Super Rugby Aupiki 2023
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
Aupiki has the Sat afternoon Sky slot to themselves, but the media could also play its part. Stuff could do a similar preview for each SRA team.
I had been expecting those previews, even if they were penned as fluff pieces by NZR.
It's been nearly 2 weeks since a competition press release.As I said, lessons learned. Understand that they don't want to divert attention from SR but don't think they have found the right balance
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Just watched Aotearoa Rugby Pod and it’s a bit of a shame that when they discussed Aupiki (which was good length coverage) they guys had so many facts wrong about players. Both Hall and Parsons didn’t even know that Renee Wickliffe not only has a new name but has retired. They seemed to have done their research from the original squad announcements last year with no updates.
Keep up the promotion guys but please do a touch more research. -
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@Crucial said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
Interesting that all previews and TAB aren’t ranking the Poua too highly. I think they could surprise.
Yeah, I'd rate them ahead of Matatū, and maybe even the Blues.
It will be a tough game for the Chiefs Manawa in Levin.
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Much of the preview talk understandably focuses on names from BFs and previous years but there has been quite an influx of league and touch players that add real unknowns in to the mix. It is a very changing scene at the moment and there could be some surprises.
Players that have had the game almost to themselves for years now have some real competition.
I think all four teams are quite even and the difference will be game management/tactics.
Tahs showed against the Blues early that an organised team will negate their firepower. It took the Blues about 15 minutes to even get into the other half. Errors are starting to have bigger consequences too so error rates, decision making and handling could be real factors in who ends up where.
The saving grace for teams is that they all get a finals game so the RR is almost training. Then it's a two match streak. -
A good initiative to improve the depth.
https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/spotlight-on-womens-rugby-for-waitomo-chiefs-manawa-home-game
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
@Crucial Olive is now listed in the Chiefs Manawa squad profiles (ignore the details).
The Chiefs Manawa Squad | Meet the Chiefs Rugby Players
Explore the Chiefs Manawa squad. Meet the players representing Chiefs Rugby in the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki competition this season.
born in 1970? She's looking good for 52/53 years...
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@nostrildamus Laziness to just type in the same default DOB for a number of players.
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@nostrildamus said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
@Bovidae said in Super Rugby Aupiki 2023:
@Crucial Olive is now listed in the Chiefs Manawa squad profiles (ignore the details).
The Chiefs Manawa Squad | Meet the Chiefs Rugby Players
Explore the Chiefs Manawa squad. Meet the players representing Chiefs Rugby in the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki competition this season.
born in 1970? She's looking good for 52/53 years...
I'll pass on the compliment.
Chiefs SM team either haven't followed up to complete player profiles or haven't actually asked the players for info.
Same thing across other franchises and men's game too.
SM in NZ teams is probably lightly funded and even NZR aren't that good. Hopefully this is something that Silverlake will put on the improvements table. Stats and profiles help drive interest.
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@Crucial Yeah, because the semis are both played at North Harbour Stadium, it doesn't really matter whether a team finishes 2nd or 3rd. There's no home advantage on the line. They'll try avoiding finishing last, to avoid the Manawa in the semis.
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The semi-final matchups have been confirmed (to be played at North Harbour Stadium on Sunday).
3.15pm: Matatū v Blues
6.05pm: Chiefs Manawa v Hurricanes PouaI think it would have been better to have a home and away round-robin and no final. That would give all teams an extra game and equal home/away games.
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@Stargazer - there should be a fifth franchise. If not the Highlanders, base one in the Hawkes Bay. Or better still, six franchises - one in Otago and one in the Hawkes Bay. I reckon it’s affordable because they don’t need big huge grounds for Aupiki. The smaller intimate grounds are suitable. Like Napier’s McLean Park.
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@Bovidae - Indeed. North Harbour Stadium is a terrible venue for crowds. Maybe they’re thinking it’s far enough north for Northlanders to travel down but still in Auckland to attract Aucklanders out and maybe even get people travelling up from Waikato.
As an aside, the best place for the Blues home ground is somewhere like Waitakere stadium.
