Sasu - What did I say about Nonu?

Did I not say that with his crashballing he is destroying the Highlanders backline functioning.   When he was not there, the Highlanders backline was superb - so my contention that crashballing destroy backline functining remains in place.

I still think that crashballing 12's like Francois Steyn do not have a place in center positions in teams and that also was the reason why I disapproved strongly with the Bulls backline attack coach (Mattfield) when they try to turn Serfontein into a crashballer.   That concept must have been the product of the infertile mind of a non-thinking coach like Meyer. 

 Mike you hit a rare bulls eye. Crash balling should be used sparingly. Also going to ground rather than passing. Watch how the Lions thrashed samoa. Their passing game was superb.

Serfontein should not accept a role like that. Leave the bulle if needs be. Serfonteins great strength is his rugby brain, silky distribution and finding space.

 Clevermike you got no clue why Nonu is crash balling? They use him in the exit zone to carry up the ball that means he will crash it up. If the defense tackles him well and there is slow ball they will launch their kick and chase team. If he makes yards and they have quick ball they will look for the attacking opportunity if its on.

Let me explain how NZ uses him

On General Play ZOne they will use the power centre to run a certain pattern for them.strike play is designed to attack the opposition fly half with a power centre (Ma’a Nonu). Nonu will have support from the blindside winger. He can receive the ball before the line or Nonu may offload to him through the line. If Nonu takes the tackle, Jane will act as a cleaner at the ruck. New Zealand use Jerome Kaino and Conrad Smith as the second and third carriers because they are effective at producing quality front foot ball. Once they get to the edge (sideline), the rest of the team have formed a shape that is designed to threaten  tiring defence From the wide ruck, the fly half has one support player on his inside and three on his outside. He will also have four wide players that he can pass or kick to.  So you see its strike plays that they practice and designed to tire out defenses and to tire out our big forwards. Because the Kiwi's are clever. They drain your energy first before handing the ball over. We are just too stupid to realize it.

Highlanders it might not work as well cause the hole Thompson have left and the quickball as well as his running with taking up the ball is not there

spot on about thomoson spoony, another huge name for the highlanders who was injured in the early rounds was nasi manu, he was one of the leading ball carriers in the last few years and his injury plus thomsons exist have been felt by the higlanders big time.

ive been saying that nonus performance has been well below par in 2013, but SBW has proved just what an effective crashballer can do. crashballing is more about getting over the advanatge line and building phase, while trying to suck in defenders.
nonu has not been as effective at this as he was a few years back and francois steyn is in the same boat, but im sure u have seen my posts where while i agreed steyns been kak, he still has value.

highlanders backline were very effective against the blues, but the blues looked like they were hungover or something, a very ordinary and abysmal effort from the blues and their efforts could not be ignored as it contributed to the higlanders looking good, but take nothing away from the highlanders, cos they were good.

Sasue

You are indeed learning rapidly whilst on this site - you een know the catchwords like "kak"  used to describe the performance of players.   Well done my friend. LOL

Listen - I have nothing against players like SBW technnique of drawing in defenders and off -loading balls to other players for whom space has been created through such means.   I have it against going to ground all the time and setting up maul situations under such circumstances.   This is what Nonu and Steyn have been doing all season - they just bring any backline play to a dead stop and then must start all over again.   

Smuteabeously - it starves the outside players form performing well.   Without Nonu around Ellison, Gear and Smith were tops this weekend - with him they had no chance to shine.    That to my mind is the difference between the way the Highlanders functioned this weekend.

When I saw the team announcement - alarm bells started to ring with me and I said I am worried about my score on Superbru.   To be quite frank - I do not rate the Blues forwards at all very highly - with the exception of Luatua -  and was amazed by their victories this year.    That is why they became unstuck against some teams with a fairly strong forward combination.    That probably more than anything else explains their performance this Round.

I think the Blues will end up outside the top 6 teams on the log and that they will not be in the play-offs.  

Sorry - duplication