WEBVTT - Rugby Direct - Episode 155 0:00:09.093 --> 0:00:12.693 You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow 0:00:12.773 --> 0:00:16.133 this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 0:00:17.773 --> 0:00:20.213 Inside the Game from Every Angle. 0:00:20.413 --> 0:00:24.493 It's Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith, powered by News Talks EDB. 0:00:24.653 --> 0:00:27.253 Welcome to Rugby to powered by Habit Health, tackling all 0:00:27.253 --> 0:00:30.093 your aches and pains from sports and work back for 0:00:30.093 --> 0:00:34.453 another week to dissect the rugby issues. Elliott Smith with 0:00:34.493 --> 0:00:38.413 me as always, Liam Napier. Liam, Greetings, it's been another 0:00:38.413 --> 0:00:41.933 fascinating week in the world of rugby. I suppose let's 0:00:42.013 --> 0:00:44.613 go back to last week where by the time we 0:00:44.693 --> 0:00:47.253 recorded our usual weekly podcast, we're about twenty four hours 0:00:47.253 --> 0:00:50.573 out from releasing a podcast with Mark Robinson into our 0:00:50.613 --> 0:00:53.493 CEO and Scott robertson All Black Sea Coach. Plenty of 0:00:53.533 --> 0:00:55.333 positive reactions, so I thank you to all that have 0:00:55.933 --> 0:00:58.613 got in touch with us on that. And yeah, it's 0:00:58.653 --> 0:01:01.533 created a few stories around the rugby world, hasn't it has. 0:01:01.573 --> 0:01:05.493 Indeed, anytime the All Blacks Coach goes live to the 0:01:05.573 --> 0:01:08.253 nation so to speak, or it does an in depth 0:01:08.373 --> 0:01:11.853 interview like that, it's widely picked up on. And yeah, 0:01:11.853 --> 0:01:14.093 I thought it was quite candid by Razor at times. 0:01:15.013 --> 0:01:15.933 Some hot top. 0:01:15.813 --> 0:01:23.293 Topics covered eligibility, everything from Kalyn Ponger to NRL converts 0:01:24.173 --> 0:01:26.773 and the like in Richie Muonga what happened in Japan. 0:01:26.893 --> 0:01:28.693 So yeah, thanks for all your feedback. 0:01:28.693 --> 0:01:30.933 And if you haven't had a chance to listen to 0:01:30.973 --> 0:01:33.333 it's yea rap breads around it. 0:01:33.413 --> 0:01:36.333 Yeah, you can view it on YouTube as well. Check 0:01:36.373 --> 0:01:39.053 it on the old Crome cast or smart TV and 0:01:39.373 --> 0:01:41.213 park up in the lounge and watch it that way 0:01:41.253 --> 0:01:44.933 if you're so inclined and keen for any other guests 0:01:44.933 --> 0:01:47.133 that you might like us to get on Rugby Direct. 0:01:47.213 --> 0:01:51.933 Let's rip into the weekend that was, and the headline 0:01:51.933 --> 0:01:54.053 match from a New Zealand perspective was the Blues and 0:01:54.093 --> 0:01:58.653 Crusaders on Saturday night and it delivered plenty of tries, 0:01:58.693 --> 0:02:00.733 It delivered a big win for the Crusaders, and it 0:02:00.773 --> 0:02:04.893 delivered more questions about this Blues team one and five 0:02:05.093 --> 0:02:08.733 in their title defense. No one would have picked this. 0:02:08.733 --> 0:02:11.293 This was perhaps a fifty to fifty game heading in. 0:02:12.653 --> 0:02:15.773 You know, the Crusaders were underdogs at the bookies, but 0:02:15.813 --> 0:02:19.693 the Crusaders just too good on the nights and deserving 0:02:19.933 --> 0:02:21.973 of their win. What did you make of the performance then. 0:02:22.693 --> 0:02:24.173 I think we've split them down the middle. 0:02:24.373 --> 0:02:27.133 If we deal with the Crusaders first and foremost, what 0:02:27.293 --> 0:02:31.173 a transformation in the past. What is it four months 0:02:31.213 --> 0:02:34.893 really from a disastrous season. I think they only won 0:02:35.053 --> 0:02:41.533 four games last year, missed the playoffs. Rob Penney's coaching 0:02:41.613 --> 0:02:46.453 job was on the line, questions about his back room staff, 0:02:46.813 --> 0:02:50.493 players weren't happy, there were selection concerns. This year, They've 0:02:50.493 --> 0:02:52.573 got some bodies back, but they're still missing a few. 0:02:52.933 --> 0:02:56.893 Cody Taylor is a couple of others that Brandon n 0:02:57.013 --> 0:03:00.093 or Scott Barret only played half of that game. At 0:03:00.093 --> 0:03:05.133 the weekends. Ethan Blackhead is still out. So look, the Crusaders, 0:03:05.413 --> 0:03:08.733 all credit to them. They did a number on the Blues. 