Super Rugby 2022
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@canefan said in Super Rugby 2022:
@antipodean said in Super Rugby 2022:
@canefan said in Super Rugby 2022:
@chris said in Super Rugby 2022:
@nzzp said in Super Rugby 2022:
@chris super rugby used to be good preparation for test rugby. You saw it with the success of sanzar countries at test level.
We've diluted it, lost good players up north and the quality has dropped. The decision to go to 18 teams was a shocker. I think you see a correlation with international success and the super quality
Agreed,The decision to dump SA teams was a mistake IMO they brought a point of difference to the competition.
Was it a choice or a decision forced by covid19?
Ultimately I think it's a situation that will end up being good for us given the amount of travel to create a premium product in what is becoming a failing State.
Travel and time differences definitely a problem. And the fact that the saffas didn't really seem to take super rugby that seriously. As attractive as expansion into Japan and elsewhere sounds, it can't be at the expense of rhe on field product
So we're making up excuses out of thin air for SA franchise's poor performances throughout all of history?
Australia has 3 different franchises that won the title, Australian sides won 5 Super titles altogether.
South Africa only had 1 franchise that ever won the title (and just 3 Super titles altogether).
NZ finished with 17 Super titles - and likely 18, had Covid not scuppered the 2020 season.
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@kiwi_expat I read that as the fans as much as anything, even with day games they have poor crowd before the rest of us
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@tim said in Super Rugby 2022:
@hooroo If your team stays healthy, I think you can roll them this year. Even without DMac.
I start to excited about the Chiefs around mid season(if there is reason to). Up until then I just assume the Crusaders will win.
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@tim said in Super Rugby 2022:
@hooroo If your team stays healthy, I think you can roll them this year. Even without DMac.
Just having a look through the squads and I think the Crusader's stocks are naturally being over-estimated on here again, for the past few seasons their squad hasn't looked amazing, but they've performed far greater than the sum of their parts under Scott Robertson's innovative coaching, and honestly, when you assess the positional strengths of each franchise the Crusaders depth/quality only really stands out at lock and back three.
The Chiefs and Blues have the greatest talent and depth from positions 1-3, Blues, Chiefs (and Highlanders to lesser extent) each have envious depth in talented loosies which Crusaders are lacking, Highlanders/Blues/Chiefs packs all comfortably match theirs, the Chiefs have 5 standout locking options in their current squad, Highlanders tall timber, loosies and front-row all vastly underrated.
Blues, Hurricanes, Chiefs, and Highlanders all have superior and more talented midfield options than Crusaders. Outside backs are perhaps the only department that could provide a genuine point of difference for Red & Blacks, but even then the back three is a great strength position across all the franchises right now, particularly amongst the Blues, Highlanders and Hurricanes. So nothing to scoff at either.
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@kiwi_expat said in Super Rugby 2022:
@tim said in Super Rugby 2022:
@hooroo If your team stays healthy, I think you can roll them this year. Even without DMac.
Just having a look through the squads and I think the Crusader's stocks are naturally being over-estimated on here again, for the past few seasons their squad hasn't looked amazing, but they've performed far greater than the sum of their parts under Scott Robertson's innovative coaching, and honestly, when you assess the positional strengths of each franchise the Crusaders depth/quality only really stands out at lock and back three.
The Chiefs and Blues have the greatest talent and depth from positions 1-3, Blues, Chiefs (and Highlanders to lesser extent) each have envious depth in talented loosies which Crusaders are lacking, Highlanders/Blues/Chiefs packs all comfortably match theirs, the Chiefs have 5 standout locking options in their current squad, Highlanders tall timber, loosies and front-row all vastly underrated.
Blues, Hurricanes, Chiefs, and Highlanders all have superior and more talented midfield options than Crusaders. Outside backs are perhaps the only department that could provide a genuine point of difference for Red & Blacks, but even then the back three is a great strength position across all the franchises right now, particularly amongst the Blues, Highlanders and Hurricanes. So nothing to scoff at either.
