2015 Super Rugby Season

First topic message reminder :

The place for all things Super Rugby.  

Here we can discuss the latest team news, results, upcoming fixtures, referees performances, crowd behaviour, the cheerleaders....

George & Canelion: I've converted your Round 3 and Round 6 threads into the "super" Super Rugby Thread. A few others included in there too.

Check the links below for fixtures, results and the table.

2014 Table

2014 Results
 

   

Couldn't find the Crusaders one (unless I've accidentally merged it already).

There's also a Force-Rebels one a couple of pages back. I left that one where it is.

I hope I haven't confused things merging 6 different threads.
There is the inevitable lack of continuity if you read back... but I think most of us will get the gist of what's being discussed.

         

No worries Breaker. Excellent that there's a sticky now. I'll try to add a new post with final scores and highlights every Sunday so that it's obvious what everybody is banging on about.

You've done good, LB.   It was a merge of two halves. The guys just stuck to it and we got the result in the end but it was hard work and full credit to the opposition who gave us a real run for our money.

Nice suggestion GC. You don't know what you've committed to but I'll be right there to remind you of your folly!   

Cheers George...

...but I think that's what we're trying to avoid - new weekly threads.

We're trying to move away from separate threads for "Round 9", "Round 10", "Force v Blues", etc.

Unlike lots of the NH threads for the various rugby comps... us southerners like to have our Super Rugby competition thread in one place.

Of course it's always fine if any member wants to start other threads like "Richie McCaw Announces His Retirement" (for example) separately... as per usual.

If you want - just edit the OP in this sticky... or add more detail up top each week.

We used to do that every week for the last few seasons (edit the games and the standings 3 or 4 times every weekend)... but it takes forever due to the time zones of all of the matches each week. Unfortunately, I'm unable to spend as much time as I'd like on here now... but feel free to do whatever you want.  

He speaks the truth, GC. He must get that from his Kiwi roots.   

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:He speaks the truth, GC. He must get that from his Kiwi roots.   

Do you think anyone noticed what we've done, kia?  

I don't really like the official Super Rugby site I've put in the OP - it's like it has been designed by a tight arse. I'd much prefer something that is light on the eye and easy to navigate through. (The NRL one is great... it has a big and bright match day page, team line-ups, real time stats, etc. And a nice easy to read Points Table)

If anyone has a link to a better one... just post it below and we can whack it in the OP.

I wasn't planning to start new threads - merely to start any posts on this one with at least some reference to a score or performance. A couple of times people will open with "what about those Bulls, eh?", which generally provides no clue as to what people are talking about.

For balance, I should say that I am not very bright, though.

Nobody takes a blind bit of notice of what I do on this site, mate. And I think you've got away with it too. The perfect crime.  

GC Most of us don't know what we're talking about even though we know the topic at hand so not knowing what we're talking about on a topic we don't know what we're talking about won't make a blind bit of difference at the end of the day. If you know what I mean.   

George Carlin wrote:I wasn't planning to start new threads - merely to start any posts on this one with at least some reference to a score or performance. A couple of times people will open with "what about those Bulls, eh?", which generally provides no clue as to what people are talking about.

For balance, I should say that I am not very bright, though.

Phew!    

What do you mean? You are very bright. Very funny and sophisticated too!   
If only this thread was half as entertaining as your Glasgow and Edinburgh Ongoing Banter Thread II thread.
That's the kind of standard we're after on here.


Yeah sure mate- add something/anything relevant each week.  Photos and video analysis welcome too! (nae pressure)

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Nobody takes a blind bit of notice of what I do on this site, mate. And I think you've got away with it too. The perfect crime.  

GC Most of us don't know what we're talking about even though we know the topic at hand so not knowing what we're talking about on a topic we don't know what we're talking about won't make a blind bit of difference at the end of the day. If you know what I mean.   

I'm Scottish, so that makes perfect sense to me. Come onto the Glasgow and Edinburgh threads. You'd fit right in. 

Half my roots are from Peterhead so my presence would be divisive at best. The smell of stale fish would be unpleasant as well.   

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Half my roots are from Peterhead so my presence would be divisive at best. The smell of stale fish would be unpleasant as well.   

...and where is the other half of your roots from then, kia? Hoon Hay?   

Half of my roots came from Girls High. It was the uniform that did it for me. Wouldn't touch those from Hoon Hay with yours.   

That name still makes me laugh. We have some beauties here too.

Chch Girls High? Near Hagley Park, yeah?
Were the Rangi Ruru and St Margaret's girls hard work back then still?

Too high maintenance like their uniforms.

Just to clarify, this was some time ago when I was underage as well! Except for that University of Canterbury back to school party in my first year...