0:03:08.773 --> 0:03:13.573 This was the Blues equal biggest loss to the Crusaders 0:03:14.333 --> 0:03:17.173 at Eden Park, and I think the Crusaders have now 0:03:17.173 --> 0:03:19.133 won nine of the last ten at Eden Park as well, 0:03:19.173 --> 0:03:23.013 which is quite staggering. But this was a Crusaders team 0:03:23.053 --> 0:03:26.133 that hadn't won away from home and Rob Penny's tenure 0:03:26.653 --> 0:03:28.813 nine games. You have to go back to the twenty 0:03:28.853 --> 0:03:32.573 twenty three Super Aby Final to find their last away win, 0:03:32.653 --> 0:03:35.213 so that was a big monkey off their back. What 0:03:35.293 --> 0:03:38.013 I like about the Crusaders is they are far more 0:03:38.013 --> 0:03:40.613 adventurous this year, and far more adventurous than they were 0:03:40.693 --> 0:03:41.573 under Scott Robertson. 0:03:41.613 --> 0:03:42.053 As well. 0:03:42.293 --> 0:03:45.253 They are attacking from inside their twenty two. They are 0:03:45.253 --> 0:03:50.533 offloading using the ball, having a real crack playing with pace. 0:03:50.853 --> 0:03:55.653 The Blues could not slow down their quick recycle and 0:03:55.693 --> 0:03:59.293 that really hurt them. So I was very impressed by 0:03:59.333 --> 0:04:01.813 the Crusaders forward pack. They did a number on the 0:04:01.813 --> 0:04:06.693 Blues lineout on this scrum the breakdown, and it really 0:04:06.853 --> 0:04:09.933 was one rate traffic apart from the Blues scored the 0:04:09.933 --> 0:04:11.733 opening try and then it was all the Crusaders. 0:04:11.973 --> 0:04:14.453 And what the Crusaders thought did well after that opening 0:04:14.533 --> 0:04:16.773 try is that they didn't allow the Blues to get 0:04:16.813 --> 0:04:18.173 him momnt and they went back down the other end 0:04:18.213 --> 0:04:20.853 and scored, then scored again fee hockey scores from the 0:04:20.933 --> 0:04:24.573 twenty two, and that just put the Blues on the 0:04:24.613 --> 0:04:27.693 back foot after they've done well to open the scoring, 0:04:27.773 --> 0:04:29.973 get on the front foot, give themselves a bit of confidence. 0:04:30.013 --> 0:04:31.813 The Crusaders managed to do that and that allowed them 0:04:31.853 --> 0:04:34.733 to take control of the game from that point onwards 0:04:34.733 --> 0:04:37.333 and went into halftime with a thirteen point lead. Extended 0:04:37.373 --> 0:04:40.493 it after the break and never really felt like in 0:04:40.533 --> 0:04:43.533 any danger from when they went about twenty points to 0:04:43.573 --> 0:04:46.493 seven up. And we think back to last year what 0:04:46.493 --> 0:04:49.773 the Blues were able to do so well. They played direct, 0:04:49.933 --> 0:04:53.733 They used their ball runners really effectively. They used this 0:04:53.813 --> 0:04:56.413 set piece really effectively. I know they've got a number 0:04:56.453 --> 0:05:00.893 of injuries, but they looked ponderous at times with ball 0:05:00.933 --> 0:05:03.293 in hand. And it wasn't until they were chasing the 0:05:03.333 --> 0:05:05.733 game late on and the Crusaders maybe switched off a 0:05:05.733 --> 0:05:07.973 little bit and some tied bodies out there that they 0:05:08.053 --> 0:05:11.893 made and to be a little bit more expansive with 0:05:11.933 --> 0:05:14.813 the game plan. It was too late for the Blues 0:05:14.853 --> 0:05:16.933 by that point. They let the game slip. In the 0:05:16.933 --> 0:05:17.853 first half. 0:05:17.853 --> 0:05:22.013 They did just on the Crusaders again. The final score 0:05:22.053 --> 0:05:26.573 line flated the Blues. Kimitta missed three conversions and the 0:05:26.613 --> 0:05:28.973 