Crusaders will still win cos they have a great coach. CF foster and bladder
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@kiwi_expat said in Super Rugby 2022:
@tim said in Super Rugby 2022:
@hooroo If your team stays healthy, I think you can roll them this year. Even without DMac.
Just having a look through the squads and I think the Crusader's stocks are naturally being over-estimated on here again, for the past few seasons their squad hasn't looked amazing, but they've performed far greater than the sum of their parts under Scott Robertson's innovative coaching, and honestly, when you assess the positional strengths of each franchise the Crusaders depth/quality only really stands out at lock and back three.
The Chiefs and Blues have the greatest talent and depth from positions 1-3, Blues, Chiefs (and Highlanders to lesser extent) each have envious depth in talented loosies which Crusaders are lacking, Highlanders/Blues/Chiefs packs all comfortably match theirs, the Chiefs have 5 standout locking options in their current squad, Highlanders tall timber, loosies and front-row all vastly underrated.
Blues, Hurricanes, Chiefs, and Highlanders all have superior and more talented midfield options than Crusaders. Outside backs are perhaps the only department that could provide a genuine point of difference for Red & Blacks, but even then the back three is a great strength position across all the franchises right now, particularly amongst the Blues, Highlanders and Hurricanes. So nothing to scoff at either.
I made an unsuccessful bid last super season for broken record. The NZ refs heavily favour the saders. Often it's just the little things, 50/50s going their way, "missed" calls, they get away with a lot more consecutive penalties minus a card it feels like as well. Be interested to see what side was most penalised.
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@machpants i think you're probably right, its also why its so grating when fozzie's "big idea" as AB coach is just to get as many of his best players on the field no matter the position, Razor shows the old adage about a Champion team beating a team of champions still holds up
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@bones said in Super Rugby 2022:
@kiwi_expat said in Super Rugby 2022:
@tim said in Super Rugby 2022:
@hooroo If your team stays healthy, I think you can roll them this year. Even without DMac.
Just having a look through the squads and I think the Crusader's stocks are naturally being over-estimated on here again, for the past few seasons their squad hasn't looked amazing, but they've performed far greater than the sum of their parts under Scott Robertson's innovative coaching, and honestly, when you assess the positional strengths of each franchise the Crusaders depth/quality only really stands out at lock and back three.
The Chiefs and Blues have the greatest talent and depth from positions 1-3, Blues, Chiefs (and Highlanders to lesser extent) each have envious depth in talented loosies which Crusaders are lacking, Highlanders/Blues/Chiefs packs all comfortably match theirs, the Chiefs have 5 standout locking options in their current squad, Highlanders tall timber, loosies and front-row all vastly underrated.
Blues, Hurricanes, Chiefs, and Highlanders all have superior and more talented midfield options than Crusaders. Outside backs are perhaps the only department that could provide a genuine point of difference for Red & Blacks, but even then the back three is a great strength position across all the franchises right now, particularly amongst the Blues, Highlanders and Hurricanes. So nothing to scoff at either.
I made an unsuccessful bid last super season for broken record. The NZ refs heavily favour the saders. Often it's just the little things, 50/50s going their way, "missed" calls, they get away with a lot more consecutive penalties minus a card it feels like as well. Be interested to see what side was most penalised.
Doesn't help when NZ referees make this type of appalling blunder.
I hope that pre-season for these clowns addresses this sort of incompetence.
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New Zealand's Super Rugby Pacific franchises have an extra training partner this year.
As part of a New Zealand Rugby initiative, referees from the New Zealand pool of Super Rugby referees no longer have to train alone.
The Blues have Brendon Pickerill running with them. There is one catch - he won't referee any Blues games this year.
Around the rest of the country, Mike Fraser will be based with the Chiefs, Ben O'Keeffe with the Hurricanes, Paul Williams links up with the Crusaders and James Doleman will join the Highlanders. In every case, no referee will officiate their respective teams. -
yeah, dont mind that
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@antipodean Wait how the fuck was that a forward pass
