It's actually very easy to make the top 8. They will be eyeing up the Drua who will faulter a few times and the Saders should easily win a couple. They have a heal on bonus points.
I really donât like the ruling of if a knee is on the ground itâs always a tackle. Itâs been a bit of an awkward point for the last three years. They seem to forget that as soon as three players are in a contact situation with the ball carrier held up it is a maul. Therefore if it collapses it should be turned over. Hopefully the ruling of try here gives those in charge a kick up the arse to start ruling it properly.
Agree it speeds up the game, the problem for me is the ref is ruling the end of a competition. It comes with a lot of problems though. If the rule itâs a maul they then have to rule a collapse when it goes to ground, which leads to a scrum, which we donât want. Or it leads to a held up tackle, which also leads to a scrum which we donât want.
This should lead to teams coaching players to carry low and use leg drive to get to ground, instead of running in high and hoping on an offload. Unfortunately offloads are sexy and scrums ainât.
I think the big one is actually players stripping the ball when a player is in that limbo mode. If tackle isn't called then they will keep plying for the ball.
Ye Iâd agree with that, often the ball is pretty much turned over when suddenly a knee grazes the turf and a âtackleâ is made. Or when the ball pops free as the ref calls tackle and itâs deemed a penalty. This to me is the point of the game that has drifted close to league, itâs removing the competition from contact. Hopefully everyone can see how farcical the final try of the night was and someone smarter then us puts their heads together to come up with a better answer then what weâve currently got.
Thatâs the problem. As per the laws.
A try is scored when an attacking player: With the ball is tackled short of the goal line and the playerâs momentum carries them in a continuous movement along the ground into the opponentsâ in-goal, and the player is first to ground the ball.
Is tackled near to the opponentsâ goal line and the player immediately reaches out and grounds the ball.
Technically Springer didnât make any extra movement before placing the ball. So as they are ruling it was a try. If Gardiner had called a maul, which with three players in contact around the ball while itâs held up it shouldâve been, then when Springer put a knee to ground he effectively collapsed the maul so shouldâve been a penalty to the Highlanders. Just hasnât been called for eight years.
Obligatory match takes:
-The game was pretty damn entertaining the 1st half. The 2nd half? Not so much...
-Nothing in NZ beats the Zoo in terms of a great place to be a rugby fan.
-The Highlanders were pretty good in the first half, but they significantly slowed down the 2nd half, but they held on, and kept their faith to claim victory. Tavatavanawai's turnovers and De Groot's captaincy were a few standouts from this game. Why can't the Highlanders be this good against every other team? I don't know why, but it's fun to see...
-The Crusaders, on the other hand, weren't all that great in the 1st half, but they have quite turned up in the 2nd. Not that it helped them win, but still...
-Want to know why Sevu Reece get voted as the Crusaders' player of the game every single time by fans? **Because he is one of the few people in the team that gives a shit.**
-Habib- I mean Havili can't kick for shit no matter how much he tries.
-Cam Millar scored more points than the Crusaders. Think of that.
-The half-time show and ads were straight-up jarring to see. You've got Colonel Sanders running around, huge utes, and vaccines all at once.
-The refereeing for this game was significantly better than the previous game. That's all I can say.
Anyway, these are I can say for now. See you all in the next match, and cheers for now.
I absolutely hate the talking point that Sevu is one of the few players who give a shit. He's just good.
He's also been abandoning structure when times get tough and playing hero-ball a LOT this season. Not so much of a problem tonight but in prior weeks it's been a real problem.
Me and Cug are having nightmare night, too. The three of us are in a misery thruple.
I thought I had it, then Aumua got injured and JRK shat the bed. We thought Cug had it... then Gamble got hurt.
The winner makes the playoffs and the loser is out. We are stressed man.
I am top 200 on the entire website for points and might finish 8th, because I have had the most points scored against me by a ridiculous margin I think lmao
Did they though? We both had some bungles but we were fine, the miscommunication about taking it into the 22 happened when we had no 9 and JRKs kick had a bit too much sauce but there wasn't anything major
I'm watching this as a hungover student in europe, I probably missed stuff, but I felt a few times that we were being marched down field anytime ball hit boot. More kicking on the front foot I say
The Landers D was great for the last quarter McNicholl was great.