Crusaders could have I think they lead twenty to seven 0:05:29.013 --> 0:05:32.493 at halftime, and Will Jordan came close to scoring. I 0:05:32.493 --> 0:05:34.453 think he dropped the ball quite close to the line. 0:05:34.733 --> 0:05:39.013 They were breaking the Blues open at will. So many 0:05:39.093 --> 0:05:41.973 unforced eras from the Blues and senior players were talking here, 0:05:42.013 --> 0:05:46.493 you know, Stephen Petefetter dropping a very simple high ball. 0:05:46.653 --> 0:05:50.813 The Crusaders score from that. Riquewani at least two drop 0:05:50.853 --> 0:05:53.733 balls in contact and he was elevated to the captaincy 0:05:53.813 --> 0:05:57.773 after Patrick two Polotu's withdrawal. I think for me that 0:05:58.013 --> 0:06:01.253 the form of the crusaders is encapsulated in David Havili's 0:06:01.293 --> 0:06:04.333 form last year. I know he had some injury concerns, 0:06:04.333 --> 0:06:07.173 but he is now the out and out form second 0:06:07.293 --> 0:06:10.573 five in this competation. The way he's carrying the ball 0:06:10.893 --> 0:06:16.013 in a dominant fashion, if you watch him his talk, 0:06:16.093 --> 0:06:21.333 his organization, he's really relishing that leadership and so his 0:06:21.453 --> 0:06:26.013 transformation transformation has been very stark and that's reflected in 0:06:26.053 --> 0:06:27.573 the Crusader's form. 0:06:27.933 --> 0:06:30.573 And he's taking pressure off to Hakimitter as well, which 0:06:30.653 --> 0:06:32.333 is big because he's a young team. We know the 0:06:32.373 --> 0:06:34.733 woes he had last year dropped back to Waycato Club Rugby, 0:06:35.053 --> 0:06:38.173 missing conversions and and things like that. That he's taking 0:06:38.333 --> 0:06:40.413 that is a big concern. So he's taking a lot 0:06:40.453 --> 0:06:42.173 of the heat off Tarkumeter in terms of the way 0:06:42.213 --> 0:06:42.973 he's running the game. 0:06:43.213 --> 0:06:45.253 Still a young guy, but when you cast a head 0:06:45.293 --> 0:06:48.653 to the playoffs, you've got to be kicking your goals. 0:06:48.853 --> 0:06:50.133 That is going to make a big difference. 0:06:50.173 --> 0:06:52.213 So at some point there's going to be a very 0:06:52.493 --> 0:06:54.253 tight call for a penny there does he go for 0:06:54.293 --> 0:06:58.413 the experience and James O'Connor, you know when when if 0:06:58.573 --> 0:06:59.573 does he make that call? 0:06:59.773 --> 0:07:02.093 Well, he's got free hockey who can go kick. He's 0:07:02.093 --> 0:07:05.933 got David Havilli who can goal kick. Now they are 0:07:05.973 --> 0:07:07.813 not first choice goal kick is by any strip to 0:07:07.813 --> 0:07:11.253 the imagine, but Ta Hakim his numbers would suggest that 0:07:11.333 --> 0:07:13.253 he's not at that level of being a first choice 0:07:13.253 --> 0:07:15.933 goalkicker as yet, so that I don't need to know 0:07:15.973 --> 0:07:17.933 that they really need to change the run on team. 0:07:18.133 --> 0:07:19.613 I just think you give the kicking team. I mean, 0:07:19.613 --> 0:07:21.733 he's already doing plenty for the Crusaders one to give 0:07:21.733 --> 0:07:23.813 it to David Harvilli and say this is part of 0:07:23.853 --> 0:07:25.133 your responsibilities now. 0:07:25.893 --> 0:07:30.453 Yeah, well it's not working for him and why does 0:07:30.493 --> 0:07:32.293 the first five have to kick? When you mentioned that, 0:07:32.573 --> 0:07:34.893 and just on schaefe K, I've given him a bit 0:07:34.933 --> 0:07:38.613 of stick here, yeh. And justifiably so, I felt at 0:07:38.613 --> 0:07:42.613 the time in terms of the All Blacks conversation, and 0:07:42.653 --> 0:07:44.373 it was a big call for Rob Penny to bring 0:07:44.453 --> 0:07:46.733 him back and drop Macha Springer to the bench after 0:07:46.773 --> 0:07:47.893 he scored five tries. 0:07:48.253 --> 0:07:50.173 But fie Hackey was excellent at the weekend. 