Blues player ratings vs Crusaders | Super Rugby Aotearoa
It was very much a Godzilla vs Kong battle at Eden Park on Sunday afternoon as the two unbeaten teams in Super Rugby Aotearoa collided in a top of the table clash.
The Blues saw Josh Goodhue, Alex Hodgman, Blake Gibson and Bryce Heem come fresh into the matchday XV for a variety of reasons. The Crusaders, meanwhile, made an adjustment in the loose trio as Tom Christie was unfit and Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace returned. Halfback Bryn Hall hit the 100 Super rugby match mark.
The Blues started well with a surfeit of possession and territory but the Crusaders survived on limited rations, converted every time they got within touch of the Blues line and then flourished just before halftime with a 17-8 lead. In the second half, the Crusaders camped in the Blues territory and strangled the Blues like a red and black python and even though the Blues showed sparks of potential, they couldn’t light the fire.
Here’s how the Blues rated in the loss:
1. Alex Hodgman – 6.5
Good comeback from injury and showed he’s All Black class at scrum time and around the field. Good ball in 3rd minute to his big buddy Laulala in open play. Seemed to get an early edge v Alaalatoa but couldn’t nail the advantage. Off at 60.
2. Luteru Tolai – 5
Toiled manfully but when you’re up against the player of the tournament so far it’s hard to make a mark. Awful start to the second half as he slipped off Blackadder to set up a Crusader attack and penalty to give 20-8 lead. Off shortly after.
3. Nepo Laulala – 6.5
The Blues scrum was a real weapon in the first 30 but then the Crusaders neutralised it. It was around that time when the tighthead drove into the Crusaders jumper at line out time, conceding the penalty that led to the Codie Taylor try. Off at 45.
4. Patrick Tuipulotu – 6.5
Top metre eater for a forward and rampaged from the front. Penalised for a high tackle in the 25th minute. Not really a lineout option but got a handy steal at 37 minutes.
5. Josh Goodhue – 6
Hit Eden Park humming and busy throughout his stay. A great stanza for him at the 35th minute with a lineout take then seconds later a bullocking carry. Off at 58.
6. Akira Ioane – 6
Had some bright moments but didn’t have the game he needed to to beat the champions and was arguably outplayed by his opposite. Got beaten to the ball by Jack Goodhue for the Crusaders first try. Smart thinking moments later got a nifty steal at the back of the ruck to start an attack and had some good moments with the ball in hand in general. A little bit of indiscipline; penalised for lying on ball in the 26th minute and gave away another at 60 before being subbed.
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7. Blake Gibson – 5
Must be the unluckiest Super player with injuries. Finished well in the 20th minute for Blues first try, a lineout win at 22 minutes and off at halftime.
8. Hoskins Sotutu – 6.5
Started the game taking the ball up and was key in the lineout, with four takes. Great turnover in the 22nd minute on Fainga’anuku for the penalty. In the 72nd minute showed pace to whip down the right wing for a try.
9. Jonathan Ruru – 5.5
For all the scrum dominance and lineout ball the backline never got good service in large parts of the game. Off at 56.
10. Otere Black – 5.5
He struggled with untidy ball from line outs and wasn’t able to dictate terms as he has been. Off at 68.
11.Caleb Clarke – 5.5
Showed his strength more than once. Hasn’t been able to surprise teams this year and will have to develop some new tricks if he wants to constantly improve.
12. Harry Plummer – 6.5
He has been really impressive with a physical edge in the last two weeks and matched up well against the in-form David Havili. A couple of moments where he came up trumps in contact against Sione Havili Talitui and Sam Whitelock shows he’s more than just a distributor.
13. Rieko Ioane – 6.5
Top yards in the match but couldn’t carry his team to a win. No one seemed to notice that Sevu Reece did the Rieko pose with the last Crusaders try to put it beyond doubt; that would have rubbed the salt in the centre’s wounds.
14. Bryce Heem – 6
Looked likely in the first quarter with a couple of good canters although denied a try by a killer Mo’unga tackle. Got himself involved for the 80 and added some good linking play on attack.
15. Stephen Perofeta – 6
Little knock-on in 3rd minute with a difficult ball. Really got involved late in the game after Black went off and looked good with a more prominent workload.
The Crusaders have emerged unscathed from their four matches to date – who was the "big point-of-difference" for the victorious side in today's clash with the Blues? #SuperRugbyAotearoa #BLUvCRUhttps://t.co/cCXdrXLNAX
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 21, 2021
Reserves:
16. Kurt Eklund – 6.5
On at 45 and for a second week in the row got a try with his first touch. Then got his second with clever placement at 66. Couple of black marks; free kicked with a lineout baulk at 61 and saw some red mist with some WWE moves after Reece jumped on his head and then took Tuipulotu out. Then bamboozled by Mo’unga’s footwork to give up the try in the 68th minute.
17. Karl Tu’inukuafe – 5.5
On 60. A couple of steamrolling runs and played a part in the Blues resurgence.
18. Ofa Tuungafasi – 5
On at 45. Two big carries leading up to Eklund’s second try. Absolutely smashed Scott Barrett in the ruck and was yellow carded, such a dangerous area now for accidental contact.
19. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti – 6.5
On 58. Good physicality in lead up to Eklund’s second try and waded through the defensive line with ball in hand more than once.
20. Tom Robinson – 7
On at 60. He may end up a victim of his own success of the bench as he is so effective at it; he lifted his team superbly, the highlights were the set up to Sotutu’s touchdown with a magical offload and a lineout steal in the 76th.
21. Adrian Choat – 6.5
On at halftime. Annoying defensive player and busy with ball in hand. Won’t want to see the replay of the lineout ball off his head when he was playing at halfback.
22. Finally Christie – 6
On at 56. He is class and looking forward to seeing more of him in a blue jersey.
23. TJ Faiane – 5.5
On at 68. Ran his nice straight lines that seemed to make the Blues attack more direct.
Comments on RugbyPass
I certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
2 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
3 Go to comments