino (2) tries; P. Francis 3 cons, 2 pens). Halftime: 17-24.

- NZ Herald

 Barrett is in a different class then West. West is good & exciting but he is not Barrett, well not yet anyway.
Good to see Kaino back in top form.
Bad luck for Toomaga-Allen, I heard it is a broken arm. Bad luck for me also as when he went off the field my Fantasy Rugby team went to 12 1/2 men.

 Melani Nanai hand injury another blow to Blues; NZ Herald

The Blues' disappointment in losing to the Hurricanes despite a sparkling first-half performance could be deepened by a hand injury to fullback Melani Nanai, the wing-turned fullback who looked very much at home there on the Westpac Stadium pitch.

And he wasn't the only one. When Tana Umaga and his assistants come to review their team's 37-27 defeat, they will probably see that the vast majority of Nanai's teammates did, from new All Black prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi, to hooker James Parsons, lock Patrick Tuipulotu, and the outstanding loose forward trio of Kara Pryor, Jerome Kaino and Steven Luatua.

The midfield of Piers Francis and Male Sa'u also performed spectacularly, adding direction to first-five Ihaia West, who also had his moments, and in wings Matt Duffie and Tevita Li, the Blues had a pair who probably outshone All Blacks opposites Julian Savea and Cory Jane.

The Hurricanes, by comparison, looked like they had been caught in an ambush before they gained an upper hand in the final quarter.

They were also helped by a controversial first-half try to hooker Dane Coles, awarded by the television match official despite the ball going forward off the hand of one of his teammates.

But the Blues, leading 24-17 at halftime thanks to a stunning Pryor try, plus two from Kaino, lacked direction once Francis went off with a biceps injury, along with Sa'u, the Japan international who left the field with a rib cartilage problem. A lost Blues' lineout on halfway late in the match handed the Hurricanes an opportunity and they took it via Vaea Fifita's second try, assisted by replacement Matt McGahan's missed tackle.

Nanai's hand injury, for which he was scheduled to have a scan on, also robbed the Blues of one of their best attacking talents, and of the three injured players, he looks the worst, according to assistant coach Alister Rogers.

So, disappointment again for the Blues, who probably deserved to win their previous match, against the Crusaders at Eden Park before the June break. On that occasion their work in the final quarter again let them down, but their 60-minute performance in Wellington on Saturday was of the highest calibre.

Now officially out of the playoffs, the Blues won't play another away game this season, but this was probably their best on the road since their victory over the Hurricanes in Sir John Kirwan's first match in charge in 2013.

And of them all, it was the hard-charging return to form of loose forward Luatua which might have been the most pleasing. The former All Black was at his best alongside Pryor and Kaino, a partnership which probably got the better of Victor Vito, Ardie Savea and Brad Shields.

Rogers said: "They really took that challenge on, as obviously the Hurricanes have a pretty good loose trio themselves."

Stats & some conclusions for game:

 

Canes

Blues

Attack

 

 

Tries

4

3

Meters gained

382

707

Carries

90                       

104

Defender beaten

25

36

Clean breaks

14

18

Passes

116

 238

Offloads

12

25

Turnovers conceded

13

20

Blues had incredible advantage in terms of attack.

Defence

 

 

Tackles

176

85

Missed Tackles

36

25

Turnovers won

8

3

Canes made more tackles but were also more effective than the Blues as Blues missed by a much higher percentage. Canes also had more success in turnovers won.

Breakdown

57

121

Rucks won

98.3%

95.3%

Rucks lost

1

6

Mauls won

1

2

Blues lost more ruck ball.

Set plays

 

 

Lineouts won

8

11

Lineouts lost

2

2

Scrums won

8

5

No real advantage either way as both team won 100% of their scrum but for lineouts Blues had a 4% advantage on lineouts won (slight advantage to Blues).
Penalties Canes 9 Blues 6.
Conclusions Blues won the stats but not the scoreboard. Their tackling let them down.

 Sats JW "Kiwi forwards showing how to play the game."
Bweahahhaahahahaha hilarious from JW

 I am still updating the stat Beeno, Beeno firing before his gun is loaded as usual

 JW I think we should all be commenting on the Lions Sharks game. Now that was real rugby.
I do appre ciate you trying to encourage Lady Cloudy but i think you are overdoing it.

 Beeno, you will see my conclusion on this game in my post above. Blues really "won" this game if we use the "logic" of the wee chap Beeno1
Blues look like they are getting close to having a very good team. If they can get Barrett in their team, the addition of SBW (who terrorizes the likes of wee de Allende) they will be in good shape next year.

The Lions game was a rout Beeno as they copied the kiwi teams (rather poorly but they are learning). No point in ana*lysing the stats for that one. Wee Bulls really got thrashed also. Stormers only "won" because of the down under ref