Super Rugby 2020

[Stargazer]

Full time: Blues 29 - 28 Hurricanes (HT: 17 - 14)

Scorers:
Blues - Tony Lamborn, Jordan Hyland, Dalton Papali'i, Akira Ioane, Sam Nock tries; Stephen Perofeta, Harry Plummer con
Hurricanes - Ben Lam, Ricky Riccitelli, Jamie Booth, Asafo Aumua tries; Fletcher Smith 3x, Jackson Garden-Bachop con

[Stargazer]

Oh dear, will this apply to all All Blacks (at all 5 franchises)? Is this imposed by the ABs coaches/management?

[Bovidae]

I was going to ask if this was going to happen as none of the ABs have played yet. It will make selection more interesting and squad depth an advantage.

[Nepia]

@Stargazer said in Super Rugby 2020:

Oh dear, will this apply to all All Blacks (at all 5 franchises)? Is this imposed by the ABs coaches/management?

I don't get the whiny-ness of that tweet - it's the opening round and just about every team in the comp will have a player on restricted minutes for some reason or another. Plus it happens pretty much every year. Plus NZR pays the bills for those players.

[Stargazer]

@Nepia IMO, the extended and other mandatory ABs breaks and restrictions haven't been good for the quality of rugby in the affected games, the last few years. Also, fans want to see the best possible team play. It's hard enough to get bums on seats if all players are available. Why make it harder?

I guess, what annoys me most is that we hear this now, instead of NZR just being open about it and stating in their media releases that there will be certain restrictions on game time. Which other restrictions are or will be imposed that we don't yet know about?

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer Why not Coles too? I'm sure the SR coaches have been well aware this was going to happen even if the public wasn't informed. The Canes aren't that affected compared to the Crusaders and Chiefs.

[Machpants]

I can't remember wehere but it is something like 20/40/60 minutes for the first 3 games for ABs? Anyway, it is not even news. All the ABs that were in the RWC Squad and are still around will be on reduced game time - however they implement it. It's been like that for dozen or more years. And it's the same this year, quelle surprise. It's like the fkn commentators moaning when someone get's penalised for not rolling away when they couldn't- yes we know it's not possible to roll away but them's the rules, has been for years, stop fkn mentioning it every time FFS! /rant

[Nepia]

@Stargazer I don't think the odd missing ABs make much of a difference to early season standard of play, it always takes a while to get going.

I'd rather we manage our players than have them play all through the comp.

Hopefully J Barrett is back when the Chiefs play the Canes.

[Stargazer]

The preseason game between the Highlanders and Crusaders is on the Highlanders FB page instead of Sky Sport:

[Stargazer]

That's a terrible stream. Hopefully, the rugby is better.

[Yeetyaah]

@Stargazer the stream running terrible for you as well?

[Nepia]

@Yeetyaah said in Super Rugby 2020:

@Stargazer the stream running terrible for you as well?

I just thought it was the cabbage Australian NBN.

[Chris B.]

Seemingly nil-all after 17 minutes.

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

They're trying again. Stream is not much better:

[Machpants]

WTF is the farmlands cup when it's at home?

[Stargazer]

@Machpants ?? It's in Wanaka.

[Bovidae]

@Machpants said in Super Rugby 2020:

WTF is the farmlands cup when it's at home?

A sponsor. Farmlands is like RD1, rural supplies.