Nothing can compare to Foxton, the Fox Town of New Zealand. That's the sign that greets you on your way in. Just think: committees were held, reports were written and that's what they came up with!!

Funny that. I was at a party last weekend. A whole bunch of girls from "Palmy". They were really having a go at their own hometown... calling it "so rural and conservative (with gangs of kids terrorising each other all day every day)" so I threw in a "Taihape" to distract them.

Gee you're brave partying with Palmy girls

Hammett has announced he'll be quitting as coach. Who would Hurricane supporters like to have as coach?

Wellington and the Hurricanes area has produced a considerable number of top quality coaches over the last 10 or so years.....John Plumtree, Peter Russell, Chris Boyd, Dave Rennie, Jamie Joseph etc.  How we've let 3 of these guys go (Boyd is NPC coach of WEllington currently) is beyond me...

For me, I'd like to see Plumtree come back and take on the main role he should have had a long time ago, and I would certainly pull out the stops to accommodate Tana Umaga (I'm hoping the ink hasn't dried on his new Counties-Manukau contract) as backs coach and I'd bring in Filo Tiatia as forwards coach.

A homegrown coaching setup with a bit of pride, passion and mana thrown in for good measure.  These boys understand the culture of the Hurricanes

I really enjoy watching the Highlanders when they get a full wind in their bagpipes.
Some scintillating backline play just now; the Bulls looked like stationary cardboard cut-outs on the field.

20-13 after 50 mins.

I'm happy for Tana that he is sticking with Counties for now let him continue his apprenticeship at the next level down. There is talk of Boyd with Tiatia and OHalloran supporting him. That's a nice strong Hurricanes connection but I have no idea how good they are.

... and Sio coughs it up.

Brumbies in control and it should have been 18-3 with a kick to come.

The honey badger is at it again. He is a joy to watch (and interview it seems).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RYsVqfsH3o&feature=player_embedded

chewed_mintie wrote:Wellington and the Hurricanes area has produced a considerable number of top quality coaches over the last 10 or so years.....John Plumtree, Peter Russell, Chris Boyd, Dave Rennie, Jamie Joseph etc.  How we've let 3 of these guys go (Boyd is NPC coach of WEllington currently) is beyond me...

For me, I'd like to see Plumtree come back and take on the main role he should have had a long time ago, and I would certainly pull out the stops to accommodate Tana Umaga (I'm hoping the ink hasn't dried on his new Counties-Manukau contract) as backs coach and I'd bring in Filo Tiatia as forwards coach.

A homegrown coaching setup with a bit of pride, passion and mana thrown in for good measure.  These boys understand the culture of the Hurricanes

Plumtree would be a good shout to tighten the forwards up a bit and add some grit. Better he stays with Ireland though!

toml wrote:The honey badger is at it again. He is a joy to watch (and interview it seems).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RYsVqfsH3o&feature=player_embedded

Beat them all by himself. Brilliant lad - no airs or graces.

Cursaders go through SA unbeaten for first time since 2008. Where did this Nadolo come from? Chiefs match a crucial one. Win that and they can believe this season can turn around with McCaw and Romano to come back.

Saders have found a new belief thats for sure.

For me if Slade plays with that confidence between here and England arriving he'll tip Barrett out of the injured Cruden 10 spot vs England as Barrett can be used as a super sub, Slade not as easily. Kicking needs to be as solid as last week though.

NZ players are looking good across the board finally. Frankly I'm not so concerned who wins the sxv as much anymore, the tournament being so disjointed, ever changing. The rugby itselfs fantastic though.

Taylorman wrote:Saders have found a new belief thats for sure.

For me if Slade plays with that confidence between here and England arriving he'll tip Barrett out of the injured Cruden 10 spot vs England as Barrett can be used as a super sub, Slade not as easily. Kicking needs to be as solid as last week though.

NZ players are looking good across the board finally. Frankly I'm not so concerned who wins the sxv as much anymore, the tournament being so disjointed, ever changing. The rugby itselfs fantastic though.

Slade start over Barratt??  Get off the grass!!!! (haven’t been able to say that since leaving NZ 15 yrs ago!)

Barratt will start, he’s our Premier 10 playing at the moment.  Slade does have a track record for impact off the bench, I recall a comeback v Australia in Sydney in 2010 when he replaced Cruden.   He was instrumental in that comeback.

I can see where you're coming from Tman but I think it makes sense to start Barrett and have Slade on the bench principally to see what Barrett has to offer from a starting position just in case Cruden gets injured again in 2015. We've seen the impact he can make from off the bench. Now's the perfect opportunity to see if he can start from the beginning.

I don't think that Barrett is the playmaker at 10 that Slade is for test rugby. Slade has primarily been a 10, Barrett less so in tests.

