Looks like the Chiefs boys put in huge performances, bloody great to see. Any word on Cruden's injury? Please let him be OK for the rest of the SUPE season.

BTW, Cane's epic showboating swan-dive with added juggle makes Ashton look like a mug. (Don't do it again please.)

Just heard Shag on the news saying Cruden should be fine.

But unfortunately Richard Kahui needs more surgery on his shoulder and is gone for the year.

Barrett has just turned 21 (27/5/91)

Cruden is 23 (8/1/89)

Cruden lost his spot to Kirkpatrick in last years s14.

He started to find his form towards the end but was only OK for the ABs last year


Barrett is way ahead of Cruden at the same age.

I like Barrett ...

Barrett has great potential , my biggest concern is that his defense is a bit tentative at times. I hope he can come on in the same way Cruden has.

I admit i am a come lately Cruden fan, though he was to much of a lightweight but he is completely fearless.
In my eyes he won that test last night - sure there were some great performances , sam Cane has a wonderful game, Conrad Smith sublime as always, Mccaw showed he's still the man, both young locks manned up and SBW and Messam both had their best games in black, BUT the game was over after 25 minutes after Cruden tore them apart. He mesmerised Ireland with ball in hand and he broke Ireland.
Ireland knew they needed to start well and have a perfect game, they knew they could never come back from 20 points down and you could see they knew it too for the rest of the game.

I guess it really aint the size of the dog in the fight

TV3 news had updates on both.

Kahui to have shoulder surgery tomorrow and unfortunately won't play again this year. Another injury break for the poor guy!

Cruden was interviewed and said he was confident but he would just have to see how it progressed over the next several days. From what I have read, he has a problem with both hamstrings tightening. It was a problem that appeared late last year. I hope he can get that sorted.

I do, too.

I was concerned that he'd be found out on defence, but he tackled very well, apart from a couple of difficult misses when he was wrong-footed. And he's a fantastic punter of the ball. In fact, Cruden, Dagg and Barrett all kicked for territory exceptionally well last night. Great to now have such real depth at first five, and a genuine young contender at openside. Lock's suddenly not looking too shabby, either.

Great - huh ?

Barrett's defense is fine. He does not hang back as some 1sts do. And give him another year and work on his upper body strength and experience at this level and his defense should become a strength


And Cruden was outstanding. But the Irish were crap.

Where is the next young hooker coming from.

Elliot is good in the meantime but this is one position that is filled up by older heads and Dane Coles

Nice post, I was another Crudeness skeptic, but I was amazed at he improvement in his goal kicking, touch kicking, and his option taking, and even is strength and speed.
His transformation from merely a possible contender to the real deal in a year is amazing.

This thread is great for the AB's, but the more I read the more I think the Chiefs season may be farked