Super Rugby 2020
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@Bovidae It will be interesting to see where they'll end up playing in Chch. They do broadcast Farah Palmer Cup games played at Rugby Park, but I can't remember whether that's with sufficient camera angles (as in sufficient for a good SR product).
I don't know which other options they have other than Orangetheory Stadium and Rugby Park. I assume they won't move games to Trafalgar Park in Nelson, Lansdowne Park in Blenheim or South Canterbury's Alpine Stadium in Timaru, because that would involve too much travel, esp for the visiting team.
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Meanwhile, it’s understood negotiations are ongoing between the Blues and Crusaders over fees to access their usual home grounds of Eden Park and Orangetheory Stadium, respectively. Stuff has been told the franchises are seeking reduced rates for ground use that take into account the fact they are unable to open their doors to fans. In the meantime their home venues have been left unconfirmed. It’s understood it costs the Blues around $30,000 just to open the doors of Eden Park and, understandably, they are seeking a discount on that to let just a few hundred in for a game that is for all intents and purposes made for TV. -
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@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2020:
@Chris I'm not sure that NZR should be doing this, allowing players outside of squads in (wait can the Chiefs get BBBR?
) ... or was Whitelock supposed to be a late season arrival for the Crusaders?Yeah cos otherwise players would be totally taking advantage of this in our next pandemic!
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This sets a dangerous precedent. The Highlanders are rumoured to be looking at some of their ex-players from Japan. If a player is added to a squad then surely another player has to be axed if we believe that the salary cap means something.
BBBR should just sign a short-term NZR contract even if he can't play for the ABs.
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@Machpants said in Super Rugby 2020:
@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2020:
@Chris I'm not sure that NZR should be doing this, allowing players outside of squads in (wait can the Chiefs get BBBR?
) ... or was Whitelock supposed to be a late season arrival for the Crusaders?Yeah cos otherwise players would be totally taking advantage of this in our next pandemic!
Weird take, who said anything about players taking advantage of anything.
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@Nepia Whitelock would not have been allowed to play finals in the original Super Rugby competition, but would have been able to play round robin games. I think that was the situation with Messam a few years back. This is a new competition, so I think those rules are out of the window anyway, but I think it's not a deviation from the rules applied in previous years.
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@Bovidae Different situation and letting Whitelock play is not setting a precedent. Those ex-Highlanders are no longer contracted to NZR like Whitelock is and I don't think they should be allowed to play, unless they are replacements for players with season-ending injuries who won't be able to return to play this season.
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setting precedent in an unprecedented situation...one we are unlikely to ever see again, no issues bending the rules, plus wasnt he due to play in the June series anyway?
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby 2020:
setting precedent in an unprecedented situation...one we are unlikely to ever see again, no issues bending the rules, plus wasnt he due to play in the June series anyway?
July - but yeah.
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Elliot Dixon confirms why he definitely won't feature for the Highlanders in 2020
Exclusive: Rumours have been cropping up that the NZ-only edition of Super Rugby could welcome back some of the country’s former stars to the fold. Highlanders centurion Elliot Dixon has confirmed why he won't be available for his former side.
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby 2020:
@KiwiMurph said in Super Rugby 2020:
July - but yeah.
usually a June series isnt it...?
Not in the new World Rugby (post RWC19) way, now July so SR finishes rather than them coming in the middle of it.
All a bit irrelevant at the mo!
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The Highlanders' struggles have also prompted talk they could be in the market for former All Blacks Squire, Hemopo and Dixon, all of whom are now at a loose end with the Japan competition called off until 2021. CEO Roger Clark played down that possibility on Tuesday. "That's not likely to happen although we'll probably make some announcements next week about a couple of players who may join our group," Clark said. "They are guys from within New Zealand who were for one reason or another weren't available to play." One player who could fit that bill is Otago star Vilimoni Koroi, who had already signed to a three-year deal at the Highlanders and was due to make a full-time switch from Sevens to Super Rugby in 2021. A position in the squad could open for Koroi with Mauger confirming that injury-cursed wing Tevita Nabura had been ruled out for the season, joining Thomas Umaga-Jensen, James Lentjes and Conor Garden-Bachop on the long-term injury list. However, there was better injury news in other areas, particularly for young Otago hooker Ricky Jackson. "Ricky Jackson is looking likely," Mauger said. "Hopefully we'll see Ricky, he'll be available for the early part of this competition. "Pari Pari Parkinson is fit and available from the start, which is great news, and Jona Nareki picked up that hip injury in Pretoria, but he'll be ready to go." -
@Stargazer said in Super Rugby 2020:
@Chris So who'll end up on the bench, Strange or Dunshea or Romano? That's assuming Barrett and Whitelock will be in the starting XV. Strange probably has most potential for the future; Romano is in his last season.
I would think. Strange as I believe he was going to start until he was injured
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@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2020:
@Chris I'm not sure that NZR should be doing this, allowing players outside of squads in (wait can the Chiefs get BBBR?
) ... or was Whitelock supposed to be a late season arrival for the Crusaders?No he wasn't But has a 4 year contract with the Crusaders with the sabbatical to Japan which has now ended I suppose making him available again as a contracted player.
