Super Rugby 2025

[antipodean]

That Silver Lake funding is really going to drive engagement with the 3-5 year old super hero pyjama wearing demographic.

[mariner4life]

Marvel hasn't been culturally relevant since Endgame.

Which was pre-Covid FFS

The NRL did this last in 2017

Deadset who the fuck ticked this off?

[taniwharugby]

@mariner4life said in Super Rugby 2025:

Deadset who the fuck ticked this off?

and how much did it cost? I mean they would have to be paying for the rights, right?

I get what they are trying to do, but fuck, as others said, this has been done, a loooong time ago already.

[Machpants]

Captain America, fuck off, too. No way I've ever ever wanted to be associated with that country. Marvel is a dying franchise, tho maybe that's the only way we could afford the rights

So, is that Caleb on the voice over? 😜

[Kiwiwomble]

@mariner4life said in Super Rugby 2025:

Marvel hasn't been culturally relevant since Endgame.

Which was pre-Covid FFS

The NRL did this last in 2017

Deadset who the fuck ticked this off?

and the closest marvel is to still be relevant would be its most resent movies...which include Wolverine, Deadpool (heros with black/yellow and red/black), Thor (god of thunder - vaguely storm/hurricane related) or the new captain America with Red hulk, god forbid the blues get somethign fantastic 4 (ie blue and white) related, a movie with a little hype......nice to see none of those represented even though some are obvious connections....madness

[Darren]

It’s interesting how much less focus there is now on set piece. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not but it’s really noticeable.

[Steven Harris]

Just a few takeaways from round 3
Starting from Friday night

Goal kicking is crucial as proven in the MP v Landers game
MP need to get their halves right ,wasn't until they changed them out they started getting traction along with the added bonus of Pellegrini’s goal kicking
Nathan Hastie add another halfback to a growing list of unpolished gems
Tavatavanawai v Savea jackal a-thon was a clinic
Ardie Savea Box Office !
Hope young Cam Miller has a full recovery ( will add to this at the end)

Fiji Drua need to learn how to close games out 3 times in a row they have conceded late tries after the 75th ,76th and 77th minute
Tahs unbeaten but the jury is still out for mine

Brumbies and Chiefs whilst an impressive spectacle will be focusing on defence at training this week
Quinn Tupaea on 🔥🔥🔥
Moment of the weekend D’Macs run , Wrights Defence Box office on both counts was outstanding
Concerning D-Mac’s injury

Odd game of the weekend Blues v Canes
Those last few minutes , laptop and officials , only thing missing was a lawyer
The Telea team try was top draw started by a guy that looks a hell of a lot better when he runs other than kicking
Almost fell off my chair seeing the ball get to the outsides .
Concerning is the form of Reiko Ioane ,Blues game plan does not help the man imo
Harry Godfrey keeps trending upwards , unlucky to be on the losing side on the night

Force v Reds
Game could have gone either way both teams doing their best not to win this game
Not often you see McFreight get outplayed by another Aussie 7 Tizzano impressive in a beaten team
Once again won’t know where these teams are until they play the NZ teams

Great weekend once again, all games could have gone either way
Player of the weekend I could’nt go past Ardie Savea was very close between Ardie and Quinn Tupaea
Special mentions to Harry Godfrey ,Samipeni Finau ,and Luke Reimer

Bug bear inconsistencies around head contact continue from the officials

[Number 10]

[Canes4life]

TJ raving about Harry Godfrey.

[gt12]

@Canes4life

He has strong Beauden Barrett vibes to me.

I know this is a strange thing to say about a guy who has more than 100 caps, has won super rugby as the starting 10, and is currently our preferred 10, but Barrett has never really found a position where he can show his skillset appropriately (apart from Goldenballs super sub). He's a fully amazing rugby player, but he's never really been in the conversation for best ever at 10 or at FB.

With respect to this player, I hope he gets a chance to choose a position and can commit to it. He looks an incredible footballer, and we will see how he developed, but I hope we gets the chance to become a 10 or a 15.

My opinion btw is that the Canes would be mad to move him. Love looks a more natural 15 but either way they've got their 10/15 partnership for years if they don't fuck it up.

[Bones]

@gt12 as good as Smith was, he wasn't an out and out playmaker like Roigard (and the likes of Weepu), so hopefully the combined style will work better.

Which leads me back to my drum that DMac should have had a go at halfback.

[Canes4life]

A playmaking axis of 9. Roigard 10. Godfrey and 15. Love going forward is pretty bloody decent for the Canes, hope they sign all three on long term contracts.

[gt12]

@Bones said in Super Rugby 2025:

@gt12 as good as Smith was, he wasn't an out and out playmaker like Roigard (and the likes of Weepu), so hopefully the combined style will work better.

Which leads me back to my drum that DMac should have had a go at halfback.

In the modern game, you can make a good argument that the key playmaker is the 9 anyway, so when you look at it like that, the Canes are very very well placed.

[Bones]

@gt12 said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Bones said in Super Rugby 2025:

@gt12 as good as Smith was, he wasn't an out and out playmaker like Roigard (and the likes of Weepu), so hopefully the combined style will work better.

Which leads me back to my drum that DMac should have had a go at halfback.

In the modern game, you can make a good argument that the key playmaker is the 9 anyway, so when you look at it like that, the Canes are very very well placed.

