Warm-up Games - New Zealand

For some reason or another I did not keep track of the warm-up games in New Zealand and Australia this weekend.   With les than a week to gp until the main series start in Australia - I assume there must have been games layed in bot New Zealand and Australia.

In view of the fantasy rugby issue - I am particularly keen to know what happened in any warm-up games involving the four Australian teams playing next weekend.   As always I am also keen to know what is happening as to the New Zealand teams.

I have in fact written a review on the only game thus far this weekend played in SA   and I will do the same as to the other SA games - being televised only here.   I would appreciate it very much if some of our New Zealand members can do the same for our benefit.

Michael

Highlanders pipped the Saders 38-21 in Oamaru

Blues got over the 'Tahs 45-31 in Whangarei

Chiefs beat the Reds 20-8 in Brisbane

'Canes 47-45 in....I don't know where

piie-

Thanks ever so much for the info.  I really am a bit worried about the Crusaders this year - but the Chiefs look strong if one has to go by the results of the warm - up games.  These results  could be misleading though - so lets wait and see how things go when the party really starts.

@mikey,

preseason gmaes mikey, preseason games. cursaders is the one team who have always know when and where to put the foot down and 2013 is no different.
crusaders team that played the highlanders,,,
Crusaders team: Wyatt Crockett, Ben Funnell, Pa'ea Fa'anunu, Luke Romano, Dominic Bird, Luke Whitelock, Shane Christie, Jordan Taufua, Andy Ellis, Tom Taylor, Johnny McNicholl, Ryan Crotty (c), Israel Dagg, Adam Whitelock, Tom Marshall.
Reserves: Codie Taylor, Adrian Barone, Joe Moody, Jimmy Tupou, Jeremy Su'a, Willi Heinz, Robbie Fruean, Telusa Veainu, Joel Everson, Mitch Graham, Matt Todd, Tyler Bleyendaal, Kieran Fonotia, George Whitelock, James Schrader.

crusaders have a totla of 12 players with All Blacks caps (maybe more cos thats from memory), but only 4 of them were playing.
crusaders never play their strongest teams in the preseason games, they give enough games for their top players to have a run, usually half a game at the most.
this coupled with there preseason training is more then enough for the crusaders elite players to get warmed up for the season. not bad tactics considering thier workload and the fasct the most succesful team in super rugby history is aiming for a record 12 consecutive finals appearnce in a row, speaks volumes IMO.

also the rebels/hurricanes game was in geelong melbourne. my brother and i wnet to it and it was pretty damn exciting.
andre taylor looks set to continue where he left off, he was explosive and threatned the line with every run.
ardie save also confirmed what i have long suspected, hes going to be the fastest looseforward in the game, ran down the winger and james oconner at least 4 times from behind despite them having an easy 10mtr head start.
i cant see ardie getting too much game time though, hurricanes depth in the loose frowards is very similar to the sharks with its depth and the quality of that depth.

Sasue

Thank you very much for the information - much appreciated.   Sounds like it wa a very exciting match between the Rebels and the Hurricanes.   

Incidentally I share you viewpoints on pre-season games.    

 @sasue, Ardor Savea only has to get past Karl Lowe who will presumably be starting openside for the Canes and there's every chance that will happen and he won't play every set of 80 mins, I think he'll see plenty of game time this campaign.

@poie,

there are plenty of players who are above ardie on the pecking order, jack lam and brad shields will be selected before him everytime.
the most likely hurricanes looseforward trio will prob be,,,
6 f levave, 7 k lowe, 8 v vito, with brad shields on the bench.
i understand that lam is injured at them moment, but when he returns he will be pushing k lowe hard like he did in 2012.

i dont really rate k lowe anymore, hes lost a lot of his power which made him deadly for the canes once upon a time, but i do rate lam, vito and especially levave who was the canes best loose forward for 2012.
brad shields impact of the bench cant be denied, infact IMO hes the best impact player to come of the bench period. its a pity he dosent have that effect when he was named in the starting XV.

i would be surprised to ardie get picked ahead those players mentioned, but u could be right i know hammet rates him very highly.

Brad Shields is a 6-8 and with Jack Lam injured that leaves just 2 specialist opensides.   I don't rate Karl Lowe either and I'm not sure if Jack Lam is necessarily a better specialist openside (a better utility who can cover 6 as well maybe).  Ultimately I think his form from ITM cup and these warm up matches may be too hard to ignore...I hope so anyway as I dont think NZ's cup runners over with real quality opensides at the moment.