Super Rugby

[rowan]

Final round & standings: Saders @ Canes is going to be huge

Date Teams Venue Kickoff time (AEDT/AEST)
Friday 14 July Highlanders v Reds Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin 17:35
Friday 14 July Rebels v Jaguares AAMI Park, Melbourne 19:45
Friday 14 July Kings v Cheetahs Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth 3:00
Saturday 15 July Sunwolves v Blues Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo 13:05
Saturday 15 July Chiefs v Brumbies FMG Stadium, Hamilton 15:15
Saturday 15 July Hurricanes v Crusaders Westpac Stadium, Wellington 17:35
Saturday 15 July Force v Waratahs nib Stadium, Perth 21:55
Sunday 16 July Sharks v Lions Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban 1:15
Sunday 16 July Bulls v Stormers Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria 3:30

Crusaders (NZC1) 1 14 14 0 0 522 272 250 7 0 7 63
Lions (AF2) 2 14 13 1 0 563 258 305 9 0 9 61
Stormers (AF1) 3 14 9 5 0 449 403 46 3 0 3 39
Brumbies (AC1) 4 14 6 8 0 305 251 54 3 7 10 34
Hurricanes (WC) 5 14 11 3 0 565 250 315 9 1 10 54
Chiefs (WC) 6 14 11 2 1 405 282 123 6 1 7 53
Highlanders (WC) 7 14 10 4 0 448 291 157 4 2 6 46
Sharks (WC) 8 14 9 4 1 382 296 86 1 3 4 42
Blues 9 14 7 6 1 404 343 61 4 3 7 37
Jaguares 10 14 6 8 0 372 357 15 1 4 5 29
Southern Kings 11 14 6 8 0 371 449 -78 1 2 3 27
Force 12 14 5 9 0 273 393 -120 0 1 1 21
Reds 13 14 4 10 0 304 439 -135 1 4 5 21
Waratahs 14 14 4 10 0 385 482 -97 1 2 3 19
Bulls 15 14 4 10 0 306 418 -112 0 4 4 20
Cheetahs 16 14 3 11 0 374 531 -157 1 4 5 17
Rebels 17 14 1 12 1 207 537 -330 0 2 2 8
Sunwolves 18 14 1 12 0 267 650 -383 0 3 3 7
The Four Conference leaders occupy positions 1 to 4. The Wildcard (next best) teams occupy positions 5 to 8.

Read more: http://www.superxv.com/table/#ixzz4mQevmRTT

[rowan]

So a Canes win could effectively gift the Lions a home-final. Wouldn't that be ironic in light of last year's events at the business end of the competition?! But the Canes themselves cannot supplant the Saders at the top of the ladder, while a loss will only effect who their opponent is in the playoffs, if I'm not mistaken. Therefore Canterbury have a lot more to play for in Wellington. It also looks like the playoff contenders are already confirmed. Is that correct? Crusaders down to Sharks should all go through and are just jostling for positions now, while from the Blues on downward the season is effectively over, notwithstanding this weekend's final round of games.

Through
Crusaders (NZC1) 1 14 14 0 0 522 272 250 7 0 7 63
Lions (AF2) 2 14 13 1 0 563 258 305 9 0 9 61
Stormers (AF1) 3 14 9 5 0 449 403 46 3 0 3 39
Brumbies (AC1) 4 14 6 8 0 305 251 54 3 7 10 34
Hurricanes (WC) 5 14 11 3 0 565 250 315 9 1 10 54
Chiefs (WC) 6 14 11 2 1 405 282 123 6 1 7 53
Highlanders (WC) 7 14 10 4 0 448 291 157 4 2 6 46
Sharks (WC) 8 14 9 4 1 382 296 86 1 3 4 42

Out
Blues 9 14 7 6 1 404 343 61 4 3 7 37
Jaguares 10 14 6 8 0 372 357 15 1 4 5 29
Southern Kings 11 14 6 8 0 371 449 -78 1 2 3 27
Force 12 14 5 9 0 273 393 -120 0 1 1 21
Reds 13 14 4 10 0 304 439 -135 1 4 5 21
Waratahs 14 14 4 10 0 385 482 -97 1 2 3 19
Bulls 15 14 4 10 0 306 418 -112 0 4 4 20
Cheetahs 16 14 3 11 0 374 531 -157 1 4 5 17
Rebels 17 14 1 12 1 207 537 -330 0 2 2 8
Sunwolves 18 14 1 12 0 267 650 -383 0 3 3 7

