Well, it was yesterday that we had an Austrian dinner last night so I quite enjoyed that because it was a great experience (Although we had noodle canteen for dinner (Well I ate 2 3rd's of it so I had leftovers with eggs & pork crackling for lunch yesterday) on Friday but we went to the market yesterday so I had a spaghetti goreng for the main course of breakfast because we had cereal for our 1st course but for lunch today was chicken with greek salad & cauliflower rice & breakfast was cereal & croissants with moccachino for drinks).
Round 2 of the Super Rugby season got under way as the Force defeated the Reds 26 - 19 in the Australian derby despite Eto Nabuli getting a hat-trick for the Reds then on Friday, the Chiefs go 2 in a row against the 14 man Blues in the battle of the Bombays after blindside flanker Steven Luatua getting sent off for a head high tackle without the ball (It was direct contact with force (Compared to indirect contact with force which is an automatic penalty & direct contact without force which will always result in a yellow card offence) but I thought it was one of the most controversial decisions in the history of Super Rugby but it isn't because they got it right according to the current laws being in place since the 3rd of January this year) so here's the news report about it:
The Blues, reduced to 14-men just before half-time, could not stop a rampant Chiefs side scoring six tries to earn a 41-26 bonus point win.
Aaron Cruden led the Chiefs to a 41-26 bonus point win over the Blues after flanker Steven Luatua was red carded in Hamilton on Friday.
It was a competitive game throughout the first with the Blues and the Chiefs exchanging exciting runs. The Blues should have had a greater tally before the red card but fly-half Ihaia West failed to get the ball though the uprights on a number of occasions. The Chiefs had the advantage on the scoreboard after two tries from Liam Messam and Damian McKenzie in the first stanza but Luatua's 41-minute red card looked as though it had already sealed the victory.
The Chiefs now jump to top of the table with the bonus-point win, with the rest of the New Zealand conference still to play. The Blues are still tied for second with the Hurricanes in the same conference after their bonus point win last week.
Cruden had a near-perfect game as he kicked over 11 points to add to his side's tally while contributing three try assists in his side's six try romp of the 14-man Blues.
The Blues get on the scoreboard first when West nailed a penally after his side were awarded two penalties in a row and originally went for line but after a cross kick went awry they used their next opportunity to get the three points.
The home side replied quickly though as the Chiefs were given a penalty and kicked for touch. They used their line out drive well and rumbled over the line for Liam Messam to score. Cruden missed the extras, which proved costly moments later as West slotted another three-pointer and retook the lead making the score 6-5 to the Blues.
West kept the scoreboard ticking with another penalty from 40 metres out which looked uncharacteristic from a Blues that loves to the run the ball, but the decision worked for them as they extended their lead.
The Blues didn't get to hang onto their lead though as minutes later the Chiefs started an electric break from the halfway line, with Tim Nanai-Williams using his quick feet to dance around the opposition before giving it wide with the mercurial Damian McKenzie who scored in the corner. Cruden found some kicking form later in the half after adding another five points to his side through the conversion and a penalty.
West was given another opportunity to kick for goal in the 32nd minute but it hit the posts with the Chiefs kicking for touch and the Blues once again getting a penalty, the Chiefs' discipline proving to be a problem for the Hamilton men. Number eight Michael Leitch proving to be the culprit on two occasions after being caught not rolling away at the ruck, luckily for the Japanese international, West missed on both occasions.
The Chiefs almost scored a try before the halftime buzzer went when scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow took the ball from the back of the ruck, took the ball right up the Blues line before throwing a sneaky dummy which opened up a the smallest of gaps which allowed the number nine to skip through and run 40 metres but unfortunately for the number nine knocked it on just before touching down.
It wasn't the relief the Blues were looking for as the TMO went back to check a late, high hit from Luatua on Cruden, which the TMO deemed was a red card offence and the former All Black was sent off for the rest of the match. Moments later the Chiefs used the lack of men on the field to start a maul from the line out and hooker Hika Elliot scored his side's third try off the back of it. His try, coupled with Cruden's conversion took the Chiefs to a 22-9 lead at half time.
