Super Rugby - Who's it going to be?
-
<p>Is that Franks that has slipped and popped up on the otherside too, gotta blame Toddy for that mess fo'sho!</p>
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="597726" data-time="1468795491">
<div>
<p> :mocking:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Great scrum. That Richard Knowler knows his rugby.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/c/x/l/9/w/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1cxitg.png/1468786353740.jpg" alt="1468786353740.jpg"></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Romano is looking extremely cuddly these days</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="597694" data-time="1468759994"><p>As I said, the past and future are irrelevant, all that matters is the present. And at present the Crusaders are sleeping on their stomachs because their arses hurt so bad from being pounded so hard.</p></blockquote>
<br>
It's only the round robin, but hey we're not worrying about the past are we -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="597787" data-time="1468809386"><p>
It's only the round robin, but hey we're not worrying about the past are we</p></blockquote>
<br>
Seriously mate, you appear more butthurt than the Crusaders after 80 minutes of Hurricane buggery.<br><br>
It was just some tongue-in-cheek banter. Surely us long suffering Canes fans are permitted that. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="597634" data-time="1468740914">
<div>
<p>Great that the NZ teams have been kept apart. I backing all four NZ teams to be the semi finalists.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>That's paying $5:70 at Tea And Biscuits! Get on!!!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="broughie" data-cid="597499" data-time="1468717298"><p>I am not sure the LIons are a pushover. They have learned to run the ball unlike some of the other SA teams with effectiveness. I think it will be a close game.</p></blockquote><br>I have the Lions to win this. I think Nadolo is a huge loss for Cantabs and without him much of their back line Offence comes down to Dagg to instigate something,<br>which if the opposition do their homework they can counter.<br><br>In other news, which no doubt has been posted in some other thread Liam messam is out. That for me curtails the Chiefs chances of making it to the grand final.<br>He really needed to play in a dominant fashion to give the Chiefs a leg up over the other strong NZ sides.*<br><br>Down to either the Hurricanes or Highlanders now and you would have to like the Landers due to their home town advantage.<br><br>My two cents anyway.<br><br>PS * I am a bit of a die hard chiefs guy and have my own team shirt etc...so in terms of commenting on what they can do to stay in it. I think they are going to<br>really think about their number 8 position. Is it Sam Cane, Is it Sanders (despite his mistake on Saturday). No one has better locks than Waikato,<br>and the front row is competitive. Unfortunately they need a strong back three because the backs are yet to find their mojo against the very best teams.<br>Speaking of which - does Donald come into second 5 and Anton leniert brown go to centre. Seta is a potentially a game winner but he is quite volatile and the chiefs<br>are already carrying other inconsistent players in other positions (think James Lowe) who made a fantastic line break on Saturday yet dropped the ball<br>inexplicably when he had a 50/50 chance of scoring.<br><br>Coaching plays a massive part of who will win, Dave Rennie needs to step up and pull some answers out of his hat here to help the good guys.
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hurricane" data-cid="597845" data-time="1468827715"><p>I have the Lions to win this. I think Nadolo is a huge loss for Cantabs and without him much of their back line Offence comes down to Dagg to instigate something,which if the opposition do their homework they can counter.In other news, which no doubt has been posted in some other thread Liam messam is out. That for me curtails the Chiefs chances of making it to the grand final.He really needed to play in a dominant fashion to give the Chiefs a leg up over the other strong NZ sides.*Down to either the Hurricanes or Highlanders now and you would have to like the Landers due to their home town advantage.My two cents anyway.PS * I am a bit of a die hard chiefs guy and have my own team shirt etc...so in terms of commenting on what they can do to stay in it. I think they are going toreally think about their number 8 position. Is it Sam Cane, Is it Sanders (despite his mistake on Saturday). No one has better locks than Waikato,and the front row is competitive. Unfortunately they need a strong back three because the backs are yet to find their mojo against the very best teams.Speaking of which - does Donald come into second 5 and Anton leniert brown go to centre. Seta is a potentially a game winner but he is quite volatile and the chiefsare already carrying other inconsistent players in other positions (think James Lowe) who made a fantastic line break on Saturday yet dropped the ballinexplicably when he had a 50/50 chance of scoring.Coaching plays a massive part of who will win, Dave Rennie needs to step up and pull some answers out of his hat here to help the good guys.</p></blockquote>Landers? Don't you mean the canes who have home field advantage through the playoffs?
