Blues win Trans Tasman competition
Well, damn that is great. A reasonably full Eden Park, no rain, a victory, happy days. Relaxing quietly at home now after a big afternoon out. Really stoked for the team, and particularly the coaches - turning around a dysfunctional organisation is a big deal.
Highlanders are exceptional at covering their weaknesses. Their scrum was getting pasted, but only conceded one scrum penalty - and managed to win one back. Blues couldn't ram that advantage home.
Blues ruck work was outstanding, protecting the ball except for a 20 minute period where we tried to give the game to the 'landers. Really, though, the Highlanders didn't show much on attack except where they were winning back to back penalties from the ref.
I'm delighted for Plummer, who really stepped up and kicked the clutch kicks. The first (from near the sideline) was a terrible choice - we had the highlanders out on their feet, they were passive, just standing and watching the Blues run at them ... so naturally we kicked the penalty :| No words.
Blues should have won by a thowsand, but a win is a win. Monkey off back, can't wait for next year. Beaudy at 10 will make a difference, and an extended offseason for Leon to work on the 9s will be important.
Delighted to win, such a big relief. I've been a season ticket holder for 13 seasons, and there's been a lot of shawshank before the redemption.
So stoked right now.
@kirwan said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
Two f-bombs from Reiko!
Did well to only keep it to 2!
@anonymous said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
@kirwan said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
Two f-bombs from Reiko!
Did well to only keep it to 2!
Remembered the word freaking for the third 
Blues deserved to win but they are ill disciplined on attack and defence and almost lost it. Better handling and decisions and the game should have been all but over at halftime. Highlanders did a scrappy job staying in the game and winning kickable pens. Biggest mistake was going blind side of the attacking scrum in the last 15 minutes when they should have rumbled up the middle and kicked the inevitable penalty. Led to a go ahead sideline pen and the Blues never looked back
@mattasaurus said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
Reiko should not even be in the picture...
Taking the piss surely?
@kiwimurph said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
@mattasaurus said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
Reiko should not even be in the picture...
Taking the piss surely?
As Ben Wylie pointed out in the The Chase on substack, the reactions to Rieko Ioane's play are often entirely emotional.
@tim said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
As Ben Wylie pointed out in the The Chase on substack
Oh well if Ben Wylie says so! But nah, you just did a random sentence generator with the words Rieko Ioane, right?
@bones said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
@tim said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
As Ben Wylie pointed out in the The Chase on substack
Oh well if Ben Wylie says so! But nah, you just did a random sentence generator with the words Rieko Ioane, right?
Try reading the forum, dipshit.
Big thanks to @nzzp for his grandstand commentaries this season. Always interesting insights.
@tim said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
Big thanks to @nzzp for his grandstand commentaries this season. Always interesting insights.
it's been a far more enjoyable season than usual.
I've not blown up about the lack of offside calls from teh referee tonight, though, it just doesn't matter. But the quality of the referees in general is poor... if I had to throw money at the sport, it woudl be on clarifying and simplifying laws, and investing in a refereeing pyramid that spits out decent refs at the top.
@nzzp hah...I think my most uttered phrase tonight was "offside...oh" but we generally only got away with it in your half, so maybe less visible to the officials.
@bones said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
@nzzp hah...I think my most uttered phrase tonight was "offside...oh" but we generally only got away with it in your half, so maybe less visible to the officials.
pretty sure that's why the stands were booing the ref at one stage - not for calling the offside against the Blues, but for not calling a few before then against the Highlanders.
@bones Several people post his stuff on here. You went off on a post and had no idea what it was about. Settle down and take it.
Just back from the pub and went straight to the pub from club game so am a bit drunk and very tired
First and foremost congrats blues, too big and too strong
I could try and complain about a couple of things but above any of that I don’t think we ever really looked like we were going to take control of the game, one too many games
@tim said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
@bones Several people post his stuff on here. You went off on a post and had no idea what it was about. Settle down and take it.
Yeah I went off, take a chill pill bro.
Congratulations Blues.You have got the monkey of your backs.As all finals are it was intense and punishing.Well done the Highlanders.,you made it tough.
