The other round 9 games
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@KiwiMurph said in The other round 9 games:
@Crash yep and nz cannot get more than 1 home quarterfinal regardless of how well the nz teams do. This is the current conference system (was the same last year).
And if all teams had the same number of points next year, it'd look something like this:
Crusaders vs Highlanders
Lions vs Sharks
Brumbies vs Stormers
Hurricanes vs ChiefsSo SA lose one of their quarter finals to the first "wildcard" and that's it. Tiny bit better but still a joke. I can't stand this half assed conference system, I wouldn't trust SANZAAR to come up with a rippa rugby comp, let alone Super Rugby.
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@Gunner said in The other round 9 games:
This just highlights how much of a farce the current system is.
The Brumbies and Blues on the same points, yet Brumbies currently in fourth, qualify for a home final, while the Blues languish in 10th...
Not to mention the Blues have had to play 5 games v nz opposition up til now as opposed to the Brumbies playing 3. I guess we'll find out on Sunday when both teams go at it.
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Crusaders have two games in South Africa, two against the Hurricanes and one against the Chiefs yet -- my money is on the Crusaders losing quite a few points out of that lot.
Chiefs play the Hurricanes again too.
After those games we are unlikely to be seeing a table dominated by NZ quite so much. Someone has to lose those derby games.
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@Chester-Draws I'll be disappointed if the Crusaders don't win both their SA games. They usually do quite well in SA and neither the Cheetahs nor Bulls look particularly fearsome this year.
After that it gets very tough though. Playing the Hurricanes on the back of a SA jaunt has loss written all over it. The next week they're off to Fiji to play the Chiefs - then I think the Rebels and Highlanders, before the June break - and then the Hurricanes immediately after that.
I'd take winning three of those five games if I was offered it right now.
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@barbarian write up of the Tahs / Kings match is worth a read over on GAGR ...
THE GAME CHANGER
When the Tahs pulled on their jerseys and said “let’s disappoint the few fans we have left, who stupidly parted with their hard-earned cash to come and watch us play”.
Waratahs serve up a big pile of rubbish to their few remaining fans - Green & Gold Rugby
The Tahs served up a steaming pile of rubbish to their loyal fans, losing 26-24 to the lowly Kings. They were outenthused, outcoached, outplayed. The Match The first half was a fairly scrappy affair, as you would probably expect from to cellar-dwelling sides. There was a lot of dropped ball,...
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@Chris-B. said in The other round 9 games:
@Chester-Draws I'll be disappointed if the Crusaders don't win both their SA games. They usually do quite well in SA and neither the Cheetahs nor Bulls look particularly fearsome this year.
After that it gets very tough though. Playing the Hurricanes on the back of a SA jaunt has loss written all over it. The next week they're off to Fiji to play the Chiefs - then I think the Rebels and Highlanders, before the June break - and then the Hurricanes immediately after that.
I'd take winning three of those five games if I was offered it right now.
Agree with that.
They have a new coach, and so things may have changed, but Blackadder's side used to every year go on a tear and have people talking them up -- only to crash once they hit the top sides, and especially the Chiefs.
I think that they young fellers they have coming through will do them right and that they'll finally get a backline to match their forwards, but not this year. Too young, and haven't played together enough. They'll get a nasty surprise to see how much better the Hurricanes are than the rest.
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@Chester-Draws said in The other round 9 games:
I think that they young fellers they have coming through will do them right and that they'll finally get a backline to match their forwards, but not this year. Too young, and haven't played together enough. They'll get a nasty surprise to see how much better the Hurricanes are than the rest.
I wouldn't be so sure. Canes are wonderful but in their NZ derby games to date they've lost to the Chiefs, overran an injury plagued Highlanders in the second half and would have lost to the Blues without Beauden bailing them out. Crusaders look to have improved every week. I think the Crusaders are a genuine title contender.
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@KiwiMurph agree, the Saders look the better team at the moment, but the Beauden factor puts the Canes right up there. Take him out and it's a different story altogether.
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Chiefs having a rough patch at the moment but don't forget that the Saders had one at the start of the season before clicking into gear. Canes also weren't firing out of the blocks.
When all are playing well they are pretty even with Landers also capable of upsetting any of them.
The NZ Conf is a bitch as if you don't win it you have to travel. You could be marginally the second best team in the comp and have to do a round the world trip in the finals. -
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As my favourite quote goes "you can't stab a man in the back without getting behind him first"
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problem is, the issue seems more than just the coach, and unfortunately it seems to be an affliction all Aussie rugby is suffering from
