This weekend we had 2 NZ derbies and another pair of SA's.
From one side, the NZ side, both matches were very worthy to watch for different reasons. The canes-blues was the attacking rugby by itself, the best example of how to play an expansive game with both whole teams dedicated to look for the try line. Pure entertainment.
7 tries in total and the pleasure to watch the best backline of the competition:
Perenara, Barret, Leiua, C. Smith, Savea, Jane and Taylor. Really dangerous.
The other NZ derby was just the opposite: defense and intensity. But as the other one, very worthy to watch. The phisicallity and intensity that was shown by both chiefs and saders can only be founded at test level. It was a war, probably not the most brilliant game, just 1 try, but man,.... that was epic. The article that JW brought to another thread explains better than me and my english:
"Every collision was wince-inducing; every lineout was a battle; each scrum was to the max. There were a few dust-ups, some massive tackles, endless adventure and the outcome in the balance to the end.
When the rugby is that brutal, it's easy to understand why the players aren't so keen on the double derby rounds - once would be enough for them. This contest took both sides to, or possibly even beyond their limits. The intensity was such, that a couple of international sides - Scotland and Italy perhaps - wouldn't have lasted out there."
Old school rugby at his best.
And on the other side, the SA's one, what do we havve? it's very difficult to find something to highlight. It was so boring stuff that I quit watching during the stormers-lions halftime. I think that the SARU has something to worry about better than how to introduce the sixth team in SR.
