Super Rugby - Who's it going to be?
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Caketin
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<p>Wow! So it really will be rinse and repeat!</p>
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<p>I think the Stormers will beat the Chiefs as well as Lions beating Crusaders.</p>
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<p>Stormers are averaging 35odd points at home but tey haven't played one Kiwi team apparently???</p> -
That adds a layer of intrigue I think the fact that neither have played yet this year, but when you look at the paths to get to this point the fact the Stormers have had the Kings and sunwolves home and away (and drawn with the sunwolves) it does again highlight the less than ideal nature of the rr series.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="598198" data-time="1468950497"><p>Anyway, looks a fair-to-good chance of all NZ semi-finals, for the first time.<br><br>
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></blockquote>
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Anything that happened after 30 May 1998 never really happened...... -
<p>Righto, so the travel factor now dominates this competition playoffs.</p>
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<p>For the Chiefs to win, they'll have to bear the Canes at the Cake Tin, and then pray that the Landers get up over the Lions. That gives an NZ final, with the Landers smashed by travel problems. Otherwise, it's playing Canes and then Lions. Just not happening - you can't play NZ SA NZ SA over four weeks and expect to win at the back end. </p>
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<p>Canes have it all going for them. Win this week, and whoever they play is going to be coming back from SA and ripe for the picking.</p>
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<p>Landers are outsiders, again will have to play NZ SA NZ in three weekends. Remember the last time the ABs did that in the 3N was when they lost to Dingo's aussies in Melbourne. The third week is the killer (from memory it was Hamilton, SA and them Melbourne. And we sucked).</p>
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<p>Lions will be sweating on the Canes Chiefs game. Travelling to NZ to win a final is just not on... but if they get the Chiefs on their way back, they may as well write up the trophy now.</p>
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<p>So there you have it, Convoluted on a Sunday afternoon, but I'm going out on a limb to say the teams are close enough that the team that travels least wins the comp. This emphasises how shit the back end of this competition is. What's wrong with playing internal comps to get a finalist, and limiting travel (like the Superbowl - find an AFC/NFC champ and play off. Here it would be an Australasian and South African champs going for it, possibly even at a neutral venue - like Perth. Take the travel out I say!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="599710" data-time="1469329659">
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<p>The TAB has the Canes as favourites and no one would disagree with that. They get to train at home and sleep in their own beds while the Chiefs and Highlanders rack up air points.</p>
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<p>It's the Canes to lose. :fishing:</p>
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<p>No way can NZ rugby's mental midgets be favourites to win. Canes will crumble under pressure before the Chiefs run out of puff.</p> -
<p>>They get to train at home and <strong>sleep in their own beds </strong>while the Chiefs and Highlanders rack up air points.</p>
<p>Message to single ladies, shakes finger. :ph34r:
:sorry: :Outta_here: </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Toddy" data-cid="599714" data-time="1469330079">
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<p>No way can NZ rugby's mental midgets be favourites to win. Canes will crumble under pressure before the Chiefs run out of puff.</p>
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<p>I love my Canes but no way I'm picking us as favourites for anything in the playoffs. If we win it will be an unexpected surprise and I will say a silent prayer of thanks to the sports gods that finally allow us to have a day in the sun</p> -
<p>a stat came up on the TV last night in the canes game, no foreign team has won a playoff game in NZ.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="599755" data-time="1469336745">
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<p>a stat came up on the TV last night in the canes game, no foreign team has won a playoff game in NZ.</p>
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<p>... and only one playoff win after an international flight (saders in Brumbyland around the turn of the century I believe)</p>
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<p>EDIT: Should probably be FINAL only - not playoffs in general. My bad. Don't y'all know that 78.43% of statistics on the internet are made up on the spot.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="599757" data-time="1469336905">
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<p>... and only one playoff win after an international flight (saders in Brumbyland around the turn of the century I believe)</p>
