Super Rugby

[rowan]

There's something a little weird about a Super Rugby match between a South American team and an Asian team. But that's going on right now in Buenos Aires, and the score is currently tied at 15 heading into the 2nd 1/4...

HT 22-25

27-39 headed into the final 1/4. Very disappointing from the Jags. You'd expect an Argie side to overcome a Japanese side at home without too much difficulty, but right now the Sunwolves look like they're heading for just their second victory of the season - and their first away win!!

Jags score as I'm writing. 34-39 with just over 10 minutes remaining. This one's going down to the wire!

The South Americans are on a 4-game losing streak, btw. This was their big chance to turn the corner.

Jags equalise but a poor conversion attempt prevents them taking the lead. Tied at 39 inside the last 10. What a game!

[zer0]

Sunwolves properly screwed at the end by the ref who ignored the entire Jaguares pack being offside from the kick that led to the try. Oh well. They've done very well against a de facto test side at the end of a month long tour.

[rowan]

Well, the Jaguares are back in front with a couple of minutes remaining. 46-39. Sunwolves can only hope for a draw now. But the hometeam appears to have all the momentum. Game of the season so far !!

Sunwolves attacking relentlessly, go through 14 phases and win a penalty - only to knock on.

& that's the result. Late comeback for the Jaguares sees them snap their losing streak against the rapidly improving but luckless Sunwolves.

[rowan]

[zer0]

[cashead]

Blues setting the tone for the weekend, probably, with a second-half demolition job on the Cheetahs. It's pretty much been all one-way traffic after about the first quarter or so.

[zer0]

Three wins in a row. Suck on that Cantabs.

[rowan]

Highly predictable. Don't think the Cheetahs will be back next year. Can the Brumbies put up a scrap at home versus the Lions?

[Eugene Wrayburn]

What is going on here? Is it any one thing? Are the coaches in NZ an unusually good bunch? Is it an exceptional cohort of players? Is it that the opposition have become so much more worse? I don't think the argument that everyone else has become simultaneously much worse can be right. I think it must be something in the development of coaching because some of the rugby being played is extraordinary.

[rowan]

I think we've analysed all the statistics earlier in the thread and the demise of the Australians, in particular, corresponds completely with expansion (as have average attendances, btw). But then you have to ask yourself why Australia with more players than NZ, and SA, with about 3 times as many players as NZ, don't have the depth to field 5 or 6 competitive teams. So, yes, other factors, such as coaching and development programs, must also be considered. & personally I regard the increasing Pacific Island influence on New Zealand rugby as being quite pertinent, as this, too, has corresponded completely with New Zealand's increasing domination of the game in the professional era.

Brumbies with a 3-0 lead over the Lions midway first half. There have been very few upsets this year . . . could this one buck th trend?

[zer0]

What is going on here? Is it any one thing? Are the coaches in NZ an unusually good bunch? Is it an exceptional cohort of players? Is it that the opposition have become so much more worse? I don't think the argument that everyone else has become simultaneously much worse can be right. I think it must be something in the development of coaching because some of the rugby being played is extraordinary.

More that the retrofitted schoolboy development programme in Auckland is well and truly paying off for all of the franchises. Throw it into the mix with the existing, high quality, Canterbury academy and, between the two of them, they pump out plenty of talented young players each year to maintain competition throughout the franchise squads. Outside of those big two, there's also the 12 other provincial academies to feed players into the system.

[rowan]

The Wellington region seems to be producing an extraordinary amount of talent these days as well. Mind you, they've always churned out great individual players, just not too many great teams!

Lions look like grinding out a narrow win at the Brumbies right now, 6-10 inside the last 10 minutes, as the mind-numbing predictability of this years championship continues...

6 - 13 it ends.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

What is going on here? Is it any one thing? Are the coaches in NZ an unusually good bunch? Is it an exceptional cohort of players? Is it that the opposition have become so much more worse? I don't think the argument that everyone else has become simultaneously much worse can be right. I think it must be something in the development of coaching because some of the rugby being played is extraordinary.

More that the retrofitted schoolboy development programme in Auckland is well and truly paying off for all of the franchises. Throw it into the mix with the existing, high quality, Canterbury academy and, between the two of them, they pump out plenty of talented young players each year to maintain competition throughout the franchise squads. Outside of those big two, there's also the 12 other provincial academies to feed players into the system.