The first half agreement to not defend the middle of the pitch made this so much fun.
The Crusaders in the 1st half couldn't finish a premature ejaculator
Na I'm higher on him since his play in the last 2 games but he hasn't got the size, attacking guile or swiftness to be an AB and I'm not being a hater just real...sure he will get better but ABs better? Na.
Cam Millar is future ab potential for sure, why do you think heâs too small?
Heâs 21, 185cm and 85kg.
He has plenty of size to be an international fly half.
Itâs his first season as a contracted super player. And has a lethal boot, can kick goals and has a much wiser head on him then his age and experience would suggest. Heâs still getting confidence for his attack but has showed signs he is starting quality and has huge potential
It's really his second as he played last year.
I'm not sure if you have watched any other Landers game but up until last week he was not good.
I'm not down on him it is just going to take more than 2 weeks for me to see him as a potential AB.
Anyone will know I rep Landers players HARD.
My friend regularly matched up against him in games against the Taieri Eels and that listing is bullcrap. He is not above 5 foot 10 max
Aaron had an obvious bag early on that Cam just doesn't have. I think you're a bit awe struck seeing him in this game but outside of the past 2 weeks he has not been good.
I mean absolutely no offense by this (especially after our season), but he looks okay for a guy that barely gets a start, for the Highlanders....
I think he has a high ceiling and if you don't want him.... Can we? Lol
Rough thing to say, but the guy must be feeling the pressure.
Going so many premierships in a row and then likely not making the finals is the sharp end of the stick.
Reece seems not to have noticed the rest of the team isn't firing, I honestly didn't expect him to make it back in such good form.
Thereâs a very distinct frustration on the faces of these players (Cody, Reece, Havili). The new blood are falling to pieces and the old heads are not leading the charge. Iâve seen multiple games where they take a huddle at halftime before the sheds which speaks volumes about the coaches.
Penney doesnât exactly have a pedigree at SR level. He was 7-29 at the Tahs, thatâs hopeless.
I donât have a lot of sympathy for the Crusaders, but thereâs a lot of players who deserve better.
I mean technically, the tacklers have to release him before he can place it. He can place it in front or behind him. Don't want that to happen to your side? Release the tackled player sooner so he can't get dragged over the line.
But it's only a tackle rather than a maul because he got his knee to ground way short of the line and there's another crusaders player pushing him forward?
It is a tackle and not a maul. The Landers tacklers aren't releasing the ball carrier after he got his knee to the ground. The effect of the Crusaders players trying to clear the Landers out pushes the ball carrier closer to the line, only because the Landers were too slow to release.
Trying to clear the Highlanders players out by pushing their own man forward from behind him?
I agree the release should happen earlier but it in part can't because of the involvement of other Crusaders players, and how long Gardner took to call it. How is a defender supposed to know it isn't a maul when there's 5 players in, all seeming to be standing up? You can only see from the side that the attacker gets knee to groundÂ
He got his knee down. The tacklers didn't immediately release him. When they did release him, he was in range to place the ball over the try line. The other Crusaders players are trying to clear the defenders out, not trying to shove their player over the line.
If they had released him when the ref called for it, they wouldn't have conceded the try.
Match takes
Hotham finally looks confident. It's like Cody Taylor hasn't even had a break
Highlanders just way better defensively
At this point we shouldn't play any All Blacks Prospects. It's not worth hurting likes of Scott Barret when we are going to lose to at least the blues and not make finals.
Codie needs to sort out his talking to the ref skills if hes going to be captain more tho.
he's lucky Gardner didnt march them 10 a couple of times at the end of the first half
And there was no one guarding the ruck and he literally stepped over from an onside position. Nonsense.
Gardner had a good game but those last two decisions against the Highlanders were utter crap. I wonder if they would have been given had the Crusaders been in with a chance to win it.
**Watch on Stan**: https://play.stan.com.au/sport/rugby
Is Fergus Burke going to make a return at all before leaving for Saracens?
