SUPER 14 ROUND 6

ADDED TUESDAY 25/03/2008

Saturday 22/03/2008,  Boy it is good to see Eddie Jones in the press (not),  speaking with his forked tongue.  Last week the Reds had everything wrong,  playing schoolboy patterns,  this week it is all good,  especially the Barnes move to 12.  But if I told you the things this bloke said about Berrick,  and others in a coaching meeting a year or so ago,  then you would wonder why he has changed his mind again.  We will see if Eddie can take Saracens to the table bottom too.

Crusaders up with the 4 tries,  but I have to admit I was nervous.  They were terrible for 65 minutes,  as was the game, with the best entertainment being Murray Mexted trying to figure out what a banana kick is,  Murray is priceless.  NSW defended very well though,  and have a great lineout and even had the Crusaders scrum under pressure until Polota Nau joined the fray (he was a number 6 many years ago and a very good one),  but they seem toothless in attack,  just nothing there.  Again it is not hard for me to question Tuqiri's worth,  or perceived worth,  gee he did a couple of really silly things.  For mine Brad Thorn was best on field with some really great constructive carries and some big positive defence.  He seems a better rugby player the second time around.  I thought he was closely followed by Palu,  he was the one NSW player punching through the defence,  and he is one Aussie player with an offload.  Couldn't understand his replacement unless he was injured.

And good to see the Brumbies win,  those Cheetahs look hapless and destined for 13th or 14th,  they haven't got much of anything,  except according to referee Walsh foul mouths.  I have to admit I was alseep for most of the second half,  but understand Matty T got a run again and this week in a winning side,  so that should be good for him confidence wise.

The Force carry on,  winning again in New Zealand,  and playing very much Crusader rugby,  just squeeze the life out of the opposition and head for the kill at about 65 minutes.   The Force are genuine,  even though the great Murray Mexted was unconvinced early in the match of their threat levels.    

Their back 5 is one of the better ones in the competition,  just about the right balance it seems.  I have been meaning to write for weeks and weeks that it is really good to see Tamaiti Horua back playing rugby in Australia,  always was a good footballer. 

The Highlanders have got some work to do,  I think they will fight out 13 and 14 with the Cheetahs who are woeful. 

The Blues were unconvincing I thought,  but the Stormers are playing well,  and but for a bad start to the season,  could be at the front end of the table.  The Blues will welcome back someone that can play 10,  and I hear Evans is ready to play. 

Very hard to go past Schalk Britz and Luke Watson,  the in form hooker and in form number 8 in the competition,  surely.  I thought the Blues were very lucky to get away with this one. 

Chiefs and the Bulls,  well it puts the Reds victory over the Bulls in perspective, the Bulls are going to join the bottom of the table clutter,  just awful,  not sure what is going on there,  but simply woeful,  Chiefs only marginally better,  with a good scrum about the end of it. 

The Reds scraped out a draw, and again good on them for that especially in Africa.  Latham seemed to be quite inspirational again.  Cooper demonstrated that he has a really nice long flat pass,  possibly the best going,  but it deserted him under fatigue,  which does happen. He certainly didn't have the calibre of game of the week previous,  faster linespeed from the Lions perhaps,  plenty more in your face defence on the way.   I still think the Reds are moving in the right direction,  and let’s hope they fight it out again to the very end again the very powerful Sharks.   I can live with that,  displays of character and just getting that little better each week,  not falling into old habits.  Maybe another miracle,  who knows,  let’s hope so. 

So after round 6,  it’s the Crusaders then daylight,  then a small logjam with maybe the Sharks,  Hurricanes and Force,  Blues perhaps,  then the rest. 

Couple of comments for the week,  watching Andy Raymond calling a rugby league game on Friday or Saturday night or afternoon,  and the league boys were taking forever to set a scrum.  Raymond’s little comment,  “it’s taking as long as a rugby union scrum”.  Just irritated me a little bit.  The rugby league scrum today means only one thing,  that you gather 6 guys together and concentrate them away from the attack,  brings about some genuine one on one contests.  Mr Raymond needs to be advised,  because the leaguies probably don't know that the rugby scrum is still very meaningful as a tactical weapon,  both in attack and defence,  there is actually quite a bit of technical prowess involved in what goes on in there,  and not just anyone can play in there.

Point number 2,  Brad Fittler at a press conference on Friday night saying that if they take the shoulder charge out of league,  league will become soft like Rugby Union.  Well Brad,  suffice to say the cocked and loaded shoulder,  like the cocked and loaded elbow,  is a lethal hitting weapon,   and alot of damage can be done to the inflictee.  Brad,  you were a great rugby league player,  never tried your hand at rugby,  so let's just leave it at that.  I am the first to admit there have been some dubious refereeing decisions on high tackles and lineout interference,  but surely league gets the same sort of calls!

Point number 3,  and from John Connolly saying that the law changes (ELV's) are making rugby more like league in it's lack of structure.  I have to disagree and say that league is horrifically structured and getting closer to grid iron on the move.  The ELV's take some or alot of the structure out of rugby in general play,  the off load is more prevalent during or post contact setting up that lack of structure.  It is really hard to have any sort of defensive structure that deals with or is set up for the offload in or just post contact.

Now even after all that,  I thought the game of the weekend,  that I watched in any case,  was the Melbourne Storm vs The Sharks,  and the mistake rate added to it's unpredictability and entertainment value.  But that Israel Folau, how would he look in a rugby 13 jersey?  Some say he wouldn't be able to play the game,  he is a freak,  described during the game as a monster by Laurie Daley.  Hei s only 18! 

Top of Page

Return Home