[rowan]

Anyway, I think we'll see the Saders, Chiefs, Lions & Stormers win this weekend, which would lead to the following playoffs:

Saders v Sharks
Lions v Otago
Stormers v Canes
ACT v Chiefs

What's interesting there is that the Chiefs reward, should they beat the Brumbies at home, would be a re-match in Canberra, despite the Brumbies' inferior record this year!! But overall I don't think this weekend is going to make much difference to the quarter-finals line-up. The 4 conference winners and remaining 4 quarter-finalists are already confirmed, as far as I can tell. But the final round could have a major impact on the semis and final permutations and who gets to play at home. Anyway, I'm fully expecting to see the Lions & 3 Kiwi teams in the semis, culminating in an 8th title for the Saders (probably over the Lions in the final). It could conceivably be 4 Kiwi teams in the semis, however, and what a bizarre scenario that would be

[rowan]

This weekend will also mark the last time we see the Force, Cheetahs and Kings involved in Super Rugby. Seems to me like they chose the wrong teams there.& I used to resent the latter's involvement as much as I continue to resent the Sunwolves,' but after this season I've changed my mind. Who knows what the Port Elizabeth-based franchise might have achieved had it been given more time? Obviously the Force & Cheetahs weren't going anywhere, but they held their own, and in the former case took professional rugby right across to Australia's West Coast where there is a fairly large and well-established local club rugby scene. Sad day for Super Rugby, IMHO.

[rowan]

Otago appear to be fulfilling the first stage of the prophecy as they rout the Reds in Dunedin to secure 7th spot, and a probable quarter-finals date with the Lions in J'burg. If I'm not mistaken, there hasn't been a solitary Australian victory over a Kiwi team this year, and it's odds on now that we won't see one in 2017. 33-10 headed into the final quarter...

Update: FT 40-17 and how's this for a bombed try - https://www.foxsports.com.au/video/rugb ... iwi!633098

[zer0]

The sooner they get rid of this stupid SR break, the better. I just struggle to give a damn. Doubly so after the fantastic Lions tour.

[rowan]

Yeh, they need to sort that out. Though for me it was more a case of the Super Rugby competition being so rudely interrupted by the Lions tour...

[rowan]

So the Jags end the season with their 7th win from 15 games to finish mid-table and just out of the play-offs frame. That's a significant improvement on their debut season, which is encouraging, if perhaps not quite as much as some of us expected from a squad largely resembling the national team. I think a new coach might be in order, to be honest. As for the Rebels, they are consigned to a bottom two finish now, which is a step backward for the Melbourne-based outfit, and the fact they now appear likely to continue in Super Rugby at the expense of the Force due to legal complications is yet further evidence of how badly SANZAAR has mismanaged this entire situation.

[rowan]

Cheetahs with the early 0-3 lead @ the Kings.

Update: HT 12-3. The Kings might just about have been the fairy-tale team of the tournament this year, were they not facing the axe.

Update: FT 20-21. Cheetahs snatch it as the Kings blow a late opportunity with a poor lineout throw.

So that's farewell to these two sides...

Action earlier today:

[rowan]

Surprising win for the Sunwolves over the Blues, moves them off the bottom of the table, and means they finish with a 2-13 record for the second year in a row. It also means the Rebels finish last, so might that sway the final decision on who to remove from the competition next year, even though there are already strong indications it will be the Force? Anyway, good result for a championship which has been all but devoid of upsets in 2017. Right now the Chiefs are leading ACT 21-10 in Hamilton, as the Aussies still look for a first win over the Kiwis this year. By my calculations this result will lead to a remath between the same two sides in the quarterfinals in Canberra next week.

[rowan]

FT Chiefs 28 Brumbies 10.

So zero wins for Aussie teams against Kiwi opposition in the regular season this year.

[rowan]

Underway in Wellington. Possibly the most crucial game of the round, as it may well determine who finishes top of the ladder - Canterbury or the Lions. For the Canes it doesn't mean quite so much, only the difference between visiting the Brumbies if they win, or the Stormers if they lose, by my calculations. That's why I'm tipping the Saders, and already they have a 0-7 lead.

Update: 0-12 Canterbury, fighting for that top-of-the-table finish.
Update: HT 7-12. Jordie gets one back for the Canes.
Update: 21-22 Canterbury. We have a game on our hands heading into the final 1/4!
Update: 28-22 Canes hit the lead. There will be some happy Lions fans right now, I suspect...