Have no truck with the demeaning of this competition.All teams knew the format,and not only scoring tries,but defending your line got the two teams to the final.
The Crusaders won the big one,the Blues the small one,but small fish are sometimes the sweetest.
@kiwimurph I would honestly say all of you putting him forward are...
@tim said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
@kiwimurph said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
@mattasaurus said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
Reiko should not even be in the picture...
Taking the piss surely?
As Ben Wylie pointed out in the The Chase on substack, the reactions to Rieko Ioane's play are often entirely emotional.
Not emotional.
He shells at least one or two passes a game... Typically has at least 2 howlers on defence a game too... And I am yet to see him put a decent pass in front of a team mate... Let alone create space... But hey what do I know... Just my opinion
Well done blues and we'll deserved result.
@tim I don't think hes missed a game since debuting in Rd 1 2019.
40 odd games on the bounce.
@tim said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
LOL, petty bitch Paul Cully gave both Ioane brothers 5/10 in his player ratings. Have another moan.
Do you refer to https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/125491130/blues-vs-highlanders-player-ratings-who-shone-in-super-rugby-transtasman-final
the article said "Here are Stuff’s player ratings from Eden Park. Joseph Pearson rated the Blues and Paul Cully the Highlanders"??
Weird ratings anyway.
@nostrildamus Yeah, he's a weird bitchy "journalist" who rates Frizzell the best player every week. Complete joke.
@tim said in SR T-T FINAL: Blues v Highlanders:
Six wins in a row. Now beat last year's streak of seven. Long time prior that we could win like that.
It's 7 wins in a row now (beat Chiefs last round of SRA).
If I were a Blues fan I would be hoping that win spurs them past their decision making problems rather than feeling like they can continue playing the way they do and getting away with it (although the winning streak suggests that size and personnel will pull them over the line eventually).
Clinical they are not and I hate to say it but if they were in Red and Black they would have run away with that game. The tackle stats alone were something like 5:1 at half time. Some terrible decisions and execution when the excitement levels rose.
Anyway, we will see next year if they can continue the winning ways.
Not sure how I feel this morning, almost like the after the 2011 RWC final, just a sense of relief because like that particular final in 2011 the way the 2nd half was starting to play out there was a sense of implosion happening , but getting the clutch moments in the final minutes were huge .
I also thought that the edge the Blues had at scrum time across the whole 80 minutes would be a crucial and so it played out .
So many little moments,Kurt Eklund get back in D ahead of Nareki , Dalton Papalii just getting a piece of Micheal Collins jersey when a break out seemed imminent, and I reckon the big one was Patrick Tuipulotu returning to the field to bring a sense of direction to the team
I see Patty T as a more of lead by example skipper as opposed to an in your ear Ash Dixon type character..
Just on the Highlanders , they really are a hearty team , they stayed in the fight and with just a little bit of luck could have got a result ..
Have always thought their heart beat is around Dixon and Smith ..when you consider some of the players they don’t have available,Frizzell,Mikaele Tu’u and Fakatava who were all outstanding through the first part Super Rugby Aotearoa you have got to give them their dues .
Finally on the Blues, I don’t think they are anywhere near the finished article despite taking out this title , their pack in the main has bullied teams effectively, but there still remains areas if they are to find the consistency and build a dynasty in the same way the Crusaders have done , they need to address .
So much talent in the backline to come back in with BB,RTS and Caleb Clark I want to see that are develop more as an attacking unit , it can only help NZ rugby .
The Crusaders to me are still the benchmark team ,and you can bet bottom dollar this is not going down well within their organisation but on this day I am going to pop a beverage and raise a glass to the Blues..!
wow, just re-watched the yellow card on Ash Dixon. That is as clear a red as you'll see, how on earth the refs got to the decision they did is incredible. 'secondary contact' my arse; late, high, always high, direct shoulder to head. It's kinda like red card bingo.
There was some origin level whistle swallowing going on out there last night. And the irony is that sort of contact is exactly what is tryin gto get out of the game
@nzzp glad it wasn’t a Red , would have put a damper on the game , let’s see if the Blues put it on report , if not we move on
