Canes vs Lions

Rancid Schnitzel

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bar" data-cid="576107" data-time="1462074084">
21 matches so far a team has scored 40+ points. 
We have had a couple in the 70s and one in the 90s. 
They do all this crazy shit to make sure an aussie and a south african team makes the finals but it just keeps making the NZ teams stronger. 4 wild card spots this year, all going to NZ teams + the Bulls. 
The Crusaders have lost 1 game and are ranked 5th 9 points in front of the team above them on the ladder AND with a game in hand. In fact 4 teams below the Rebels have more points than them. 
It truly is farcical this tournament. Can we just go back to everyone playing each other once? why not?</blockquote>
 
I agree that it's a joke, but it's been awesome for NZ rugby. We effectively get an elite NPC.

taniwharugby

S12 - NZ 5 teams, SA 4 teams, Aus 3 teams
S14 - NZ 5 teams, SA 5 teams, Aus 4 teams
S15 - NZ 5 teams, SA 5 teams, Aus 5 teams (think that is right? for S14/S15)
S18 - NZ 5 teams, SA 6 teams, Aus 5 teams, Jap 1 team, Arg 1 team
 
NZ 13 titles - increase in teams 0% - 65% or total trophy wins
Aus 4 titles - 66% increase in teams - 20% wins
SA 3 titles - 50% increase in teams - 15% wins

nzzp

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="576138" data-time="1462081001">
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S12 - NZ 5 teams, SA 4 teams, Aus 3 teams
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Fark, I miss the S12. Proper round robin, good quality of play, newly professional players and as a student you could watch just about every match. Goddamn, never knew we had it so good.

hydro11

Meh, whatever. I'm cool with it. Under this system, we get to play other New Zealand teams more. As a season ticket holder, I preferred the competition last year where in Wellington we would play all four of the other New Zealand teams. This year we get 3 home games versus NZ teams. Under an everyone plays everyone system we would only get 2 games. We weren't good enough to beat the Chiefs last week and it will probably cost us with a trip to South Africa in the playoffs. Too bad.

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="576147" data-time="1462086589">
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Meh, whatever. I'm cool with it. Under this system, we get to play other New Zealand teams more. As a season ticket holder, I preferred the competition last year where in Wellington we would play all four of the other New Zealand teams. This year we get 3 home games versus NZ teams. Under an everyone plays everyone system we would only get 2 games. We weren't good enough to beat the Chiefs last week and it will probably cost us with a trip to South Africa in the playoffs. Too bad.
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It's not an appalling strategy for an NZ team to aim to be the 4th wildcard team on the assumption that they'd play the top NZ team (currently looking like Chiefs or Crusaders) as top qualifiers first up in New Zealand, which is a lot better than having to travel to SA and back and then play them.
 
Let's say for the sake of (avoiding) argument Canes finish eighth - they'd have a chance of rolling the Chiefs in Hamilton and then might get a shot at the Crusaders in ChCh, but with Toddy's boys coming off the back of a South African trip - or perhaps play an Oz team in Oz.
 
Main thing you don't want to do is have to travel to SA then next week travel back to play in NZ.

cgrant

The most surprising in this win is how the Canes scrum fared against a mighty Lions eight. I did not think that Goodes and Toomaga Allen could dominate their opponents like they did. Could it bring them to the AB squad ?

Winger

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="576173" data-time="1462093116">
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It's not an appalling strategy for an NZ team to aim to be the 4th wildcard team on the assumption that they'd play the top NZ team (currently looking like Chiefs or Crusaders) as top qualifiers first up in New Zealand, which is a lot better than having to travel to SA and back and then play them.
 
Let's say for the sake of (avoiding) argument Canes finish eighth - they'd have a chance of rolling the Chiefs in Hamilton and then might get a shot at the Crusaders in ChCh, but with Toddy's boys coming off the back of a South African trip - or perhaps play an Oz team in Oz.
 
