Super Rugby

[Banquo]

Was the red card justified?

yes

and I say that as someone who thinks Rugby has gone OTT on high tackles etc.

[cashead]

Was the red card justified? I tend to see these things as a player ending up under a player more than someone taking someone out intentionally. Obviously the opportunity for serious injury means cards, but sometimes I wonder if it does merit the section from a foul play pov

It was a red card offence and reds have been brandished for that kind of thing before.

[canta_brian]

Was the red card justified? I tend to see these things as a player ending up under a player more than someone taking someone out intentionally. Obviously the opportunity for serious injury means cards, but sometimes I wonder if it does merit the section from a foul play pov

It was a red card offence and reds have been brandished for that kind of thing before.

Don't get me wrong, I was happy to see the crusaders win obvs. I just wondered if I was being 1 eyed when shouting send him off, and wondering if they were penalising the lions for fear of being accused of bias.

Huge congrats to the saders. I hope this format never produces such an unjust home advantage again.

[cashead]

Was the red card justified? I tend to see these things as a player ending up under a player more than someone taking someone out intentionally. Obviously the opportunity for serious injury means cards, but sometimes I wonder if it does merit the section from a foul play pov

It was a red card offence and reds have been brandished for that kind of thing before.

Don't get me wrong, I was happy to see the crusaders win obvs. I just wondered if I was being 1 eyed when shouting send him off, and wondering if they were penalising the lions for fear of being accused of bias.

Huge congrats to the saders. I hope this format never produces such an unjust home advantage again.

Havili was taken out while in the air and Kwagga Smith made no effort to protect him. Havili nearly landed on his neck too. That's a red any day.

[rowan]

Somebody put this on the Zimbabwe Rugby Facebook Forum. Not too realistic

[rowan]

More realistically I think the Sunwolves will be dropped after the World Cup, and the tournament will return to a 14-team round-robin. not saying that's what I want, by any means, but I think they'll have to abandon the conference system if they can't do a better and fairer job of scheduling both regular season and playoffs fixtures.

[canta_brian]

Super Rugby team of the year announced.

Damian McKenzie (Chiefs)
Cheslin Kolbe (Stormers)
Samu Kerevi (Reds)
Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes)
James Lowe (Chiefs)
Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes)
Augustine Pulu (Blues)
Amanaki Mafi (Rebels)
Ardie Savea (Hurricanes)
Jaco Kriel (Lions)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers)
Guido Petti Pagadizabal (Jaguares)
Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies)
Malcolm Marx (Lions)
Jacques van Rooyen (Lions).

So that would be 0 Crusaders.

Fair enough. They did lose 1 game after all.

[rowan]

Named by who?

[canta_brian]

http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/n ... -the-year/

[rowan]

Bizarre. Which Crusaders would you have had in there?

[canta_brian]

Just noticed it's one of those fukin stupid stats generated lists. So if you are in a team that is well organised, shares the workload and has good depth (a winning team) then you're unlikely to make the list.

Lies, damned lies and statistics.

[cashead]

Named by who?

whom

Aren't you supposed to be a journalist? I'd have thought someone who writes for a living would be good with grammar.

[rowan]

You have the mind of a 12-year-old, Cashead.

[cashead]

You have the mind of a 12-year-old, Cashead.

Your mum has the mind of a 12 year-old.

[rowan]

[cashead]

Actual standings, based on competition points

1. Lions (Runners-Up) - 65
2. Crusaders (Champions) - 63
3. Hurricanes (Semifinalists) - 58
4. Chiefs (Semifinalists) - 57
5. Highlanders (Quarterfinalists) - 51
6. Stormers (Quarterfinalists) - 43
7. Sharks (Quarterfinalists) - 41
8. Blues - 37
9. Brumbies (Fuck off) - 34
10. Jaguares - 33
11. Kings - 28
12. Forced Out - 26
13. Cheetahs - 21
14. Reds - 21 (lower PD than Cheetahs)
15. Bulls - 20
16. Waratahs - 19
17. Sunwolves - 12
18. Rebels - 9

[rowan]

Well, fortunately that is the last we'll see of the convoluted Super 18 ladder - for a while anyway.

[rowan]

[rowan]

This one doing the rounds again, as it has done intermittently since Super Rugby's inception, and while it's a nice idea it just doesn't seem to have found favour with the SANZAAR officials. More realistically they should target the proposed Indo-Pacific league, set to commence next year. I'm guessing that's the reason Andrew Forrest named it such - with a view to Pacific Island inclusion.

Montpellier and Fiji powerhouse wing Nemani Nadolo has renewed calls for a Pacific Islands team to be introduced to Super Rugby.

The southern hemisphere's leading club competition has reverted back to it's 15-team format this year after two inconvenient years which saw the tournament expanding to 18 teams.

South Africa's Cheetahs and Southern Kings as well as the Western Force from Australia were subsequently removed from the competition with the two former teams joining the PRO14 tournament in Europe.

Meanwhile, the Force will be of billionaire Andrew Forrest's proposed Indo Pacific Rugby Championship, which is set to kick off in 2019.

Super Rugby's current broadcast deal will come to an end in 2019 and preparations are already underway to determine the tournament's shape and structure after that.

Although South Africa's future could lie in Europe, it is understood that the South Africa Rugby Union (SARU) want to continue in Super Rugby due to the strength of the competition.

But regardless of South African teams' future participation in the competition, SANZAAR are likely to turn their attention to the Pacific.

Nadolo believes it is critical that a team from the Pacific Islands region is included in Super Rugby.

“In Samoa, in Tonga and in Fiji they idolise Super Rugby,” he told Fox Sports.

“They watch more Super Rugby than their heroes who play in Europe.

“If you took a game to Samoa, to Tonga, Fiji and put the ticket prices down, you’re going to get numbers through and it’ll bring everyone together.

“It’s what the island nations need at the moment.

“We need a team that’s going to put us back on the map and Super Rugby would be the ideal competition.”

The 30-year-old said he prefers a combined Pacific Islands team to play in Super Rugby, so that all the regions’ resources could be pulled together.

“If you’re going to put an islander team or Fijian team, I’d combine a Samoan, Tongan, Fijian mixture because we’re probably limited to what we can do and all our players all play overseas,” he added.

“A Pacific Islander team would be ideal because having one country is probably not fair to us — we’re all in the same league in terms of infrastructure, rugby wise and resources — so if we can combine with one force and attack Super Rugby it would be pretty exciting to see and you’re going to get more numbers and more interest from the Pacific Islander community.”

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/rugby ... e4289710af

[rowan]

Reds edge the Fiji Warriors 17-15 in a Super Rugby warm-up at Ballymore last weekend:



Tahs hammer Rebels:

[rowan]

More on the Pacific Islanders Super Rugby franchise concept: https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sup ... real-boost

[J Dory]

Sam Nock not starting or listed as injured for the Blues, any one have the low down?

[zer0]

No idea, unfortunately. But making Pulu the captain may not have been the best decision.

[rowan]

Can't wait till Super Rugby starts again!

[morepork]

Can't wait till Super Rugby starts again!

It has started.