Super Rugby 2022
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@dice said in Super Rugby 2022:
That's a rough schedule for MP. They don't really have the depth to handle it. We could see cricket scores if they have to trot out their B team for any of those games.
Because MP doesn't have a game this week, it might've been better if they got one of those postponed games done next Monday/Tuesday, then reschedule the game against the Highlanders to Saturday/Sunday to give them a bit of a rest.
The Blues or Chiefs can just put out their B team against them next week and still win.
Really thrown in at the deep end in their first season. Maybe it will accelerate their development.
The more they get to play and show some passion the more their fans will get behind them and the more attractive they will be for recruitment.
It's a shit situation but hope something good comes out of it.
What they showed against the Crusaders is what we need in Super. Makes players workout how to deal with very physical teams taht want to hit them hard all night long. -
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@kiwimurph said in Super Rugby 2022:
Rescheduling the games before the Super Round in Melbourne only adds to the suggestion that the entire comp will be in Oz from the Super Round onwards.
I think that's the reality unless there's a change in government policy. Covid is basically a non-issue here now.
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@antipodean So players don't test positive in Oz anymore? Or are they allowed to play when they're positive?
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@stargazer said in Super Rugby 2022:
@antipodean So players don't test positive in Oz anymore? Or are they allowed to play when they're positive?
I think it's also that the case numbers are lower in Aus plus Aus are allowing crowds to attend games. 24k cases a day in NZ compared with 7k cases a day in Melbourne.
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@stargazer said in Super Rugby 2022:
@antipodean So players don't test positive in Oz anymore? Or are they allowed to play when they're positive?
If you're exposed to a teammate as a function of training then there's no requirement to self-isolate and quarantine. You just need a negative test. If the players mask up on a bus to games, then the above rules would still apply. It would only be an issue if your roommate tested positive, so you'd miss a game (week quarantine) and could re-join the squad on a negative test six days after exposure.
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In NZ, from tonight 11.59pm, only household contacts need to isolate for 7 days. Household Contacts will need to test on Day 3 and Day 7.
I assume this applies to players as well, with room mates considered household contacts?
I could only find NZR guideline amendments for community rugby, so not sure about Super Rugby protocols.
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@kiwimurph said in Super Rugby 2022:
@stargazer said in Super Rugby 2022:
@antipodean So players don't test positive in Oz anymore? Or are they allowed to play when they're positive?
I think it's also that the case numbers are lower in Aus plus Aus are allowing crowds to attend games. 24k cases a day in NZ compared with 7k cases a day in Melbourne.
Yep it's all about passing the peak of numbers etc, NZ hasn't really peaked yet, and seems maybe peak is going to be a little less than Aussies, so hopefully close to it now?
The old story, we all waiting to get past peak so we can hopefully relax rules like Aussie has. -
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@chris said in Super Rugby 2022:
3 and 1/2 Rds into SR and the standard has been shit.
Handling errors,Aimless kicking. soft defence I hope it picks up very dissapointing it’s getting worse each season.Its a cattle issue. Finally, we’ve got to the point where we either don’t have the players available or the coaches won’t give opportunities to the youngsters. There is also the problem of certain positions being seriously deep at some franchises and paper thin at others.
One example is first five - Dmac is overseas, Barrett is continually injured, and Mo’unga is getting his rest. The young guys are either not ready or not being given chances - we’ve yet to see Reihana at the Chiefs despite us carrying him for 3 (?) years.
If you compare the quality of the players available now to 10 years ago, it feels like night and day.
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@tim said in Super Rugby 2022:
Yeah, a number of factors including ABs taking sabbaticals. Last year's NPC was disrupted by covid, as have this year's SRP prep and game day squads. The wider training groups have been thinned by MP and the US MLR.
That NPC factor is a good one - heaps of young guys didn’t get opportunities (e.g., Evans at the Blues) so as a result the coaches are relying on the experienced heads.
I think some of the coaching squad selections have been shown up too - Brown selecting Banks in the squad is one thing (I disagree with, but I recognize why he did it), but needing to play him every week is a problem. They should be developing a youngster there, even if Koroi is not quite a 10.
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@tim said in Super Rugby 2022:
@gt12 I wonder if a few players were less keen to move to Dunedin with possible inability to travel to see family/partners/friends due to covid restrictions?
You have to wonder. I also think the uncertainty about having a really good coach there, who is committed to the franchise, may make a difference.
Personally (and this is just a personal opinion), I’d like the AB coaches to stop selecting players who aren’t starting at their franchises or at least make that the deciding factor in coin toss decisions. Bower generally comes off the bench and rarely has to face the best THs at scrum time. Similarly, Ofa is going backwards not playing enough.
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@tim yeah I think the covid disruptions have exaggerated the slow burn issue of all the players we lose every year, hopefully as that looks like Covid is nearing an end, we need to really focus on development, get players back up to speed, especially when you consider the ABs that are still here in the twilight of thier careers, when normally they'd be cashing in up in Europe, we need to use them for development rather than blocking the next rung coming throuhg.