And I'm basing this 'purely' on Slade maintaining that form from last week, which I doubt he can it was so good. But if he does, he's a shoe in at 10 if Crudens still out, and I'm a huge Barrett fan. Mark this for 6 weeks time...

posted this elsewhere...
NZ have 4 teams in the top 8, Oz have 3 in the top 6. SA have one side in the top 8 and they havnt traveled yet. Of the other 4, 3 are the only sides to have played 9 matches, the rest 8. The tour should see the Sharks fall from the top leaving SA looking very poor indeed….yet they want…gulp…another side…

So you pick a poor season and then justify your reasoning?

The Sixth side is a bad idea, but you know as well as I do Super Rugby has become a monster that will soon fall on its face.

Sharks aren't the only team still to travel either.

I am not making excuses for our poor performances, it has truly been woeful, but the recent decision by Meyer to select so many overseas players have opened the floodgates to not only Europe, but also Japan and Australia.

Add to that the Stormers and Cheetahs need some new coaches.

Biltong wrote:So you pick a poor season and then justify your reasoning?

The Sixth side is a bad idea, but you know as well as I do Super Rugby has become a monster that will soon fall on its face.

Sharks aren't the only team still to travel either.

I am not making excuses for our poor performances, it has truly been woeful, but the recent decision by Meyer to select so many overseas players have opened the floodgates to not only Europe, but also Japan and Australia.

Add to that the Stormers and Cheetahs need some new coaches.

Not asking you to justify anything Biltong and I thought the real push to have the sixth started this year. But the reasoning is purely for bucks and since the conferences started that's been everyone's motivation, and yes, that will drive this tournament to the dirt, particularly if NZ and Oz have to go that far to play sides they don't think should be there. Based on the current table whoever's pushing that agenda needs to come up with something different.

I agree, Australian teams have a horrible record in PE (in the cricket)... but NSW did OK there last time. (v the Kings)   
I rather not see a 6th SA team added to it. This competition is overloaded as it is.

So do you guys really think the days of this tournament are numbered?

I reckon the number of sides is probably a few teams too many as it is but this year has been interesting as far as the Oz sides are going. I don't think the Force will ever be a true force - but I do enjoy watching their fearless approach to the more renowned sides.  I would have argued that we should have done away with them (all the way up until this season) but for each mini success... their case gets stronger.

Have a feeling they will come close to beating the Bulls again next weekend then crumble when it counts in the run home to the finals.

SA gets a 6th side precisely because everyone is aware of the money that SA brings to the competition. However, by adding more teams I do agree that there is an inevitability about the demise of the competition and the administrators know this and are grabbing what they can. That's about the only logical explanation I am left with after the proposed plans.

Big week for Atletico, kia. All the best mate!   

Cheers, mate. If we get through Chelsea, I'm off to Lisbon with the gang. 3 more league wins and two tough ties against Chelsea and the stuff dreams are made of will be realised.

We never really get carried away with Super rugby or at least I don't. Obviously I want my team to do well but the travel and time zone difference always mean you're a little disconnected from events. Supporting Atletico through dark days and this dream year has given me insight into how I imagine club rugby fans feel in Europe about their team. It's all so much more localised and though there are different competitions are happening at the same time, it all seems to build momentum at the right times. The Super rugby season is stretched out over fewer months but somehow it seems longer in my mind.

It makes more sense to play out your domestic leagues and only having the cream of those respective competitions play in the international knockout competitions. Cut down on the travel, cut down on the time zone differences and cut down on the teams competing at the elite level. When you have as many teams as we have and are going to have, it's the only thing that makes sense.

Know exactly what you mean. I sort of follow a few of the European rugby comps... they seem to go on forever. That break in the HC is far too long. A handful of matches spread over 3 months? Bloody joke that is!

Yes, I've also followed teams (in many different codes) through some lean periods. The only good thing about saturating oneself with so much sport is that most years... at least one team from any particular code/sport (or maybe 2nd fav. team) wins something. However, even when my main teams do well and win something - the emotional reaction seems to be about 1/5 of what it was 25 years ago or whenever!

Not for our win in 2011 - 24 years after the other win. That was much more emotional and satisfying. Sometimes you need to experience the deepest dark to appreciate the beaming light.   

Much like Atletico. 14 years since beating Real Madrid. Then they win 2-1 at their ground and follow it up with a 1-0 win at the same ground in the League the following season. A thrilling 2-2 draw at home and suddenly the 14 years is somehow washed away!

You Aussies spread yourselves too thin. Pick and choose. You don't have to be good at everything. You just have to be the best at something! Preferably the manliest sport ever created.   