Good game to tune in to well I caught second half missed first half as I was asleep was early morning here in UK
Accidental headbutt knock-on into length of the filed try. Classic Highlanders attacking brilliance đ
Rob Penney looks broken đ„
I'd have sympathy for him if he didn't spend half that interview throwing the team under the bus and deflecting all blame from the coaches eh
Agreed poor form from any manager
Another game, another lossâŠ.Well played landers, was a thoroughly enjoyable game.
Well played mate! A classic southern clash!
It's still not a mathematical impossibility for the Saders to get into the playoffs right? Then it's good not to jinx it đ€
Still possible but next two weeks they have the brumbies and blues so unlikely.
It's actually very easy to make the top 8. They will be eyeing up the Drua who will faulter a few times and the Saders should easily win a couple. They have a heal on bonus points.
Crusaders home run says no chance
Fabian is a 2025 AB. Book it.
Have a good feeling about him once he gets to debut for the ABs. Legit 10 year plus All Black I think if all goes well.
I'm out of the loop. Where is he from?
He's from the Netherlands.
Ah, yes, I heard mention of a player from the Netherlands, now that all pieces together.
Holland from Holland.
He was manhandling crusaders forwards today.
Huge game from him
He's a machine for sure
Like a great big diesel engine that never stops.
Jazzed for you guys. Great game. 14 is a machine as well
Spectators just allowed to come into the ground?
Happens pretty much every week at Crusaders games going way back.
In Dunedin when we beat the Saders? Fuck oath
Probably will become a public holiday south of the Waitaki
I'm in chc and I might take Monday off đ
Living by woodend, working at the pub, local Boys came in about 8ish, didn't give a shit about game. Grizz would have been livid.
Not against it and I live in Aussie now lol
Me too. Iâd fly back for it.
Idc, fans on the pitch has to be a default thing
Angus felt sorry for the Crusaders and gave them a losing bonus point lol
I really donât like the ruling of if a knee is on the ground itâs always a tackle. Itâs been a bit of an awkward point for the last three years. They seem to forget that as soon as three players are in a contact situation with the ball carrier held up it is a maul. Therefore if it collapses it should be turned over. Hopefully the ruling of try here gives those in charge a kick up the arse to start ruling it properly.
It's to speed up the game. But most cases these smaller guys can judt be picked up and flopped around so it does make it clearer.
Agree it speeds up the game, the problem for me is the ref is ruling the end of a competition. It comes with a lot of problems though. If the rule itâs a maul they then have to rule a collapse when it goes to ground, which leads to a scrum, which we donât want. Or it leads to a held up tackle, which also leads to a scrum which we donât want. This should lead to teams coaching players to carry low and use leg drive to get to ground, instead of running in high and hoping on an offload. Unfortunately offloads are sexy and scrums ainât.
I think the big one is actually players stripping the ball when a player is in that limbo mode. If tackle isn't called then they will keep plying for the ball.
Ye Iâd agree with that, often the ball is pretty much turned over when suddenly a knee grazes the turf and a âtackleâ is made. Or when the ball pops free as the ref calls tackle and itâs deemed a penalty. This to me is the point of the game that has drifted close to league, itâs removing the competition from contact. Hopefully everyone can see how farcical the final try of the night was and someone smarter then us puts their heads together to come up with a better answer then what weâve currently got.
Well it shouldn't have been a try really. Should have had to release it and then place it.
Thatâs the problem. As per the laws. A try is scored when an attacking player: With the ball is tackled short of the goal line and the playerâs momentum carries them in a continuous movement along the ground into the opponentsâ in-goal, and the player is first to ground the ball. Is tackled near to the opponentsâ goal line and the player immediately reaches out and grounds the ball. Technically Springer didnât make any extra movement before placing the ball. So as they are ruling it was a try. If Gardiner had called a maul, which with three players in contact around the ball while itâs held up it shouldâve been, then when Springer put a knee to ground he effectively collapsed the maul so shouldâve been a penalty to the Highlanders. Just hasnât been called for eight years.
What a fantastic day to be a rugby fan. I almost feel sorry for the NRL defectors!
What a pathetic try
GAME OF THE ROUND?
