Blues (23) 40 / Rebels (17) 23 (Final Score)
The Blues hosted the Melbourne Rebels at North Harbour Stadium, Albany at 09:35 SA Time. This was the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was bradcast live on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV on SA.
The Blues started like a house on fire, then allowed the Melbourne Rebels to claw their way back with 2 tries and good goal kicking, with some poor Blues licking to posts by Stephen Brett. At the end of the 2nd Half the Blues pulled away again, with 2 well-worked tries.
The Blues scored 6 tries to 2 by the Melbourne Rebels.
Scorers:
Blues: 1 Conversion & 2 Penalties Stephen Brett, 1 Conversion Luke McAlister, 2 Tries Rene Ranger, 1 Try Joe Rokocoko. 1 Try Benson Stanley, 1 Try Jared Payne, 1 Try Luke Braid
Rebels: 3 Penalties & 2 Conversions Danny Cipriani, 1 Try Cooper Vuna, 1 Try Lachlan Mitchell
**********************************
Teams:
Blues: 15 Isaia Toeava, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Rene Ranger, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Luke Braid, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Anthony Boric, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Tevita Mailau, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Chris Lowrey, 20 Toby Morland, 21 Luke McAlister, 22 Lachie Munro.
Rebels: 15 Julian Huxley, 14 Lachlan Mitchell, 13 Mark Gerrard, 12 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Gareth Delve, 7 Michael Lipman, 6 Jarrod Saffy, 5 Hugh Pyle, 4 Alister Campbell, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Rodney Blake.
Replacements: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Laurie Weeks, 18 Hoani Macdonald, 19 Tim Davidson, 20 Richard Kingi, 21, James Hilgendorf, 22 Luke Rooney.
Referee: Jonathon White (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Blues to run these Rebels stukkend
I see Glen Jackson has got an armchair ride as a ref, he stopped playing last week and this week he is Assistant Referee
They surely gives the poor blokes a not lot of incentive to become a ref seeing that the brotherhood of the refs are again at play here
I wonder what Glen has on old Paddy, maybe some dirty pictures?
Hello folks!
You ready?
Game ON!
Try Rene Ranger for the Blues
Blues 5 / 0
Blues attacking hard and doing all the playing
2nd try for Rene Ranger
Blues 10 / 0
Penalty Rebels, kickable
Blues 10 / 3
Try Joe Rokocoko
Blues 17 / 3
My pick was Blues by 23…. think I was wayyyyyyyyyyyy too conservative!
Try Cooper Vuna for the Rebels
Blues 17 / 10
Hello, lekker 7’s met 15 manne
Penalty Blues, middle of the field, on Rebels 10m line
Blues 20 / 10
Try Lachlan Mitchell for the Rebels
Blues 20 / 17
Helter-skelter rugby, both sides… no semblance of balance or balanced defence
Penalty Blues, on Rebels 22
Blues 23 / 17
To take these 2 teams out of their comfort zone, one needs to slow the ball down to a crawl…. do not give them fast ball and keep it very tight… and keep possession.
One would not be able to match them for pace and running angles…
Lemoenetyd
@ grootblousmile:
25
but you must somehow score a bit because one slip up and a brace of tries and you have a 14 point swing
The Bulls started last year with a different game plan, a fast try scoring fest. Then they decided to play the save defensive game, but the opposition were not certain when they would switch back. This year it is like a open book.
OK i am leaving for Nelspruit , will miss the rugby blogging a bit , enjoy it.
2nd Half ON!
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