2017 Super Rugby - Preseason games

[NTA]

Crowd call for the forward pass. That was rubbish

[NTA]

That was surely forward from Robinson? Great move, but that must have gone forward.

[NTA]

Stream starting to break up a bit.

[Stargazer]

Great kick and chase from Robinson, resulting in a try from Con Foley. Robinson converts the try and it's 47 - 40 to the Tahs. 3 minutes to go.

[NTA]

Heading for a draw

[MajorPom]

Finally calls a forward pass ... on one that I didn't even think was forward!

Dunno if I'd worry about depth fella. It's a completely different team now.

Reece Robinson looks like a decent player for sure.

[NTA]

@MajorRage said in 2017 Super Rugby - Preseason games:

Reece Robinson looks like a decent player for sure.

He was a bit stilted last year, but finally hit his straps against NRC opposition. Sure, they were half clubbies, but it gave him some confidence to combine his old code with rugby.

[MajorPom]

@NTA The comms were going on about his pass on the last try ... hard to tell if they were being facetious or not, but it was clear knock-on fuck up from Robinson wasn't it?

[Stargazer]

@NTA I thought last year was his first year playing union?

[NTA]

@Stargazer yeah that's what I meant - in Super Rugby he got limited opportunities and looked a bit like he was thinking too much. Then in the NRC he started to get into a groove.

Think they're playing 45 on the clock this quarter.

[Stargazer]

Great try from Thompson under the sticks.

[Stargazer]

Fletcher Smith converts the try and it's 47 all. Just over 2 minutes to go.

[Stargazer]

The hooter has gone and the Landers get a penalty kick right in front of the posts.

[NTA]

Yeah that was a bit entertaining. Shame we lost our heads while camped on the Clan line. Though the Clan could easily have been penalised, we didn't execute. The end.

[Stargazer]

Fletcher Smith's kick is good and the Highlanders win 50 to 47.

[MajorPom]

Boom. Go the Clan.

Absolutely no pointers to take out of this game for the season ahead!

[NTA]

@MajorRage said in 2017 Super Rugby - Preseason games:

Boom. Go the Clan.

Absolutely no pointers to take out of this game for the season ahead!

Except: starting players good. Bench players not so good. Like we didn't know that already.

Simone was pretty good for the Tahs, along with Robinson. They've been given their chance to impress, so let's see what Dazza comes up with.

[Stargazer]

[SammyC]

@Chris-B. said in 2017 Super Rugby - Preseason games:

@Stargazer Cheers. I thought you'd have a fair idea!

Enari playing and Fukofuka not is pretty interesting, because Fukofuka is in the official squad and Enari isn't - though I'm inclined to think Enari is Robertson's man and Fukofuka isn't.

Very interesting to me that he's starting the final trial ahead of Hall and Drummond - especially when a lot of the rest of the starting team is first choice.

Yeah - you'd expect Taufua will play either 6 or 8 in Read's absence - is that a pointer that Samu has the inside running right now (Douglas is another that wasn't an original squad member)?

Todd/Samu/Taufua would be a very short loose trio.

I'm wondering if we see Scott Barrett at 6 early in the season. Todd/ Samu/ Taufua seems a bit lightweight.

Means we can get all 3 AB locks on the field at once. Then Pete Samu on for impact with 20-30 to go.

I've always liked his potential at 6, still seems a bit small to be a dominant international lock. He's played 6 at club level a few times, I'm sure Robertson has seen him there before.

[Chris B.]

@SammyC Same idea crossed my mind, Sammy. Not particularly keen on it, because we're going to lose some mobility compared to a genuine 6 - but, I'm not that keen on the Todd/Samu/Taufua mix either - three guys who possibly should all be playing 7.

Theoretically, Mitchell Dunshea should be a taller option at 6 - not sure whether he's more mobile than Barrett, because I don't recall ever seeing him play. Bidwell-Curtis probably the man we really want there, but seems he's probably injured.