0:07:50.253 --> 0:07:53.693 He was highly involved, very dangerous, and every time he 0:07:53.733 --> 0:07:57.213 touched the ball fully justified his selection. So that speaks 0:07:57.293 --> 0:08:00.093 to the Crusader's depth. Now let's look at the Blues. 0:08:01.133 --> 0:08:04.133 What the hell's gone wrong? This was a team that 0:08:04.933 --> 0:08:09.733 dominated last year and they were titled favorites and now 0:08:09.853 --> 0:08:12.693 they have been a complete flop. And the biggest concern 0:08:12.893 --> 0:08:16.093 was we'll talk about the injuries, but last week they 0:08:16.173 --> 0:08:19.493 really hinted that they were improving. They could have very 0:08:19.493 --> 0:08:23.173 easily beaten the Chiefs in Hamilton but for a sideline 0:08:23.173 --> 0:08:29.213 conversion from Xavier Taili and this was easily their worst 0:08:29.213 --> 0:08:30.173 performance of the season. 0:08:30.213 --> 0:08:32.093 That leaves so many question marks. 0:08:32.213 --> 0:08:34.413 It does. It was a massive step backwards after what 0:08:34.413 --> 0:08:36.653 they were able to do the week prior and push 0:08:36.693 --> 0:08:40.173 the Chiefs right to the limit. And you look at 0:08:40.213 --> 0:08:42.293 the stats postgame and they do not tell the story. 0:08:43.493 --> 0:08:46.173 I was looking up. The possession was fifty fifty, so 0:08:46.293 --> 0:08:48.773 charactery of fifty fifty possession, The Blues had fifty three 0:08:48.773 --> 0:08:52.453 to forty seven running meters. The Blues had five hundred 0:08:52.453 --> 0:08:54.893 and ninety to the Crusaders three hundred and forty. This 0:08:54.933 --> 0:08:56.493 is a game where the stats don't tell the tale. 0:08:56.493 --> 0:08:59.213 It's probably bolstered by the last fifteen or so minutes 0:08:59.213 --> 0:09:01.093 where they became a bit more adventurous, had to really 0:09:01.173 --> 0:09:04.653 chase the game and had some better running meters and 0:09:04.893 --> 0:09:06.573 were able to hold onto the ball for perhaps a 0:09:06.613 --> 0:09:10.213 little bit longer. But they seem to have just gone 0:09:10.213 --> 0:09:12.653 away from everything that was working so well last year. 0:09:12.653 --> 0:09:15.773 They don't build pressure, and that's the concerning thing for me, 0:09:15.853 --> 0:09:18.293 is that they had a lot of position in that 0:09:18.373 --> 0:09:20.773 game and just didn't know really what to do with it. 0:09:20.933 --> 0:09:23.573 And whether teams have figured them out, or whether they're 0:09:23.573 --> 0:09:26.413 not comfortable playing that style of rugby anymore, I don't 0:09:26.493 --> 0:09:30.933 exactly know. But they barely really got into the Crusaders 0:09:30.973 --> 0:09:33.453 twenty two and put pressure on in that game on 0:09:33.493 --> 0:09:36.493 the weekend. They Crusaders were able to force eras, the 0:09:36.493 --> 0:09:39.773 Blues made unforced eras, and there was one period in 0:09:39.773 --> 0:09:42.133 the second spell where they just sort of were five 0:09:42.173 --> 0:09:44.613 minutes five minutes inside the Crusaders half, not really going 0:09:44.613 --> 0:09:46.613 anywhere for about two or three minutes at a time, 0:09:46.693 --> 0:09:49.093 just passing left and right, not able to strike, not 0:09:49.133 --> 0:09:51.173 able to find a way through. So I think the 0:09:51.173 --> 0:09:54.853 Blues have become really ponderous this year. And yeah, there's 0:09:54.853 --> 0:09:56.333 a number of injuries, but there's still a lot of 0:09:56.413 --> 0:10:01.533 quality in that team, and I don't know why they 0:10:01.573 --> 0:10:03.693 haven't been able to recapture any of that magic from 0:10:03.773 --> 0:10:04.213 last year. 0:10:04.933 --> 0:10:09.653 Very disjointed and directionless performance, and it is a big concern. 0:10:10.493 --> 0:10:13.093 There were a couple of stats which does speak to 0:10:13.093 --> 0:10:17.493 that performance. The Blues had nineteen turnovers to the Crusaders, 0:10:17.533 --> 0:10:20.573 five six those were unforced eerers and they won five 0:10:20.653 --> 0:10:23.373 of thirteen lineouts and the scrum was seventy five percent. 