The Chiefs scored minutes into the second half after they used their one-man advantage ruthlessly as they bossed their opponents, who came out of the change rooms looking shell shocked. Anton Lienert-Brown almost scored, it was called back for a forward pass but the Chiefs were given another opportunity when they used their advantage in a maul for Lachlan Boshier to drive over. The Chiefs were well into bonus-point territory now.
James Lowe then added to the Blues' woes when they used a 22 metre line out and spread it wide, Johnny Faauli popped it to Cruden who saw the pressure was coming quickly and slapped it inside to Lowe who ran the try in to make the score 36-9 after the conversion at 50 minutes.
Cruden kick-started another a try this time through Lienert-Brown after the Chiefs ran the Blues ragged through some forward dominance before swinging the ball wide to Cruden who sucked in the defence and gave it short to the outside centre to score.
The Blues never know when they're beaten though as replacement lock Patrick Tuipulotu barged over the whitewash for his side's first try of the game. Ten minutes later, desperate to deny the opposition the bonus point, Charlie Faumuina also scored and closed the gap with West finally nailing a kick.
After Blues coach Tana Umaga flushed his bench onto the field, Rene Ranger's presence on the field was bound to equate into points at some stage. Which it did after the Blues pressured the Chiefs defence with some barnstorming runs before they swung it wide to Ranger, who was all by himself on the wing with plenty of space and before dotting down, threw his body weight into a Chiefs defender, to repel him.
The game ended 41-26.
And the Hurricanes remain on top of the New Zealand & overall conference as they demolish or thrash the Rebels 71 - 3 with Nehe Milner-Skudder (Rising All Black star in 2015 to missing All Black last year) returning from a serious shoulder injury (Although Milner-Skudder didn't play last week against the Sunwolves due to a minor hamstring injury picked up during the preseason match against the Crusaders at Waverley) against the Blues last year which kept him out for the season by producing a hat-trick of tries so here's the news report about the most other exciting but epic game being played in round 2:
The Hurricanes pummeled the hapless Rebels 71-6 after scoring 11 tries in Wellington including 40 points in the second half.
The half back pairing of Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara were instrumental in the dismantling of the Rebels. With some perfectly weighted chips, short passes and excellent vision, the duo creating four tries between the two of them.
The Rebels started well after being 6-0 up in the first 17 minutes by putting the Hurricanes under a lot of pressure at the ruck time with Reece's Hodge's boot punishing the Hurricanes from all over the park with his rocket-launcher of a boot but they could keep up the intensity and eventually succumbed the Hurricanes extraordinary skill.
The win sees the Hurricanes tie with the Chiefs at the top of the table on ten points after two consecutive bonus-point wins. The Rebels leave the game with nothing but bruised knees and egos.
The half back pairing of Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara were instrumental in the dismantling of the Rebels. With some perfectly weighted chips, short passes and excellent vision, the duo creating four tries between the two of them.
The Rebels started well after being 6-0 up in the first 17 minutes by putting the Hurricanes under a lot of pressure at the ruck time with Reece's Hodge's boot punishing the Hurricanes from all over the park with his rocket-launcher of a boot but they could keep up the intensity and eventually succumbed the Hurricanes extraordinary skill.
The win sees the Hurricanes tie with the Chiefs at the top of the table on ten points after two consecutive bonus-point wins. The Rebels leave the game with nothing but bruised knees and egos.
The first points of the game came through Rebels centre Reece Hodge after Hurricanes prop Jeffery To’omaga-Allen was caught offside at the ruck, meaning the Rebels led the game 3-0 2 minutes in. The Wallaby added to his score moments later when the home side conceded a penalty in their own 22 metre which was a gift for the centre and easily put the ball over.
Hurricanes had an opportunity to score when TJ Perenara kicked a beautifully weighted chip over the defence which he collected and ran into the Rebels 22 metre, where they were given a penalty after Nic Stirzaker tried to pluck the ball from the Canes side of the ruck illegally. The Hurricanes took a quick tap and were about to score before Perenara knocked it on, on the line.
