| S14 Semis [message #1006350] |
Mon, 15 May 2006 10:38 |
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The Waratahs have never won in Wellington
The Bulls have never won in Christchurch
What are the chances of an upset?
You'd have write off the Bulls immediately. I can't see that happening.
Ever.
The Waratahs are still in with a decent shot though. The only reason they
lost is through at least a dozen poor decisions in a row. It's hardly likely
that that will happen again, although the Hurricanes definitely have the
psychological and home town advantange so things will be a little different
this week. This game should be huge.
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| Re: S14 Semis [message #1006480 ] |
Mon, 15 May 2006 23:25 |
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"Uncle Bully" <wakeupcall [at] optushome.com.au.REMOVE> wrote in
news:44683e94$0$7532$afc38c87 [at] news.optusnet.com.au:
> The Waratahs have never won in Wellington
> The Bulls have never won in Christchurch
>
>
> What are the chances of an upset?
> You'd have write off the Bulls immediately. I can't see that
> happening. Ever.
I hope it's a good game though, seeing as I'm going to be there. Forecast
is looking good, will be bloody cold, should be excellent.
--
Cheers, Os
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| Re: S14 Semis [message #1006505 ] |
Tue, 16 May 2006 02:29 |
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Uncle Bully wrote:
> The Waratahs have never won in Wellington
> The Bulls have never won in Christchurch
>
>
> What are the chances of an upset?
> You'd have write off the Bulls immediately. I can't see that happening.
> Ever.\
You mean like the Force drawing with the Cuntabs?
> The Waratahs are still in with a decent shot though. The only reason they
> lost is through at least a dozen poor decisions in a row. It's hardly likely
> that that will happen again, although the Hurricanes definitely have the
> psychological and home town advantange so things will be a little different
> this week. This game should be huge.
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| Re: S14 Semis [message #1006563 ] |
Tue, 16 May 2006 10:58 |
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"Bobs" <mcaulaymj [at] gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1147739378.902253.102070 [at] y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
> Uncle Bully wrote:
>> The Waratahs have never won in Wellington
>> The Bulls have never won in Christchurch
>>
>>
>> What are the chances of an upset?
>> You'd have write off the Bulls immediately. I can't see that happening.
>> Ever.\
>
> You mean like the Force drawing with the Cuntabs?
No. Upsets like that happen all the time in regular season as big teams take
their foot off and little teams take the opportunity to make a name for
themselves.
The Crusaders aren't the team to go into a Semi half-cocked.
>
>> The Waratahs are still in with a decent shot though. The only reason they
>> lost is through at least a dozen poor decisions in a row. It's hardly
>> likely
>> that that will happen again, although the Hurricanes definitely have the
>> psychological and home town advantange so things will be a little
>> different
>> this week. This game should be huge.
>
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| Re: S14 Semis [message #1006574 ] |
Tue, 16 May 2006 11:33 |
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On 15 May 2006 21:25:44 GMT, Osbourne Ruddock <strikeboy [at] hotmail.com>
wrote:
<<>"Uncle Bully" <wakeupcall [at] optushome.com.au.REMOVE> wrote in
>news:44683e94$0$7532$afc38c87 [at] news.optusnet.com.au:
>
>> The Waratahs have never won in Wellington
>> The Bulls have never won in Christchurch
>>
>>
>> What are the chances of an upset?
>> You'd have write off the Bulls immediately. I can't see that
>> happening. Ever.
>
>I hope it's a good game though, seeing as I'm going to be there. Forecast
>is looking good, will be bloody cold, should be excellent.>>
Cold will probably mean an underperforming Bulls team.
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| Re: S14 Semis [message #1025669 ] |
Tue, 16 May 2006 23:25 |
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Ferdi Greyling <me [at] thisplace.co> wrote in
news:cu8j62l9pcanb0ekm4nfjtd5f2cad2olsb [at] 4ax.com:
>>
>>I hope it's a good game though, seeing as I'm going to be there.
>>Forecast is looking good, will be bloody cold, should be excellent.>>
>
> Cold will probably mean an underperforming Bulls team.
>
The Bulls have certainly got it all against them. They won't be pushovers
though and this season's Crusaders team have definitely been a bit stop
start.
I wonder how important that demoralising loss to the Crusaders a couple
of weeks ago might end up being.
