Part one of Jake White’s master plan for a home final is complete; the Crusaders have accounted for the Reds in Christchurch, and his Brumbies have held out the Cheetahs in Canberra.
Interestingly, it seems the concept of knockout rugby and finals football remains lost on some people. For some reason, the expectation of teams playing for bonus points lives on into the finals series.
The style debate is always going to be there, it would seem.
And yes, it’s pretty hard to ignore the vastly different performances between the Crusaders and Brumbies in winning through to the next stage. And surely, at this part of the competition, the “winning through to the next stage” is the key point.
But no, the Brumbies-Cheetahs game wasn’t even 15 minutes old before I started seeing comments on social media lamenting the lack of sideline-to-sideline action.
Clearly, some just don’t realise that there is no room on Super Rugby’s three-legged spaceship cup for detailed descriptions of how visually pleasing the winning team was on the night.
I just don’t get this, I have to admit. I just cannot grasp why Australian rugby fans – and it seems to be localised to these shores – must add the extra proviso of aesthetics to winning.
Surely, by the time one of our teams is this deep into the competition we will just take the win. Why must we punish ourselves with style points, too?
Criticisms of the Brumbies methods in leading the Australian conference this year, and now the way they’ve won through to a semi-final showdown against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria overlook the fact that only the Chiefs and Crusaders of the other finalists have scored more tries coming into the post-season.
And anyone suggesting the Brumbies should be winning as they did ten years ago can’t have watched too much of them in the years since then.
The equation is simple: Jake White has turned this team around in two seasons – a full year earlier than he expected himself – and it’s debatable just how many other coaches could have done that.
The desperate but at times clueless team trying to throw the ball around in 2010 or 2011 would be towelled up by this team of 2013.
The Brumbies considered the Cheetahs to be one of, if not the fittest side in Super Rugby, and they knew that they would finish fast.
Against some of the best tackling backrowers in the competition, they held parity in the breakdown. Both teams conceded similar number of turnovers, while the Brumbies made more clean breaks and beat more defenders.
More importantly, they conceded a lot less penalties in their own 22 than they have in recent games. This is an important factor heading to Pretoria, with Craig Joubert holding the whistle and the metronome boot of Morne Steyn waiting to punish such indiscretions.
The Brumbies will take a lot out of the way they’ve held out the British and Irish Lions, and now the Cheetahs, in similar, high stakes scenarios.
Players talk about ‘banking’ experiences and skill levels in certain circumstances, and defensively, the Brumbies have already spoken of using those ‘bankers’ in Pretoria.
The Cheetahs play with a lot more unstructured, second-phase play than do the Bulls, so the Brumbies will take a lot out of the way they held out those challenges for all but the final minute. The Bulls outside men have shown a liking for second phase and counter-attack this season, but not quite to the same extent as the Cheetahs.
The Brumbies defence is certainly good enough to repel this if they’re on their game.
Perhaps the best thing for the Brumbies to take out of their qualifying final win is that they still weren’t at their best, just as they also weren’t against the Lions. Character is built in winning those games in which the performance has lacked polish.
The Crusaders, unsurprisingly, have stormed into favouritism after a crushing display in Christchurch to dispose of the Reds.
In reality, it’s just another week for the Crusaders, who since the resumption from the June Internationals have similarly, ruthlessly accounted for the Highlanders, and the Chiefs, and then even when a bit off, were still too good for the Hurricanes in the final round.
This is a smart rugby team. Plenty of teams have plans for certain parts of the field, but few teams can make those plans so obvious and execute them as precisely as the Crusaders are currently.
There’s no better example than for the opening try of the night, to underrated centre Ryan Crotty.
With a five-metre scrum on the Reds’ try line, lock Sam Whitelock packed on the loosehead side, and pushed the Crusaders’ tight five through on the Reds to wheel them back into their own corner, taking the Reds’ flankers out of the defensive picture.
Andy Ellis clears in clean air, Dan Carter drifts to the left, and finds Crotty on his inside to score under the posts.
The try came about as perfectly as it would at training, and the plan was clear from the setup, yet the Reds were powerless to stop it.
It wasn’t going to be their night from that point onwards. The Crusaders are again playing with that same pressure-building, error-forcing, opportunity-creating game of the mid-2000s.
Is this the best they’ve ever played? That’s probably another argument for another day; they went undefeated to the title in 2002, lost only one game in 2006, and only two in both 2005 and 2008.
They lost five games in 2013 to finish fourth overall.
I wrote in an ESPNscrum.com preview coming into the playoffs that I could see the Super Rugby Champions coming from the likely all-New Zealand semi-final, and nothing has changed this thought, now that that match-up has been confirmed, except that now I’m probably leaning toward the Crusaders.
And that’s not withstanding my preferred outcome from the Bulls-Brumbies semi, and what that would mean for the final. I can already envisage head and heart not getting along that week, should a Brumbies-Crusaders decider materialise.
