Super XV 2014 General Discussion Thread

matthew8

Shocking bottle from the Cheetahs! 34-10 at ht and on the last play it finishes 43-43.

Swiwi.

Not too many must-see games this weekend, but I will try and catch Gareth Anscombe playing at 10 for the Chiefs in place of the injured Cruden. Big game for Anscombe, a good chance to start putting his name forward for the next generation of 10s post RWC 2015/Carter. Wonder if Dad will be up bright and early on Saturday morning to catch his progeny in action?

Swiwi.

Hammett has jumped, possibly before he was pushed. Tana immediately ruled himself out Then there has been mention that foreign coaches might be considered I'm sorry, but in a country where exporting coaches is only 2nd to exporting wool & lamb, and where NZ coaches have a monopoly on the Celtic Nations as well as a host of minnow countries and a decent number of foreign clubs, it's patently ridiculous that a foreigner would be considered. However, the front-runner is apparently the under-20 coach Chris Boyd. Whoever gets the job, I hope they are proven, rather than a recently retired player with no track record. Because that would be like choosing Hammett all over again.

Edit: breaking news - Schmidt has resigned his Irish post to take up the Hurricanes helm...pity it's no longer April 1.

sydthebeat

How long realistically before they announce a successor?
Will they have one in place before the endof the season when hammett walks ?(cardiff blues anyone? )

His stats have been crap for the last three years And this year doesn't look any better.

Swiwi.

sydthebeat wrote: »

How long realistically before they announce a successor?
Will they have one in place before the endof the season when hammett walks ?(cardiff blues anyone? )

His stats have been crap for the last three years And this year doesn't look any better.

Ya, hopefully. I reckon the NZRFU has made a dog's breakfast of SXV appointments in recent years: Schmidt, Cotter, Gatland, Deans, Plumtree, Crowley, Anscombe, Russell, Haig etc etc etc all overseas, and meanwhile unproven coaches like Hammett & Blackadder get the jobs.

I reckon Tana might get an assistant role and continue with Counties at ITM level.

Canes could do with a decent coach, they have had a succession of unsuccessful ones.

I imagine Jono Gibbes will bide his time in Clermont and look to move to the Chiefs when Rennie moves on.

astonaidan

Would the guy who was in charge of the Aussies not be interested? His name wont come to me, but he was successful with Crusaders

Swiwi.

astonaidan wrote: »

Would the guy who was in charge of the Aussies not be interested? His name wont come to me, but he was successful with Crusaders

That would be Robbie Deans. He's a Cantab thru and thru though (as was Hammett), I really think the Canes could do with a local, which basically means Wellington, Manawatu or Hawke's Bay (Taranaki have now sided with the Chiefs). Umaga would have been a good choice, although maybe still too green.

I mean would you want an ex-Munster coach coaching Leinster? It's the same idea with Deans coaching the Canes.

The guy who has just left Newcastle was a Hawkes Bay coach, but no idea how he did in England, IBF follows the Premiership, he might know.

Buer

Swiwi. wrote: »

I mean would you want an ex-Munster coach coaching Leinster? It's the same idea with Deans coaching the Canes.

Poor old Declan Kidney and Alan Gaffney. They were onto a hiding before they started.

astonaidan

Swiwi. wrote: »

That would be Robbie Deans. He's a Cantab thru and thru though (as was Hammett), I really think the Canes could do with a local, which basically means Wellington, Manawatu or Hawke's Bay (Taranaki have now sided with the Chiefs). Umaga would have been a good choice, although maybe still too green.

I mean would you want an ex-Munster coach coaching Leinster? It's the same idea with Deans coaching the Canes.

The guy who has just left Newcastle was a Hawkes Bay coach, but no idea how he did in England, IBF follows the Premiership, he might know.

Ah I was thinking hand lad out of work and from NZ, I wouldnt care myself who managed either being from the west :pac:
NZ seems a bit funny the way they promote managers, seems a bit old boys club

.ak

Will get to see my first live Crusaders game of the season tomorrow. With me watching they'll turn their form around.

Swiwi.

.ak wrote: »

Will get to see my first live Crusaders game of the season tomorrow. With me watching they'll turn their form around.

Whatever works, I'll take it!

Yeah_Right

I think Umaga won't want to take on the Canes coaching job until the guys that he played alongside are all gone. It would be difficult going from being a team mate to being their boss. Couple more years at Counties then a short spell overseas and he will be good to go

stefan idiot jones

Ten minutes to kick of at the Suncorp.

The Brumbies in a huddle.

C'mon the Reds.

LuckyGent88

Very good win for the highlanders tonight. Sopoanga looks really good this year. Very solid with the boot and well able to bring the backline into play.
The NZ conference is really up for grabs this year.

