Kicking off Round 13 is the trans-Tasman grudge match between the Crusaders and the Waratahs; or, the battle of the conference leaders in this new, convoluted age of Super 18. Join The Roar for live scores, commentary and bit of cheeky bants from 5:30pm (AEST).
The Highlanders might have left their south island brothers feeling a bit raw, but that’s not a terrible indictment of the Crusaders, because the extremely tight New Zealand conference – the top four teams have one point separating them – resembles a topsy-turvy sevens weekend.
The Crusaders, unlike the Waratahs, can also come into this game with changes to their team due only to a rotation policy: Wyatt Crockett and David Havili are going back to the bench, with Joe Moody and Ryan Crotty taking their places on the field.
As much as performances from an entirely different group of players several years ago who merely happened to wear the same coloured shirt matter, the Waratahs have an absolutely woeful record against the Crusaders away from home. They’ve only won one in 12 in Christchurch.
Though the Waratahs are on a four-game winning streak themselves, having beaten the Force, Stormers, Cheetahs and Bulls in recent weeks, that won’t really do them much good. The Crusaders are a big step up in quality from travelling South African sides.
To be fair though, the Waratahs have had a campaign in which they’ve been slowly getting better and better as time’s worn on. That progression will no doubt take a jolt against the Crusaders for two reasons: a) it’s the Crusaders and b) Kurtley Beale’s goneskies.
Beale’s absence will hurt the Tahs tremendously – the Mt Druitt Magician was putting his name forward as the best player on the team, with a string of great performances. In his place, young’un David Horwitz will be given the number 12 in a straight swap.
Wycliff Palu, too, is being swapped out for Jed Holloway, having been bruised and battered playing against three Saffer sides in a row. Meanwhile, Zac Guildford quietly slinks his way onto the bench (in place of Horwitz), and no doubt there’ll be some forced narrative mention of his first return to his old club.
Prediction
The Crusaders are really good, while the Waratahs are just good. While the NSW men have been playing well, and giving a much better account of themselves than they were at the beginning of the season, the Crusaders will just be too strong.
Crusaders by 11
Muzzo
Guest
Yep commiserations from me Chook, but as we know the writing was already on the wall especially at Addington. Thank the heavens, it wasn't a dry track buddy.
Muzzo
Guest
In truth Tragic,in my opinion, both Foley & Folau, were the best of the Waratah's, with Phipps not to far behind. Had it been a dry track,I think we would have seen a different game. Cheers
Marius Ciliers
Roar Guru
Thanks Machooks. If the Tahs look at this game like the saders looked at the highlanders game. That the chinks were exposed. And work on those and have those forwards upping the urgency phipps with beter acuracy could make a lot of trouble for the chiefs,put Folau into those gaps,with a beter tactical gameplan and kicking and clear heads. The Tahs can go far i reckon.
John
Guest
Line em up, knock em down boys. Does it upset you being proved wrong every week?
taylorman
Guest
"no-one but the most one-sky-blue-eyed gave us a snowflakes in hell, and yet " David Lord picked the Tahs to win. Is there an inference there?
Machooka
Roar Guru
Congrats Marius on your team's win... and as I've now had a chance to watch the game in t's entirety, thoroughly deserved. To be frank your 'Saders blew my Tahs off the park in the first 12 mins... magnificent ball handling for the conditions, and then there was no coming back from there. Although, I was encouraged by the Tahs second half performance... they keep it going until the final whistle. Harry used the description 'butterfingers'... and if it were a disease the Tahs would need the doctor urgently. And an ambulance for the serious cases!
Machooka
Roar Guru
Yeah I'd say kinda important as well!
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yeah I think they've been playing Guilford wrong. He wasn't that bad when he got benched, Many others were worse. If he's encouraged to roam and look for the inside chNnels he's very good at finding the gaps. Just seems he's left to his own devices out there most if the time.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Kind of an important thing to know there huh?
Bakkies
Guest
Exactly Boz. You can't rely on a team of Tarts players to bring the Wallabies forward
Redman
Guest
Hornes try must be the luck your talking about. As for stealing the game? It was over the first 20 minutes. Even the most one eyed fan knew that. Beaten by 19 points, that's a drubbing in any sport.
ebop
Guest
Eddie has crazy eat you for dinner eyes. He's got one too many amalgam tooth fillings imo.
MH01
Guest
Tahs have a kiwi coach
Marius Ciliers
Roar Guru
That I do BTY. That I do. I have said it in the begining of the tournament. Auz might not be setting off fireworks but watch out for them. I saw that glimmer tonight that has shined at various Auz games and Rounds. Some for a couple of phases. Some in an offload. Some in a full game. I saw it tonight at various moments. Put together as I believe Cheika will and that glimmer will shine like a bright star.
Graborne
Guest
Well once again an Australian team has had a rugby lesson from a kiwi team. How many times have we got to watch this. The waratahs were not good enough , but what is worse you could tell right from kick off , they knew they weren't good enough! Talk about mental toughness , there was none. This lack of rugby skills is endemic and obviously starts with the coaching and I suggest we send all our coaches to NZ for a season before they are let anywhere near a rugby field! It is pathetic and there is no other word to describe what is going .
cs
Roar Guru
I too thought Phippsy had a big game. Foley played well, as did Izzy and young Kellaway and Big Will, and of course captain superman. Apart from the demolition of the line-out, we were killed in the stanza early in the second half, when we were camped on the line and failed to cross. Even the Brumbies would have scored from a rolling maul. From this defeat, there was no coming back. Thought Zack showed some stuff, but did I see an unforgivable hog?
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Yep he did spend a lot of the game at fullback ... but still never made a tackle
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Going for the Force??? .. Chook ... I'm not! ... but yer don't have to be sorry!.... lol
Boz the Younger
Guest
Lol
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
How can a guy that they avoid from defending in the line unquestionably be Australia's best 13?