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ADDED SATURDAY/SUNDAY 23/24/02/2008 Game one in week 2 involved the Reds and Hurricanes. I only got to catch the replay, but the loss of McMeniman, and I have been saying for a while that I doubted he would finish the season will be a huge, huge blow. He is the most offensive in the pack, in attack and defence, good in most aspects of play. If it is a season ending injury to him, it could start a downhill slide for the Reds, the replacements are young and untested at this harsher level of footy. When Leroy Houston came on, most of his work was really lateral, especially on pick and go, easy to defend, and defend on the wrong side of the Qld advantage line. I feel he really needs to get very straight, and very direct, and use his bulk and speed to punch between defenders and win the advantage line, secure possession for the next set to be played out of on a front foot roll. I thought the Reds Scrum was in some trouble all game, from out here in TV land, I thought Rodzilla was really slow across the space at scrum set, and lost all advantage on the hit. Schwalger was great, he is very big, has a great body shape, looks a bit nasty and has just the right amount of ugliness. The hurricanes have a fine front row, pretty fair back row too. I thought Latham was huge, not sure if Aussie rugby knows what they are losing here. Murray Mexted, who I have missed all off season, said it all "whatever Worcester paid for this guy, he is cheap". Digby Ioane looks like being a good buy, plenty of passion and commitment, and has put in two good ones in a row. I always had a question mark over his ability to catch/pass under pressure, but to date looking OK. Perception is a funny thing. I was talking to a fellow coach and friend last night about Qld rugby, and his take on it is in complete reverse to mine. His comment was that Croft and Roe are still the pin up boys of Qld rugby, but that they have had their time and have failed. If Qld rugby were my business, they would be two guys I would keep, or do everything in my power to keep. They are two 100% men, and Croft could consider himself very unlucky to have not played more for Australia, but he is in an era of two dynamos on the side in Waugh and Smith. CHEETAHS VS FORCE. It was a close one, but a couple of key things I thought. I like Daruda at 12, a second guy in the backline that has played alot of 10, he is quite robust, and will and seemed to take the pressure off Giteau, or some of it anyway. Always good to have a two or three first receiver policy. I thought Giteau was very good, some good decision making, a little more free flowing in what he did. Sharpe too made a difference on his return and added some direction around the park.
BULLS VS CRUSADERS I am a tremendous fan of the way the Crusaders play this game, in the fact that they know they only have to lead at one point in the game. You can think at half time that the game is close, but the Crusaders just bury oppositions in the last section of the game. The Bulls were smashing their scrum early, and ended up losing that battle. I am sure that NSW backs coach Todd Louden would be disappointed in the Bulls slipping back into really ugly 10 man rugby, they have forgotten how to play, and they have some talent in that backline too. McCaw was awesome, he really covers so much ground, hard to believe where he pops up at times. These Crusaders I feel didn't like what happened last year, and they are sniffing an undefeated title this year, and look like being really hard to stop. The South African sides seem to be battling the most with the new laws and new pace of the game. Crusaders seem to have adapted the best. At this early stage, I am installing the Crusaders as very firm favourites for the title. BRUMBIES VS HIGHLANDERS Another really close one. I thought the high tackle yellow card was ordinary. Thought the try was scored in any case, Edmonds was falling towards the line and got an arm over the shoulder for his trouble, no malice in it, no swinging hit with a nice cocked forearm. So thought the Highlanders were very hardly done by, try OK. Got this one wrong, but only just, enjoyed Tyrone Smith's game, he looks nice and aggressive too. Wonder what it will take to get a game for Hoiles at the next level. Brumbies scrum was a bit better this week against massive pack, that will get better as the season progresses. With the recent news of Cordingley's injury, I will probably tip the Brumbies over the Reds this coming week too. LIONS VS BLUES Well I have booked the Blues and Crusaders for spots one and two, these Blues are a dynamic unit, have a look at the number of constructive carries guys like Flavell are making, and the different style of footy these two sides are playing to everyone else. Even under the new razzle dazzle rules it is a game of pace and power, aggression and vigour. The Lions were terrible but anyone off their game against this outfit will get put to the sword. There was another close match somewhere over there in Africa between the Sharks and the Stormers, but I struggled with it and easily found better things to do. Onwards to next week, injuries start to take their toll, and the next part of the squads get some exposure to top flight Super Rugby! |
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WE DON'T STOP PLAYING BECAUSE WE GROW OLD, WE GROW OLD BECAUSE WE STOP PLAYING. |