0:10:23.493 --> 0:10:25.973 So if you look at where the Blues were strong 0:10:26.053 --> 0:10:28.013 last year, it was in the collisions, it was the 0:10:28.053 --> 0:10:31.853 line out, drives, the set piece, the defense, their kick strategy, 0:10:32.093 --> 0:10:33.973 all of those things are not working for them. And 0:10:34.333 --> 0:10:36.253 we do have to touch on their injuries. 0:10:36.373 --> 0:10:40.253 I think fourteen. 0:10:38.653 --> 0:10:42.413 Players out and Patrick losing Patrick, two Polo to and 0:10:42.453 --> 0:10:45.613 Eckland just prior in the days leading up to that 0:10:45.653 --> 0:10:49.373 game does have a massive influence on your leadership, on 0:10:49.413 --> 0:10:52.653 your line out. And the Blues now go into the 0:10:52.653 --> 0:10:59.213 buy and from what I'm hearing, they will get potentially Ricky, Rictelli, Eckland, 0:10:59.573 --> 0:11:03.533 Patrick two, Polo to Zan Sullivan, Bowden, Barrett, Adrian Choate, 0:11:03.693 --> 0:11:10.973 Anton Signer, Tafafunaki, aj Lamb potentially all coming back after 0:11:11.013 --> 0:11:13.813 the buyer. Now there's some massive inns offer doing a 0:11:13.813 --> 0:11:17.333 fussy knick injury doesn't sound great. Not sure what his 0:11:17.693 --> 0:11:22.053 prognosis is, but you've got to front with who you've got, 0:11:22.413 --> 0:11:27.613 and there's no excuses for basic errors and the lack 0:11:27.613 --> 0:11:30.933 of direction and so yes, you can make excuses and 0:11:31.533 --> 0:11:35.653 the injuries do play a part, but I don't think 0:11:35.693 --> 0:11:39.493 that justifies the phenomenal slide we've seen in such a 0:11:39.493 --> 0:11:40.253 short space time. 0:11:40.653 --> 0:11:43.053 I agree, And the problem I've got is that at 0:11:43.093 --> 0:11:45.053 some of the All Blacks players that are not standing 0:11:45.133 --> 0:11:47.253 up and delivering, the ones that are still standing and 0:11:47.333 --> 0:11:49.693 not injured, that they're not getting the best out of 0:11:49.853 --> 0:11:52.173 Rico Jowani. I think ran for a lot of meters 0:11:52.173 --> 0:11:55.013 on the weekend, but and he was captain, but I 0:11:55.013 --> 0:11:58.293 think didn't have one of his better games and struggled 0:11:58.333 --> 0:12:02.453 to get on the go forward on the weekend. Dalton 0:12:02.453 --> 0:12:07.173 Papa Lei has been really quiet this season and I'm 0:12:07.213 --> 0:12:10.133 not sure why that. In these occasions where you need 0:12:10.533 --> 0:12:12.973 players to stand up, they're not. Cameron Christie has been. 0:12:13.053 --> 0:12:14.853 On the other hand, a young player that's only in 0:12:14.933 --> 0:12:18.013 what has theod fourth game maybe for super rugby level, 0:12:18.093 --> 0:12:19.933 is one of those ones that a stand up. As 0:12:19.973 --> 0:12:22.853 zeb Ta earlier, you can see the brilliance and the 0:12:22.893 --> 0:12:25.733 possibilities that he might bring. So it's those younger players 0:12:25.733 --> 0:12:27.173 are standing up. And I think you've got to put 0:12:27.173 --> 0:12:31.533 some real question marks around Papalii and Yuani as leaders 0:12:31.533 --> 0:12:34.933 in this team. They've both captained before the Blues and 0:12:35.253 --> 0:12:36.853 they're not delivering at the moment. 0:12:36.813 --> 0:12:39.373 And for me, that speaks to an attitude thing. 0:12:39.493 --> 0:12:45.133 To be honest, it's very hard to quantify, but I 0:12:45.173 --> 0:12:46.613 spoke to Stephen bit of fit to this year and 0:12:46.613 --> 0:12:49.213 he hinted that a training attitude that wasn't the same 0:12:49.213 --> 0:12:51.933 as last year, and speaking to others around the team, 0:12:51.973 --> 0:12:54.533 there is a sense that there hasn't been that same hunger. 