'Saders show the way

If you want to a model of how rugby should and must be played look at the Crusaders.

Always loved 'em.

They set the pace and show skills and incredible winning plans that do not emanate from secret formulas but simple rugby...they do the very basics right...don't drop balls and play into and create gaps...they make their own opportunities.

Even in years when they are lean on stars they as a team they are stars. The best  side in franchise rugby by a country mile...better than flamborant 'Canes and will be in the final...our only hope in SA will be the Lions...but I predict the 'Saders won't slip one match...they are steamed up but controlled and will the one to beat. They lacked 2 of their stars today and beat the Bulls by a "cricket" score in their sacred Loftus as easily as I can click my fingers.

They will win this...and to think they were 6 to 1 at the beginning was easy money to make for those that like to gamble.

I love them because they play real rugby...wonderful rugby players and those that live in beautiful Christchurch...a paradise for true rugby lovers.

 "but I predict the 'Saders won't slip one match"
...mate yr dreamin'

 Lol Saders are not better then the Canes. Flamboyent? You mean they attack with proficiency? Canes on statitistics, are far better attacking side then the Saders. Saders have not even ahd any tough games at all this season. They have been playing very weak teams. To call the Canes Flamboyent. When their title win last season was based on defense. Is not a correct characterization at all. Canes have the best side overall out of all the teams this year. 

 Nah mate Chiefs have got this !

 Back to Back

Well, we'll see soon enough...The 'Canes have always been a bold team with bravado and are now a well balanced outfit with defence and attack...they too play the full game and have the perfect answers...strong in both...it depends on the emphasis needed at the time but this mostly true with all NZ sides...they just do the right things at the right time and I have respect for all NZ sides.

Debating and foolish arguments with some board members …is like playing chess with a pigeon. The pigeon knocks over all the pieces, craps on the board, then struts around like it won the game .

 @3ku1,

"Canes on statitistics, are far better attacking side then the Saders"


(saders played 1 more game than canes)
-Tries
Hurricanes  63 (1st)
Crusaders   61 (2nd)

-Clean Breaks
Hurricanes  151  (1st)
Crusaders   133 (2nd)

-Meters
Hurricanes  5.128 (2nd)
Crusaders   5.485 (1st)

-Defenders Beaten
Hurricanes  245 (3rd)
Crusaders   267 (1st)

-Offloads
Hurricanes   121 (12th)
Crusaders    162  (2nd)

seems to me both saders and canes are quite similar statistically,.... and the 2 best attacking teams in the comp
should be considered that the saders, unlike the canes, had the whole backline injured at the beginning of the season,... they had to play the blues and landers with Crotty as the only incumbent backline player (Mo'unga, Goodhue, Tamanivalu, Dagg, Ioane, Macilai, Bateman, all injured)

 I don't think canes have the best side overall,..... but we'll see soon which is the best team,... this month's NZ derbies are going to clarify it,.... next week's Crusaders-Canes, the Chiefs-Crusaders of the following week and the Crusaders-Highlanders or Hurricanes-Chiefs at the end of the month,....

but for what we've seen till the moment I would consider saders the favs,.... they have the best forward pack by far even without Whitelock and Read,.... and this is going to be crucial,.... NZ teams won't have the counter-attack opportunities they have enjoyed till the moment against the saffa and aussie teams,....

canes' forward pack struggled big way against a depleted and weakened stormers forward pack (no Etzebeth, no PSdT,...) that was very clearly beaten by the saders,... the superiority in the forwards and the midfield where the pair Crotty-Goodhue is far more solid than Laumape-Aso, could be decisive,.... saders have to stop Perenara-Barret duo but I think the very mobile saders' loosies will be up to the task,.... Todd and Taufua are playing outstandingly, Samu's contribution from the bench or when required to start is also remarkable, and rumours say that Whetu Douglas is going to play,....
I would play with Bryn Hall opposing Perenara
hope Dagg is fit and can start at FB,.... Havili played superbly against aussies and saffas but still don't trust him against NZ teams

 Crusaders have a very solid team, forwards and backs working well together. They dont have the big names in their backline but they know how to get the job done, the reason for that is the work that their AB  forward pack does. The Crus forwad pack has to be one of if not the best in SR at the momoment, they move bodies out of the rucks and keep going forward with good running and offloading. That allows the backs more room to breath and find holes in a stretched out defensive line.
But the Huuricanes have the Barretts, and their midfield combo Aso and Laumape who are slso kicking ass and busting tackles. The Canes forward pack isnt as strong as the Crus but they just have to do enough work to get it to the backs quick enough and their jobs done. The Hurricanes backline is devastating on attack almost guaranteed a try is coming when they have momentum.
The winner out of these teams is going to come down to bounce of the ball, keeping their discipline and luck.

Crusaders vs Hurricanes this weekend should be a cracker of a game and may well decide who wins this year's Super Rugby title . . . thanks to the ridiculous conference structure where the 2nd placed NZ team will almost certainly finish in 2nd place overall but will effectively be placed 5th with quarterfinals and semis away from home.

Looks like it'll be Crusaders forwards vs Hurricanes backs. I subscribe to the old adage that in rugby, its the forwards who decide who wins a game while the backs decide by how many. For that reason I'm going with the Crusaders.

 IMO the most important weapon of the canes is the halves pair Perenara-B.Barrett,.... they create team's momentum and are decisive,.... Jordie still too green, not so decisive creating (but can finish) and has to improve his defense,....
Laumape-Aso have had some good games alongside Beauden and against weaker opposition but IMO they are far from the pair Crotty-Goodhue,.... I can only see the pair Ngatai-ALB matching the saders midfield if Ngatai is fit enough,.... but we'll see what happens on the field,.... one of the most interesting battles in the next 2 games of the saders is the midfield battle btwin these combos

yeah, the canes' backline is devastating,... but the havoc they create usually comes from the opposition mistakes that leave their defense completely unstructured,..... and this won't happen against the saders
take the last game against the stormers,... first try come from a huge mistake from Lleyds who having the whole field to launch a counter attack opted to kick the ball in front of Shields,.... obviously Shields charged down the kick and there wasn't any stormers defense,... and yeah, barrett's cross-kick to his brother was spectacular
in the second try Jordie stole the wallet to a forward in his own try line,.... very poor and weak from Caar
the forth came after Perenara (!!!!) stole a lineout in the canes' 22 and kicked downfield,... obviously there wasn't any defensive structure,... and after another stormers' mistake at the breakdown came another excellent crosskick from barrett,... and I could continue,...

Perenara and Barret are masters in taking advantage of the opposition's mistakes,.... perenara (and the loosies) are also very good creating pressure that lead to mistakes,.... but against the saders they won't have the facilities they have had,.... the target of the saders defense is going to be to nulify them, to nulify the Perenara-B. Barret duo,... the victory in this game will depend IMO on tha success or failure of this task