Super Rugby 2025

[Canes4life]

@BorderJB said in Super Rugby 2025:

Hopefully the commission has looked at the schedule for NZ, we really cannibalize the fan base with Saturday games when there all at club rugby, hoping a couple games are on Sunday arvo.

Hopefully they do something a little drastic and play a game on a Thursday or a Monday. Take a leaf out of the NFL.

[Yeetyaah]

Iain Payten  /  Sep 12  /  Rugby Union

McReight, Paisami return for Bledisloe series as Schmidt sticks solid with Wallabies

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has resisted the option of making major squad changes after the record defeat in Santa Fe.

The first weekend will see three qualifying finals - 1 v 6, 2 v 5 and 3 v 4 - but with only three winners, a fourth team to fill out the semi-finals has to be found. That spot will be claimed by a “lucky loser” - the highest-seeded team to lose in the qualifying finals.

This is fucking trash. Make it simple and give 1 and 2 a week off then 3 and 4 to host a QF.

[Canes4life]

@Yeetyaah said in Super Rugby 2025:

Iain Payten  /  Sep 12  /  Rugby Union

McReight, Paisami return for Bledisloe series as Schmidt sticks solid with Wallabies

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has resisted the option of making major squad changes after the record defeat in Santa Fe.

The first weekend will see three qualifying finals - 1 v 6, 2 v 5 and 3 v 4 - but with only three winners, a fourth team to fill out the semi-finals has to be found. That spot will be claimed by a “lucky loser” - the highest-seeded team to lose in the qualifying finals.

This is fucking trash. Make it simple and give 1 and 2 a week off then 3 and 4 to host a QF.

Fuck me, what a way to blur the lines. I agree, keep it simple, fans hate it when they can't understand a playoff structure. Absolute nonsense once again from these idiots.

[Yeetyaah]

If 3v4 is the final game of the QFs and both seed 1 and 2 have won, both teams could rest their players and be fresh for the SF, no integrity there at all.

[Canes4life]

How do they determine a lucky loser? If the top seed is knocked out, surely they should get a second bite of the cherry. What a shambles.

[Yeetyaah]

@Canes4life It's whoever is the highest seed, so if 1 loses, they get another crack in the SF guarenteed.

[gt12]

It's impressive how super rugby can come up with new ways of making the competition worse.

[Chris]

That is a crazy play off system just adds to more confusion.
It could work out the 3 v 4 play of game could mean nothing.
They have over thought this format.

[Duluth]

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:

How do they determine a lucky loser? If the top seed is knocked out, surely they should get a second bite of the cherry. What a shambles.

The article says it's the highest seeded loser. So if the top seed losses, yes they have a second chance

Seems fine to me. I don't understand the negativity

[Machpants]

I don't mind it as a week off can be detrimental. So this means if you grind you way to the top of the ladder and have a bad day on quarters you still get rewarded with a semi
EDIT: as long as, as pointed out, the 3/4 play off is first

[Yeetyaah]

@gt12 said in Super Rugby 2025:

It's impressive how super rugby can come up with new ways of making the competition worse.

Exactly, they can blar on about the comp not getting bums on seats all they want, but when they make dumb decisions like this you have to wonder if they're guiding it to its own death. How fucking dumb are these fluffybunnies that run this show.

[Yeetyaah]

@Duluth said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:

How do they determine a lucky loser? If the top seed is knocked out, surely they should get a second bite of the cherry. What a shambles.

The article says it's the highest seeded loser. So if the top seed losses, yes they have a second chance

Seems fine to me. I don't understand the negativity

When was the last time 1st lost to the bottom seed? Or even 2nd losing to the second from bottom seed? The stupidity here comes from the 3v4 potentially being a dead rubber.

[Duluth]

@Yeetyaah

Your complaint only makes sense if that game is scheduled last

Is it?

[Canes4life]

@Duluth said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Yeetyaah

Your complaint only makes sense if that game is scheduled last

Is it?

We won't know this until the schedule is released in a couple weeks. If it's scheduled first then I get their decision making but if it's scheduled last then they are morons.

[Duluth]

@Canes4life

Second is ok too

[Kirwan]

I like that system. The key is for it to be retained as they grow the teams back out.

It's not that complex, rewards teams for finishing higher on the table, only a top 6. I like.

[Yeetyaah]

The last time a top qualifier lost to the bottom qualifier was Super 12 in 1999 when the Crusaders beat the Reds.

[gt12]

If the number 1 seed loses in the first week, do they also lose their home field advantage? They should do - whoever loses should automatically be the 4th seed.

[Bovidae]

Teams will play 14 regular season matches, consisting of seven home games and seven away games, and be allocated two byes.

I am happy that there will be an equal number of home and away games, assuming that there is no Super Round to fuck things up again.

Teams will play four teams twice, with a focus on rivalry match-ups, and the six remaining teams once

Let's wait to see the details.

Also, there will be three family-friendly Sunday afternoon games. I wonder who will get those games?

And, SR starts a week earlier (Friday 14 February).

[gt12]

@Bovidae

Don't get too excited, they say they'll bring it ack the following year.

I'm sure all of Perth will turn out to see every team there over three days.

What a fucking stupid idea.