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="597577" data-time="1468729525">
<div>
<p>Yep, it hasn't really dawned on me until just now (I've been catching up on the weekend's rugby as I was flying and then at a wedding Friday and Saturday) how stupid the finals of this conference are. It reminds me of 1994 when top qualifying HB had to travel down to a cold, wet, muddy and windswept Invercargill to play a final despite finishing top of the table because the idiotic NZRU decided that the top of the ladder doesn't get a home final it's just a reverse of the round robin game.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If they wanted to have conferences, and ensure SA teams make the final then just have conference play offs, then semis and then final.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>I whole-heartedly believe Super Rugby should use the finals system they use in AFL and subsequently the NRL who realised it was better than what they had been using.</p>
<p>Essentially, 1 v 4, 2 v 3 and then 5 v 8 and 6 v 7.</p>
<p>Positions 1-4 get the double-life, so winners of boths games actually get a week off, while the losers play winners of 5-8.<br>
I would give the conference winners positions 1 - 4, based on actual ladder.<br>
Then 5 - 8, would be the next four highest overall table placings.<br>
Highest rank team gets the home-advantage whole way through to GF.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This years finals would look something like.</p>
<p>1. Hurricanes v 4. Brumbies</p>
<p>2. Lions v 3. Stormers - Look South Africa get a semi-final in the republic week 1, and finals in the next two weeks as well.</p>
<p>5. Highlanders v 8. Sharks</p>
<p>6. Chiefs v 7. Crusaders</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lets suggest the home-team wins. Hurricanes & Lions both get a week off, and will host the major semi-finals.</p>
<p>So week 2. I think the AFL sets it up a bit different, but lets give the highest rank team, the advantage of playing the lowest rank team.<br>
3. Stormers v 6. Chiefs</p>
<p>4. Brumbies v. 5. Highlanders</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lets suggest the winners, for shits and giggles were the winners of the most recent game between these two sides. Highlanders and... the Chiefs (in 2015). <br>
Week 3 finals then.</p>
<p>1. Hurricanes v 6. Chiefs</p>
<p>2. Lions v. 5. Highlanders</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At this point, well... Highlanders have had to travel, twice and lose. The Chiefs, controversely get Liam Messam back, who having slimmed downed for sevens outsprints Beaudy in a race for a bobbling ball on time to win. Fanciful right? I like the romance of the Hurricanes winning...</p>
<p>Anyway 2. Lions v 6. Chiefs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chiefs win, when 8 out of 15 players rested in the infamous Round 17 game v the Jaguares suffer soft-tissue injuries in the first 15min of the Final. Liam Messam kicking an unlikely droppie when Crudes bounce one of the opposition #9 with time almost up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anyways, you get the idea of the finals.</p> -
<p>Aussie get 3 or 4 teams until they actually start winning more.</p>
<p>SA get 3 or 4 teams until they can start winning more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Play each team once home or away, alternating each year.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>NO guaranteed place for any country's teams. If top 4 sides are Kiwi, so be it.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Frank" data-cid="597867" data-time="1468832240"><p>Aussie get 3 or 4 teams until they actually start winning more.<br>
SA get 3 or 4 teams until they can start winning more.<br><br>
Play each team once home or away, alternating each year.<br><br>
NO guaranteed place for any country's teams. If top 4 sides are Kiwi, so be it.</p></blockquote>
Great idea except the competition would no longer be financially viable.<br><br>
An all NZ semi finals would be a disaster for the competition from a financial POV. Gives us Kiwis something to gloat about though. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Frank" data-cid="597867" data-time="1468832240"><p>Aussie get 3 or 4 teams until they actually start winning more.<br>
SA get 3 or 4 teams until they can start winning more.<br>
<br>
Play each team once home or away, alternating each year.<br>
<br>
NO guaranteed place for any country's teams. If top 4 sides are Kiwi, so be it.</p></blockquote>The problem will always be how to increase broadcasting money. They want more product to fill up more programming slots so we provide it. Pity the product is not as good -
I get that the competition is a bit if a joke now, but from an NZ pov its awesome. This system has effectively given us an elite NPC in which to develop talent and get stronger. Pretty much every game in the NZ conference is a shit fight*. Take that away and replace it with ball busting travel and some seriously weak opposition and you lose something that has been hugely beneficial to NZ rugby.<br><br>
*Except for Canes vs Saders (; -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="598034" data-time="1468897351">
<div>
<p>I get that the competition is a bit if a joke now, but from an NZ pov its awesome. This system has effectively given us an elite NPC in which to develop talent and get stronger. Pretty much every game in the NZ conference is a shit fight*. Take that away and replace it with ball busting travel and some seriously weak opposition and you lose something that has been hugely beneficial to NZ rugby.<br><br>
*Except for Canes vs Saders (;</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>An aberration!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You fuckers should have been chucked out of the NZ conference after the first round for bringing the NZ game into disrepute. :)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="598041" data-time="1468898357"><p>
An aberration!<br><br>
You fuckers should have been chucked out of the NZ conference after the first round for bringing the NZ game into disrepute. :)</p></blockquote>
<br><br>
That was purely tactical. This comp is a marathon, not a sprint (:<br><br>
I'm totally over that loss to those freezing pointless town tossers and their mining equipment hugging, jazzhand waving, poor man's bono.<br><br>
Yes totally over it. -
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="598198" data-time="1468950497">
<div>
<p>Anyway, looks a fair-to-good chance of all NZ semi-finals, for the first time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While I'm not a 1998 redux theorist, having all of our top players involved in the semis could definitely inhibit our chances in the RC. Thoughts?</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Crusaders and Chiefs may have something to say about that. Lions at home aren't going to be easy especially as Saders couldn't leave until yesterday(?)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chiefs run hot and cold over there too</p> -
<p>Highlanders</p>
<p>Chiefs</p>
<p>Hurricanes</p>
<p>Lions</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Highlanders vs Canes</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Highlanders repeat</p> -
Caketin
