Super Rugby

[zer0]

Inter-conference records and results as of Rd 8:

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Is NZ nearing the point that it's almost worth going it alone in rugby terms? It won't happen for financial reasons but if NZ created 3 more franchises the dilution would probably bring them to about the same level of competition.

[rowan]

I certainly think the Australasian and South African conferences need to separate, although there could still be a Champions League-style playoff at the end. Japan would join the Australian and New Zealand teams in a Pacific Championship, while South Africa and Argentina would have their own South Atlantic Championship. I'm sure a few tears would be shed about the loss of Australasian v. South African encounters, but if professional rugby wants to move forward this development seems inevitable. There could still be a post-season mini-tournament involving the top few teams from each competition (and perhaps even involving European clubs as well).

[cashead]

Is NZ nearing the point that it's almost worth going it alone in rugby terms? It won't happen for financial reasons but if NZ created 3 more franchises the dilution would probably bring them to about the same level of competition.

The NZ conference currently probably has the talent to conceivably sustain a somewhat competitive 6th franchise, but it would feature a fair amount of shifting around talent for it to get off the ground - namely targeting the test-standard players stuck on the reserves bench at their current franchise (we've already seen Gus Pulu take the 150k trip up SH1 to join the Blues from the Chiefs for 2017 already) but it's not exactly across the board.
I'm not so sure the NZRU would also be able to keep such a team afloat as well, as they'd want to keep a close eye on the financials after the Otago disaster from a few years ago.

[Lizard]

Yeah, we look good now but there's no guarantee that it will last (see the Blues recently, Highlanders before that, etc)

[Puja]

No it isn't. I lived literally next to their old stadium for several years. The area is called Highbury. The Arsenal tube station was renamed from Gillespie Road after a campaign by the club.

Arsenal was in fact previously called Woolwich Arsenal, after the actual geographical area it was in (Woolwich, where there was an arsenal). It changed its name when it moved to Highbury.

Huh. Learn something new every day.

Of course, I usually forget that something new straight away, but it's interesting nevertheless.

Puja

[Lizard]

Every day is a school day, right?

Personally, I think that geographical origin of the teams will be way down the list of problems for potential foreign fans, well behind the cockamamie conference system and the fact that nearly half the teams wear blue.

[cashead]

Yeah, we look good now but there's no guarantee that it will last (see the Blues recently, Highlanders before that, etc)

Mind you, the last couple of NZ teams to win the title (Chiefs and Highlanders) are largely bereft of actual star players. Yeah, the Chiefs had the likes of SBW, Cruden and Messam, and the Highlanders had Ben and Aaron Smith, but the rest of the team were largely ITM Cup level players or, if they had test caps, most of them would've been in the single digits. There were guys like Retallick and Sopoaga who would go on to win their test caps after they won the Super Rugby title, but I think the point still stands.

[cashead]

Every day is a school day, right?

Personally, I think that geographical origin of the teams will be way down the list of problems for potential foreign fans, well behind the cockamamie conference system and the fact that nearly half the teams wear blue.

It's a bizarre statement to make, to be honest, when there are literally shitloads of examples of teams with geographical locations explicitly in the name that nevertheless manage to retain a fanbase overseas, like with NBA or with the top-level football teams, regardless of whether or not they play in the EPL.

The only thing that actively prevents me from dedicatedly watching the NBA is how frustrating I find the broadcast model to be. Oh sorry about that, I hope the basketball game I was watching didn't interrupt the ads.

[rowan]

Surprise result to kick off the weekend, defending champs beaten at home by the battling Sharks. Player sent off for Otago early on apparently.

The highlight of the weekend for me will be the clash of the expansion franchises in Tokyo tomorrow. Both sides desparate for a win...

[Lizard]

Highlanders really should have won that, even with a man off. Sopoaga missed several shots at goal and they turned down several looking for a try at the end of the first half.

[cashead]

Highlanders really should have won that, even with a man off. Sopoaga missed several shots at goal and they turned down several looking for a try at the end of the first half.

It looked like he was carrying an injury as well. Probably fit enough to play, but there should've been someone else on the pitch that could kick. Aaron Smith probably also should've passed the ball to Hayden Parker for the droppie, rather than Sopoaga.

The red card early on was utterly deserved. It was completely reckless and stupid, even if it wasn't intentional.

[cashead]

Surprise result to kick off the weekend, defending champs beaten at home by the battling Sharks. Player sent off for Otago early on apparently.

That's a surprise. I didn't realise the Mitre 10 Cup had started already.

[rowan]

Good result for the comp, anyway. Kiwi domination was starting to get embarrassing

[rowan]

The Sharks Super Rugby team is considering moving to one of the stadiums built in South Africa to host the 2010 soccer World Cup.

The Sharks say they are in talks with Durban's city council over playing at Moses Mabhida Stadium from next year, though no agreement has been reached.

The fate of some of the expensive new stadiums following the World Cup has been a burning issue in South Africa, with most of them underused and criticized as a waste of money.

The Stormers rugby team decided against moving to Cape Town Stadium after negotiations with the municipality there fell through, leaving that venue with little business. Cape Town was the most expensive of the new stadiums at a cost of around $600 million.

Moses Mabhida Stadium, which will be the main venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Durban, cost $450 million.

http://sobserver.ws/en/23_04_2016/rugby ... tadium.htm

[rowan]

Sunwolves Jaguares was a cracker alright. Bit disappointed in the Jags though, for a team which claimed they were going to make the play-offs in their first season, and certainly appeared to have the personnel to achieve that, it's been a pretty lame season results-wise.

Yes, I copped a bit of flak for it (inexplicably), but I think Singers should be ditched as a Sunwolves home base next year. And, yes, I'd also like to see the Japanese franchise move to the Australia conference.

Just looking at flight times, I was surprised to discover Buenos Aires to Auckland is only a couple hours further than Buenos Aires to Jo'burg. Is that right? If so, the obvious solution seems to be a return to three conferences, with Japan joining Australia, Argentina joining NZ, and SA on its own with one six-team conference. This reduces inter-conference match-ups to six per team in the regular season, but I don't see any major problem with that.

[morepork]

First five. Beauden Barrett. Looking good?

[zer0]

Still can't kick.

[cashead]

First five. Beauden Barrett. Looking good?

With ball in hand, yes. His kicking is still very inconsistent. Assuming he starts, there'll need to be another option somewhere else in the backline, like Damien McKenzie (either on the wing or at fullback, with Smith at 14).

[rowan]

Expansion teams both have a very good chance of winning this weekend. Wolves at home to the Force and Jags hosting the Kings. Doesn't get much easier than that, so hopefully they'll both grab their second win.

[rowan]

Chiefs v Sharks 15-15 at HT. Great try by April late in the first half to tie things up.

[zer0]

Given the way they were lining up, I was hoping that we'd see a wall move from the Chiefs at the end. Was not to be, unfortunately.

[jared_7]

So I haven't seen any Super Rugby this year, but results wise it looks like a complete one-way street for the NZ sides. Whats up? Can anyone stop the Chiefs, other than the Cru?

[rowan]

Chiefs only just scraped home in that one. Last week they were lucky too - reports of cheating involved as well, as they forced depowered scrums with a dodgy injury claim

[jared_7]

Chiefs only just scraped home in that one. Last week they were lucky too - reports of cheating involved as well, as they forced depowered scrums with a dodgy injury claim

Ahh interesting.

The NZ Herald live blog said that the Chiefs had a lot of injuries and still won this one, making out it was an achievement?

Is that just local press being local press?