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Brumbies player ratings vs Blues | Super Rugby Trans-Tasman
Round three of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman saw the Brumbies play their final fixture of their Aotearoa road trip against the Blues at Eden Park.
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Having won seven of their last nine home games against the Brumbies, the Blues rightfully enjoyed favouritism going into the match.
And that favouritism was rightfully bestowed as the Blues ran out emphatic victors 38-10 on the back of skill and physicality at the breakdown coupled with a determined, suffocating defensive effort that never allowed the Brumbies to find a way to play their rugby.
This is how the Brumbies rated:
1. Scott Sio – 7/10
A fine response to last weeks match. He was one of the better Brumbies on the park tonight and managed to gain some ascendency in the scrum that would be one of the few good news stories for the Brumbies tonight.
2. Connal McInerney – 6
He had a crack and scored a deserved team try yet was part of a Brumbies forward pack that was dominated at the breakdown and despite his efforts at the set piece, didn’t feature as much as was required around the park.
3. Allan Alaalatoa (c) – 6
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Was struggling at the set piece early on but as good players do, he found a way to turn the tide. Toiled hard but was part of an outfit that was out muscled and out worked.
4. Darcy Swain – 6.5
Tried to impose himself on the Blues pack to his credit. Toiled hard and was the Brumbies main in the lineout where he also caused the Blues some issues but gave away far too many penalties tonight. Scratch this one up to experience.
5. Nick Frost – 6
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Didn’t really feature as he did last week against the Chiefs. Missed a tackle on Finlay Christie that allowed him to continue to his try. Like his locking counterpart, he will ultimately benefit from matches like this.
6. Rob Valetini – 7
Arguably the most potent Brumbies forward in attack and exhausted himself in defence yet worryingly missed a few too many tackles and will need to rectify that if he is to press for higher honours later in the season.
7. Tom Cusack – 5.5
A fair effort by the Vice-Captain but never really appeared to impose himself on the match despite his intent to do so. Probably as he was outplayed by his opposite and his side never found their rhythm that didn’t assist.
8. Henry Stowers – 7
Outstanding in defence but didn’t really feature in attack. If he is to cement himself in the back row at this level, he will need to start finding a more cogent ball-in-hand game.
The Blues have extended New Zealand’s unbeaten start to Super Rugby Trans-Tasman after they dispatched the Brumbies 38-10 at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. #SuperRugbyTT #BLUvBRU https://t.co/tfHkQ3lhnF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 29, 2021
9. Nic White – 6
Dropped off too many tackles tonight and not his greatest performance in game management despite making some very intelligent options when under pressure. He was a threat that Blues managed well.
10. Noah Lolesio – 6
Never really found his rhythm but showed glimpses of what a threat he can be however the attacking options chosen weren’t the most optimal and those appeared to be repeated at times when it was becoming obvious that fresh thinking was required.
11. Tom Wright – 5.5
An intelligent effort marred by poor execution.
12. Irae Simone – 5.5
Tough night in the midfield but toiled hard yet never really found a way to dominant the advantage line in his channel which is so important to this Brumbies attacking initiatives.
13. Len Ikitau – 7
Was pretty staunch in defence and managed to have Blues players held up forcing the maul and trapping the Blues out. Didn’t really feature in attack but that was largely due to the fact the Blues were causing the Brumbies too many issues closer in.
14. Solomone Kata – 5.5
Just didn’t get into the match. At a time when the Brumbies were not bending the Blues line, it would have been an opportunity for him to find some work in attack as he simply wasn’t getting much ball out wide. Needs to work himself into the game in the future.
15. Tom Banks – 7
Threatening as ever with the few opportunities he had but couldn’t really capitalise on those opportunities as the Blues delivered a defensive masterclass tonight.
The Crusaders have scored eight tries to fight off a committed Waratahs side in Wollongong on Saturday to keep themselves in the hunt for the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title. #SuperRugbyTT https://t.co/vXGu33ezrX
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 29, 2021
Reserves:
16. Folau Fainga’a – 5
Getting yellow carded isn’t the type of impact sought, especially just after his side received a formal warning. A night to forget for him.
17. Harry Lloyd – 5
Didn’t create the impact as desired from the bench.
18. Sefo Kautai – 5
Like Lloyd, didn’t really feature.
19. Tom Hooper – 5
No real impact.
20. Luke Reimer – 6.5
Worked hard in defence and made a fist of it.
21. Ryan Lonergan – 5
Looked active but failed to create.
22. Bayley Kuenzle – 5.5
Again showed he has something to offer but not enough time tonight to really shine.
23. Mack Hansen – 5
Didn’t get into the match with any great force.
Comments on RugbyPass
No question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
95 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
95 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
95 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
147 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
95 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
95 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
95 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
95 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
95 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
12 Go to commentsMore bloody click bait. Dan Carter has said absolutely nothing. As he should do. Poor journalism again from a site that should know better
9 Go to commentsOh god please help these loosers get over it!!!! You lost. Doesn't matter how many times you dummies are gonna analyse the game, you still lost and we are still Rygby World Champions….get over it, you lost.
95 Go to commentsThe next Willie le Roux. SA are made not to use him.
3 Go to commentsDan has always been as controversial as tea with milk so we were never going to get any definitive answer. So DMac for the win.
9 Go to commentsGoodness. When are the All Blacks and New Zealand commentators going to stop complaining about how they could have won and just try to win next time 😂. In South Africa if you lose you get up and try again. Get over it.
95 Go to commentsHonestly, it doesn’t matter a whole lot. RSA has a ton of experienced talent in its leadership group. I am more interested in who is the new 8 man/8 men and the younger props. The captain may change but the system does not
1 Go to commentsBen, you are one of the most arrogant and self opionated rugby critics I have ever come across (next to Keohane). I hoped that after SA beating the best ranked teams in the world on their way to the WC (something not done before) that you might have the grace to admit that this is a special team that deserved the accolades coming their way. You have no humility and as has been been already pointed out, merely a troll to attract audience numbers. Count me out in the future.
95 Go to comments‘War of independence’. Such a grand name for a few skirmishes. Where were all the great battles of this ‘war’ ? Smith got goosebumps as he was being emotionally manipulated, another mushroom.
1 Go to comments