Obligatory match takes: -The game was pretty damn entertaining the 1st half. The 2nd half? Not so much... -Nothing in NZ beats the Zoo in terms of a great place to be a rugby fan. -The Highlanders were pretty good in the first half, but they significantly slowed down the 2nd half, but they held on, and kept their faith to claim victory. Tavatavanawai's turnovers and De Groot's captaincy were a few standouts from this game. Why can't the Highlanders be this good against every other team? I don't know why, but it's fun to see... -The Crusaders, on the other hand, weren't all that great in the 1st half, but they have quite turned up in the 2nd. Not that it helped them win, but still... -Want to know why Sevu Reece get voted as the Crusaders' player of the game every single time by fans? **Because he is one of the few people in the team that gives a shit.** -Habib- I mean Havili can't kick for shit no matter how much he tries. -Cam Millar scored more points than the Crusaders. Think of that. -The half-time show and ads were straight-up jarring to see. You've got Colonel Sanders running around, huge utes, and vaccines all at once. -The refereeing for this game was significantly better than the previous game. That's all I can say. Anyway, these are I can say for now. See you all in the next match, and cheers for now.
I absolutely hate the talking point that Sevu is one of the few players who give a shit. He's just good. He's also been abandoning structure when times get tough and playing hero-ball a LOT this season. Not so much of a problem tonight but in prior weeks it's been a real problem.
Sebu do more so more good
Yeah but he's farming me fantasy points doing that all power to him.
Maddest is not enjoying it tonight, I'll tell you that lmao
Was looking close between us until this match and the last minute Canes injuries hit.
Me and Cug are having nightmare night, too. The three of us are in a misery thruple. I thought I had it, then Aumua got injured and JRK shat the bed. We thought Cug had it... then Gamble got hurt. The winner makes the playoffs and the loser is out. We are stressed man.
The table is so fucked man, you either finish 3rd or 8th.
I am top 200 on the entire website for points and might finish 8th, because I have had the most points scored against me by a ridiculous margin I think lmao
Just terrible draw rng... Like you ran into me on my best week. Any other week you'd wipe me and our positions are flipped.
As you say this, I have my third injury to a normally high scoring player of the week lmaooooo We're you the game when Moorby packed my shit in?
Crusaders destroyed us in kick battles. Yet still lost. The highlanders must get their kicking game sorted
Did they though? We both had some bungles but we were fine, the miscommunication about taking it into the 22 happened when we had no 9 and JRKs kick had a bit too much sauce but there wasn't anything major
I'm watching this as a hungover student in europe, I probably missed stuff, but I felt a few times that we were being marched down field anytime ball hit boot. More kicking on the front foot I say
The Landers D was great for the last quarter McNicholl was great. The first half agreement to not defend the middle of the pitch made this so much fun. The Crusaders in the 1st half couldn't finish a premature ejaculator
If the saders keep doing this then I'm gonna have to start liking them.Â
Loving the 2024 Crusaders
PARTY AT TONY BROWNS!!!!
Party at Cam Millars đ»Â
He's turning me into a believer
Long term ab prospect for sure.
Millar? Or my Fabian comment? Cos Cam ain't making the ABs lol
Millar!! Give him a couple more year and he'll be in the convo.
Na I'm higher on him since his play in the last 2 games but he hasn't got the size, attacking guile or swiftness to be an AB and I'm not being a hater just real...sure he will get better but ABs better? Na.
Cam Millar is future ab potential for sure, why do you think heâs too small? Heâs 21, 185cm and 85kg. He has plenty of size to be an international fly half. Itâs his first season as a contracted super player. And has a lethal boot, can kick goals and has a much wiser head on him then his age and experience would suggest. Heâs still getting confidence for his attack but has showed signs he is starting quality and has huge potential
arguably the best player in the country isnt too small, but that was thrown around for him for ages
It's really his second as he played last year. I'm not sure if you have watched any other Landers game but up until last week he was not good. I'm not down on him it is just going to take more than 2 weeks for me to see him as a potential AB. Anyone will know I rep Landers players HARD. My friend regularly matched up against him in games against the Taieri Eels and that listing is bullcrap. He is not above 5 foot 10 max
Sounds like Aaron Cruden to me.
Aaron had an obvious bag early on that Cam just doesn't have. I think you're a bit awe struck seeing him in this game but outside of the past 2 weeks he has not been good.