0:12:54.853 --> 0:12:57.773 The Blues broke their eighteen year title drought last year. 0:12:57.773 --> 0:13:01.013 They wanted it really bad and von Kotta came in 0:13:02.253 --> 0:13:05.133 got a reaction from this team and it is very 0:13:05.213 --> 0:13:07.293 much like do you want this? 0:13:08.493 --> 0:13:09.533 How hungry are you? 0:13:09.733 --> 0:13:13.253 And it's a classic case of almost second year syndrome. 0:13:13.373 --> 0:13:15.493 Going through the motions. They made all the right noises 0:13:15.493 --> 0:13:18.573 about not being complacent, but they're not walking the talk. 0:13:18.453 --> 0:13:21.653 No and they had said that. You know, the players 0:13:21.653 --> 0:13:23.773 have said that the training wasn't as intense as it 0:13:23.813 --> 0:13:26.173 needed to be, perhaps in preseason from their own perspective, 0:13:26.173 --> 0:13:29.013 that they they didn't bring the intensity required. And that's 0:13:29.053 --> 0:13:31.493 the hallmarks of you know, great teams, isn't it. You 0:13:31.533 --> 0:13:33.853 look back to some of the super rugby teams. You know, 0:13:33.893 --> 0:13:37.093 the Crusader's going on that run between twenty seventeen and 0:13:37.333 --> 0:13:40.373 twenty three, even the Chiefs in twenty twelve and twenty 0:13:40.373 --> 0:13:43.373 thirteen winning back to back, the Blues you know, way 0:13:43.413 --> 0:13:45.853 back in the nineties doing it back to bads. It's 0:13:45.893 --> 0:13:47.733 all very well. Winning one and that's great and you 0:13:47.773 --> 0:13:49.853 can celebrate that, and they broke the adrat there. But 0:13:50.773 --> 0:13:53.373 the great teams back it up and they may not 0:13:53.413 --> 0:13:56.173 go back and win the title the next year, but 0:13:56.213 --> 0:13:58.693 they'll go very very close. And we're just not seeing 0:13:58.693 --> 0:14:01.053 that from the Blues. You know, there's a long way 0:14:01.053 --> 0:14:04.653 to go in this competition. They're one in five, but 0:14:05.293 --> 0:14:07.853 you know, they get some players back, sure, but there's 0:14:07.853 --> 0:14:09.373 still some big games to come from. They've got to 0:14:09.373 --> 0:14:12.093 go play the Crusader's Wayne christ Church go to Suva. 0:14:12.173 --> 0:14:15.093 They've got to a suver. They've got Hurricanes at home 0:14:15.133 --> 0:14:18.853 in a couple of weeks. They've got Wana Pacific two 0:14:18.893 --> 0:14:21.293 games to play now, one is bottom of the table. 0:14:21.373 --> 0:14:23.133 But you just don't know what kind of game plan 0:14:23.173 --> 0:14:26.013 they'll bring and how hungry they might be on the night. 0:14:26.093 --> 0:14:30.173 So they've got a still some runway the Blues, but 0:14:30.253 --> 0:14:31.853 not a lot really in this competition. 0:14:32.413 --> 0:14:34.333 No times running out and you know what, this is 0:14:34.333 --> 0:14:35.933 where we find out what the Blues are made of 0:14:36.053 --> 0:14:38.213 and what their attitude is and how much they want it. 0:14:38.973 --> 0:14:41.933 They've dug themselves a massive hole. And for me, the 0:14:41.973 --> 0:14:47.013 responsibility it's player lead. The coaching team can only do 0:14:47.093 --> 0:14:52.333 so much. Where are these players at How are they 0:14:52.373 --> 0:14:55.133 gonna They need to catch the ball, they need to 0:14:55.133 --> 0:14:58.093 put these things in place. The other thing we just 0:14:58.373 --> 0:15:01.813 another step. The kicking meters, I think it was the 0:15:01.893 --> 0:15:05.453 Crusaders kicked twenty five times and they've got eight hundred 0:15:05.493 --> 0:15:08.773 odd meters. The Blues were nineteen odd times for three hundreds. 0:15:08.853 --> 0:15:13.373 So little things like that have a profound effect but yeah, 0:15:13.693 --> 0:15:17.493 the Blues there are in some adversity. How and are 0:15:17.533 --> 0:15:19.133 they going to fight their way out of it? Because 0:15:19.853 --> 0:15:21.813 this has been their own doing. So let's find out 0:15:21.853 --> 0:15:22.453 what they're all about. 