Latest / Cut The Kak / Mini: Fiji's Unpredictable Crash Ball Magic
Transcript
- Byron: Brumbies. Chad: Yeah. Did you see that game? Before the game it was so hot there that they almost postponed the game. Byron: And then did you see the storm during the game? Chad: Yeah, at half time it was like torrential downpour and de-hectic. Byron: So I wrote, I had something written down here and even the commentators were talking about it. The most dangerous combo in Super Rugby Pacific is for G and Druer at home when it's raining. ⁓ The commentator said there's no better combo in Pacific, ⁓ rugby, Super Rugby Pacific. And I was watching them and I noticed one thing as well. And I think not only Druer rugby, but I think it's Fiji rugby as a whole. Chad: Yeah. Byron: They do a lot of one-off crash balls where it's, know, scrum-half to the forward pack and they crash ball, crash ball over and over and over again. But then out of nowhere, you can be anywhere on the field and Fiji or Druer can score because they'll go from doing, you know, hook a crash ball, lock crash ball, prop crash ball, prop crash ball, then all of a sudden Chad: Yeah. Byron: There's 13 offloads, two chip kicks, ⁓ behind the back pass, ⁓ a basketball pass, seven side steps, another chip kick, and there hasn't even been a ruck. And then all of a sudden they've gone from their own 22 and they're scoring a try and there's no rucks in between. It's amazing. I love watching it. Chad: Yeah. And the balls being, yeah. I think that's what also makes it a bit tricky to play against because you don't actually know what's coming. Byron: No. Because it's crash ball and you're like, okay, we just got to defend, you know, the two and three channel. And then all of a sudden there's chaos. And you've got a flanker running down the wing, popping the ball to a wing. And then the wings popping it to a prop who's doing a behind the back pass. And then someone does a chip kick. And then because it's wet, it doesn't bounce. And then they collect it. And it's just, I don't know, I love watching it. It's so exciting. Chad: Yeah. Yeah, I did notice that when it was pissing out that it rained, the ball would go and just go donk, like almost float. Byron: Yes. Great, great. And that was, I don't know where they played in Fiji, but it was the first time playing at that stadium they were talking about. Something was a B. ⁓ Chad: Yeah, I don't know the name of it, but that was pretty cool. Byron: And that the play at Govind Park, which is in... I can't remember the name of the area, but anyway, Ba. That's where they played, Ba. I loved watching it. It was great fun. And to do that against Brumbies, to score 42 points... Chad: I I was not, was ex- Yeah, I was expecting the Brummies to really make that game a lot closer. I wasn't expecting to be 42 points between both teams during that game. Byron: Yeah. Yeah. And then what else we had that weekend, Crusaders beat the Highlanders, so a rematch from week one. I texted you about this and it pisses me off because it wasn't only against the Highlanders. I've seen this against the Crusaders over and over and over again. I don't know how they can be defending on their five meter line. Chad: Great game that one. I know exactly what you're going to say. Byron: 17 times in a game and not concede a try. And then within the next three minutes, they're in the opposition's 22. Chad: Yes, because they've defend, defend, defend. They've got some man, Ethan Blackhead had such a great game. I really hope that he can be injury free until the All Blacks play us. I really want to see him against the Springboks. Byron: Well, I mean, we don't want to see him against them, but we don't want him to be injured. Chad: No, I want to see what somebody can do against the box. I think it'll be fun. There's so many matchups that I'm keen for for this year. I want to see from the Highlanders, Taupata and Ngawe, the inside center against really any of them. But Esther Hazen, I'm really keen to see that battle. ⁓ Yeah, both of them. Byron: We are lender. Chad: The wings, the younger wings, I don't know who will get picked, I would like to kind of see but Reese first, Colby or even Kirtley will be fun. And then obviously Will Jordan vs. will be a fun one. Byron: Well Jordan is so good. It's not, it's not fair. He shouldn't be allowed to be as good as he is.