Semi Final Super 12 2005 Wrap

Crusaders 47 Hurricanes 7
This match was always going to be a mismatch. It would have been a miracle if the Hurricanes won this one. In the final round they played and the Crusaders easily outclassed the Hurricanes, even though the Crusaders rested a number of key players. When players like Dan Carter returned, you knew the Canes were in for a hiding.

In the packs the fight was closer that expected with the Hurricanes’ Jerry Collins showing that he is a handful around the fringes. He was bound to take the Canes over the advantage line on a number of occasions, but the support was not always there to make something from it. Rodney So’oalo played his heart out, but as the game progressed he was forced more and more into the defense. For the Canterbury men, they worked under a blanket and one knew that the power and experience from Chris Jack, Ritchie McCaw, and Reubens Thorn would ultimately take its toll on the Canes pack.

The Crusaders’ backline was awesome. Justin Marshall may have is faults, but he is a true general behind the pack and always seems to make the right decisions. We saw him with his sniping breaks when available and he also strong enough to take the pressure on himself and stand up against the opposition pack when bad ball is delivered. The talent then just increases when the ball goes to the great Dan Carter. This youngster is a true general on flyhalf and can really run, kick and defend and he does every one of those functions excellently. It is around these two where the success of the Crusaders lies and if you cannot cut them down or put them under constant pressure, you will be in trouble. The talent does not stop there as the next player in line is a very under estimated Aaron Mauger. He is one of the more intelligent inside centres in the world and can easily do duty on flyhalf if required. That helps to alleviate the pressure from Dan Carter, as Carter knows Mauger is there to make the right decision. Any one playing outside these three will look good. I also take my hat off to Scott Hamilton. He has been a bit of a “super sub” for the Crusaders. He struggles to make the starting line-up, yet when he gets the chance he always have a storming match, like he did in the semi final to score three tries.

The Hurricanes had a problem at the back as the miss of Conrad Smith had a dramatic impact on the organization of the backline. I did not expect injury to have such a big impact, but they seemed to be directionless when the ball hit the backline. Even Tana Umaga was outclassed by Mauger. That poses the question – that I have heard asked before – who is actually giving the direction in the Hurricanes backline? Umaga or Smith? I do think the young Jimmy Goperth found the last two weekends tough as he once again showed some poor decision making by kicking the ball often down the throat of Leon MacDonald. Something you do not do!

The one Hurricane players who stood out head and shoulders above his other backline players, is the powerful Ma’a Nonu. Nonu will definitely add the headache the All Black selectors will have with another strong performance. Nonu has grown up as a player as looked good – even in an outclassed backline. Something an excellent player like Umaga could not manage.

The final result, a very expected 47-7 win to the Crusaders and like I said from about the second round I the Super 12 – if you want to win the trophy this year, you will first have to beat the Crusaders.

Waratahs 23 Bulls 13
All the South Africans held thumbs for the Bulls when they ran onto the field in Aussie Stadium. For 30 minutes the Bulls controlled the match and the try scored by Johan Roets when he charged a kick from Matt Rogers down, showed the pressure the Bulls exerted on the Tahs. At that stage Matt Rogers was having a nightmare and the Bulls pack threatened to take the Tahs pack out of the competition.

Then suddenly a too familiar thing happened. Something I have written about the last couple of weeks. The Bulls seemed to stop playing. They did it in the last number of outings in SA and I have warned that this was going to bite them. Unfortunately they carried on playing like that and it has now cost them the ultimate prize – a place in the final.

The try by Morgan Turinui was a joke at this level of rugby. He kicked the ball after fielding it covering for Rogers on fullback, the ball bounced between three Bulls players, every Bulls player stood and watched as Turinui fielded the ball from the bounce to run in a 40 meter untouched try. This is primary school stuff! Bryan Habana also had a bit of a nightmare when he beat the defense with his pace, just to knock the ball on trying to pick it up when it bounced away from him. That showed that he may be a very talented player and a try-scoring machine, but he has yet a lot to learn.

At half time, the score was 16-13 to the Waratahs and it was still anyone’s game.