0:15:22.573 --> 0:15:24.573 Indeed, they go into the buy the sweet, plenty of 0:15:24.613 --> 0:15:26.773 things to pond it there. Let's go to the Reeds 0:15:26.773 --> 0:15:29.093 in the hand is under the roof in Dunedin on 0:15:29.133 --> 0:15:34.213 Saturday afternoon, the Reeds emerging twenty nine to twenty three winners. Look, 0:15:34.253 --> 0:15:37.013 the Reds were without Fraser mcwright as they crossed the 0:15:37.093 --> 0:15:42.133 Tasman tamd Dermott and yet they come over and take 0:15:42.173 --> 0:15:45.213 the win. And for periods in this game it felt 0:15:45.253 --> 0:15:47.973 like the Highlanders not necessarily have this game under control, 0:15:48.013 --> 0:15:50.973 but they know they trailed early, came back, got themselves 0:15:51.013 --> 0:15:55.053 into the contest and it felt like, okay, they'd set 0:15:55.093 --> 0:15:56.853 themselves up for well, but they just made a couple 0:15:56.853 --> 0:16:00.693 of errors. In the second spell, Ethan Degrouk goes off 0:16:00.733 --> 0:16:02.573 for a yellow card. They can sider to try either 0:16:02.613 --> 0:16:06.253 side of that, and all they can escape with is 0:16:06.293 --> 0:16:08.333 a penalty goal at the end for a bonus point. 0:16:08.573 --> 0:16:11.453 I thought this was a really disappointing second spell, in 0:16:11.493 --> 0:16:12.933 particular from the Highlanders. 0:16:13.573 --> 0:16:13.933 It was. 0:16:14.093 --> 0:16:18.293 Yes, the game was there for the taking and they 0:16:18.293 --> 0:16:20.853 started slowly and then I felt like they got their 0:16:20.893 --> 0:16:23.373 game going, started to build, some things got on top, 0:16:23.773 --> 0:16:25.653 and then they felt like they let it slip. You 0:16:25.693 --> 0:16:27.693 mentioned the yellow card, and the other big factor here 0:16:27.733 --> 0:16:32.413 was their scrum got completely dismantled, dismantled. Their replacement tight 0:16:32.453 --> 0:16:35.773 head had some real struggles, then went off injured. The 0:16:35.853 --> 0:16:39.613 starting tight head came back, but the Reds really their 0:16:40.213 --> 0:16:43.373 replacement front rowers Alex Hodgman and the like did a 0:16:43.453 --> 0:16:47.413 number on the Highlanders. Poor yellow card from the group. 0:16:47.533 --> 0:16:53.173 That was costly as well from an all Black. So yeah, look, 0:16:53.213 --> 0:16:56.373 there were some impressive individual performances. Was great to see 0:16:56.533 --> 0:16:58.733 Peter umung A Jensen back in the midfield. I thought 0:16:58.733 --> 0:17:01.373 he was added some real touches of class with his 0:17:01.453 --> 0:17:07.213 long balls and midfield penetration. Sean Withey was good well, 0:17:07.253 --> 0:17:10.893 at least one turnover, but yeah, the read's not at 0:17:10.893 --> 0:17:14.413 full strength. That was there for the taking for the Honders. 0:17:14.973 --> 0:17:18.053 I think there was the Reds first one in Dneed 0:17:18.373 --> 0:17:23.493 in ten twelve years. So there's a bit about that team. 0:17:23.573 --> 0:17:25.093 There is a bit about that team. We saw them 0:17:25.173 --> 0:17:27.813 come to christ Church and get beaten there, but they 0:17:27.813 --> 0:17:30.293 felt threatening in that game, just didn't quite get maybe 0:17:30.333 --> 0:17:33.053 the bounce of the ball the war waritie. They go 0:17:33.093 --> 0:17:35.693 over to Needen, which is as you said and historically 0:17:35.733 --> 0:17:38.013 has been a tricky trip for them. They're well in 0:17:38.093 --> 0:17:41.813 Sconced now in that top three alongside the Chiefs and Crusaders. 0:17:41.933 --> 0:17:43.773 You know, they're building quite nicely and they've got an 0:17:43.813 --> 0:17:45.493 interesting all run. They've got the Chiefs in a couple 0:17:45.533 --> 0:17:48.693 of weeks in Hamilton, which is gonna be a real 0:17:49.013 --> 0:17:50.853 litmus test for them because. 0:17:50.573 --> 0:17:52.213 I've had a bit of success against the Chiefs. 