[canta_brian]

Watched this on a phone. Can someone who saw it on a bigger screen tell me if the saders really hung on in the tackle every time they made a line break? Also did the saders really not release the tackled player every time the canes made a line break?

[rowan]

Think I'll just stick to predicting tier 3 games in future. Those seem to be the only ones I get right! Anyway, forgot everything I wrote in my lass few posts because the Canes win today changes everything. Lions set for home advantage in the final now, and on the basis of today's results it might just be a repeat of last year's final. Anyway, Canes will now visit ACT in the Qfinals while the Chiefs will travel to Cape Town, if my calculations are correct. Lions should be at home to Otago, leaving the Sharks to play in Christchurch.

Wow, great win for the Force too. Surely they'll have to axe the Rebels...

[rowan]

Lions leading the Sharks early in Durban, 3-5, in a match which has added importance after the demise of the Saders earlier today. A Transvaal team playing at home throughout the play-offs might just be able to break the Kiwi stranglehold on this tournmanent, but if they blow it here, it'll be the second year they've done so at the final hurdle, and I'd imagine the outcome of the final would be the same. For the Sharks I don't think this match can effect their 8th place standing, can it? That appeared to be confirmed by results earlier in the day. They'll probably have to return to play the Lions in J'burg now...

Update: 10-13 Lions at the break. Down to the last half of the regular season, and top spot still in the balance...

Update: Lions up 10-24 with about 15 to play. This should earn them top spot and home advantage through the playoffs.

In fact, I'm officially making the Lions my second team from the point on, as the Jaguares are out. If the Canes can't win it, I hope the lads from J'burg do. It would be good for the competition for a non-Kiwi side to take it out, to be honest. But I still have to back my home-town first.

The Lions have never won the title, of course, and represent one of the largest urban centers involved. It's also quite a common phenomenon in tight competitions like this for a beaten finalist to bounce back and win the trophy the following year.

[rowan]

10-27 Lions win it.

So, looks like a rematch in the quarters, by my calculations:

Lions v Sharks
Saders v Otago
ACT v Canes
Stormers v Chiefs.

Am I right??

[rowan]

Indeed, it's just come up on the official Super Rugby site:

2017 Super Rugby Quarter-Final Line ups
Super Rugby Quarter-Final 1 : Lions v Sharks
Date : TBC : Friday 21 July/ Saturday 22 July
Venue : Johannesburg
Kick Off local: TBC
Super Rugby Quarter-Final 2 : Crusaders v Highlanders
Date : TBC : Friday 21 July/ Saturday 22 July
Venue : Christchurch
Kick Off local: TBC
Super Rugby Quarter-Final 3 :Stormers v Chiefs
Date : TBC : Friday 21 July/ Saturday 22 July
Venue : Cape Town
Kick Off local: TBC
Super Rugby Quarter-Final 4 : Brumbies v Hurricanes
Date : TBC : Friday 21 July/ Saturday 22 July
Venue : Canberra
Kick Off local: TBC


Read more: http://www.superxv.com/2017-super-rugby ... z4mvBcggVC

[rowan]

1st semi looks certain to be the Lions at home to the Canes. 2nd is not so easy to pick, but good chance it'll be Saders at home to the Chiefs.

[rowan]

Final standings, btw:

[cashead]

Quarters are:

Friday
Brumbies v. Hurricanes - Canberra

Saturday
Crusaders v. Highlanders - Christchurch
Lions v. Sharks - Jo'burg
Stormers v. Chiefs - Cape Town


Chiefs and Hurricanes having to travel for their quarter final fixtures despite being 14 and 24 points ahead of their opponents is some bullshit, I tell you what.

[rowan]

& the Lions clinched top spot without facing a single Kiwi side !!

[morepork]

Lions are set up for at least a semi. I hope the Chiefs do the damage. I hope the NZ franchises collect bitch tax off the rest.

Apart from the Bloos, of course.

[canta_brian]

Anyone know which quarters go to which Semi's? Assuming they and the stormers win,the lions could face their first nz team in the final?

This competition is fubar.

[rowan]

No, it's a simple 1 v 4, 2 v 3 regardless of winner, meaning the Lions v Sharks winner meets the ACT v Canes winner in the first semi. So I'd say that's where they'll meet the first Kiwi team.

[rowan]

Hopefully augurs well for the weekend: