Skip to content
  • Categories
Collapse

The Silver Fern

  • Tipping
  • Team Sheets
  • Highlights
  • Results
    • All Blacks

      Search every All Blacks Test. Filter results by year, opposition, location, venue, city and RWC stage

    • Super Rugby

      Search every Super Rugby since match 1996

    • NPC

      Search NPC results. Only first division matches from 1976-2005. All results from the 14 team competition (2006-present) are included

Crusaders v Blues

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Rugby Matches
bluescrusaders
159 Posts 32 Posters 13.3k Views 1 Watching
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • StargazerS Stargazer

    Looking at the Crusaders starting line-up:

    1 - first choice/AB
    2 - first choice/AB
    3 - first choice/AB
    4 - first choice/AB
    5 - first choice/AB
    6 - first choice
    7 - injury replacement
    8 - injury replacement
    9 - rotating duo
    10 - injury replacement
    11 - injury replacement
    12 - first choice/AB
    13 - injury replacement (and a late one, too)
    14 - injury replacement
    15 - injury replacement

    Very heavy at the front, very light at the back.

    StargazerS Offline
    StargazerS Offline
    Stargazer
    wrote on last edited by
    #99

    @Stargazer said in Crusaders v Blues:

    Looking at the Crusaders starting line-up:

    1 - first choice/AB - 28
    2 - first choice/AB - 25
    3 - first choice/AB - 29
    4 - first choice/AB - 23
    5 - first choice/AB - 28
    6 - first choice - 25
    7 - injury replacement - 26
    8 - injury replacement - 26
    9 - rotating duo - 25
    10 - injury replacement - 21
    11 - injury replacement - 21
    12 - first choice/AB - 28
    13 - injury replacement (and a late one, too) - 21
    14 - injury replacement - 20
    15 - injury replacement - 22

    Very heavy at the front, very light at the back.

    It's even clearer if you look at their age!

    Chris B.C 1 Reply Last reply
    1
    • M muddyriver

      @KiwiMurph a player can get a whole lot better in 2 years. Hunt wasn't even starting 10 for Ta$man last year. Feeny had the Auckland backline humming

      DiceD Offline
      DiceD Offline
      Dice
      wrote on last edited by
      #100

      What's Tom Coventry up to? He's an expert at getting the most out of his packs. Things like maul defense is his bread and butter.

      TimT 1 Reply Last reply
      1
      • DiceD Dice

        What's Tom Coventry up to? He's an expert at getting the most out of his packs. Things like maul defense is his bread and butter.

        TimT Offline
        TimT Offline
        Tim
        wrote on last edited by
        #101

        @Dice said in Crusaders v Blues:

        Tom Coventry

        New North Harbour coach.

        DiceD 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • M muddyriver

          @KiwiMurph a player can get a whole lot better in 2 years. Hunt wasn't even starting 10 for Ta$man last year. Feeny had the Auckland backline humming

          KiwiMurphK Offline
          KiwiMurphK Offline
          KiwiMurph
          wrote on last edited by
          #102

          @muddyriver Hickey still had an average season despite the luxury ride he got that season. Auckland fans were calling for him to be dropped - for example he cost Auckland home advantage in Eden Park loss to Canterbury during regular season. Hunt barely got a run.

          TimT 1 Reply Last reply
          2
          • M muddyriver

            @KiwiMurph a player can get a whole lot better in 2 years. Hunt wasn't even starting 10 for Ta$man last year. Feeny had the Auckland backline humming

            DiceD Offline
            DiceD Offline
            Dice
            wrote on last edited by Tim
            #103

            @muddyriver said in Crusaders v Blues:

            @KiwiMurph a player can get a whole lot better in 2 years. Hunt wasn't even starting 10 for Ta$man last year. Feeny had the Auckland backline humming

            Hunt was pretty good for Auckland off the bench. I wouldn't hold it against Hunt not starting for Ta$man, Marty Banks is kind of like a superstar at ITM Cup level.

            Although our backline was humming, Hickey was atrocious(him and his brother) that year. I've never seen a 10 look so average behind such a dominant pack, especially at ITM Cup level.

            (Editors note: dominant, not dominate. Common Fern grammatical error.)