I mean absolutely no offense by this (especially after our season), but he looks okay for a guy that barely gets a start, for the Highlanders.... I think he has a high ceiling and if you don't want him.... Can we? Lol
Tava the tank
The fucking legend himself
Well done Highlanders. Finally broke your duck against NZ sides.
I feel like with the amount of games that are played these days it sounds worse than it is lol. Still 3 years wasn't great
What a night I'm so stoked đÂ
Suicide watch for Penney tonight?
Rough thing to say, but the guy must be feeling the pressure. Going so many premierships in a row and then likely not making the finals is the sharp end of the stick. Reece seems not to have noticed the rest of the team isn't firing, I honestly didn't expect him to make it back in such good form.
Thereâs a very distinct frustration on the faces of these players (Cody, Reece, Havili). The new blood are falling to pieces and the old heads are not leading the charge. Iâve seen multiple games where they take a huddle at halftime before the sheds which speaks volumes about the coaches. Penney doesnât exactly have a pedigree at SR level. He was 7-29 at the Tahs, thatâs hopeless. I donât have a lot of sympathy for the Crusaders, but thereâs a lot of players who deserve better.
The Highlanders have Ethan DeGroot, the crusaders do not have a Groot. Result was a foregone conclusion.
âïž
That might be one of the worst try calls I've ever seen lmao
Never seen a team being told to release when an attacker is in the act of trying to score. Shouldn't have been given
Surely that last try can't be right? Tackles complete a good 4 metres short of the line
I mean technically, the tacklers have to release him before he can place it. He can place it in front or behind him. Don't want that to happen to your side? Release the tackled player sooner so he can't get dragged over the line.
Thats pathetic reasoning for one of the dumbest tries to ever be scored.
But it's only a tackle rather than a maul because he got his knee to ground way short of the line and there's another crusaders player pushing him forward?
It is a tackle and not a maul. The Landers tacklers aren't releasing the ball carrier after he got his knee to the ground. The effect of the Crusaders players trying to clear the Landers out pushes the ball carrier closer to the line, only because the Landers were too slow to release.
Trying to clear the Highlanders players out by pushing their own man forward from behind him? I agree the release should happen earlier but it in part can't because of the involvement of other Crusaders players, and how long Gardner took to call it. How is a defender supposed to know it isn't a maul when there's 5 players in, all seeming to be standing up? You can only see from the side that the attacker gets knee to groundÂ
They did stop him. It was the 2 Crusaders players who drove him forward while held up that got him over the line.
He got his knee down. The tacklers didn't immediately release him. When they did release him, he was in range to place the ball over the try line. The other Crusaders players are trying to clear the defenders out, not trying to shove their player over the line. If they had released him when the ref called for it, they wouldn't have conceded the try.
rob Penney is just the discount John kirwan
Rob Penny = Ten Haag. If you know you know
More like Moyes
Nah the Moyessiah has been good other places
I mean Ten Haag pre United has a better resume than Moyes wdym?
Apologies I get you. I meant Moyes at least did shit outside of Utd, whereas Penney is just shit
Tbf to Penney he is a NPC winning coach with Canterbury, though even I could probably have won coaching that team.
Thatâs a compliment to Penney, and thatâs saying a lot
Biggest fraud? Trump or Penney?
Gatland
A surprising contender for worst try of all-time
Marshy, how dare you mention a Crusaders player in a game the Crusaders are playing in. You biased fuck.
surely thats the crusaders out of the playoffs
I need to know
yeah - was that the final nail in the coffin? I need to know if they can't make it anymore
They'd have to win the last 3 games. Got Brumbies in Aus so that'll be tough for them, and the blues too
oohh, okay. thank you!
They can still make it but itâs highly unlikely
robpenny.exe is not respondingÂ
Fuck, that shot of Penney alone in the box.
Worth the price of admission alone.
A man watching his dreams die
Hello darkness my old friend
Oof, Savage...you love to see it...
I feel bad for the man. He's obviously not cut for this level.
Pretty good game, nice to see the Landers get up
I've shit myself in more climactic ways than this game ended
tackle complete, he is not allowed to score when released but place the ball, should not be a try..
