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Blues player ratings vs Crusaders | Super Rugby Pacific Final

Hoskins Sotutu. (Photo by Andrew Cornaga/Photosport)

The Blues entered Saturday night’s Super Rugby Pacific final as narrow favourites over the Crusaders, with home ground advantage expected to bouy the home team on in their full-scale Super Rugby final since 2003.

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On a drizzly evening, however, it was the Crusaders who dominated proceedings, dominating both possession and territory in the first half to build a 13-0 lead at the break – the first time the Blues had been held scoreless in the first half of a match since 2015.

With a wet ball and a slippery turf, it was always going to be a big challenge for the Blues to fight their way back into the match and despite a better showing in the second spell, they just couldn’t quite do enough to slow the tide, with the Crusaders eventually triumphing 21-7.

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Reacting to the first All Blacks squad of the season.

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Reacting to the first All Blacks squad of the season.

Who were the Blues’ best performers in the defeat?

1. Alex Hodgman – 6
Seemed to have the better of Oli Jager at scrum time, but that rarely translated into much dominance. Penalised once for infringing at a lineout. Wasn’t able to get his carrying game going. Off in 54th minute.

2. Kurt Eklund – 4
Lineouts were a shambles all night for the Blues after being such a strength of the team throughout the season, with Eklund hitting his target less than 50 per cent of the time. The Blues hooker did get stuck in on defence but he probably would not have had to put in quite so many hits if he’d been able to find his targets at the set-piece. Off in 54th minute.

3. Nepo Laulala – 5.5
Similar to Hodgman, had the better of his opposite but wasn’t dominant. Played the ball on the ground after it was knocked on by Josh Goodhue, turning a scrum into a penalty. Was lucky to escape a card (or even a penalty) for a no-arms tackle early in the first half. Off in 54th minute.

4. Josh Goodhue – 4
Hasn’t looked anywhere near his early-season form after returning from injury in recent weeks. Needed to stand up as the senior lineout operator but wasn’t able to help his side’s cause. Off in 45th minute.

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5. Tom Robinson – 5
Every man and his dog in a Blues jersey has been calling for Tom Robinson to get a call-up to the national squad but tonight’s match probably showed why he’s not a test-level option in the second row and was beaten at lineout time by Sam Whitelock on more than one occasion.

6. Akira Ioane – 5.5
One of the quietest matches we’ve seen from Ioane in recent seasons. Didn’t stray too far from the wide channels in the first half but the ball rarely came his way, effectively leaving the Blues to play with one fewer forward than their opposition. Seemed to shift closer to the action in the second spell and naturally came more into the match once he got some ball in hand – but needs to add more to a game when his team are without possession.

 

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7. Adrian Choat – 4.5
Traded blows with Pablo Matera early doors and got stuck in on defence in the early stages of the game but wasn’t able to add much impact at the breakdown. Outplayed by his opposte. Off in 45th minute.

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8. Hoskins Sotutu – 7.5
One of the Blues’ best – busy on both attack and defence, accumulating almost 30 tackles. Secured ample metres from the back of the scrum. Relieved a huge amount of his pressure on his teammates when he secured a breakdown penalty following one of many bobbled lineouts. Threw his first dud pass of the season, which Stephen Perofeta understandably knocked in pretty trying conditions. Temporarily left the field at halftime but returned after a few minutes.

9. Finlay Christie – 6.5
Was inaccurate from the base of the ruck but made two massive plays for his side. First, did incredibly well to prevent Leicester Fainga’anuku from getting the ball down for a try late in the first quarter, and then created and scored the Blues’ first try of the night with some brilliant work at the back of a Crusaders scrum, disrupting Cullen Grace, pouncing on the loose ball and fighting his way over the line for the score. Off in 72nd minute.

10. Beauden Barrett – 5.5
Came out second best in the battle of the All Blacks first fives. Kicking game was fine but wasn’t able to play to his strengths thanks to a dearth of possession. Did combine well with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Rieko Ioane to create the Blues’ first real scoring chance, crisscrossing from a scrum to set up a five-metre lineout, but it ultimately came to naught.

11. Mark Telea – 5
Kept Fainga’anuku relatively well contained in the wider channels – although he couldn’t always stop the new All Black from getting the offload away – but was conversely kept quiet on attack. Off in 78th minute.

12. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – 5
A nice shimmy down the left-hand side created space for his teammates and set the Blues away on their first counter-attack after the Crusaders had been looking likely. As with his teammates, struggled to find time on the ball thanks to the Crusaders’ rush defence. Off in 45th minute.

13. Rieko Ioane – 4
Bumped off by his All Blacks teammate and was pinged once for getting offside on defence – that was effectively the extent of his contribution in the first half, bar one pass in a nice Blues breakout. Wasn’t able to add much more in the second spell.

14. AJ Lam – 4
Struggled to get the ball in any space and was well wrapped up in the narrow channels. Had a bit more luck after halftime but still had negligible impact. The action just didn’t really flow his way.

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15. Stephen Perofeta – 5.5
Offered little in the way of an obstacle when Codie Taylor was barreling to the line – thankfully supporting Blues tacklers were able to usher Taylor over the sideline. Started to find his form late in the game – even added some weight to a few crucial breakdowns.

Reserves:

16. Soane Vikena – 6.5
On in 54th minute. Didn’t have much more luck than the man he replaced with his lineout deliveries but was dominant with the ball in hand and helped galvanise the Blues during their strongest period of the evening.

17. Karl Tu’inukuafe – 5
On in 54th minute. Initially exerted plenty of dominance at the scrum as soon as he joined the fray but somehow it was the Crusaders that won the first penalty, with one massive effort in the 65th minute.

18. Ofa Tuungafasi – 4.5
On in 54th minute. Made some good carries with his first touches of the ball. A clanking error at the breakdown – lifting the ball then releasing it for the Crusaders to take possession – with just five minutes left on the clock quickly led to the Crusaders’ match-sealing try.

19. Luke Romano – 6
On in 45th minute. Added some more starch to the Blues pack and threw himself into every carry, tackle and breakdown.

20. Dalton Papalii – 6.5
On at half time as a temporary replacement for Sotutu then returned to the bench for a play or two before rejoining the fray in place of Choat. Made one brilliant run down the right-hand side.

21. Sam Nock – N/A
On in 72nd minute. Couldn’t get his hands on the ball after a Crusaders’ kick-through and Sevu Reece pounced.

22. Bryce Heem – 5.5
On in 45th minute. Took an ‘up the guts’ approach but was generally well contained. Perhaps the better starting option than Tuivasa-Sheck.

23. Zarn Sullivan – N/A
On in 78th minute.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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