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"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Checked the ladder today, hard to believe we are still holding on to a finals spot, not really deserved. 8 teams in finals in a 12 team comp is a bit excessive I think.
Anyway we need to hold off the rebels and highlanders, if we can pick up some form on the run home we could upset some teams
Game has been rescheduled for Tuesday 24th May 2022, after Chiefs game and before we head back from NZ to play Hurricanes at home.
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
I' not really sure that we're in with a shot Buddha, we're fighting for 8 with the Highlanders and the Rebels Canes are pretty clear of the pack in 7th, but I'll include them for S&G
Canes 7th 29 points
Landers 8th 17 points
Rebels 9th 15 points
Force 10th 14 points and a game in hand
MP and Drua with 7 & 6 points respectively are probably out of the running
We face the Landers, Chiefs and Canes with MP thrown in to even stuff up, I don't think we're capable of a winning bonus point so chalk us up for an optimistic 8 points, taking us to 22
Landers get us, Tahs and Rebels, assuming we win (as the optimistic win that makes 4 of our 8 points) the Tahs are looking pretty strong and should account for them, which means they would need to beat the Rebels to kick us out, more on this later
The Rebels face Chiefs, Canes, Landers potential losses all three, but the Rebels have shown an ability to pull a good match out of nowhere just as much as the Force. I'd have to think that if they can beat the Canes we can also, if they're still in the hunt coming close to the last round it'll be our showing against Moana that will be telling. if they lose all 3 our success will be all about whether the Rebels can roll the Landers in the last game.
Short story, we ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO WIN against the Highlanders to have any real chance of making 8, the desperation might be reduced if we can snag a lucky victory against either the Chiefs or the Canes, both of whom have looked prone to brain fart losses at times but I wouldn't be staking real money on it, I will throw a bunch of vcash down because Ravi appears to have lost his mind and will pay out if Force can keep the result respectable.
If we beat the landers and MP I will be forced to suffer the ignominy of cheering for the Rebels against the Highlanders in round 15, so I hope we can leave sheep-shaggerdom with three wins!
C'mon the
Yes definitely looking unlikely now. I wrote that on the 24th before the highlanders beat the Drua and Reds, so they look home now with a bit of form and good run home.
Hopefully that means Sampson will start giving all the youngsters a run now.
I don't see any benefit in playing Thrush ahead of Pugh, Prior ahead of McDonald, Kahui ahead of Makara etc
Either way with three games in a week, I think we will see a lot of players from the squad utilised
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
I'm not sure we'll see wholesale blooding of youngsters yet, if we beat the Highlanders (which has to be called a long shot at Forsyth-Barr but still....) we're well in the frame assuming a win against MP in Auckland (also not guaranteed)
all three teams play each other in the next 3 weeks, so they'll all feel in control of their own destiny, until we're into the "mathematical chance of making the finals" territory you'd have to think Tim will field whatever he considers to be his best team.
Neglecting his KPIs seems a bit out of character don't you think? there's also absolutely no value in him preparing for next year, since Simon Cron won't necessarily share the same judgement about the young guys, they might be being prepared to take the field in a team which won't offer thema contract in three months. Tim would be best to make every effort he can to win every game he's faced with since the two scariest teams in New Zealand are behind us, the Chiefs and the Canes are both guilty of having the odd off game and the finals become available with only two wins out of four (assuming the Tahs hold up their end of the bargain and roll the Landers)
C'mon the