The home side would get their first try when the Hurricanes were in a good attacking position just inside the Rebels 22 metre. Perenara flung it wide to Beauden Barrett who drifted across field, dragging the opposition defence with him before giving an inside pass to Nehe Milner-Skudder to score under the posts, for the best possible welcome back to Super Rugby.
The chip kicks were working well for the Canes as Barrett put another one in behind the line for Vince Aso to grab. The rookie winger collected the ball despite fierce competition from the opposition and scored. After Barrett's conversion it was 14-6 to the Hurricanes.
Ngani Laumape scored his side's third try of the match when the Hurricanes had a scrum on the five metre line, centre field. The home side gestured as though they were going to go blind but instead the number 12 ran a strong line on the shoulder of the scrum, where the ball was popped to him and barreled over the line. Barrett's kick for was charged down.
Aso then nabbed his side's fourth try of the match when the Hurricanes broke from their own 22 metre. Perenara was given the ball running wide where he drew the cover defence before giving a pop pass to Aso, the winger then ran up the field before the second wave of cover defence, and gave it back to Perenara and then the scrum-half gave it back to the winger for his second try. The home side led the Rebels 24-6.
It became child's play for the 'Canes as they scored their fifth try of the match with Matt Proctor went over for the try after the mercurial first five-eighth sent a long pass over the defence for the 13 to score. The half ended 31-6 to the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes perpetuated their momentum into the second half when Julian Savea got his first whiff of the ball and made a break, going one-on-one with the fullback before handing off to his brother Ardie Savea to score.
The Home side couldn't keep themselves off the score sheet as they scored this time through rookie number eight Reed Prinsep after he was given the ball close to the line before barging over. Minutes later Julian Savea finally got his own try after some quick interplay from the Hurricanes as they scored a team try, finished off by Savea.
The Rebels tried to get back into the by playing the Hurricanes at their own game and spreading it wide but they just didn't have the skill to compete and couldn't get momentum going after a slew of handling errors.
Milner-Skudder then got his second try of the game when he swan dived over the line for the score. Otere Black, who had just replaced Barrett at 10, missed the conversion. Moments later the fullback scored again after an injection of pace from Jordie Barrett took the Rebels by surprise and sent the ball out to the 15 to score. Making his side's tally 64-6.
Laumape grabbed a brace for himself when the inside centre snatched the ball against the run of play against the Rebels to score the intercept try.
The Hurricanes ended the game with another searing break but couldn't finish off the move not that it mattered as the they had already smited their opponents, grabbing five points from the fixture before they play fellow table toppers the Chiefs in Hamilton next week.
And the Crusaders have torn the Highlanders apart with a miraculous comeback victory after Highlanders centre Malakai Fekitoa was sent to the sin-bin for a dangerous aerial challenge which resulted both tries scored by number 8 filling in for injured All Black captain Kieran Read, Whetu Douglas & centre turned winger Seta Tamanivalu so here is another news report about it:
The game got off to a slow start but came alive after the first half-hour mark when Gareth Evans scored his side's first try of the match. After that the Highlanders trio of Aaron Smith, Lima Sopoaga and Waisake Naholo were the conductors in the symphony of fantastic, running rugby from the home side.
And up until the 66th minute it looked as though the Highlanders had it in the bag till the Crusaders sparked a revolution and overturned the status quo, and would score three tries through David Havili, Whetu Douglas and Seta Tamanivalu.
Their second home loss in a row means the Highlanders stay rooted to the bottom of the New Zealand conference but do claim a losing bonus point from the fixture. While the Crusaders jump the Blues for third place in the conference and sit on 9 points.
Forsyth Barr Stadium became what you would expect the Colosseum was like in the height of the Roman empire. It was bloody and physical while the crowd roared with excitement with every whip-lashing collision.
