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'We're going to start losing games': Crusaders star's warning to his own side ahead of Hurricanes clash
Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall has issued his side with a warning to improve their discipline ahead of their clash with the Hurricanes in Christchurch on Sunday.
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Hall was part of the Crusaders side that defeated the Highlanders 26-13 in the Super Rugby Aotearoa season-opener in Dunedin last Friday.
Despite their victory, the Crusaders were scrutinised for their lack of discipline throughout the contest as they conceded almost double the number of penalties the Highlanders gave away, with Ethan Blackadder and Scott Barrett both receiving yellow cards.
Loosehead prop Joe Moody was fortunate to have escaped the sin bin as well after striking Highlanders lock Jack Regan in the face multiple times.
Referee Ben O’Keeffe admitted on Monday that the 50-test All Black should have been yellow carded.
Immediately after his side’s defeat, Highlanders head coach Tony Brown labelled the state of rugby as “sad” as he vented his frustrations that teams who regularly commit illegal acts aren’t being punished severely enough.
Brown’s comments came a week after the Crusaders received four yellow cards in their pre-season game-of-three-halves clashes with the Blues and Chiefs in Cambridge.
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Speaking to the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Hall said that Brown’s comments were justified and that he and his teammates haven’t been “respecting” the laws of the game.
“I think it’s fair. The refs are refereeing it and we’re all playing the same way,” Hall, who scored a try in last Friday’s match, said.
“We’ve all been delivered around what the rules are and what the expectations are, so, unfortunately for us, we’re just not respecting that and so we’ve got to be able to make a clear shift.”
The 29-year-old warned the Crusaders are running the risk of losing matches in the coming weeks if their discipline doesn’t improve.
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“For us, we don’t want to be that team [where] that becomes our trademark around being penalised and giving teams easy outs and refs looking at us even more because these derbies can be so hard and especially when you’re giving away penalties.
“We’ve just got to be better at it. We just can’t afford to get ourselves in these positions again because these derby games, we’re going to start losing games if we keep putting ourselves under pressure like that.”
Super Rugby Aotearoa referee Ben O’Keeffe has admitted he should have yellow carded Crusaders prop Joe Moody during his side’s clash against the Highlanders on Friday. #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/HSvuKjsNbD
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 2, 2021
In the post-match press conference, Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson called for his squad to “self-discipline better”, a sentiment Hall said his side have taken onboard.
“We’re putting ourselves in those positions where we aren’t doing it right, so we’ve got to make a shift and we’re trying to do that, we’re trying to do that in-game, and moving forward, we want to see those numbers drop down so we don’t put ourselves under pressure.”
Former Blues hooker James Parsons, meanwhile, told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod he believed the officials dealt to the Crusaders well at Forsyth Barr Stadium, noting that “they were penalised, they were warned and the yellow cards were given, so I don’t know what more could have been done”.
However, the recently-retired two-test All Black suggested changes would need to be made as he said it was likely officials will crackdown on the Crusaders in their upcoming fixtures given their recent track record.
“I suppose from the week before, we spoke about it on here, the discipline and the amount of penalties that were given away in the pre-season game. I sort of jumped to their defence and thought that they would rectify things,” Parsons said.
“I was looking at the penalty count, I think there were five infringements in that first 20 [minutes], four penalties and one free kick at scrum time, and I was thinking, ‘Good lord, they haven’t learned from their mistakes’.
“The skipper Scott Barrett mentioned that they need to adjust and I’m sure they will adjust because the refs aren’t going to let up on them. Now it’s at a point that the refs will be looking at them even harder than the opposition.”
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
1 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
23 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
6 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to comments