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
 

   

Is the final on Saturday morning? Really hope the Tah's finally win. Especially with Cheika at the helm. He will have a fairly impressive CV is he manages to win the Super rugby final too. You'd have to imagine international rugby would beckon.

Id reckon he would do a great job with someone like Italy or even Scotland.

Yep GG. Only just CET but 10:40 for you I think.

You are of course free to support whomever you choose but the Crusaders are the Waratah's bogey team, especially at finals time, and I'm hoping that stays the case tomorrow.

Yeah I knew they hadnt beaten them for 10 years or something and the 'Tahs have lost a few finals but Cheika is an expert at turning a team with a fairly soft core into a very tough prospect that will not lie down.

There is a lot of symmetry between the 'Tahs team and their history before Cheika took over and the Leinster team and their history before Cheika took over. Mentally the 'Tahs will be prepared and I really hope they win.

Thanks for the time.

They've had two finals both against the Crusaders. Third time unlucky as well. I'm happy for the Tahs to get their consistency they've always hinted at early in the season and they play a brand of rugby I enjoy watching and the Crusaders play a brand of rugby that's difficult to enthuse over. But hell, they're my team. I always seem to lose faith with Blackadder early in the season and think he's not up to it and they always come back and prove me wrong and I'm happy to be proven wrong. I don't deserve to see my team win but it's not up to me and I've no doubt this is going to be a closely fought encounter but there are no fairytales in sport and experience does count for a lot.

As you can see I'm still not over the CL final last year.   

These pre-match games that Oz super finalists like to play are a bit unprofessional. Was good to see Read summed up the situation and left.

A previous article said the Tahs captain's run went longer than expected and he was an hour late so this traffic excuse is lies.
 

No big deal really, but adds a bit to the game.

I'm a chiefs supporter but it will give me much pleasure to see the crusaders smash the living daylights out of the Waratahs.

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11302750

Adam Ashley Cooper wrote a 'poem' about each and every one of his squad members and recited it in a team huddle. This has set a new benchmark for commitment to the team.



http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11302744

ebop wrote:These pre-match games that Oz super finalists like to play are a bit unprofessional. Was good to see Read summed up the situation and left.

A previous article said the Tahs captain's run went longer than expected and he was an hour late so this traffic excuse is lies.
 

No big deal really, but adds a bit to the game.

I'm a chiefs supporter but it will give me much pleasure to see the crusaders smash the living daylights out of the Waratahs.

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11302750

  I dunno, ebop.

I'm living in the area now. The most densely populated part of Australia. It's awful every day when the Mum's pick up the kiddies. Pretty bad the rest of the time too. (would be nice if everyone knew the traffic rules!) Everything grinds to a halt as the speed limit drops to 40km/h and the lollipop men come out to play.

Fair enough, just jiving Sounds a bit like Auckland on a Friday, diabolical traffic!

Have to say its building nicely eh. Hopefully the game lives up to the occasion. My wife has done the honorable thing and buggered off for the night so I can watch in peace and shout at the tv as loud as I want.

Are you a Tahs supporter Loaded Dog?

LB was... I guess I still am.   

It's torture being a Tahs fan you know!

As much as it pains me to say it....

Go Canterbury!!

The Loaded Dog wrote:LB was... I guess I still am.   

It's torture being a Tahs fan you know!

Ahhh, I see, sorry I'm a bit slow Been a bit up and down for you guys but not no more it ain't. You guys are onto a good thing with Cheika. He's as mad as a fox but he's doing something right. Good luck LD and go the Crusaders (on behalf of NZ).

Pains you gunner? You're a Mainlander. It's your duty!

How did the wedding go? I went to a wedding last year and two children were conceived that night. Any possibility of beating that?

Wow, what a half from the Tahs. Ferocious.

Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!

Wow and wow, what a game, well done Tahs.

Go on the 'Tahs. No surprise with Cheika at the helm. Great coach for turning a side around.

Best Final I've seen in... maybe ever.

What a game of rugby.

