Comfortable Monday G&GRs! One other predictable spherical in regads to outcomes, however positively not the scores! For those who wager on outcomes, that might have been more durable to select than a damaged nostril.
I’ll do the standard sport by sport, after which wind up for my ‘Outdated Man Shouting At Clouds’. So park your ass, seize a giant kwofffeeeeee ☕and lets dive in!
Tremendous Rugby Pacific 2024 – Quarter Finals
Waikato Chiefs 43 defeated Queensland Reds 21
In what was probably the greatest examples of ‘shock and awe’ rugby I’ve seen in my life, the Waikato Chiefs got here out of the gates in full afterburner and blew the Reds off the park within the first quarter-hour of the sport. This ended the Reds season in what ended up being a 43-21 defeat in Hamilton on Friday night time. The Chiefs ran a practice on my beloved Reddies in what needed to be the very best half of rugby the Chiefs have ever put collectively banging down 4 tries to the Reds blot, getting in to the sheds up 31-0 for oranges.
The Reds got here into this sport pondering they have been half an opportunity, having already defeated the Chiefs this 12 months, in addition to the Crusaders in Christchurch, however it merely wasnt to be. Samisoni Taukei’aho banged down a double and he was helped out by Emoni Narawa. The Chiefs have been fully bodily and dominant, within the first half. Their breakdown work was an entire masterpiece. With the Reds being unable to guard their possession in assault, and the Chiefs having the ability to flip over at will.
The Reds got here out within the second half trying to redeem themselves. But it surely was window dressing on an epic defeat. Tate McDermott by no means stopped making an attempt, and banged down two good tries. But it surely was by no means going to be sufficient while you let your opposition get out toe a 31-0 lead. And it wasnt that the Reds have been that dangerous, it was really a case of the Chiefs being that good.
If the Chiefs can trot out one other half like that in opposition to the Canes they are going to be laborious to beat. However I’m not certain that lightning strikes twice.
Wellington Hurricanes 47 defeated Melbourne Rebels 20
After 14 years of the Melbourne Rebels this chapter has lastly come to a detailed, and the Rebels can maintain their heads excessive. KARL’s Hurricanes have been dominate, however the Rebels confirmed moments of energy to shut their story in a 47-20 victory to the Canes. Being the second Australian staff to bow out of the finals, the Rebels did obtain one thing no different staff has this season, they prevented the Canes from scoring throughout the first 20 minutes of a match.
The Rebs received of to a great begin with a 3-0 lead however that’s the place them main would finish for them. Going to the sheds at 14-6 down for Oranges, the Rebels gave the impression to be hanging on by their fingernails. The Canes got here out laborious within the second half with an ideal bust by means of transfer from Jordie Barret, offloading to Brayden for a pleasant attempt. One other two tires for the Canes in three minutes dashed the Rebels possibilities and hopes, to take the Canes to a 35-6 lead on the three quarter mark.
The Rebels managed to bang down two tries by means of Lachie Anderson, however it wasnt sufficient. The Canes banged down one other two late tries to Du’Plessis Kirifi and Kini Naholo to rub salt into the Rebels wounds.
And so it’s the rebles bow out of the competitors, and I’m nonetheless unsure that may be a good factor for Australian rugby. The Canes regarded stable, however will probably be a a lot more durable check in opposition to the Chiefs subsequent week.
Auckland Blues 36 defeated Fiji Drua 5
The Fiji Drua’s closing collection have come to an finish in a complete loss to the Auckland Blues, taking place 36-5. The Blues shot out to a shellacking 22-0 lead within the first half, with the Fijians struggling to get any actual possession and rythmn of their sport.
The Drua got here out laborious within the second half to attain a peach of a attempt to Selestino Ravutaumada, however that was all they may muster, and the Blues closed out the sport. They are going to be comfortable to get by means of the Fiji sport with solely the lack of Patrick Tuipulotu (who seems to be out for the remainder of the Tremendous Rugby adn Take a look at season), semi-intact prepared for the Semi-finals.
Fiji go dwelling licking their wounds, bringing an finish to the Mick ‘The Kick’ Byrne period of the Drua. I hope Mick Byrne can carry in regards to the change within the Fijian aspect that he purchased to the Drua, to proceed on the good work achieved by Simon Raiwalui.
ACT Brumbies 32 defeated Otago Highlanders 16
Nicely the Pet Killers are the one Australian staff remaining within the combine for SRP 24, with their gritty win overr the Clan 32-16 in Canberra on saturday night time. With Saturday night time being their tenth victory from 10 outings at GIO stadium this 12 months (there’s a lot to be stated for dwelling floor benefit as of late).
The Ponies had a dominate first half, with Icky sticky and Huge Bobby V plying their commerce, and developing aces. The Highlanders toiled away, however struggled to search out their rythmn and groove. The Ponies regarded robust going into oranges up 17-16, and the Highlanders nonetheless holding half a hand on the sport.
However the begin of the second half was a unique matter, with Pollard grabbing his second not lengthy after half time, after which Muirhead (who had a blinder of a sport) displaying spherical ball expertise off a Lolo cross-field kick to bag one within the nook. This prolonged the Ponies result in 13 factors, and appeared to sap the desire of the Clan.
The Brumbies did what they wanted to shut out the sport, and make it by means of to the semi-finals. However subsequent weeks activity appears a curse. The Blues in Eden Park. Maybe a Bridge too far?