            TimT 1 Reply Last reply
            2
            • KiwiMurphK KiwiMurph

              @muddyriver Hickey still had an average season despite the luxury ride he got that season. Auckland fans were calling for him to be dropped - for example he cost Auckland home advantage in Eden Park loss to Canterbury during regular season. Hunt barely got a run.

              TimT Offline
              TimT Offline
              Tim
              wrote on last edited by
              #104

              @KiwiMurph Yep. Hickey was obviously not up to it, and Hunt showed some class every time he came on. Jeez the Auckland forwards were good that year.

              Same organisation that appointed Nick White. Who ruined the Auckland pack.

              M 1 Reply Last reply
              2
              • TimT Tim

                @Dice said in Crusaders v Blues:

                Tom Coventry

                New North Harbour coach.

                DiceD Offline
                DiceD Offline
                Dice
                wrote on last edited by
                #105

                @Tim said in Crusaders v Blues:

                @Dice said in Crusaders v Blues:

                Tom Coventry

                New North Harbour coach.

                Oh yeah, I know that, I just want him to pop in and give us a helping hand.

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • DiceD Dice

                  @muddyriver said in Crusaders v Blues:

                  @KiwiMurph a player can get a whole lot better in 2 years. Hunt wasn't even starting 10 for Ta$man last year. Feeny had the Auckland backline humming

                  Hunt was pretty good for Auckland off the bench. I wouldn't hold it against Hunt not starting for Ta$man, Marty Banks is kind of like a superstar at ITM Cup level.

                  Although our backline was humming, Hickey was atrocious(him and his brother) that year. I've never seen a 10 look so average behind such a dominant pack, especially at ITM Cup level.

                  (Editors note: dominant, not dominate. Common Fern grammatical error.)

                  TimT Offline
                  TimT Offline
                  Tim
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #106

                  @Dice Yep, we lost the final because they replaced the halfback. Johno Hickey was so slow. Completely changed the game.

                  If I become a biotech billionaire success I will dedicate myself fulltime to video analysis for Auckland/NH/Blues.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  2
                  • TimT Tim

                    I did not say win the competition. I said ensure competence. You have created a strawman there.

                    NZ Rugby could not be more different to the NRL. There are many franchises in Sydney, not one. Players are centrally contracted by the NZRU. They have near total control of everything. They cannot abdicate responsibility in their largest market.

                    If they want to keep losing ground to soccer in Auckland, they are going the right way.

                    H Offline
                    H Offline
                    hydro11
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #107

                    @Tim said in Crusaders v Blues:

                    I did not say win the competition. I said ensure competence. You have created a strawman there.

                    NZ Rugby could not be more different to the NRL. There are many franchises in Sydney, not one. Players are centrally contracted by the NZRU. They have near total control of everything. They cannot abdicate responsibility in their largest market.

                    If they want to keep losing ground to soccer in Auckland, they are going the right way.

                    They are competent though. They are probably the 7th or 8th best team in the competition. You haven't backed up your assertion that they aren't competent.

                    TimT 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • TimT Tim

                      @KiwiMurph Yep. Hickey was obviously not up to it, and Hunt showed some class every time he came on. Jeez the Auckland forwards were good that year.

                      Same organisation that appointed Nick White. Who ruined the Auckland pack.

                      M Offline
                      M Offline
                      muddyriver
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #108

                      @Tim Nick white was the forwards coach that year....

                      TimT 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • StargazerS Stargazer

                        @Stargazer said in Crusaders v Blues:

                        Looking at the Crusaders starting line-up:

                        1 - first choice/AB - 28
                        2 - first choice/AB - 25
                        3 - first choice/AB - 29
                        4 - first choice/AB - 23
                        5 - first choice/AB - 28
                        6 - first choice - 25
                        7 - injury replacement - 26
                        8 - injury replacement - 26
                        9 - rotating duo - 25
                        10 - injury replacement - 21
                        11 - injury replacement - 21
                        12 - first choice/AB - 28
                        13 - injury replacement (and a late one, too) - 21
                        14 - injury replacement - 20
                        15 - injury replacement - 22

                        Very heavy at the front, very light at the back.

                        It's even clearer if you look at their age!

                        Chris B.C Offline
                        Chris B.C Offline
                        Chris B.
                        wrote on last edited by Chris B.
                        #109

                        @Stargazer said in Crusaders v Blues:

                        @Stargazer said in Crusaders v Blues:

                        Looking at the Crusaders starting line-up:

                        It's even clearer if you look at their age!