Of course, the Brumbies will need to find a lot of improvement to get that far.
Their last pass options haven’t necessarily been brilliant in recent outings, and that will be an obvious area to work on.
Likewise, winning in Pretoria won’t be easy, but the Brumbies will be buoyed by their all-but win at Loftus in Round 9 last year, and also by their defeat of the Bulls in Round 7 this year.
If the individual skill levels are ‘on’, the Brumbies game plan is good enough to beat the Bulls in a finals situation. Whether it’s good enough to beat the Crusaders, is another thing altogether.
And, of course, that game plan will never please everyone. Here is the following tweet from David Campese.
ACT
Guest
I bet the Reds & Tahs fans wish to be playing the semis now. Reds have not exactly lit the season on fire. Tries - Reds 31 Brimbies 43 Tahs 45 Point Diff - Brumbies +135 Reds +25 Tah+40 We score more tries and can defend better plus pick up more bonus points. Boring team, really? BS! This whinging sounds familiar to the Reds & Tahs supporters of old being green with envy. You would rather bag an Oz team than support them against the kiwis & saffas. As a club we've got the runs on the board, 2 titles and a shot for a 3rd. If not this year I know White will have his team win one within the next two years. Let's see who is the deserving coach after WC15.
Halleys Comet
Guest
Jez I haven't heard from UA since he had the inside scoop on John O'Neill's replacement, that didn't turn out right. Anyways I enjoyed his posts, I hope I can recognize the new moniker, sooner or later, H
Justin3
Guest
When you refer to the Reds, I'd suggest that means the team and the club. Yet there is no complaint from the Reds... I feel you are a little wound up of late and your standards have slipped somewhat. You;ll be back, you are too good not too be :)
Charging Rhino
Guest
I agree with pretty much all of what you said above In Brief. It is a simplification and I'm not saying that ALL Aussie fans only want razzle dazzle. There are many true bred tough loving true Rugby Aussie supporters on this site who know and understand their rugby very well. Perhaps you are one of those :-) However in my experience in general on this site & on my holidays in Aus with the wife's family along with other friends etc, many Aussies see the only running play in League and want that replicated in Rugby and don't quite understand the territory based game and playing the percentages. Some rugby fans on site have that view too, perhaps influenced by League. My wife supports the Reds and she always watches with me but doesn't quite understand the point of mauling and the scrums bore her. I guess she is a woman and has never played the game (thankfully!! she's a true girly girl) and I try explain the reasons behind it at which point she promptly stops listening to me ;-) Ha ha Aimless kicks also irritate her, as they do me! But don't worry I'm not judging all Aussies based on what my wife thinks!! Just in general imo, because League is s big game in Aus, not all but many Aussies associate the games and their respective preference for playing styles with each. Whereas in reality they are two completely different games. South Africans, and other nations only play rugby and don't have League to cloud their judgement as to how rugby should be played. But of course we like the ball to be run and lots of tries to be scored too. And in saying that I was tearing my hair out last year the way the Boks were playing by just completely wasting their possession by aimlessly kicking it away. Kinda like the Waratahs last year. I still don't want Morne to go anywhere near that 10 jersey because I know what's coming when he is in the pivot position. So the intent should always be to get on top of your opposition so you win the game, get on top in both attack and defence. Whether that be by scoring tries, or putting drop kicks over or penalties because your pack in dominant then so be it. There is beauty in it all. No-one really enjoys negative cynical play or aimless kicking, especially when the opportunity shows itself to attack the diminished defensive line. This happened many times last year for the Boks and Morne had already chosen to kick 10 seconds before the ball had been passed to him. That is frustrating! Take care all..
Chivas
Guest
Sportym... Who said anything about 6th. Read the comments in context rather than making stuff up and attributing it to me for the sake of an argument. Also WTF have the Brumbies got to so with NH rugby? I don't presume to tell you what you should or shouldn't watch. Maybe you shouldn't be so arrogant or foolish to do so either. I think the Brumbies looked crap for the last two weeks and Brett is trying to sugar coat it. Talking about conference systems or NH rugby has squat to do with it. The entire system is set to determine who plays who and where in the finals. If the Brumbies has lost to the Cheetahs last week and you want to think they are third overall for the entire competition, that is cool. I don't. I would say the came 5/6. Take it as you like.
sportym
Guest
Keep telling yourself that they came 6th. You can have all the selective amnesia you want drink all the Koolaid you want, fact is your are completely ignoring how the Super 15 conference comp works and the finals format. FACT is, if the Brumbies win and the Crusaders win on he weekend, Brumbies host the final as they came 3rd in the Super rugby comp in 2013. They would not be hosting the final having come 6th!!!!! How as much as your want it to be based on the old format, its not, so you are just going to have to deal with it. And alluding they came all the way in 6th........ win in the last round would have them coming top. Don't like thier style, don't watch it!!!! And Don't watch northern Hemisphere rugby either mate. But done worry there are pleny of fan that love that style
rl
Guest
I bow to your posting prowess sir. Truly you are without equal.
