S4, R6: Hurricanes vs. Spartans (vBookie)(Ranfurly Shield)

Could be arranged, but probably cheaper in your local Tescos than it is over here, sadly.

 

Tonight - 8pm NZT/9am BST.

The Shield's on the line. Gonna be hard for the Hurricanes to defend. Can they do it?

 

Just gonna make some dinner and this will start straight after.

 

The weather is dry.

 

7.30

Rob Cribb is tackled by Kelvin Fung for the Hurricanes and a ruck forms. The ruck is contested and the Hurricanes players pile in. I think he got a little isolated there, and they've turned the ball over here.

Parker forced that turnover. There was literally no support for Cribb there.

The next phase to be played from 6 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line.

Clean ball for Quilty. Quilty to Ames, Ames to Weaver. Gareth Weaver with the ball on the run here. He's already gained 6 metres. He beats Chung for pace and offloads back to Ames.

The next phase to be played from 12 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line.

Ed Ames with the ball on the run here. He's already gained 6 metres. It looks like he's going to be tackled by Dion Alessi but he manages to offload to Alistair Son in the tackle.

The next phase to be played from 18 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line.

Alistair Son with the ball on the run here. He's made another 5 metres and the Spartans are scrambling. He passes infield to Tom Clough.

The next phase to be played from 23 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line...

 

...Tom Clough with the ball on the run here. He's moving sideways at the moment in the face of a good defensive line as the Spartans have reorganised. He lets off an awful pass in the tackle. That's been knocked on and we'll have a scrum here.

The next phase to be played from 23 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line.

Scrum to the Spartans. Great work by the Spartans. They've secured their own ball and win that scrum gaining 2 metres.

The next phase to be played from 21 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line.

Cribb to Luffman. Spartans looking to spread the ball wide. It comes to Matt Dorn on the run here. He's gains a metre but Rogers is lurking and Dorn passes a great pass back infield to Alessi.

The next phase to be played from 20 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line...

 

Clearly not much interest, so I'll just keep on posting rather than waiting for shit to go down...

-----

Dion Alessi with the ball on the run here. He gains 9m and then puts a superb pass back out to Dorn who's skirting the side line..

The next phase to be played from 11 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line.

In danger of running out wide and with Rogers still lurking, Dorn cuts diagonally infield and finds himself some space. He bursts away from Rogers who dives despairingly at him.

The next phase to be played from 3 metres on the Spartans side of the halfway line.

Dorn crosses the halfway line and offloads back to Alessi under pressure from Fittaman. Great interplay by the two Spartans backs.

The next phase to be played from 6 metres on the Hurricanes side of the halfway line.

Alessi to Luffman, back to Alessi again. Great hands here and suddenly the Hurricanes are at sixes and sevens. There's space here, but Alessi can only find Downes.

The next phase to be played from 24 metres on the Hurricanes side of the halfway line.

Charlie Downes with the ball on the run here. He's moving sideways at the moment in the face of a good defensive line. Good Tackle by Kelvin Fung and a ruck forms.

The next phase to be played from 24 metres on the Hurricanes side of the halfway line.

Rob Cribb attempts the run off the ruck but is tackled by Jason Denton for the Hurricanes and a ruck forms. The ruck is contested but the Spartans show good ball security and extracate the ball from the ruck.

The next phase to be played from 27 metres on the Hurricanes side of the halfway line.

Ritchie attempts to gain some yardage with a charge from a pick and go, but only makes a couple before being brought down. Cribb's back in the game now and shouts to organise the back line from this ruck in the middle of the park.

The next phase to be played from 29 metres on the Hurricanes side of the halfway line.

Cribb with the big dive pass to Geoff Smith with the ball on the run here. Perfectly weighted pass. Smith charges straight through the Hurricanes line, and it takes both Weaver and Rogers to bring him down. He gains 10m in the process.

The next phase to be played from 39 metres on the Hurricanes side of the halfway line.

Spartans are on the spot immediately, and Cribb receives quick ball. A number of Hurricanes were committed to that ruck and Cribb spies a gap and runs for it. Great burst.

The next phase to be played from 46 metres on the Hurricanes side of the halfway line.

Fung tries to bring Cribb down, but catches him high. The ref is playing advantage as Cribb shrugs it off. Cribb to Luffman. Quick hands to Smith. Smith with a big pass to Schaw on the sideline.

Schaw has enough pace and space to slide over in the corner. Incredible try.

TRY TO Spartans
Conversion attempt for the Spartans. Kick to be taken by Jake Luffman. Great kick. He's nailed that one and they earn the extra 2 points.

Hurricanes 0 - 7 Spartans