Super Rugby 2023
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@KiwiMurph have to think Lord has inside running given he has been part of thier plans and they don't often drop people due to an injury.
Hopefully another lock emerges and pushes everyone on, similarly loosies, the likes of Grace, MMT, Robinson, Flanders, Christie, PGS, Lakai (plus a few other names i expect) will all be pushing the encumbants, as will Blackadder who no doubt has an inside running to overtake one of Ioane or Frizzell...def some options out there, but injury could give someone a shot, and make them a legend in a RWC year, NMS styles... 😉
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ESPN has published a series of team previews for the 2023 season:
Super Rugby Pacific 2023: Previewing the Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs, Crusaders
The second season of Super Rugby Pacific is fast approaching, with kick-off now just 10 days away. So how are the Blues, Brumbies, Chiefs and Crusaders shaping up?
Super Rugby Pacific 2023: Previewing the Drua, Force, Highlanders and Hurricanes
The countdown to the second season of Super Rugby Pacific has entered its final week. We preview the Fijian Drua, Force, Highlanders and Hurricanes.
Super Rugby Pacific 2023: Previewing the Rebels, Pasifika, Tahs, Reds
The countdown to the second season of Super Rugby Pacific has entered its final week. We preview the Melbourne Rebels, Moana Pasifika, NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds.
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To cut to the chase in those articles..
FINAL PREDICTIONS
Crusaders
Chiefs
Blues
Waratahs
Brumbies
Hurricanes
Reds
Force
Highlanders
Drua
Moana Pasifika
Melbourne RebelsNot so convinced on that order. Force are way too high and I am guessing Canes are mid pack because they eat to offer hope to Tahs and Brumbies.
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@Crucial said in Super Rugby 2023:
To cut to the chase in those articles..
FINAL PREDICTIONS
Crusaders
Chiefs
Blues
Waratahs
Brumbies
Hurricanes
Reds
Force
Highlanders
Drua
Moana Pasifika
Melbourne RebelsNot so convinced on that order. Force are way too high and I am guessing Canes are mid pack because they eat to offer hope to Tahs and Brumbies.
Canes below Waratahs, yeah right. I also saw a prediction ladder with the Canes fourth and the Blues first, so who really knows. I feel injuries, along with the load management of players is going to play a big part in how teams end up. Depth is key.
These TAB odds are about right apart from the Drua being that high, plus I would swap Reds and Tahs.
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@Canes4life Yep I with you , I reckon Waratahs will be top Aus team this year, may duke it out with Brumbies for that crown, but think they may beat them.
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@KiwiMurph said in Super Rugby 2023:
Drua too low
I agree. Just had a closer look and they have 6 home games this year. No one gets off easy playing in Fiji and three of those games are quite winnable for them (Rebels, MP, Reds)
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@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2023:
@Crucial said in Super Rugby 2023:
To cut to the chase in those articles..
FINAL PREDICTIONS
Crusaders
Chiefs
Blues
Waratahs
Brumbies
Hurricanes
Reds
Force
Highlanders
Drua
Moana Pasifika
Melbourne RebelsNot so convinced on that order. Force are way too high and I am guessing Canes are mid pack because they eat to offer hope to Tahs and Brumbies.
Canes below Waratahs, yeah right. I also saw a prediction ladder with the Canes fourth and the Blues first, so who really knows. I feel injuries, along with the load management of players is going to play a big part in how teams end up. Depth is key.
These TAB odds are about right apart from the Drua being that high, plus I would swap Reds and Tahs.
Interesting looking at the odds of the Brumbies. I know Bernie wants them to play a more entertaining game to help bring back the crowds. They're also spending more time in community engagement to help drive interest, including actually sending out name players to schools etc. rather than extended squad players no one has heard of.
The problem is the perennial one in Australian sport - you need to be winning.
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After a few months of neglect the TSF website is regularly updated again. So just a reminder that all the team sheets are available here
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My prediction for the NZ sides
Crusaders to top the round robin and win it overall. I just hope they at least don't win every game and give the other teams hope at times. But they're just too strong with a great head coach and too much depth. Another boring outcome if I'm right
Chiefs and Blues to fight it out for the 2nd NZ team with Chiefs just coming out on top.
Hurricanes to finish 4th. I always hope for more but realistically the team has some great players but not enough and don't think they've got a hope of finishing higher than the other three. I hope I'm wrong though and in the new training Centre they develop players to go all the way
Highlanders 5th.
MP 6th. They will do well to match last year. -
How good
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Might be one less after tonight. Bit worried about Grace with that shoulder.
However, the Chiefs have a few back-up 6s as well.
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I have to say I did not expect the rule changes to make such a big difference to the tempo, it goes to show how teams really did slow down the game on purpose with all the huddles, fake injuries, props doing makeup etc.
I love this new product, its just much better to watch and these changes can only benefit the fit teams and you can't help but think the AB's would love these rules to come into the test arena. I hope the other refs can watch BOK as that should be the template for sure.
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@chimoaus said in Super Rugby 2023:
I have to say I did not expect the rule changes to make such a big difference to the tempo, it goes to show how teams really did slow down the game on purpose with all the huddles, fake injuries, props doing makeup etc.
I love this new product, its just much better to watch and these changes can only benefit the fit teams and you can't help but think the AB's would love these rules to come into the test arena. I hope the other refs can watch BOK as that should be the template for sure.
And one of takeaways I got from the speeding up of lineouts in particular is I think we find them being simplfied a bit, no huddles, and I thought more the Hookers haven't got a long to set themselves? Samisoni missed a couple of throws by a fair bit where I got impression he was still getting breath.
Very good for game I thought.
Team Sheets