Like Rugby League you mean?   

That 24 years did drag on for a while. The next 24 should be a lot better. Has to be.

It actually surprises me how thin we do spread ourselves. For most of the time you feel as though there might be a disaster waiting to happen (I'm thinking Spain, Chile, the Neds in the upcoming WC - we could have 15-20 goals scored against us. Embarrassing!)... but then an Adam Scott, Cadel Evans, Steph Gilmore.... or a winning netball team will come along and surprise me.

I do like League. Watch the odd game here and there and would love union to have the equivalent of state of origin. I'm glad we don't get caught up in the strict lines that you often see in the uk between say union and league. Sport should be celebrated for letting men escape with their mates and drinking bevvies while watching it or after having played it. If we didn't have an excuse to watch or play sport, whatever it is, I'd shudder to think what else we'd be doing!

Better week for some NZ franchises as Blues get victory over Waratahs, Hurricanes beat Reds, and giant slayers beat top of the table Sharks. What a solo try in among their many points: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/9978926/Highlanders-topple-Super-Rugby-leading-Sharks

Even better Kia is our top players peaking across the board...5 weeks till England and barring injury we should have the best form side for many a year at this time of the season.

Yes, I agree Taylorman, and that includes top players coming back, the two most noticeable ones to me were Corey Jane and Jerome Kaino.

The centre Fekitoa is catching the eye. Good to have more options at centre. Good to have so much competition at 6. Still worried to some extent about 7 and front row.

Well I would like to put some old Cantab/ Auckland feudal myths aside and consider the possible return of Mssrs McCaw and Carter to...yes...you guessed it- the Blues.

Lets face it, if we are to consider the holistic approach of the concept of a NZ side winning the Super XV this year then I'm prepared to let bygones be bygones for the sake of the cause.

Now its well known that McCaw isnt the youngest and fastest buck around these days and that replacing the younger and fitter Matt Todd may not be a gimme on his return this week.

Combine that with Luke Braids potential shoulder injury sidelining him and ...Voila!! we have a spare spot for the ageing General (note the capital 'G') amongst our ranks...

And on the DC factor- his pos at 10 also seems to have been more than aptly filled by one of his most likely successors in Colin Slade, a player I am sure will be toooo solid to reduce to the backbencher just to accommodate the now somewhat grey haired Carter.

Now that combined with the Benji and other debacles that surround the once very proud Blues 10 jersey, NZ rugby can benefit far more by accommodating Mr Carter at said position.

Besides, all his jet-setting, his partner and businesses now located in Auckland, his recent tripping around the greater metropolitan areas of our planet may have given him the taste for a more upbeat way of live, one that only Auckland can accommodate given his special needs and preferences...not that Christchurch isnt a great city mind you...it just may not suit his more worldly lattes on the waterfront lifestyle that he's become accustomed to lately- Auckland isnt on the same page as some of the 'Big Apple' cities Dan visited but we'll make sure he's comfortable during his retirement...err...stay...

Now there is the small matter of his allegiance to his old town, and his father would no doubt be a tad disappointed, but think of the good it would do for NZ rugby overall, think of the 'bigger picture'....

And as a born and bred Aucklander, I'm more than sure the rest of my fellow Jaffa brethren (yes, we can even laugh at ourselves sometimes- especially for the greater common good) would more than accommodate these two 'mature' gentlemen into our ranks and treat them with the utmost respect usually reserved for true legends (but in their case- still living) of the game.

So hows about it Canterbury folks? Put down the shackles of the past and lets put NZ rugby at the forefront of our cause and welcome these two into the Blues club...

what say you all?

That didn't sound patronising at all Tman.   

It makes a lot of sense what you say. I hear Blackadder is contemplating putting McCaw at 6 or on the bench covering all three positions and letting Todd play at 7. The Crusaders don't have enough points to bring McCaw up to fitness.

I'm not sure players can switch willy-nilly in the middle of a season. Maybe for next year as it's quite clear the Blues need a decent flyhalf to control things. Don't think it will happen but as a Cantab I wouldn't be against the idea.

yeah bit of afternoon fun- all tongue in cheek kia- someone hinted at DC staying on in Auckland after the v8's there finished last weekend.

taylorman it would never work:

These McCaw and Carter characters would never fit in they are far too pragmatic, professional, and do things using things like common sense. all the "flash Harry" Aucklanders would know where to put their Lattes with them about.

I do however have an exciting image of a loose forward trio of McCaw, muscle man Kaino and their apprentice Luatua absolutely dominating anything/anyone in the shape of an opposition.

Wouldn't it be funny if the Hurricanes got to the finals after Hammett threw in the towel - not the final mind you just the finals don't want to ask for too much.