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<p>Don't tease me</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="599757" data-time="1469336905">
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<p>... and only one playoff win after an international flight (saders in Brumbyland around the turn of the century I believe</p>
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<p>pretty sure the Highlanders travelled before Wellington last year, just not from SA.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="599760" data-time="1469337337">
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<p>pretty sure the Highlanders travelled before Wellington last year, just not from SA.</p>
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<p>Yep, beat the Tahs in Sydney. A 3 h flight across the Ta$man is not the same as flying to SA from NZ or vice versa. There is a reason no team has won after that trip. The Sharks went from Brisbane to Cape Town to Hamilton in 2012 and got blown away in the final.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="canefan" data-cid="599759" data-time="1469337031">
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<p>Don't tease me</p>
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<p>I'm an ex Wellingtonian for my sins. I am well aware that the cruellest losses are preceded by the highest of expectations.</p>
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<p>I made an error above - pretty sure the stat was linked to the final only, not playoffs in general. Problem linked with having beer for lunch on a Sunday? Possibly, but don't judge me.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="599757" data-time="1469336905"><p>
... and only one playoff win after an international flight (saders in Brumbyland around the turn of the century I believe)<br><br>
EDIT: Should probably be FINAL only - not playoffs in general. My bad. Don't y'all know that 78.43% of statistics on the internet are made up on the spot.</p></blockquote>
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:)<br><br>
I know you've qualified your original post but for the Party at Tony Brown's the Clan wpn in Cape Town and Saders won in Brissy (I think) -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="599802" data-time="1469345524"><p>
:)<br><br>
I know you've qualified your original post but for the Party at Tony Brown's the Clan wpn in Cape Town and Saders won in Brissy (I think)</p></blockquote>
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Hence played Sunday arvo to hive the Clan some extra time.<br><br>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="canefan" data-cid="599767" data-time="1469339199"><p>Where rugby union finals and the ranfurly shield are concerned Wellington and hurricanes rugby deserve no favouritism</p></blockquote><br>I live in Upper Hutt and dragged anyone I could with me to watch the Lions play cantabs for the NPC final some 4-5 years ago. Back in days of yore when Sopoanga was a Lion.<br><br>Wellington shit the bed and actually revealed that they didn't really have a game plan other than "lets do things differently because it is a final",<br>while Cantabs knew exactly what they were doing all match long due to their extensive playoff rugby experience that is part of their very DNA.<br><br>We lost despite being shit hot favourites going into the match.<br><br>So yeah I feel your statement but in a semi they should be good to go, where the old ghosts from the past emerge will be the final.<br><br>Even going back to the days of Bernie Fraser and watching televised games from Athletic park I can't recall Wellington coming through in the big games, although<br>if memory serves they did have the Ranfurly shield in that era at one stage.<br><br>Sorry if this post is off topic, your post caught my eye and made me nod my head in agreement.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hurricane" data-cid="599809" data-time="1469347268">
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<p>I live in Upper Hutt and dragged anyone I could with me to watch the Lions play cantabs for the NPC final some 4-5 years ago. Back in days of yore when Sopoanga was a Lion.<br><br>
Wellington shit the bed and actually revealed that they didn't really have a game plan other than "lets do things differently because it is a final",<br>
while Cantabs knew exactly what they were doing all match long due to their extensive playoff rugby experience that is part of their very DNA.<br><br>
We lost despite being shit hot favourites going into the match.<br><br>
So yeah I feel your statement but in a semi they should be good to go, where the old ghosts from the past emerge will be the final.<br><br>
Even going back to the days of Bernie Fraser and watching televised games from Athletic park I can't recall Wellington coming through in the big games, although<br>
if memory serves they did have the Ranfurly shield in that era at one stage.<br><br>
Sorry if this post is off topic, your post caught my eye and made me nod my head in agreement.</p>
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<p>We won the shield off the mooloos and only managed one defence (Marlborough) before Canterbury took it off us. I still remember Wayne Smith's try in Bernie's corner</p>