Main thing you don't want to do is have to travel to SA then next week travel back to play in NZ.
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Or playing the Aust side would be OK. Depending where they end up

Winger

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="576199" data-time="1462127017">
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The most surprising in this win is how the Canes scrum fared against a mighty Lions eight. I did not think that Goodes and Toomaga Allen could dominate their opponents like they did. Could it bring them to the AB squad ?
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The big test will be in the last round match

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="576199" data-time="1462127017">
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The most surprising in this win is how the Canes scrum fared against a mighty Lions eight. I did not think that Goodes and Toomaga Allen could dominate their opponents like they did. Could it bring them to the AB squad ?
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I'm thinking that game had a big dollop of the Canes having a blinder while the Lions were off their game. I'm not dissing the Canes (who are looking very good) but their pack has never shown signs of dominating like that against a good opposition before.
I'll wait to see it happen on a regular basis before making AB type calls.

No Quarter

Pretty sure I recall the Canes scrum dominating a good opposition last week as well? ;)
 
Fuck I just realised the Lions are 2nd in the SA conference. Fuck me, they are awful.

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="576211" data-time="1462136325">
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Pretty sure I recall the Canes scrum dominating a good opposition last week as well? ;)
 
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Nah, our scrum has been shite all year, especially when Marshall is hooker

sparky

Great to see the Canes run in so many tries. Barrett and Coles were fantastic, delighted with Cory Jane too.

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="576211" data-time="1462136325">
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Pretty sure I recall the Canes scrum dominating a good opposition last week as well? ;)
 
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Whilst the chiefs have been great this year, their scrum has not been.

Rembrandt

Missed this one but I see Barrett made 6 conversions. Anyone get what his kicking percentage was? Were they difficult?

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="576226" data-time="1462139525">
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Whilst the chiefs have been great this year, their scrum has not been.
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Yeah, the Chiefs scrum has been really, really cabbage this year, although with the addition of Hames they're now only really a Laulala away from a decent scrum.

DMX

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="576173" data-time="1462093116">
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It's not an appalling strategy for an NZ team to aim to be the 4th wildcard team on the assumption that they'd play the top NZ team (currently looking like Chiefs or Crusaders) as top qualifiers first up in New Zealand, which is a lot better than having to travel to SA and back and then play them.
 
Let's say for the sake of (avoiding) argument Canes finish eighth - they'd have a chance of rolling the Chiefs in Hamilton and then might get a shot at the Crusaders in ChCh, but with Toddy's boys coming off the back of a South African trip - or perhaps play an Oz team in Oz.
 
Main thing you don't want to do is have to travel to SA then next week travel back to play in NZ.
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Thats one of the things I do not like about this system. IMHO division winners should be guaranteed a play-off spot but not home field advantage.

nzzp

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="DMX" data-cid="576244" data-time="1462145842">
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Thats one of the things I do not like about this system. IMHO division winners should be guaranteed a play-off spot but not home field advantage.
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It ain't for rugby reasons. It's because dollars are more important than anything else. 
 
Pic related, the broadcasters with a home playoff game in each conference:
<img src="http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac267/df853/pile-of-cash.jpg" alt="pile-of-cash.jpg">

African Monkey

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="576235" data-time="1462142348">
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Yeah, the Chiefs scrum has been really, really cabbage this year, although with the addition of Hames they're now only really a Laulala away from a decent scrum.
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Their team would be complete if he didn't get injured.

cgrant

The pro Cruden are very quiet after this week end. Barrett has been outstanding once again and he ran his backline very smoothly. He kicked well too. Cruden was average at best against the Sharks : two missed touches from penalties, bad tactical kicking, not always good options chosen. As a neutral, I think most of the comments posted in this forum are biased. They depend if you are a supporter of the Chiefs or of the Canes.

Toddy

I'm a Canes supporter and would pick Cruden. It's quite an easy decision too. Hardest thing for Cruden at the moment is playing behind a forward pack that struggles to get forward momentum. The All Blacks won't have that issue.
 
Would definitely have Barrett on the bench as the 'super sub'.

The Silver Fern

Canes vs Lions