Umaga has signed an extension to his contract with counties so that is him out of the hurricanes job.
The talk down here is that the current u20 coach is the likely candidate to get the job.

stefan idiot jones

I think the Reds are getting sponsored for how many times they kick the ball away.

stefan idiot jones

Steve Walsh is a joke.

Swiwi.

LuckyGent88 wrote: »

Very good win for the highlanders tonight. Sopoanga looks really good this year. Very solid with the boot and well able to bring the backline into play.

Yeah he might have moved up the pecking order. Currently DC > AC > BB, but he has been playing better than Slade, and while Tom Taylor is very reliable he's also not exactly dynamic. I'll be delighted for them if the Highlanders can grab that second spot - they need to be able to win away from Dunedin though if it's to happen.

stefan idiot jones

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rugby/brumbies-hold-out-queensland-reds-to-win-2320-at-suncorp-stadium/story-fnibc42r-1226881165722

Absolutely Brutal.

Is there a Steve Walsh tutorial anywhere called 'How to ruin the great game' anywhere?

How Moore wasn't sent off I don't know.

sydthebeat

Just say the moore Robinson incident.

Holy crap a cop out. You can now punch someone in the neck and have no ramifications on the pitch? ??

stefan idiot jones

sydthebeat wrote: »

Just say the moore Robinson incident.

Holy crap a cop out. You can now punch someone in the neck and have no ramifications on the pitch? ??

It was bizzare. He even waited a split second before punching him. Then he was the pantomime villain for the rest of the match with all the boos.

The real villain was Walsh, the Brumbies seemed to be constantly off side and never pinged. Every sham of a scrum decision went the Brumbies way. But the damage was done in the first half, 66% possession for the Brumbies. Genia and co. just gifted them the ball by kicking it constantly.

Bad day at the office.

Swiwi.

Anyone else watching this? Anscombe jnr good start, and nice to see Bundee Aki finally back from injury.

sydthebeat

U12 blitz this morning.
Somehow got roped into doing PA.

Any games on this afternoon?

Swiwi.

And after a few murmurs about him on the forum this week, Mike Fitzgerald gets the first try.

Swiwi.

sydthebeat wrote: »

U12 blitz this morning.
Somehow got roped into doing PA.

Any games on this afternoon?

I guess Crusaders v Cheetahs. The Saders midfield Crotty & Fonatia are old boys from my school, so a bit of personal interest there. Might not get to see it though.

KevIRL

Game on now.

LuckyGent88

Bit of squeaky bum time there at the end for the chiefs but they get the win in the end.
Not there best performance but a win is a win.
Rebels can be happy with there effort. Another solid outing from Woodward tonight.

hahashake

Ugly game. Not sure if Anscombe is the answer at 10, put someone else at 10 and him at FB but let him still kick goals. Wouldn't mind seeing TNW at 10, I'm pretty sure he has played there in the past if my memory serves.

Molester Stallone

Tah's to clean up here?

LuckyGent88

Swiwi. wrote: »

Yeah he might have moved up the pecking order. Currently DC > AC > BB, but he has been playing better than Slade, and while Tom Taylor is very reliable he's also not exactly dynamic. I'll be delighted for them if the Highlanders can grab that second spot - they need to be able to win away from Dunedin though if it's to happen.

There home form really does keep them in it to be fair. You really can get an awesome atmosphere down in Dunedin.
Ireland v Italy in the World Cup was just ridiculous.

hahashake

No Folau does dampen them a bit.

Molester Stallone

Feisty start to the game, Beale just nailed a pen for a 3-0 lead

KevIRL

What a year for the Force

astonaidan

Anyone know much about Bundee the guy Connacht signed??

Swiwi.

astonaidan wrote: »

Anyone know much about Bundee the guy Connacht signed??

F**k me, that is some signing for Connacht. The guy had the potential to be an AB IMO. Only his first game today as he has been injured, but was great last season. If Heenan and Aki end up playing for Ireland...

hahashake

Swiwi. wrote: »

F**k me, that is some signing for Connacht. The guy had the potential to be an AB IMO. Only his first game today as he has been injured, but was great last season. If Heenan and Aki end up playing for Ireland...

Add Payne to that list. Not a fan of "project players", I hope he is still allowed to play for Samoa while at Connacht.

Good player although with SBW coming back I wouldn't expect he would be getting much game time next year if he stayed.

Swiwi.

hahashake wrote: »

Add Payne to that list. Not a fan of "project players", I hope he is still allowed to play for Samoa while at Connacht.

Good player although with SBW coming back I wouldn't expect he would be getting much game time next year if he stayed.