--
Cheers, Os
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| Re: S14 Semis [message #1025716 ] |
Wed, 17 May 2006 09:51 |
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On 16 May 2006 21:25:59 GMT, Osbourne Ruddock <strikeboy [at] hotmail.com>
wrote:
<<>The Bulls have certainly got it all against them. They won't be
pushovers
>though and this season's Crusaders team have definitely been a bit stop
>start.
>
>I wonder how important that demoralising loss to the Crusaders a couple
>of weeks ago might end up being.>>
Not really a big factor I would guess. The Bulls play an arrogant,
bully boy sort of rugby.
That means they have a huge ego as a team. Against opponents that fall
apart withing 20 minutes they are then in full cry. But if this game
gets to half time and the Crusaders have not wilted and look ready to
colapse (wich I think they will not) the Bulls will come apart at the
seams.
They are a team that lose self confidence on the field, not before the
time. Match their power and up the pace a little and they fall apart.
That is what happened in Pretoria 3 weeks ago. It will probably happen
again.
The point is the Crusaders have as much talent and power in their team
as the Bulls, but they have far better skills and concentration.
Of course anything can actually happen in this reality and the
Crusaders may fall apart and the Bulls exploit that, but I will not
bet anything on that.
I would say the chances are probably 25 to 1 that the Crusaders will
wil.
The Sharks would have had a better chance to upset the Crusaders as
they have good skills and they have played intelligent and bold rugby
this season. Bold meaning they are the 1st SA S14 team in some time
that have put their faith (at times at least) in constructing an
adventurous game based on passing and running skills. Running skills
as opposed to running at full tilt at the defence and fuck the
consequences.
That is nessecary to do well in the S14. Most SA sides tend to put
faith in moves practised (they then execute the moves regardless of
the reality on the field) and then also in moves that endlessly
requires a loose forward to get the ball from the no 9 and crash into
the defence. It rarely (if ever) works for them. Probably because they
don't then add that little bit of on field imprivisation, the risk
taking built on good judgement and done with good handling skills.
The Crusaders to that very well. Aaron Mauger (when he fires) is a
master with that.
The Sharks started doing that sort of thing this season (apparently
David Campese has worked on their skills all season). On a good day
that could have worked for them against the Crusaders.
But the Bulls won the play off here and they will be in NZ this
weekend. Trying to overpower the Crusaders with their power game. I do
not thing they will succeed. If they had that added intelligent
improvisation and concentration they could have done it. But they
don't have it.
So, it' s 25 to 1.
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| Re: S14 Semis [message #1025819 ] |
Thu, 18 May 2006 02:21 |
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Ferdi Greyling <me [at] thisplace.co> wrote in
news:bekl62l2q2sup95i727emd2oghkojupqsm [at] 4ax.com:
<snip good summation>
>
> But the Bulls won the play off here and they will be in NZ this
> weekend. Trying to overpower the Crusaders with their power game. I do
> not thing they will succeed. If they had that added intelligent
> improvisation and concentration they could have done it. But they
> don't have it.
It will be interesting because when the Crusaders have looked fallible
this season, they've played well in the first half but gone off the boil
in the 2nd. Except for last week's game where they really looked out of
sorts in the 1st half, and only came right late in the game. If they do
that against a Bulls side throwing the kitchen sink at them we could have
a bit of drama.
Bring it on.
--
Cheers, Os
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| Re: S14 Semis [message #1036151 ] |
Fri, 19 May 2006 11:31 |
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Uncle Bully wrote:
> "Bobs" <mcaulaymj [at] gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1147739378.902253.102070 [at] y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > Uncle Bully wrote:
> >> The Waratahs have never won in Wellington
> >> The Bulls have never won in Christchurch
> >>
> >>
> >> What are the chances of an upset?
> >> You'd have write off the Bulls immediately. I can't see that happening.
> >> Ever.\
> >
> > You mean like the Force drawing with the Cuntabs?
>
> No. Upsets like that happen all the time in regular season as big teams take
> their foot off and little teams take the opportunity to make a name for
> themselves.
> The Crusaders aren't the team to go into a Semi half-cocked.
>
Unlike Bobs...
>
> >
> >> The Waratahs are still in with a decent shot though. The only reason they
> >> lost is through at least a dozen poor decisions in a row. It's hardly
> >> likely
> >> that that will happen again, although the Hurricanes definitely have the
> >> psychological and home town advantange so things will be a little
> >> different
> >> this week. This game should be huge.
> >
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