And the chiefs - they're doing it very nicely with the 9 running the cutter early doors before bringing in DMac later in the game.

[Number 10]

[frugby]

In protest at the preposterous scoring system for the Player of the Year Award, I have re-scored it using a neutral 3,2,1 system, based on my own feeling. I have seen just about every game, though followed the actually scoring for a handful of these.

Round One
CRU v HUR
Preston - 3
Fineanganofo - 2
Reece - 1

WAR v HIG
Tavatavanawai - 3
Porecki - 2
Amone - 1

DRU v BRU
Reimer - 3
Karawalevu - 2
Hooper - 1

BLU v CHI
McKenzie - 3
Ah Kuoi - 2
Jacobson - 1

FOR v MOA
Donaldson - 3
Williams - 2
Havili Talitui - 1

Round Two
CHI v CRU
Tupaea - 3
Parker - 2
Vaa’i - 1

RED v MOA
McReight - 3
Taumoefolau - 2
Wilson - 1

HUR v DRU
Godfrey - 3
M Murray - 2
Kirifi - 1

HIG v BLU
Hurley - 3
Tavatavanawai - 2
Fakatava - 1

BRU v FOR
White - 3
Tizzano - 2
Cale - 1

Round Three
MOA v HIG
Savea - 3
Hastie - 2
Sanerivi - 1

WAR v DRU
Gleeson - 3
Karawalevu - 2
Porecki - 1

CHI v BRU
Tupaea - 3
Vaa’i - 2
Toole - 1

HUR v BLU
Riccitelli - 3
Godfrey - 2
Shields - 1

FOR v RED
McDermott - 3
Tizzano - 2
Grealy - 1

Leaderboard:
[6] Tupaea
[5] Tavatavanawai, Godfrey
[4] Karawalevu, Tizzano
[3] Preston, Reimer, McKenzie, Donaldson, McReight, N White, A Savea, Porecki, Gleeson, Vaa'i, Riccitelli, McDermott
[2] Fineanganofo, Ah Kuoi, J Williams, Parker, Taumoefolau, M Murray, Hurley, Hastie
[1] Reece, Amone, T Hooper, Jacobson, Havili Talitui, H Wilson, Kirifi, Fakatava, Cale, Sanerivi, Toole, Shields, Grealy

To me, this feels a better representation of what we have seen so far. Ardie Savea hasn't been the best player, and Mark Telea certainly hasn't been the fifth best.

[Canes4life]

@frugby said in Super Rugby 2025:

In protest at the preposterous scoring system for the Player of the Year Award, I have re-scored it using a neutral 3,2,1 system, based on my own feeling. I have seen just about every game, though followed the actually scoring for a handful of these.

Round One
CRU v HUR
Preston - 3
Fineanganofo - 2
Reece - 1

WAR v HIG
Tavatavanawai - 3
Porecki - 2
Amone - 1

DRU v BRU
Reimer - 3
Karawalevu - 2
Hooper - 1

BLU v CHI
McKenzie - 3
Ah Kuoi - 2
Jacobson - 1

FOR v MOA
Donaldson - 3
Williams - 2
Havili Talitui - 1

Round Two
CHI v CRU
Tupaea - 3
Parker - 2
Vaa’i - 1

RED v MOA
McReight - 3
Taumoefolau - 2
Wilson - 1

HUR v DRU
Godfrey - 3
M Murray - 2
Kirifi - 1

HIG v BLU
Hurley - 3
Tavatavanawai - 2
Fakatava - 1

BRU v FOR
White - 3
Tizzano - 2
Cale - 1

Round Three
MOA v HIG
Savea - 3
Hastie - 2
Sanerivi - 1

WAR v DRU
Gleeson - 3
Karawalevu - 2
Porecki - 1

CHI v BRU
Tupaea - 3
Vaa’i - 2
Toole - 1

HUR v BLU
Riccitelli - 3
Godfrey - 2
Shields - 1

FOR v RED
McDermott - 3
Tizzano - 2
Grealy - 1

Leaderboard:
[6] Tupaea
[5] Tavatavanawai, Godfrey
[4] Karawalevu, Tizzano
[3] Preston, Reimer, McKenzie, Donaldson, McReight, N White, A Savea, Porecki, Gleeson, Vaa'i, Riccitelli, McDermott
[2] Fineanganofo, Ah Kuoi, J Williams, Parker, Taumoefolau, M Murray, Hurley, Hastie
[1] Reece, Amone, T Hooper, Jacobson, Havili Talitui, H Wilson, Kirifi, Fakatava, Cale, Sanerivi, Toole, Shields, Grealy

To me, this feels a better representation of what we have seen so far. Ardie Savea hasn't been the best player, and Mark Telea certainly hasn't been the fifth best.

Nice job, this looks far more accurate.

[antipodean]

That's how bad it's been for the Tahs.

[Yeetyaah]

Moana vs Chiefs in round 6 has been moved from Tonga to Pukekohe.

Moana Pasifika’s Super Rugby Pacific match in Tonga relocated to Pukekohe  – Moana Pasifika

[mikedogz]

Good for Pukekohe and Counties, especially with it being the Chiefs. Who was it that moaned about the grass embankment the last time Pukekohe had an in season game? If there was the need they could install some terraced seating on the bank side.