Super Rugby 2025

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.

Daffy Jaffy

Super Rugby Pacific Injury list: Round 4

Super Rugby Pacific Round Four Injury/Unavailability list
*TBC time/injury unless specified

Blues
Kurt Eklund (groin)
Laghlan McWhannell (leg)
PJ Sheck (shoulder)
Zarn Sullivan (foot)
Stephen Perofeta (calf)
Ben Ake (shoulder)
Hoskins Sotutu (suspended)
Dalton Papali’i (head injury)
James Mullan (head injury)
Sam Darry (shoulder, season)
Reon Paul (shoulder)
Taufa Funaki (shoulder)
Adrian Choat (knee)

Brumbies
Noah Lolesio (concussion/round five)
Rob Valetini (hamstring tear/TBC)
Tevita Alatini (knee/TBC)
Ben O’Donnell (hamstring/TBC)
Harry Vella (knee/TBC)
Tuaina Taii Tualima (dengue/TBC)

Chiefs
Damian McKenzie, Knee, Short term
Josh Lord, Knee, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
Luke Jacobson, Facial injury, Short-term
Rameka Poihipi, Knee, Season
Kaleb Trask, Hamstring, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
Etene Nanai-Seturo, Hamstring, Long-term
Liam Coombes-Fabling, Knee, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
Fiti Sa, Shoulder, Long-term
Wallace Sititi, Knee, Long-term
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Shoulder, Short-term

Crusaders
George Bell (toe/foot / season)
Kershawl Sykes-Martin (knee / 4 weeks)
Finlay Brewis (shoulder / season)
Rivez Reihana (ankle / 1-2 weeks)
Seb Calder (AC joint / 1-2 weeks)
Quentin Strange (Pec/hamstring / 1-2 weeks)
Dom Gardiner (hamstring / 3-5 weeks)
Jamie Hannah (shoulder / 4-6 weeks)
Aki Tuivailala (finger / 1-2 weeks)
Johnny McNicholll (hamstring / 3-5 weeks)
Noah Hotahm (ankle/ 5 weeks)

Fijian Drua
Epeli Momo (Knee)

Hurricanes
Zach Gallagher (Achilles / round 5)
Daniel Sinkinson (hamstring / round
Lucas Cashmore (knee / round 5-7)
Brett Cameron (knee / season)
Asafo Aumua (foot / round 5-7)
Tyrel Lomax (ankle / round 5)
Kade Banks (concussion / round five)
Raymond Tuputupu (concussion / round five)
Devan Flanders (ankle / round 14)
Tjay Clarke (shoulder/ round 9)
Riley Higgins (hand / round 7)
Billy Proctor (Achilles / TBC)

Moana Pasifika
Fine Inisi (quad)
Julian Savea (knee)
Neria Fomai (knee/out for season)
Sione Havili Talitui (ankle)
Tito Tuipulotu (knee)

NSW Waratahs
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (toe)
Lalakai Foketi (groin)
Fergus Lee-Warner (foot)
Lucas Ripley (shoulder)

Queensland Reds
Jock Campbell
Josh Flook
Matt Gibbon
Mason Gordon
Isaac Henry
Will McCulloch
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
Seru Uru
Hunter Paisami (suspension)

Western Force
Harry Johnson-Holmes (knee)
Bayley Kuenzle (knee)
Harry Hoopert (knee)
Divad Palu (shoulder)
Matt Proctor (shoulder)
Papillon Sevele (knee)

Duluth

NZ sides have the most injuries

canefan

@Duluth said in Super Rugby 2025:

NZ sides have the most injuries

We play the toughest opponents more regularly

Duluth

@canefan It's only been 3 weeks and some NZ sides have already had a bye

canefan

@Duluth said in Super Rugby 2025:

@canefan It's only been 3 weeks and some NZ sides have already had a bye

Yeah. But it's a game I feel we need to win to keep in touch until the cavalry arrive

Bones

I like how we don't even bother to acknowledge the existence of the Highlanders now.

Kiwiwomble

@Bones flying under the radar

Canes4life

@Bones said in Super Rugby 2025:

I like how we don't even bother to acknowledge the existence of the Highlanders now.

Would be silly to with the firepower the Landers have in their side this year. JJ at the helm as well, anything is possible.

Trig

@Duluth said in Super Rugby 2025:

NZ sides have the most injuries

A 23 of NZ players listed as unavailable for this week:

Finlay Brewis
Asafo Aumua
Tyrel Lomax
Sam Darry
Josh Lord
Wallace Sititi
Dalton Papali'i
Hoskins Sotutu
Noah Hotham
Damian McKenzie
Etene Nanai-Seturo
Riley Higgins
Billy Proctor
Kade Banks
Zarn Sullivan
George Bell
PJ Sheck
Seb Calder
Jamie Hannah
Luke Jacobson
Taufa Funaki
Stephen Perofeta
Rameka Poihipi

Thats a lot of talent we're missing out on

Canes4life

A bit of insight into attendance figures and viewership, mainly from last week.

The Chiefs and Hurricanes each attracted around 11,000 people to each of their games last weekend.

The Crusaders had the bye.

Sky, who along with sports streaming giant DAZN are in discussions with NZ Rugby about the next broadcasting rights deal, may have trumpeted an improvement in viewership but it's hard not to feel underwhelmed when games are played in front of so many empty seats.

A press release from Sky Sport says 1.4 million people have watched the first three rounds of Super Rugby Pacific. Sky says that is a 12 percent rise on last year.

The Hurricanes-Blues fixture was the most popular with 500,000 viewers.

People are tuning in to their screens, we are told. They are just not turning up to the stadiums.

Not in large volumes, anyway.

BIG REASON: PEOPLE JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT RIGHT NOW.

The Silver Fern

Super Rugby 2025

Super Rugby Pacific Injury list: Round 4