Rugby Union
- Thread starter jazz
- Start date
We've got a pretty favourable draw for the playoffs compared to the Crusaders, despite them finishing ahead of us. We've got the 'Tahs at home and the Reds away if we want to get to the final, while the Crusaders have the Sharks at home and the Stormers away if they want to get to the final.
Quite a remarkable effort from the Crusaders though to finish third, considering everything that's gone on in Canterbury, and how they haven't played a game at their home stadium/home city all season.
No surprise to see the Reds finish top, considering seven out of 16 of their games were against the bottom four teams. The exact same thing can be said about the Waratahs, who are probably only there ahead of the Bulls because of the conference system.
Quite a remarkable effort from the Crusaders though to finish third, considering everything that's gone on in Canterbury, and how they haven't played a game at their home stadium/home city all season.
No surprise to see the Reds finish top, considering seven out of 16 of their games were against the bottom four teams. The exact same thing can be said about the Waratahs, who are probably only there ahead of the Bulls because of the conference system.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Well following the Reds now that Highlanders are out 
That was a really disappointing performance last night (from the Blues). We had the edge up front, but to get beaten by 17 just shows how poor our backs were. You could almost tell that it wasn't going to be when the Reds pretty much scored a 14 point intercept when we had a three on one overlap on the outside of the Reds player who took the intercept. Ranger should have started, he was our only back when he came on that looked somewhat like he wanted the break the line. Munro, Paine both player probably their worst games of the season. In the first half we had 70% territory, 70%, possession, and seven 5+ phase, and to only come away with 7 points in the last play of the half was never going to be enough against a team who score most of their points from nothing (like that kick return from Cooper). Obviously not making excuses as we didn't deserve to win, but Kaplan (the ref) had an absolute shocker.
Great to see the Crusaders moving on, on paper they're all over the Reds, but the game probably evens itself out because they have to come from South Africa and the Reds are playing at home. The Reds are very one dimensional, so if the Crusaders can find a way to shut down Cooper and Genia then they should win easily.
Great to see the Crusaders moving on, on paper they're all over the Reds, but the game probably evens itself out because they have to come from South Africa and the Reds are playing at home. The Reds are very one dimensional, so if the Crusaders can find a way to shut down Cooper and Genia then they should win easily.
hedger_14
ICC Chairman
Blues vs Crusaders would have been a better final, from a completely bias point of view.
Considering the Blues had the edge up front last week, the Crusaders should be all over them. It pretty much all comes down to Cooper, if the Crusaders can shut him down they should win easily, while if they can't it'll be a close affair. The Crusaders have a lot of finals experience as well, while this is the Reds first time here.
Hopefully the ref doesn't decide the game like they did in this fixture in the group stage.
Considering the Blues had the edge up front last week, the Crusaders should be all over them. It pretty much all comes down to Cooper, if the Crusaders can shut him down they should win easily, while if they can't it'll be a close affair. The Crusaders have a lot of finals experience as well, while this is the Reds first time here.
Hopefully the ref doesn't decide the game like they did in this fixture in the group stage.
That was an amazing game of rugby! Loved every minute and it's great to see the team winning the round Robin stage still going on to win on the finals too. Both teams throughly deserved, both are great rugby teams and in the end it was great to see the two teams who have possibly overcome the most adversity this season to be in the final.
Great season. Just hope the Rebels might be up there next year.
Great season. Just hope the Rebels might be up there next year
.Really tight game in the end, but the Reds deserved to win it.
I just hope Flynn isn't throwing for us at the World Cup, five against the throw, some at crucial times, he had a shocker.
Great season, bring on the ITM Cup!
I just hope Flynn isn't throwing for us at the World Cup, five against the throw, some at crucial times, he had a shocker.
Great season, bring on the ITM Cup!
Certainly turned into a brilliant game of footy. None of that boring kickathons that we see these days with both teams giving the ball air. The Reds looked more likely to score although the Crusaders defence became a lot harder to crack in that 2nd half. Just a few too many x-factor players in the Reds backline that could score a try from nowhere.
