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54 - 17
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31 - 19
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45 - 0
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Super Rugby AotearoaCrusadersHighlanders

Recap: Highlanders vs Crusaders | Super Rugby Aotearoa

Crusaders v Highlanders Live Match Centre

Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Super Rugby Aotearoa clash between the Highlanders and Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.

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Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).

The Highlanders return home to their sheltered stadium to try get their Super Rugby Aotearoa season back on track after coming so very close to upsetting the Blues in Auckland last week. The Crusaders, meanwhile, are sitting on two wins from two matches after sitting out the opening week of the competition.

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Long-time NZ rugby journalist Ross Karl is joined by two players each week to discuss the ins and outs of the great game in New Zealand.

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Long-time NZ rugby journalist Ross Karl is joined by two players each week to discuss the ins and outs of the great game in New Zealand.

All Blacks pair Josh Ioane and Nehe Milner-Skudder are still missing from the Highlanders line-up while the Crusaders have now lost Cullen Grace for the remainder of the season.

After Scott Gregory’s less than impressive performance at Eden Park last weekend, the Highlanders have opted to bring Michael Collins into the starting line-up in the troublesome fullback spot. They’ve also swapped out their front row and handed Ngane Punivai a start on the wing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCH_kjoAHXe/

The Crusaders, meanwhile, are showing off their outrageous depth by giving Bryn Hall, George Bridge and Sevu Reece rests. In their places come All Blacks Mitch Drummond and David Havili, and promising up-and-comer Leicester Fainga’anuku.

While the Crusaders have had a big advantage of their southern neighbours in recent times, they’ve not had exceptional luck in Dunedin and will be hoping that they can make the most of the first dry-track they’ve been able to play on since their Super Rugby Aoterao season got started.

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The Highlanders have won two of their last three Super Rugby matches against the Crusaders as hosts on the day, including their most recent meeting in round five, 2018, but they haven’t enjoyed back-to-back wins in such fixtures since 1997-1999.

The Crusaders have won 11 of their last 12 Super Rugby matches, conceding just 7.2 first-half points per game in that stretch.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCMuxNMguCL/

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Comments on RugbyPass

N
NB 6 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

But SH fans have been rounding on the north for decades saying their rugby is boring and they don’t throw the ball about enough. Now that they do they are rubbish at defence?

I reckon it is more a reflection of a reffing desire to lower the number of pens and keep the game alive for longer. Karl Dickosn only blew the whistle 26 times in two games - that must be some kind of record.



...

18 Go to comments
N
NB 10 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

They also tried to do vs the ABs in Wellington and scored 43 points! What changed?😁

18 Go to comments
N
NB 11 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Shaun Edwards’ face told the tale after England. Said happy clappy things but his face looked like thunder.

Overall I’ve no doubt it is a positive step forward for NH rugby. For how many years have they been condemned for being too stody and defence-oriented?



...

18 Go to comments
N
NB 14 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

The referee aspect is esp interesting SB.

One of the fascinating subtexts is that two of the English refs averaged only 13 pens per game over three games in charge - Karl Dickson averaged 13 pens over two and Luke Pearce 14 in one. Andew Brace [12] and Angus Gardner [14] were also very low indeed…



...

18 Go to comments
N
NB 24 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

The Boks do ofc tend to dominate tackles but the scrum pen stats are esp eye-popping : SA are +24 scrum pens over the last two TRCs. That gives you tremendous access to the opposing 22 and control of the game from one set-piece to another.

But England had the same dominance in this 6N but could not make it count. That could be down to them partly, but also changes in the comp as a whole.



...

18 Go to comments
A
Ayre123 None 26 minutes ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

I think Savea is overrated, Wilson is right.

22 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 28 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Easy now. Running ahead because you’ve started your season.

I noticed a distinct decline in defensive efficacy in this years 6 nations. England was poor. France leaked tries (yes they can score more than you - but they don’t against better defenses).



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18 Go to comments
N
NB 30 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

It’s also connected with effectiveness inside the oppo 22 BP. Get scrum pen —> kick to corner —> score. England were not good at that!

18 Go to comments
b
benny_pea 35 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Brilliant point about the English scrum. It’s very dominant, but not so much that we can just put our foots down and scrum until the opposition prop gets sent off like SA can.

18 Go to comments
c
cnw 42 minutes ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

Agree. The French exemplify the importance of making the right selections. They effectively have two packs - their “big” pack and their “mobile” pack. Which of these packs is “start” or “impact” has varied depending on the opposition. But getting that right has been key to their success. They got it wrong against Scotland and right against Ireland and (only just) England.

22 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 49 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

What’s your point?

France conceded 7 tries at home. Against an England side that had, probably up to that point, the worst attack in the tournament.



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18 Go to comments
J
J Marc 49 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

England scored one more try than France, last week…

18 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 52 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Yip. And see, the team that leaked tries lost.

SA tried to play SR against the Wallabies, and lost.



...

18 Go to comments
J
J Marc 52 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

As porous as SA défense vs Australia last summer ?

18 Go to comments
C
CC 57 minutes ago
Wallabies appoint former All Blacks defence coach as assistant

That's a low bar, hopefully they make it work. I'd like to see Aus make a deep run in the WC next year

4 Go to comments
c
cnw 58 minutes ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

Yeah I think the reason he wants Ardie on the “impact” bench is because that impact has become as if not more important than the starting bench. Its neither a criticism nor a demotion. The Irish and French regularly rotate their forward combinations depending on their opposition. And its all about “maximum” impact too. Synman could easily start for the Boks but he is a most lethal weapon when he comes off the bench. For too long the ABs have been listless in the golden period which is now the middle 30 minutes / third quarter looking at the dynamics of the Autumn series and 6N. Bringing Ardie on in that period fully energised could be key to unlocking that potential that has been clearly lacking as you say in the AB game for at least 2 years. Equally I accept he is clearly good enough to play 80 like SFdT and lead the whole way. But when the ABs are bristling with explosive talent in the back three, maxing out that talent in the first 30-45 with Ardie then coming on alongside SB, Tuipulutu, Williams, Fletcher, Taukeiaho could be magic.

22 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Hi Nick - this time your piece raises more questions that it provides answers - not that that’s in any way the yardstick of a good piece, which it undoubtedly is, (leaving aside my almost ending of a sentence on a preposition.) 😉

The question which jumps out at me is the correlation (or perhaps lack thereof) between dominance in the collision and 1) Time of ball in play - I’m not sure that BIP takes into account the length of rucks, and 2) Penalties awarded.



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18 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

The stats between the Boks and ABs will confirm that the best test teams don’t leak tries.

This 6 Nations wasn’t a watershed moment. It just looked like a watershed moment because it was as porous as a French drain.



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18 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby



Watching northern hemisphere sides get held scoreless in the republic this past weekend - and seeing them struggle with line speed (a point Victor Matfield made recently) tells me you’re getting ahead of yourself here, Nick.

It was glaring this past weekend. 3/4 SA sides scored 140 points to 24. Against aggressive line speed, the tries dried up. It’s easy to look like an offloading wizard when you don’t have someone hitting you in the ribs every time you get the ball.



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18 Go to comments
c
cnw 1 hour ago
Jeff Wilson on why Ardie Savea must fill All Blacks bench role

Tamaiti did not have a great year, but folded is a bit harsh. The only time he was clearly bested is when they played England and the ABs were one man down or playing Fainga’anuku at 6. The struggles against the Boks at Eden Park was really a tighthead issue. Against the Boks at Wellington his pack in fact dominated the scrums with Holland at 6 - a fact often missed because the Bok freight train won every other contest.

22 Go to comments
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