Super Rugby

[Spy]

So the self-lobotomizing chimps -- otherwise known as the Blues -- squander a golden opportunity to defeat the Chiefs by thinking it was pre-2007 when drop goals were more shunned than leppers, and, instead, decide to throw the ball wide in wet weather rather than take the sensible option of the simple drop goal from out in front. The entirely predictable result is a knock-on, the opportunity gone and the match ended in a 16-all draw.

Yeah, they were setting up for the droppie, then had a characteristic abandonment of the plan and fcked it up. Lucky not to lose the game in the end. Couple of ace tries by the Chiefs in difficult conditions. Blues were pumped toward the end of the game. They wanted it, just couldn't pull it off.

[rowan]

Meanwhile that waste of space aka Sunpoodles is getting hammered at home by one of the franchises earmarked for the scrap heap. Cheetahs lead 7-33 last 10.

Update: 7-40 last 5.

FT 7-47.

What a farce ...

[rowan]

What's really missing this year are upsets. It's way too predictable. I can't even get excited about the Canes winning in SA anymore.

[rowan]

TOP 8 ALL BUT SET (99%)

NZL 20-0 AUS (5 to play)

[cashead]

How the play-offs should look

1. Crusaders
2. Lions
3. Hurricanes
4. Highlanders
----------------------
5. Chiefs
6. Sharks
7. Blues
8. Stormers


Fuck this fucking play-offs system.

[rowan]

Would be funny if the Lions won it, being practically the only non-Kiwi team playing well this season!!

They'll need home advantage to be in with a shout this time, that's for sure.

[Lizard]

If it is still tight nearer the end, it might pay an NZ team in 7th to chuck a game and finish 8th so they travel to Christchurch rather than Jo-burg

[Eugene Wrayburn]

If it is still tight nearer the end, it might pay an NZ team in 7th to chuck a game and finish 8th so they travel to Christchurch rather than Jo-burg

You reckon?!

[Lizard]

Yep. If you're going to win the comp from 7th or 8th seed, you'll probably have to beat the Cru at home in either the SF or QF respectively. All 4 NZ sides in contention have their last pool games in NZ. Finishing 7th would mean travelling all the way to Jo-burg and (if you win) probably travelling all the way back to play in Christchurch or Hamilton (if the Sharks come 8th and score a massive upset in the QF v Cru).

[rowan]

If it is still tight nearer the end, it might pay an NZ team in 7th to chuck a game and finish 8th so they travel to Christchurch rather than Jo-burg

You reckon?!

It might save on expenditure. But I'd rather face the Lions in Jo'burg than the Saders in their own back yard. I still think Canterbury will take it; just saying the Lions' only chance will be to secure home passage through the play-offs. Probably even that won't be enough, however.

[Lizard]

As a one-off, sure. But not with games in NZ either side. What's the point of going all that way, winning and then flying back to Chch to get your ragged tired ass handed to you?

[rowan]

Brumbies looked fairly impressive against the Jaguares, meanwhile. They may be peaking at the right end of the season and cause a surprise or two in the play-offs. Again, it may not have been so much a case of the Aussies being that bad this year, as the Kiwis just being so dam good...

[Mikey Brown]

I just caught the Crusaders/Rebels highlights, it's not as if anybody remotely needed reminding but that Sam Whitelock is pretty fucking handy. Coles/Retallick/Whitelock are genuinely as good ball players as any centres we have heading your way for the Lions.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

I just caught the Crusaders/Rebels highlights, it's not as if anybody remotely needed reminding but that Sam Whitelock is pretty fucking handy. Coles/Retallick/Whitelock are genuinely as good ball players as any centres we have heading your way for the Lions.

Yep. Every time I think we're really strong at lock, I remember that their locks can do absolutely everything that ours can and a lot more.

[Len]

I just caught the Crusaders/Rebels highlights, it's not as if anybody remotely needed reminding but that Sam Whitelock is pretty fucking handy. Coles/Retallick/Whitelock are genuinely as good ball players as any centres we have heading your way for the Lions.

