62Lofu says...

That was a marvellous game of rugby right from start to finish. That's been an epic season for the Hurricanes, who were all but written off before the season started. Conrad Smith has been truly inspirational as a captain this year.

As for the referee rulings, there were some questionable calls, such as marching Conrad 10M for kicking the ball away, the Chiefs did the same several times throughout the game for no penalty. For me the first Chiefs try and the game winner both looked fine. Admittedly, Kaplan appears to be blocking a player (Corey Jane), but the camera from behind the goal line shows that Kerr Barlow was running a terrific angle and had a super low body position, Jane would not appear to have been able to prevent the score even with a clear run. The final try was pretty crowded, from the camera's perspective, but there was a clear view (briefly) of the ball well and truly in contact with the ground. Fact is, the try was awarded. And that capped an almighty performance from both teams.

Posted 05:07 14th July 2012

sandal says...

@rugbylover

I agree with your every word. The irony, however, is that the Canes have succeeded the Chiefs as the great spoilers of New Zealand rugby. After the fashion of the Chiefs of many years, the Canes this season have lost to both the Brumbies and the Cheetahs when in seemingly unassailable positions. They did so in typically Canes fashion, however, by playing happy clappy rugby. To complete their role as NZ spoilers, they have then beaten substantially better Chiefs and Crusaders teams. Oh dear.

But how gloriously typical of the Canes to rise to the occasion. Many people will argue that this result vindicates Mark Hammett's clearout last season. Nonsense, it simply demonstrates that the team is bigger than the individual, as the Canes have continued to assert their true nature. The Canes, still, are what they are.

So the forwards fought bravely, reaching near parity when I had expected them to be blown away. The strength of the Canes' scrum on Friday probably owed a lot to the work this week of Mike Cron. After all, the scrum had been terrible this year, despite all of Hammett's experience.

Till the final quarter, this was a game of astonishing skill. Thereafter fatigue lowered the quality, though not the excitement or the ambition. I can't help but reflect that it is games of this nature that enable the All Blacks to play with such ambition and skill. It is no wonder the Irish national team, who have just been in New Zealand, could not compete with the All Blacks on the skills and vision front when their club sides, however strong, play so conservatively.Super Rugby players develop higher skill levels than international players from many other tier one nations.

Beauden Barrett still has a lot of development to do. Never mind the intercept, for which I don't really blame him, he kicked and distributed poorly.

Posted 03:09 14th July 2012

kiwilad says...

The chokers tag has been passed from the ABs to the Chiefs....

Posted 00:53 14th July 2012

runnrugby says...

Being a Blues supporter :( this was a great exciting game of rugby to watch. The last try may have been controversial but the chiefs had themselves to blame for letting it get to that point. The difference between the two sides in the last 10mins or so was that the canes were playing to win while the chiefs were playing not to lose. Kerr-Barlow kicked possession away and again the chiefs scrum got owned as it did against the crusaders last week at crucial times, while the canes held possession and attacked right up to the end.

Conrad Smith was my man of the match. Tackled his heart out and again that awkward running style of his got him further than it looked like it should.

Posted 00:18 14th July 2012

kitch says...

@nordtransvaal..name a country that doesnt !.. but there is only one that has sent death threats, only one has childishly wore justice for bakkies armbands, only one where a fat slob ran onto the pitch and actually attacked the ref!!, and only one who went to the media crying about some irb conspiracy against them.!!

Posted 21:17 13th July 2012

new_j4a says...

@D4tress, Still downloading the game so can't comment `on the facts, but check the Laws: the player does not have to release the ball. He has several options which include scoring a try, popping a pass, etc. I will leave you to check your Laws for the exact wording, but here is an interesting quote from wikipedia which I include only because it points out the history of the "double movement" confusion:

If an attacking player is tackled short of the goal-line but immediately reaches out and places the ball on or over the goal-line, a try is scored. (This is a direct contrast to rugby league which would award a penalty for "double movement", see below. There is occasionally confusion amongst spectators and players at community levels of the game and an incorrect protest of "double movement" is a common one at English rugby union matches.)....and Irish it would seem?

What gym? Not Westwood at Leopardstown Racecourse in Foxrock by any chance?

Posted 20:55 13th July 2012

D4tress says...

@new_j4a: For the final try, the player had the ball in hand and dived for the line. He was tackled during the motion of diving for the line and his head was over the line, but the ball, held against his chest was short of the line. He was stopped dead momentarily. At this point he is obliged to release the ball.

He then appeared to shove his body forward (using his toes / knees?) and managed to get the ball over the line, bus since he had been stopped dead this was a 2nd movement (illegal). By this stage the ball was clearly on top of one of his hands and a defenders hand had been wedged underneath.

Even on first viewing it didn't look like a try. I'm really surprised that Kaplan went upstairs for it.

I wasn't at the stadium as I live in Dublin. I was watching it on Sky Sports 4 on the treadmill in the gym!!

Posted 17:21 13th July 2012

new_j4a says...

@APV1, Castle or Corona,...or here's a clue--Badger Golden Glory... :)

Posted 16:26 13th July 2012

theGadflY says...

i think IRB or whtevr da governin body for rugby refs should take a close look at refrees' perfrmnces.they've been performin awfuly since lately.

Posted 15:52 13th July 2012

APV1 says...

I'm looking forward to watching this later, as it's been recorded and sounds like a cracking match - tries, controversy and right down to the wire.

@ new_j4a - if it's all failed again, what's your favourite tipple, as I'm on my way..?! Hobgoblin? Twisted Spire? Bishop's Finger? Shropshire Lad?

Or Castle..?

Posted 15:26 13th July 2012