Chivas
Guest
And rl, but hey continue with your small minded obtuse snipes. Because that is something to aspire to. What a small wee joke of a poster you have become.
In Brief
Guest
I think that's a simplification. Australian fans are not asking for 'razzle dazzle'. They are asking for rugby played with intent. Everyone loves watching the South African teams playing ferocious rugby. Teams like the Bulls at their best do win penalties, but they are not cynical, they are often result from 'positive' play which puts the opposition under pressure. Similarly a smart kicking game can be fun to watch - a 60 metre torpedo is a thing of beauty. But watching negative teams trying to win by simply giving the opposition the ball and waiting for a mistake is quite different.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Sportym - my frustration is that the Brumbies this year is that the performance against the Sharks was sensational rugby - the only other time they have really looked in that mood again all season was the cake walk against the Force in Canberra, couple those two performances with what was a good scrapping victory against the Lions and they are a team that has shown some real positive positive rugby throughout the year. I didn't see the game on the weekend but having seen some of their other kick defend performances I have a pretty fair idea what I missed and am rather glad to have done so. Anyway - here is hoping that Mogg can win the kicking duel at altitude and the Brumbies scrum smokes the Bulls so Lealiifano can keep slotting them over. Aiming to tune in this weekend but will be pretty boozed by kickoff!
In Brief
Guest
I agree with niwdEyaJ. Those promoting yellow cards are assuming that penalties are deserved. I would suggest that at least 50% of the time they are not. The scrum is a classic case, as is the breakdown. Both are refereed to a formula which has little to do with the laws of rugby. The breakdown has a 'claytons' fight for possession. This leads to the ridiculous situation where a defending team can win a penalty merely by getting their hands on the ball. In reality, they probably never would have won that ball, but symbolically placing the hands on the pill is enough. Meanwile, the attacking player is allowed to place the ball when no one is competing, but can't place the ball if someone is. So the tackled player is penalised for an action which is outside of his control - does that situation arise in any other sport? And yet when someone gets is wrong or more likely gets it right, but is penalised for a 'perceived' indiscretion, we call them cheats, and say they should be carded. The scrum is even more inconsistent.
In Brief
Guest
Good point, and to be fair it is not in the spirit of rugby. After all scrums, according to the laws, are supposed to be a fast and safe way of restarting play after a minor infringement or stoppage. They were never supposed to decide games. The concept that a 'stronger scrum' should win a game by destroying the opposition is also contrary to the laws. There is no law in rugby that says a team unable to hold up the scrum should be penalised. There is a law that says it is dangerous play to pop up the opposition front row, it is dangerous play to force the opposition front row down to the ground, or twist them sideways. So you could actually penalise most dominant scrums for 'dangerous play' in the same way a dominant tackler is penalised for back slamming his weaker opponent. There is a huge groundswell of opinion in the Northern Hemisphere against the way scrums are currently influencing the game. Hopefully the modern trend of playing 'destructive' rugby won't last forever.
jeznez
Roar Guru
don't even know what the Fox sport gag is but can advise that UA is still posting just under a different moniker. Not sure if he is intentionally keeping his current and past postings deliberately separate but don't feel it is my place to out him in case he is.
Sylvester
Guest
School holidays in NZ too, so a lot of families would have been away.
In Brief
Guest
I really hate this argument that the europeans and South African love dull rugby. They don't. Have you ever watched the curry cup? Even the Top 14 was good value this year. I think what GWS is talking about is taking risks in order to win. Roger Federer hitting a backhand down the line when down match point in the 4th at Wimbledon, Djokovic hitting a winner of a serve when down match point at US open. These are great moments. Steve Waugh hitting a 4 to reach his century in last SCG match. Brazilian soccer has many moments, even Fiji rugby 7s. What about Michael Lynagh's try against Ireland in the last minute of play at Landsdowne Road? Most top level sport requires players to 'have a go' to win. I think the same is true in rugby. The Brumbies will not win the title playing kick and chase rugby.
Justin3
Guest
I see nothing from the reds... Ah well chivas said so it must be so.
Bobby_JJV
Guest
I have 2 questions peoples. What happened to Uncle Argyle? and Can anybody please get a copy posted on here of the Fox sport gag on getting back the Bledisloe? Thanks
Justin3
Guest
:(
GWS
Guest
Dude if they're gonna kick it all day well people will just watch afl or soccer. Rugby in oz is struggling cause lately it's been pretty dull to watch.
Brett McKay
Expert
yeah, that's what I was alluding to, essentially. I agree about your skill levels point though, and I think even by McKenzie standards there will have to be some degree of safety about his first couple of Tests in charge anyway, regardless of the fact they're against NZ..