0:17:52.253 --> 0:17:56.253 They have exactly and they deliver it in Hamilton in 0:17:56.293 --> 0:17:58.653 a couple of weeks time. Because it feels like they're building, 0:18:00.013 --> 0:18:01.773 you know, and there's all sorts of things going on 0:18:01.773 --> 0:18:04.133 in the background around Les Kiss and his likelihood that 0:18:04.173 --> 0:18:06.173 he's probably going to be the next Wallabies coach after 0:18:06.253 --> 0:18:10.013 Joe Schmidt. But what I like about them is their 0:18:10.013 --> 0:18:12.693 depth and we've seen that again you know, Frasmik right out. 0:18:12.693 --> 0:18:15.613 But they've got a really strong loose for trio and 0:18:15.653 --> 0:18:17.613 the Highlanders just couldn't kick with it. And it feels 0:18:17.613 --> 0:18:21.213 like this is a hot and cold sort of Highlanders team. 0:18:21.453 --> 0:18:25.013 At the moment, they are better than last year, but 0:18:25.293 --> 0:18:27.413 whether they can push for you know, those top spots 0:18:27.453 --> 0:18:28.813 when it comes to the playoffs, it's going to be 0:18:28.973 --> 0:18:29.613 a real question. 0:18:30.133 --> 0:18:32.293 Yeah, it feels like they're on the fringe, doesn't it. 0:18:32.333 --> 0:18:35.813 They can pull out a performance. But the hot cold 0:18:35.853 --> 0:18:37.653 is a good analogy because even if you go back 0:18:37.693 --> 0:18:40.813 to that performance against Wina Pacifica where they just scrape through, 0:18:41.693 --> 0:18:44.933 you know, very lucky to get through that. So there's 0:18:44.973 --> 0:18:46.373 still a bit of growing for that team. 0:18:46.573 --> 0:18:48.733 There is in d Let's go back to the weekend 0:18:48.773 --> 0:18:50.813 this for night, to the game that started the weekend, 0:18:50.893 --> 0:18:54.893 the Chiefs fifty one of PACIFICA thirty five in Pocaki. 0:18:54.973 --> 0:18:58.453 This was a very odd game of rugby to one 0:18:58.533 --> 0:19:02.253 watch to commentate. Was forty three to seven at half time. 0:19:02.733 --> 0:19:05.373 And the Chiefs are cruising and playing some of the 0:19:05.413 --> 0:19:07.853 best rugby this season. One are playing some of their worst. 0:19:07.853 --> 0:19:09.573 We've seen how good they can be against the Canes 0:19:09.573 --> 0:19:11.053 and the Herders, or seeing how bad they can be 0:19:11.133 --> 0:19:13.373 though at times, and how they can switch off. Well, 0:19:13.373 --> 0:19:16.373 they didn't switch on until minute forty on the weekend, 0:19:16.813 --> 0:19:19.333 but when they switched on, they were hard to contain. 0:19:20.013 --> 0:19:22.773 Really hard to get a read on what this game 0:19:22.853 --> 0:19:25.013 meant and what we got out of it, the key 0:19:25.053 --> 0:19:28.293 point probably being the halftime break and also tinn of 0:19:28.373 --> 0:19:30.773 Umonger changing. I think five players at the break and 0:19:30.813 --> 0:19:31.933 bring on some fresh legs. 0:19:32.653 --> 0:19:36.493 Read a nice line from Aaron Goyle saying Pokakoe Stadium 0:19:36.693 --> 0:19:38.893 someone needed to check the slope on it because there's 0:19:38.893 --> 0:19:40.893 seventy five points scored at one end. 0:19:40.773 --> 0:19:46.413 Of the the Old Lord's but at Cricket Ground. 0:19:46.173 --> 0:19:47.293 It's quite staggering, isn't it. 0:19:47.333 --> 0:19:49.893 I guess Look, I think you're the Chiefs and you're 0:19:49.973 --> 0:19:51.853 up by forty odd points at halftime. There is an 0:19:51.893 --> 0:19:55.853 element of clocking off mentally and parking the bus. Wine 0:19:56.213 --> 0:19:59.893 will be very disappointed with the way they started their game. 0:19:59.973 --> 0:20:02.613 The Chiefs. Weren't you a full strength to provide? 0:20:02.693 --> 0:20:06.933 Pulled out just before the game, missing Ardie as well, 0:20:07.373 --> 0:20:09.333 and they got a lot of off their bench. Maybe 0:20:09.333 --> 0:20:12.613 they look to change things up from a selection perspective there. 0:20:13.333 --> 0:20:16.693 But yeah, very very strange game. I know punters were 0:20:16.733 --> 0:20:20.773 sweeten the on the Chiefs thirteen plus down the stretch there. 0:20:21.293 --> 0:20:22.853