Yep. Every time I think we're really strong at lock, I remember that their locks can do absolutely everything that ours can and a lot more.

Seen Launchbury throw a tasty offload against us once which led to a try. Not in the touring party though is he FFS.

My favourite Retallick memory was seeing him catch a pass, miles above head whilst he was running near enough full pelt, straighten, draw and then pass to put Savea I think it was into the corner. Can't remember who it was against. Think it might have been France in the QF.

Credit to Lizard who said Retallick would keep Etzebeth honest, I didn't believe him. And credit to Cashead who said Coles would be fine, another player I doubted who is freakish.

Edit: It was the 3rd test against Wales in the lead up to Moalas try. Also in that test Coles ran a mean line to score and I also found Retallicks charge down against France with his face to score which was good.

[Lizard]

You do have to wonder why other teams' tight forwards don't have the handling skills of those in the All Blacks (and in NZ pro rugby generally). Surely everyone has realised by now and should have put in the effort in to catch up?

[Eugene Wrayburn]

You do have to wonder why other teams' tight forwards don't have the handling skills of those in the All Blacks (and in NZ pro rugby generally). Surely everyone has realised by now and should have put in the effort in to catch up?

You'd think. The Aussies aren't too far off I guess.

[rowan]

Close but no cigar for the Reds in Samoa today, with Aussies still looking for their first win against the Kiwis after 21 Trans-Tasman encounters in this year's Super Rugby competition.

[jared_7]

Close but no cigar for the Reds in Samoa today, with Aussies still looking for their first win against the Kiwis after 21 Trans-Tasman encounters in this year's Super Rugby competition.

Tickets ranging from $20-$250. $60 just to stand on a bank.

In a country where the minimum wage is $1.70 an hour.

They couldn't even half fill a stadium that only fits 8,000 people.

Another piece of Blues genius, although it shows the issue of having games in the islands.

[rowan]

Nice gesture but I was a bit surprised, too. Suva with its 25K national stadium is one thing. But Apia and Nuku'alofa (Tonga) just have to accept they're too small for major fixtures. Tonga has about 100K people, which is about the same as Jersey or the US Virgin Islands. Samoa has almost 200K, but still only about the size of Guam or St Lucia. It's amazing that their national teams are as good as they are, to be honest, notwithstanding the mostly NZ-based diaspora...

[Lizard]

Close but no cigar for the Reds in Samoa today, with Aussies still looking for their first win against the Kiwis after 21 Trans-Tasman encounters in this year's Super Rugby competition.

Tickets ranging from $20-$250. $60 just to stand on a bank.

In a country where the minimum wage is $1.70 an hour.

They couldn't even half fill a stadium that only fits 8,000 people.

Another piece of Blues genius, although it shows the issue of having games in the islands.

Those prices are nuts. What's the point in taking the game there if you effectively exclude the locals?

IIRC tickets to Fiji v Scotland in Suva top out at FJD50 - less than NZD35.

[zer0]

Tickets for the 2008 Samoa-Japan test were dirt cheap. Somewhere around $3 NZD for the embankment IIRC.

[cashead]

This fucking Crusaders team. Holy shit, they just stole one from the Highlanders.

[jared_7]

This fucking Crusaders team. Holy shit, they just stole one from the Highlanders.

In Dubai airport and managed to see everything that happened after 80 minutes. What a drop goal from a difficult angle.

What time is the Barbarians game tonight? These airbuses have live sport and a dedicated Lions channel so hopefully will catch it.

[cashead]

This fucking Crusaders team. Holy shit, they just stole one from the Highlanders.

In Dubai airport and managed to see everything that happened after 80 minutes. What a drop goal from a difficult angle.

What time is the Barbarians game tonight? These airbuses have live sport and a dedicated Lions channel so hopefully will catch it.

Broadcast starts at 7pm NZ time, so probably the usual 7:30 or thereabouts. No idea what time that would be in the UAE.