After the first phase Highlanders flanker James Lentjes took a knock to the elbow which saw him go off the field with one minute on the clock which was the first taste of an intensely physical game between these two sides with casualties all over the pitch in the first 20 minutes.
The Crusaders drew first blood when the Highlanders were penalised which allowed Mitchell Hunt to take a shot at goal from 40 metres out, which he nailed and added the extras.
The visitors were eager to score as they created some exciting opportunities on the left wing but couldn't quite finish off the move with the Highlanders cover defence too well organised.
The Highlanders etched their first scribble on the score sheet after first-five eighth Sopoaga scored a penalty from 30 metres out equaling the scored 3-3. The prolific number 10 had another shot moments later but it fell by the wayside.
The home side then scored their 1st try of the season when they pulled a well-worked move that saw Waisake Naholo get the ball running at pace through the centre of the field before passing out wide to Gareth Evans to score with Sopoaga adding the extras. Moments late Hunt narrowed the gap with another penalty making the score line 10-6.
Naholo scored an incredible try on the 35th minute after the Highlanders had a scrum midfield. Aaron Smith grubbed the ball down field from the foot of the set-piece which Naholo collected and crossed the whitewash. The half ended 17-6 to the Highlanders.
The home side consolidated their lead in the second half when Sopoaga added another three points to the score board after the Crusaders were penalised behind their own 10 metre line.
Naholo then put his side into bonus-point territory after Sopoaga put in a fantastic chip over the Crusaders' defence which Malakai Fekitoa expertly plucked from mid air. He then sucked in the cover defence before popping inside to Naholo who ran 40 metres at full tilt to score.
The Crusaders almost crossed the whitewash 51 minutes in but their chance was expertly held up by Fekitoa, who wrapped his arms around the player and kept his hand under the ball, cancelling the try.
The visitors would get a try moments later though when the Crusaders were awarded a scrum on the Highlanders 5 metre line after Israel Dagg almost scored after an advantage. The Crusaders scrum proved to be too strong and in the process of pushing the Highlanders back, won themselves a penalty try.
As is if it had only struck them in the 60th minute, the Crusaders realised their forward pack was dominating the Highlanders in the collision area which they started to use to their advantage. They scored a try on the 66th minute when the visitors set up a maul midfield in the Highlanders 22 metre. The Crusaders went wide and David Havili scored in the corner.
The Highlanders' psychological hold on the game was all but lost after Fekitoa was sin binned for the remainder of the match when he was confused for Richard Buckman who was blown up for a high tackle. There was 7 minutes left in the game with the Highlanders in the lead but all the momentum was with the visitors.
And their momentum finally percolated into points after the Crusaders scored their 3rd try of the match through Whetu Douglas in the 75th minute with replacement number 10 Marty McKenzie slotting the conversion making it a two point game with five minutes left to play.
It seemed as though there was only one team on the field, as the Crusaders crossed the line again when they set up a fantastic run up the right side of the field for Seta Tamanivalu to win his side a famous comeback victory.
And finally the Sharks defeated the pluckless Brumbies after they snatched it right from the death to win while the Kings produced a victory against the Sunwolves in Singapore while the Waratahs were sawn off by losing against the strong Lions side then the Stormers finished off the Jaguares with a late try scored by SP Marais & of course, last but not least...The Cheetahs held on to win against the Bulls after losing to the dominant Lions last week.
So that was Round 2 of the 2017 Super Rugby season and here are the matches for Round 3:
Chiefs Vs Hurricanes: FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Brumbies Vs Force: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Blues Vs Highlanders: Eden Park, Auckland
Reds Vs Crusaders, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kings Vs Stormers: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Cheetahs Vs Sunwolves: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Sharks Vs Waratahs: Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban
& the Jaguares Vs Lions at Jose Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires to end Round 3 of Super Rugby 2017 (With the Bulls & Rebels taking a week off to prepare for Round 4).
So that is my 12th blog of the year 2017 (MMXVII) & my 92nd overall (Only 8 remain until I reach the milestone which is the 100 mark).
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