My experience is the kids are just left to enjoy their rugby and the core skills drummed into them from an early age. Personally I feel if you were to get a County U16 side from the UK to play a NZ Provincial equivalent the biggest difference is decision making and execution of skills under pressure. Things are getting better here in the UK as more Coaches at Grassroots level change their mindset and get away from the "give it to the big lad" gameplan.

[rowan]

6-6 midway through the first half in Christchurch. I'm predicting a narrow win to the hosts.

9-9 ht. Saders looking stronger.

[jared_7]

So the Lions could foreseeably get to the semi finals without having played a NZ team? Meaning it will also likely be a home?

Yep, this format is balls.

[jared_7]

And the Highlanders, after being completely dominated for most of the game, come away with a win courtesy of a brilliant solo effort from Fekitoa in the last 5 minutes.

Very odd game, almost surreal in setting - the pitch was a complete bog and Loftus completely empty thanks to a storm just before the match. Switching on I thought it was a reserves game or something.

Another notch on the Kiwi's belts.

[rowan]

Bit of a disappointing day, really. Loftus Versfeld used to be the hardest place in the world to win if you were the away team, with the altitude and partisan home-crowd support, not to mention the powerhouse Springboks and Northern Transvaal teams trotted out before you. So kudos to the Landers for their great escape today, but it would've done the tournament a lot of good if the Bulls had managed to hold on. I expected the Saders to win and remain skeptical about the Canes' chances of defending their title (even though I picked them on at least one prediction thread running here). Kings win comes to me more as a sad indictment on the once formidable Sharks, while the Rebels will be crushed by their narrow loss - but that one I'm really not bothered by, because I am a fan of retaining the Force. Speaking of which, the Jags (my 2nd team) should pick up another win today against the Western Australians in the weekend's final encounter, kicking off soon . . .

[rowan]

Force surprisingly take a 0-3 lead into the break as the Jags bomb a try just before halftime!

[zer0]

So the Argentine national team lost, at home, to the Force. LOL.

[rowan]

Jags in a real slump, it seems, losing to one of the weakest teams from the country that is supposed to be in a major slump. Makes you think, though. Maybe it's not that the rest of the pack are so bad - but simply that the Kiwis have gotten so good . . .

Nonetheless, are rather horrifying weekend of results from my perspective

[rowan]

[cashead]

So the Lions could foreseeably get to the semi finals without having played a NZ team? Meaning it will also likely be a home?

Yep, this format is balls.

Or that the Stormers and Brumbies are entitled to a play-offs spot, despite having fewer points than the Chiefs, Hurricanes, Highlanders, Sharks and Blues, not to mention the Jaguares too, in the case of the Brumbies?

The "team that tops a conference gets a play-offs spot" is fucking bullshit and two South African teams being entitled to it is even bigger fucking bullshit.

[rowan]

We all know that, of course, but isn't it about the greater revenue generated by the South African teams? & weren't the 2 conferences more or less forced upon them by the Australasian's insistence they accommodate not only the Jaguares, but the Sunvolves franchise they themselves were so keen on? This year's championship is a mess and the results have compounded that, but all three major partners have to accept a share of the blame for this - including NZ. Super Rugby now gets about the same-size crowds as NRL and has to fly its teams all over the world (literally) to do so.

[jared_7]

So the Lions could foreseeably get to the semi finals without having played a NZ team? Meaning it will also likely be a home?

Yep, this format is balls.

Or that the Stormers and Brumbies are entitled to a play-offs spot, despite having fewer points than the Chiefs, Hurricanes, Highlanders, Sharks and Blues, not to mention the Jaguares too, in the case of the Brumbies?

The "team that tops a conference gets a play-offs spot" is fucking bullshit and two South African teams being entitled to it is even bigger fucking bullshit.

You would hope a team thats likely to win well less than half of its games progressing as a top 4 seed into the finals should be a bit of a wake up call to SANZAR as to the ludicrousness of the format, yes.

[rowan]

Pretty sure they are fully aware of this now. The only surprise is they didn't see it coming. Roll on 2018!