                        And even more so if you look at the changes made around halftime when we were down heavily.

                        Well, actually, a different point, but crikey, the second/third string did well.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        1
                        • H hydro11

                          @Tim said in Crusaders v Blues:

                          I did not say win the competition. I said ensure competence. You have created a strawman there.

                          NZ Rugby could not be more different to the NRL. There are many franchises in Sydney, not one. Players are centrally contracted by the NZRU. They have near total control of everything. They cannot abdicate responsibility in their largest market.

                          If they want to keep losing ground to soccer in Auckland, they are going the right way.

                          They are competent though. They are probably the 7th or 8th best team in the competition. You haven't backed up your assertion that they aren't competent.

                          TimT Offline
                          TimT Offline
                          Tim
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #110

                          @hydro11 Are you kidding me? They are one from four. They have not made the playoffs since 2011. Their last five seasons have been 12th, 10th, 10th, 14th, and 11th. They have the richest and largest player pool in the best rugby country in the history of the world. They have gone from dominance to nothing since Henry left 14 years ago. The case for incompetence could not be clearer!

                          This is yet another completely bogus argument from you.

                          H 1 Reply Last reply
                          1
                          • H Offline
                            H Offline
                            hydro11
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #111

                            @Tim This shows that the Blues were the eighth best team in the competition last season. It's wrong to say that they aren't competent.

                            TimT 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • M muddyriver

                              @Tim Nick white was the forwards coach that year....

                              TimT Offline
                              TimT Offline
                              Tim
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #112

                              @muddyriver Christ. What the hell happened?

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • H hydro11

                                @Tim This shows that the Blues were the eighth best team in the competition last season. It's wrong to say that they aren't competent.

                                TimT Offline
                                TimT Offline
                                Tim
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #113

                                @hydro11 They finished 11th on points, and bottom of the NZ competition. I have established their incompetence.

                                H 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • TimT Tim

                                  @hydro11 Are you kidding me? They are one from four. They have not made the playoffs since 2011. Their last five seasons have been 12th, 10th, 10th, 14th, and 11th. They have the richest and largest player pool in the best rugby country in the history of the world. They have gone from dominance to nothing since Henry left 14 years ago. The case for incompetence could not be clearer!

                                  This is yet another completely bogus argument from you.

                                  H Offline
                                  H Offline
                                  hydro11
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #114

                                  @Tim said in Crusaders v Blues:

                                  @hydro11 Are you kidding me? They are one from four. They have not made the playoffs since 2011. Their last five seasons have been 12th, 10th, 10th, 14th, and 11th. They have the richest and largest player pool in the best rugby country in the history of the world. They have gone from dominance to nothing since Henry left 14 years ago. The case for incompetence could not be clearer!

                                  This is yet another completely bogus argument from you.

                                  They are the 8th best team out of 18 in 2016 and you are saying they are incompetent. Of the 7 teams better than them, 4 of them were New Zealand teams. I think the NZRU should have been more concerned over all those seasons when the Highlanders were terrible.

                                  The player pool is irrelevant. Many players from Auckland are doing very well playing for other teams. Fantastic players are still coming out of the region - the Blues just can't turn those players into a championship winning team.

                                  TimT 1 Reply Last reply
                                  2
                                  • H hydro11

                                    @Tim said in Crusaders v Blues:

                                    @hydro11 Are you kidding me? They are one from four. They have not made the playoffs since 2011. Their last five seasons have been 12th, 10th, 10th, 14th, and 11th. They have the richest and largest player pool in the best rugby country in the history of the world. They have gone from dominance to nothing since Henry left 14 years ago. The case for incompetence could not be clearer!

                                    This is yet another completely bogus argument from you.

                                    They are the 8th best team out of 18 in 2016 and you are saying they are incompetent. Of the 7 teams better than them, 4 of them were New Zealand teams. I think the NZRU should have been more concerned over all those seasons when the Highlanders were terrible.

                                    The player pool is irrelevant. Many players from Auckland are doing very well playing for other teams. Fantastic players are still coming out of the region - the Blues just can't turn those players into a championship winning team.