Well done the Tahs and well fought the Saders. Rugby Championship looks to be a good one

How many coaches have won the Hcup and Super rugby? Not too many Id say.

What a game! Congrats LD. 3rd time lucky mate.

LOaded Dog, are you Linebreaker?

Congratulations Waratahs,justice really as top side finishing wins again travel again has
its effects note the slow Crusaders start.
Carter injured again pre RC plus no Woodcock odds on an Oz win shortened methinks.

Cheers Kia and Commiserations, mate,

I almost thought the match was lost in that last 5-10mins.

If that final kick had been missed, it would be safe to say that the Crusaders were well deserved winners, true Champs, etc. They are the best provincial side in the world by a long shot. NSW just won tonight... 3rd time lucky as you say.

I'm just relieved they got across the line. Just goes to show that we needed our best group of players ever, best coach... all the support staff and special people around the team to achieve our first win. Even then it was so, so close.

The defence from both sides was incredible. Any minor lapse or missed tackle was ruthlessly punished it seemed. Those fierce attacks slamming into brick walls on both sides. High quality and relentless stuff. It was all about patience under the immense pressure of a final. Not the biggest fan of Joubert (think he blows the whistle slightly prematurely sometimes and has too tight a grip on the game... but he did try to let this one flow... which was good) and I was almost praying there might be one last twist in the Tahs favour in that final minute or two. Thank God there was.

The ceremony afterwards was a shambles. Very unprofessional the way the players were not properly invited to receive their medals. That guy should never have been allowed near a microphone (he's a complete clown!) if he didn't have the preparedness to learn the correct pronunciation of the players names - although there were a lot of them with all of the other squad members, etc... then someone should have checked. That was very embarrassing, damn rude and disrespectful (esp. to the Crusaders) I thought. Read spoke very well. What a true champ!

yes, CJ. Changed my name. More laid back and I can relate to the dog in the story - sometimes.  

Worthy winners mate. A fantastic season and a superb final to boot. Rugby as well as NSW were the winners. Enjoy. Proud of my boys in red and black. Turned the season around. It'll hurt to have come so close and feel for Toddy and the boys. But a great spectacle and no complaints really.

Just caught the final, and a what a game it was too. Congrats to any Tahs fans out there.

well done LD, the game must be a huge boost for rugby in oz so thats the best thing to come out of this. Saders had their chances and as a final/ spectacle it had everything- great tries, defences, and huge tension right through to the final seconds. Lived up to pre match hype.

Getting a bit sorry for B'Adder though. He could be on 6 titles but has none, looking much like Snooker player Jimmy White with so many near misses/ bridesmaid finishes. I fear with the exit of McCaw and DC from the Saders B/Adder will join them...winless as a sxv coach.

I thought this was not only a fair result, but also reflective of the Tahs performance right throuhout the season.

Not only the Tahs, but also the Brumbies and even the Force have played some excellant rugby this year, and I expect a good Rugby Championship and Autumn tour from the Aussies.

PS: Congrats LB.

Thanks Laurie, Taylorman and Raf. It's nice to get the RU/RL quinella at last.

aucklandlaurie wrote:I thought this was not only a fair result, but also reflective of the Tahs performance right throuhout the season.

Not only the Tahs, but also the Brumbies and even the Force have played some excellant rugby this year, and I expect a good Rugby Championship and Autumn tour from the Aussies.

PS: Congrats LB.

Agree absolutely. If Foley had missed the kick rugby would have lost more than just the saders 'picking up another one'. The tahs put everything into this campaign, played everyone they could etc. The Saders had DC on sabbatical and things like that. Ok for the players welfare etc but it comes down to what the priorities are, and for the Tahs it was the sxv, and only the sxv.

Hi,Tman it is good that a new name is on the trophy BUT I`m not happy with the format.
The top team over the season of a league fine IF all the franchises are of even strength
IF there must be a knockout round top 2 sides play each other home and away or if you
use the current format.
ALLOW RECOVERY times before playing SF and final or have BOTH Finalists play in a neutral country.
Whether this will effect the RC only time will tell and from 2018 gods knows what a dogs breakfast it will become.

