2012 National Provincial Championship (ITM Cup) Thread

Yes - that re-scrum eats up another minute.

 

How many fucking seasons. Fucking hell.

I have to support Auckland in a fucking final. This shit isn't cool.

Feeling like punching a fucking wall.

 

The way things are going the All Blacks are gonna lose too....

 

Hadley Parkes or however you spell his name was worth his weight in gold.

Not one mistake all night. Solid ITM cupper.

 

It looks like Wellington don't even give a shit. A very poor performance. The whole season was Wellington class and then we get to the Semi and play a half ass game. Fucking hell. Too many seasons I've been left in this position.

Until next season I'm once again broken hearted. That being said it was an awesome Canes season.

Not even gonna bother to bring up the try that shouldn't have been allowed.

 

@Rego - Wellington gave it 100% effort. In the 1st half they kicked away possession. So they had shit advice from their coach. They were lucky to be only 1 point down at the break. Auckland were clinical in the 1st half.

In the second half it was all Wellington - the coach gave them a rev up at half time. They stopped kicking it and they started to win. The back breaker try was the intercept. Why the fuck teams in this millenium run the ball from their own try line is beyond me. That is a coaching and strategy issue. Kick it for crying out loud.

Wellington did not choke. They did not put in a half assed effort and Thrush looked gutted they had lost.

Just poor tactics (kicking in the 1st half, and a stupid decision - running it from their own try line).

Wellington had the better talent on display. I did expect Auckland to win but I expected it to be through kicked penalties and not through tries.

Also the controversial try was huge. It created momentum for Auckland and without it Auckland might have played desparation rugby and made mistakes.

I did feel Wellington got a lucky call at one point. There was a line out that wasn't straight but I can't remember if it lead to points for Wellington.

 

You do realise I'm undercutting Wellington, don't you? I'm pissed ATM.

Of course Wellington gave it 100% you wouldn't expect anything less but it was a poor first half from us but it's not even that, that lost us the game. We were luckily only one point behind at halftime. I just felt we didn't step up for the occasion (and neither did Auckland either) if you didn't know you'd think it was just another round robin match (unlike the Naki game)

Just not the full game we've seen from Wellington. In some aspects though Auckland never should have won....intercept tries hurt.

I'm obviously devastated ATM and really just don't know what to say.

The desperation wasn't completely there. The boys have left me disappointed, players I look up to but that's rugby and sport. I never mentioned the choke word tbh and rightly so - I don't feel we choked. It's just so many seasons we've come so close but not close enough. I guess the fact Cunterbury being in another final (and the fact I don't like Auckland either) has left me even more hurt.

I'll get over it but yeah.....I guess it shows how much I'm into rugby and Wellington in particular. Bring on the 2013 Super 15 now!!!

 

I'll meet you in the ABs thread in 30 minutes from now bro. I've got $5 on the ABs to win by 12 points or less.

 

An AB's win is exactly what I need now. It'll ease the pain of Welly (and Naki to a degree) losing.

If Aussie win, today will end up being a pretty depressing day.

 

Pretty decent tbh. On a few occasions he runs it and gets smashed and isolated in the process (since he's so small) but yeah he's definitely good at getting the ball out fast.

 

NAh he's not learning. He continues to run the ball himself in odd situations and it always leads to a turnover in critical circumstances - because he is so small they just rip the ball off him at the breakdown.

In one game with Otago hot on attack with time up on the clock and down by 5 points he tried to run it instead of giving it to a forward and the ball was turned over and they lost.

In another game the next week he ran it from his own goal line and he turned it over for the winning try.

His pass does not stand out either as anything special - but it is no worse than anyone else in the league either.

 

Loved the intensity in the game. In the 80s there was no "final" and this aspect is a welcome addition.

 

Anyone else watching Cantabs vs Auckers.

I've got $10 on Cantabs to win by 10 points. Not looking like a wise bet at this point.