In the second half, we once again saw a very soft try when Nathan Grey bumped off Etienne Botha in the simplest of fashions to crash over for a try off first phase possession. That summed up the performance of the Bulls midfield, which showed a lot of lack in creativity and leaked a bit on defense.
The Bulls pack did what was expected, but it was David Lyons of the Waratahs who deserves the praises. He played outstandingly and was a huge thorn in the flesh of the Bulls. I don’t think there is any doubt who will be the Wallaby number 8! Lyons played his best game of the season.

The Waratahs had Nathan Grey to stabilize the midfield and a sly Chris Whitaker on scrumhalf, but they also have their problems in midfield with Lachlan MacKay not taking command of the match on flyhalf. This may just be their Achilles heal against the Crusaders as you cannot win if your flyhalf gets dominated and outplayed by the opposition flyhalf. Peter Hewat contributed his usual handful of points.

In the final analysis, the Waratahs turned a slender three points lead when they turned at 16 - 13 half time to a convincing 23 – 13 win at full time. They will, however, have to shift up more than a gear to beat the Crusaders in the final.

General Super 12 comments
We have finally reached the final. The Super 12 is an amazing tournament and it has some spectacular rugby in it. It is always sad when these final stages are reached and you realize that although this is the final cherry after a long build-up. This is the time when you start feeling sad for some teams who totally under performed – like the Stormers and happy fro those who totally over performed to taste the top end of the ladder – like the Hurricanes. The final will be a tough affair, regardless of who plays and the winning of the Super 12 can probably beat most test teams if given a chance.

Other Rugby
Nothing to do with rugby, but Arsenal won the FA cup by winning the penalty shoot-out against Manchester United. That after United dominated most of the match and Arsenal was hanging on for at least 90 of the 120 minutes (full plus extra time) played. That is what is so different between rugby and soccer. No rugby team can dominate a match for so long and still lose it!

The Final Word
One of the things that have been introduced into rugby is the concept of yellow and red cards. It is a concept that has been used by soccer for many years, but rugby took a long time before they latched onto the idea.

I don’t, per se, have any problem with the concept that a player is punished for 10 minutes in the cooler when receiving a yellow and off the field when red, but do have some serious concerns regarding the impact the card has on the match and also on the safety of the players. I question the real benefit given two a side when their opposition lose a player for 10 minutes and in the worst case scenarios I have even seen matches have uncontested scrums because one side had a player sin binned or sent off. You tell me the advantage you have when your pack dominates the tight phases only to be “penalized” because your opposition front row was sent off. What is the justice in that outcome? Is the idea to punish a team and not really favour the other?

Looking at how the rules have changed to protect players, I cannot believe that we can sit in a situation where injuries are more likely due to a player sent off, without all the medical experts complaining about it.

Taking all of the above into consideration, I propose the following for yellow and red cards.

1. A yellow card is carried over in a season and after a second yellow to a player an automatic one match suspension is carried for that player
2. When a yellow card is given to a player a match, the player is not sent off, but the team loses two of their substitutes off the bench. Two players who must be nominated there and then by the coach and the two players are not allowed to be a player in the front row. A team’s substitutes will therefore be trimmed down from 7 to 5.
3. A red card carries and immediate two-match suspension and a second red card in a season to a four-match suspension, etc.
4. When a team picks up a red card in a match, that player is immediately substituted and the team also loses four of the remaining six payers left on the bench. The same rule as to yellow cards apply and the players must be nominated and removed immediately and they are not allowed to be a front row player.

The idea of this concept is to ensure that there are always 15 players on the field to prevent serious injury from occurring to any player, but also ensure that the transgressing team is punished for the ill discipline.

That is my opinion, what is yours?

Futures topics:

• The best player in the world

• The man of the match award

• If you want a short-term job, become a coach in SA!

• Referees and their impact on matches

• The allocation of the new Super 14 franchise in South Africa

• Ex rugby players who play analysts

• International tours

• Bonus points in competitions

• Yellow and red cards in rugby

• The format of the Rugby World Cup and spreading of the game

• Some of my favourite players through the years

• The English bubble

There are many more, but if there is something you would like me to add to the list, please feel free to let me know!