                                    TimT Offline
                                    TimT Offline
                                    Tim
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #115

                                    @hydro11 They were 11th (despite what your reddit detectives say) and bottom of the NZ conference. Again and again, and again. They have uniquely underperformed among NZ teams. I have established that clearly. To ignore that means that you cannot argue in good faith. I will repeat - 12th, 10th, 10th, 14th, and 11th.

                                    Player pools are not irrelevant. If they are irrelevant - the early access, the opportunity to evaluate and coach - then what is relevant?

                                    You have just said "Fantastic players are still coming out of the region - the Blues just can't turn those players into a championship winning team." What could be a clearer indicator of an underperforming organisation.

                                    H 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • TimT Tim

                                      @hydro11 They finished 11th on points, and bottom of the NZ competition. I have established their incompetence.

                                      H Offline
                                      H Offline
                                      hydro11
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #116

                                      @Tim said in Crusaders v Blues:

                                      @hydro11 They finished 11th on points, and bottom of the NZ competition. I have established their incompetence.

                                      You haven't addressed what I was saying at all. The only reason they finished 11th is because they have a tough draw and lost to other New Zealand teams. Besides, even 11 out of 18 isn't that bad. The NZRU isn't concerned because one franchise loses to other New Zealand franchises. The NZRU doesn't care which New Zealand team wins a derby because they have to be impartial. They care that we beat the foreign teams.

                                      I also don't know where you get the idea that money is the Blues problem. They have far more All Blacks in their squad than the Highlanders. Luatua hasn't always shone at Super Rugby and Piutau wouldn't have made much difference tonight.

                                      TimT 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • H hydro11

                                        @Tim said in Crusaders v Blues:

                                        @hydro11 They finished 11th on points, and bottom of the NZ competition. I have established their incompetence.

                                        You haven't addressed what I was saying at all. The only reason they finished 11th is because they have a tough draw and lost to other New Zealand teams. Besides, even 11 out of 18 isn't that bad. The NZRU isn't concerned because one franchise loses to other New Zealand franchises. The NZRU doesn't care which New Zealand team wins a derby because they have to be impartial. They care that we beat the foreign teams.

                                        I also don't know where you get the idea that money is the Blues problem. They have far more All Blacks in their squad than the Highlanders. Luatua hasn't always shone at Super Rugby and Piutau wouldn't have made much difference tonight.

                                        TimT Offline
                                        TimT Offline
                                        Tim
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #117

                                        @hydro11 Are you fucking kidding me? Luatua was brilliant last season for us. Piutau would've been devistating from the back tonight. He wouldn't have made a difference vs. Collins against that Crusaders backline. Do you read your own posts? Come on dude ...

                                        I suppose that it's no loss that Faumaina is going as well.

                                        H 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • TimT Tim

                                          @hydro11 They were 11th (despite what your reddit detectives say) and bottom of the NZ conference. Again and again, and again. They have uniquely underperformed among NZ teams. I have established that clearly. To ignore that means that you cannot argue in good faith. I will repeat - 12th, 10th, 10th, 14th, and 11th.

                                          Player pools are not irrelevant. If they are irrelevant - the early access, the opportunity to evaluate and coach - then what is relevant?

                                          You have just said "Fantastic players are still coming out of the region - the Blues just can't turn those players into a championship winning team." What could be a clearer indicator of an underperforming organisation.

                                          H Offline
                                          H Offline
                                          hydro11
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #118

                                          @Tim said in Crusaders v Blues:

                                          @hydro11 They were 11th (despite what your reddit detectives say) and bottom of the NZ conference. Again and again, and again. They have uniquely underperformed among NZ teams. I have established that clearly. To ignore that means that you cannot argue in good faith. I will repeat - 12th, 10th, 10th, 14th, and 11th.

                                          Player pools are not irrelevant. If they are irrelevant - the early access, the opportunity to evaluate and coach - then what is relevant?

                                          You have just said "Fantastic players are still coming out of the region - the Blues just can't turn those players into a championship winning team." What could be a clearer indicator of an underperforming organisation.

                                          Sure the Blues are underperforming. I don't know how giving them more resources than everyone else would encourage them to actually make use of what they have. You are saying the Blues should get more money to spend on players because they are underperforming.

                                          1 Reply Last reply
                                          1
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          • Login

                                          • Don't have an account? Register

                                          • Search
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Search