The Crusade is over!

I think the writing has been on the wall for the Cantabs since the game a few weeks back against North Harbour. They were inept then & have been since.

Saturdays performance was Canterburys worst in at least 2 years. It was like watching the bad old days. The gutless Canterbury teams of the 1987 - 1993 era.

Back then the players used to walk into the Canterbury Supporters club after the game & be IGNORED by grizzly old Canterbury players. The term "..gutless wonders.." was spoken within earshot.

This is the way things are in Canterbury. You win & bring honour & pride to the province. The fans will give you unequaled, unparalleled support. No other team in the country can get more parochial, fierce support.

As long as they win.

If they lose then they are an embarrassment to the province. On Saturday they were an embarrassment.

Some strange selection policies in the forwards. Who on earth where the props? Where were Nepia, Loe & Barrell? I had never heard of Parkinson & Hewitt! Bloody stupid decision. Why wasn't Scotty Robertson used earlier? Bizarre! I thought the forward effort was terrible. Angus did his best, & Toddy did loads of tacking but overall a very ordinary effort.

If the efforts of the forwards was terrible, the backs were pathetic! Mehrts & Marshall had shockers! Mehrts must have stone cold dropped the ball at least 5 times. Marshall looks as though he's got Tonu'u's problem (i.e a KFC diet!). GET FIT MAN!

I thought the only Canterbury player to come out with any credit was Daryll Gibson. He has to be one of the most versatile players in NZ. He's fast, elusive & strong.

Waikato did look damn good though. It looks like other teams have studied Canterbury's defensive patterns & taken it to a new level. Waikato's defense was inpregnable.

Their attack was good without being outstanding.

Oh well Cantabs, lets hope some serious recruitment is done in the off season.

Otago is looking odds on for the NPC title in my opinion. They destroyed Taranaki on Saturday night. I didn't watch the game, but to knock up 60+ points against the 'Knackers is a top effort.

I think with Meeuws & Maka back on deck for the final, Otago will simply have too much firepower for the Mooloo's.

GO OTAGO!. Keep the title in the south!

DH

Oh that shame of it all! I guess we will have to live with the highlight of the NPC season being that thrashing of Auckland. I can live with that!
Let us know what you think!