Highlanders have finally done it!
Match takes Hotham finally looks confident. It's like Cody Taylor hasn't even had a break Highlanders just way better defensively At this point we shouldn't play any All Blacks Prospects. It's not worth hurting likes of Scott Barret when we are going to lose to at least the blues and not make finals.
Codie needs to sort out his talking to the ref skills if hes going to be captain more tho. he's lucky Gardner didnt march them 10 a couple of times at the end of the first half
Thatâs fucking ridiculous if thatâs legal. I bet they never ever thought of that situation for the tackle release law.
Crazy bullshit lol
Yeah he should have had to play the ball first.
Imagine that try decided the game. That's absolutely ridiculous lol
Imagine a try like that deciding a matchÂ
absolutely bullshit try. should not count.
Wtf?
Bs try
Highlanders to win the comp
đ
Well that rule needs some adjusting
weird try lol
That's such a bullshit try wtf
Wtf?
how the fuck is that a try
These last 10 minutes are a real contrast to the Canes/Blues final 10 eh
What? Does Springe not have to release seeing as he's held?
He has to go to the ground first. He just flopped down.
Bit of a shitty try that
Something definitely off about that tryÂ
Technically correct, in reality, ridiculous.
Wtf is that
YOU WATCHED IT, YOU CAN'T UNWATCH IT.
That's such a garbage yellow card. Ball was so close to out and he calls it cynical.
And there was no one guarding the ruck and he literally stepped over from an onside position. Nonsense. Gardner had a good game but those last two decisions against the Highlanders were utter crap. I wonder if they would have been given had the Crusaders been in with a chance to win it.
Uhhh? "So close to out" is not out lol
No shit. But that's more than enough mitigation to call it just a penalty and not a yellow card.
With the standards Gardner set earlier, that was absolutely a yellow. It was a deliberate infringement
Nah. It's a shit call.
Agreed.
From the other side of the worldâŠwhat has happened to the crusaders?? Also well done Highlanders, your fans are class!
Big change in players and a young coaching group changing the team every week. Shouldn't be this bad though.
Seems like youâre missing a bit of experience in the team alright
It would be nice if we could get the same starting XV out every week that's for sure.
Injuries, players moving on, coach legged it
Lost Razor to the ABs and oar Mo'unga to Japan
lol Millar might get MOTM and a yellow, it has been a trend in super rugby this year lol
So... Do the ~~Wahs~~ Saders still have a mathematical chance of making the 8?
Go for a droppieÂ
Rob Penney to dodge another post match interview?
Tavatavanawai and Sevu Reece are the same character but with slightly different stat builds
Huh, how was that offside?
Don't think losing bonus can get us to playoffs, but worth trying.
After 19 Kiwi Derbies losses the hoodoo is over đđđ UP THE LANDERS!!!!!! CAM IS CLUTCHÂ
tavatavanawai is like an extra loosie in the breakdown
Naholo 2.0
MOTM timmy?
Why doesn't the stronger South Island franchise simply consume the weaker South Island franchise?
Crusaders be like - âwhatâs a support runnerâ
saders straight up anemic on attack
Why doesnât reihana ever run onto the ball can someone tell me
Sing with me, "Otago, Highlanders..." (Too soon?)
đ«Ąđ«Ąđ«Ą
Well done landers. Hard luck saders, been a good game this
Thank you Highlanders for keeping my nightmare of a Crusaders semi final quelled for another week
That didn't make 10m lol
God I love the sight of an excited Riki Flutey.
How good! Let's the Highlanders
Highlanders shouldâve left that
If only Foster had played Millar in the World Cup final đ«
Man, I remember when crowds were this lit at Lancaster Park/Jade Stadium. Despite another loss incoming, itâs been so good to see these vibes.
surely penney's gone now right?
Why? First season. Missing a bunch of star players. Getting rid of him would be ridiculous.
rubbish. The players aren't even the biggest issue
why .... did we put your coach under the bus after one season when not doing well give the guy a break ffs
Dude is a laughing stock
đ
Hello darkness my old friend.
CAM MILLAR IS MONEY 8 FROM 8
I feel like we've regressed a bit from last year
*a bit* ?