Tremendous Rugby Pacific 2024 – Semi Finals
So right here we’re right down to the ultimate 4. 3 x Kiwi Groups and a sole Aussie staff. Listed below are the video games, timings and areas.
- FRIDAY 14 JUNE 2024 – 1705 Hrs AEST – Auckland Blues V ACT Brumbies – Eden Park
- SATURDAY 15 JUNE 2024 – 1435 Hrs AEST – Wellington Hurricanes V Waikato Chiefs – Sky Stadium Wellington
We’ll wait til the groups, accidents and alternatives come out. However between us women G&GRs, I feel the Brumbies have a extremely laborious activity in entrance of them. And I shouldn’t have a lot confidence that they will get the job finished at Eden Park, even thought I will likely be cheering my lungs out for them. Within the different sport I feel the Canes will likely be too robust for the Chiefs after which we are going to see KARLs Canes V the Blues for the Grand Remaining!
Outdated Man Shouting at Clouds
This weekend I’m positively coming in off the long term up. And this weeks goal once more is the referumps. And let me set the report straight.
- The referumps this Tremendous Rugby Season, as I’ve talked about beforehand, have been the very best I’ve seen in my many years of watching rugby. They actually have been high notch.
- The referumps choices didnt alter the outocmes of the video games. The groups that received, received as a result of they deserved too.
Then why am I coming in off the ling run up? Nicely the finals have been reffed in another way to the remainder of the season. Penalties that have been referred to as within the ‘dwelling and away’ rounds have been let fly within the finals. It genuinely to me felt like the sport was being reffed to a unique customary. Intially I assumed it was simply me, however I piled onto the G&GR Whats App Craperatzi group and I received a number of settlement from the oldsters inside.
What do I imply lets take a look!
Within the Canes sport, refereed by G&GRs ‘favorite’ (sorry there isn’t any sarcasm font) peablower James ‘I cant referee to avoid wasting myself’ Doleman, I watched 5 gamers get tackled with out the ball off the play, fully taking them out of play. Each groups did it. Proper in entrance of Doleman and he simply ignored it. Some may say, nicely it didnt have an effect on the sport, so play on. My view, if it’s a rule, implement it. In any other case gamers will then complain when they’re penalised for it, as a result of they did it ten instances earlier than and werent pinged for it so it have to be OK!
Then the Canes get a ten metre penalty as a result of a Rebels participant pushes a Canes participant within the face. Beside the truth that the Canes participant got here by means of the ruck, pushed the Rebs participant again 5 metres, then wouldn’t let go of him so he might rejoin the breakdown, and made a complete pest of himself. So Rebs participant will get penalised when it’s the Canes participant that’s committing the offence. Once more this was occurring proper in entrance of Doleman and the blind man let it go. Along with these two different instance, gamers from each side weren’t rolling away, or have been intentionally rolling into the opposiing 9 making an attempt to sluggish play down or disrupt fast ball. It was an apparent tactic, once more proper in entrance of Doleman, and but once more he wasnt calling it. Play on!
Within the dwelling and away rounds, this shit was enforced and enforced tightly. And gamers received the message rapidly. However for the quarters, it was like crack on, do what ever you need. So both there was a course to the referumps to let the sport play? Or Doleman was simply demonstrating why he’s probably the most disliked referump in Tremendous Rugby. IMHO Doleman is less than Membership Rugby Commonplace, not to mention Tremendous Rugby Quarter Finals customary.
It was a poor efficiency by him. It didnt have an effect on the end result of the sport, the Canes have been the dominant staff and have been at all times going to win this. However you set followers as much as anticipate a sure customary of referumping and you then dishthis shit out, after which marvel why they crack the shits on the officiators.
This wasnt the one sport. Within the Brumbies V Highlanders sport, referumped by the very best peablower round Angus Gardner, I counted 10 line out in a row, the place the throw was no the place close to straight. In truth, as legendary Refereump Nigel Owens would have stated “I’m straighter than that one!” When the staff that wins the road out is taking it exterior their exterior arm, you recognize it’s crooked as fark!
And the ultimate ‘shout at clouds’, is throughout the Blues V Fiji Drua, referumped by Queenslander Nic ‘Pink’ Berry, there have been quite a few factors. The Hossman raised on the craperatzi about gamers clearing out nicely previous the rucks and holding ‘pillar’ or ruck defenders. Nutta agreed and was speaking about blow by means of clear out gamers forming a wall on the opposite aspect of the breakdown, stopping cowl defenders coming by means of to the opposite aspect of the ruck. So in different phrases, attacking groups are sending two or three gamers previous the ruck and the utilizing them to impede defenders from wrapping round.
The advantage of that is that it wasnt simply me having a great outdated bitch in regards to the officiating. As I acknowledged on the beggining my two clear factors and I’ll re-state them:
- The referumps this Tremendous Rugby Season, as I’ve talked about beforehand, have been the very best I’ve seen in my many years of watching rugby. They actually have been high notch.
- The referumps choices didnt alter the outocmes of the video games. The groups that received, received as a result of they deserved too.
These nonetheless stand. However the officiating this spherical, the quarter finals was basically totally different to the house and away season, and it actually floor my gears.
Anyway, that’s sufficient of this Outdated Fart whinging! Over to you G&GRs! Have at it!