He's better than Saili though. TBH, I thought Aki was a bit unlucky not to make the EOYT last season at the expense of Saili. Do you reckon Aki would declare for Samoa (ie he Samoan or Tongan?) or have a run at an Irish shirt?

matthew8

I have to say I wish it was Leinster who made that signing. Very good player from what I've seen.

Swiwi.

matthew8 wrote: »

I have to say I wish it was Leinster who made that signing. Very good player from what I've seen.

He does what a lot of Irish midfielders seem to struggle to do: get over the gainline. He also has good vision, a good step, tackles well. A couple of errors today, but it was his first game back, I'm genuinely surprised he's decided to leave, and no disrespect, but why Connacht??

hahashake

Swiwi. wrote: »

He's better than Saili though. TBH, I thought Aki was a bit unlucky not to make the EOYT last season at the expense of Saili. Do you reckon Aki would declare for Samoa (ie he Samoan or Tongan?) or have a run at an Irish shirt?

Saili is a bit bigger and the ABs tend to go for a big 12. Not much between them though although Saili seems to have the edge in the selectors eyes.

Do you really think he wants to play for Ireland? That's not a rhetorical question. I personally doubt he would play for them unless it is part of his contract to remain eligible i.e. a project player.

Swiwi.

hahashake wrote: »

Saili is a bit bigger and the ABs tend to go for a big 12. Not much between them though although Saili seems to have the edge in the selectors eyes.

Do you really think he wants to play for Ireland? That's not a rhetorical question. I personally doubt he would play for them unless it is part of his contract to remain eligible i.e. a project player.

Maybe he's just going to declare for the Pacific sides? What is it about Connacht? I mean if I was going overseas I would want guaranteed HEC action etc. And do Connacht have that much coin? Ah well.

hahashake

Swiwi. wrote: »

Maybe he's just going to declare for the Pacific sides? What is it about Connacht? I mean if I was going overseas I would want guaranteed HEC action etc. And do Connacht have that much coin? Ah well.

No idea why Connacht, maybe he wasn't in the eyes of French clubs. I reckon that unless he plays for Samoa (I believe he is Samoan) then there is a sweetened deal for him if he remains Irish eligible.

Tox56

He might be a fine player but Im not a fan of the project system at the best of times, Aki and Payne playing together in the centre for Ireland would just leave a taste in the mouth.

Then again we've had these conversations dozens of times and they never come to anything for a multitude of reasons, so I'll hold fire for 3 years or so

Swiwi.

Tox56 wrote: »

He might be a fine player but Im not a fan of the project system at the best of times, Aki and Payne playing together in the centre for Ireland would just leave a taste in the mouth.

Then again we've had these conversations dozens of times and they never come to anything for a multitude of reasons, so I'll hold fire for 3 years or so

I agree. I mean if Henshaw and Olding quit Ireland to play 3 years in NZ and try and make the ABs it would seem weird. Next thing we know there'll be an Irish haka...

webels

Happen to be in perth for a few weeks and went to the force , tahs game. Looked like tahs would destroy them after the first 25 mins. The honey badger aka Nic Cummins intercepted on his own line when it looked a certain try. Cummins went on to get a a hat trick, second from a great midfield break from the scrum half, third a mis pass from the tahs on his wing which he gratefully scopped up and ran in from 50m. He is some talent, serious defender and some finisher. Beale is a fiery cranky boy but the main man for the tahs tonight with folau missing. Would love to have seen him. Perfect night for a match, perfect conditions. Some run for the force , 5 from 5 after tonight after years in the doldrums.

Swiwi.

That is a NICE try for the Cheetahs there. Only joining the 2nd half, but Crusaders fall behind. C'mon lads!

Journeyman_1

Crusaders not helping themselves atm, but cheetas are pretty clinical!

ArmchairQB

webels wrote: »

Happen to be in perth for a few weeks and went to the force , tahs game. Looked like tahs would destroy them after the first 25 mins. The honey badger aka Nic Cummins intercepted on his own line when it looked a certain try. Cummins went on to get a a hat trick, second from a great midfield break from the scrum half, third a mis pass from the tahs on his wing which he gratefully scopped up and ran in from 50m. He is some talent, serious defender and some finisher. Beale is a fiery cranky boy but the main man for the tahs tonight with folau missing. Would love to have seen him. Perfect night for a match, perfect conditions. Some run for the force , 5 from 5 after tonight after years in the doldrums.

Great defence by Force I would say Cheika went on some rant after the game, Cummins looks like a 70s porn star!

Swiwi.

Nice! The ruggedly handsome Taylor crashes over.

Journeyman_1

Typical SVX, nobody can defend :P

joking, exciting game though!

Swiwi.

Journeyman_1 wrote: »

Typical SVX, nobody can defend :P

joking, exciting game though!

Yes I was impressed by Connachts defence last night