Although the Saders would probably have won this at home I don't think it played to much of a factor this year in comparison.

It did for the others- the Sharks especially.

But as always a rest week or a neutral country are both seen as poor reasons to balance the anomalies. I agree with a rest week but the money chompers wont have that and where do you have it- prior to semis, or final? or two rest weeks? Not gonna happen.

And a neutral country final will never happen. If you were a true supporter Alan (ie young enough to don the teams scarf and face paint and battle the wind and rain to support the team at the ground every week like I no longer do) the last thing you would want is to be standing there with your scarf to find the final is in Hong Kong, where no one gives a toss, when it could have been right in front of you, or worse at the city of a non qualifier where they care even less.

Finals are about the fans, the passion they have for their team and celebrating the win afterwards- a once in a life time event for some who are lucky to get the final at home (none in a lifetime for others and a biannual occurrence for the saders!).

Its not about sorting some logistical argument so we can put it into the rugby annual for the year. You've never quite got that one have you Alan.

And money wise no stadium on earth would have got 60,000 for that match other than in Sydney, and if it did they wouldnt be anywhere near as passionate. Again, comes down to money.

Oh,I`ve always got it as you put it BUT unless the sides ALL face the same quality of teams.
Finishing top of the log gives to much advantages simplest way tho not for bean counters
lose two layers quarters and semis.Top2 finishers play each other home and away.

yeah a home and away final is a very good idea actually- points diff. Both would certainly generate the income and it would mean both sets of fans get to see the final. Tactically it would be interesting- ie a Jakeball type side might have to win by 15 in the second match and score tries...I like it.  

Be similar to the Boks having to score 4 tries vs the ABs last year to win the RC and look at what they brought to that game. Wouldnt have happened if they didnt have tthe deficit they did.

A home and away final would be great as it means that the sides would know what they need to do more and caution would have to be thrown to the wind in the final game.

Maybe it'd be fairer but I actually like the one-off nature about the final. I don't have a problem with the top team getting the advantage. Finish first if you want the advantage. It may not be fair in that all teams don't play one another or indeed the same amount of times but accept it.

This loss hurt a lot as we were so close. But it wouldn't seem right to play it all again this weekend. The Crusaders didn't quite do enough and it'll haunt them for a long time but that's sport. Take it on the chin and learn from the experience. Play two matches and it may be fairer but the final loses that magic about it. It's a one-off, winner-takes-it-all game. Sure the match at Ellis Park last year was amazing with both sides knowing what they had to do but not knowing what could happen in a game or not caring how many tries are scored is more compelling in my view. Just win the rucking thing, and it doesn't matter how. You don't get any more chances or lifelines. No way I'd want to give that up. A rest between the semis and final, for sure. But keep it as one match.

Yeah, I agree with you, kia. It may not be perfect but the table topper deserves the advantage of a home final.
I really don't think they would have won if they had played in Chch or in some neutral venue.

The "hauting" won't be for long, mate.
Remember - we had been haunted forever until last weekend!
I guarantee you - it's an awful situation to have been in for so long. What was it? 19 years?

I feel ill just thinking about it. All those years we were not quite there... or a long way off.

Well it makes it sweeter when it finally happens mate. Took 24 years to win another RWC! Hoping Crusaders don't have to wait that long. 6 is proving too much. Being there or thereabouts is in a way more painful than being way off the pace. At least you're prepared earlier in the season. Making the semis all the time just about just prolongs the agony!

Haha you deserve the wrappings of victory. Link must be carping himself with Cheika laying down the coach's gauntlet. He basically got the job with the Reds' style of play. He's slowly imposing a similar style of play with Australia but really it's good for the Wallabies to have that competition and even better that it's not a Jake White style of coaching. Cheika proved you can play an attractive style of footy in the big games and that'll get bums on seats if it spills over into the test matches. Australia can't afford too many France second tests or Argentina in Perth last year.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Well it makes it sweeter when it finally happens mate.

That's true.   

I'd like to see the Highlanders win it one day. Even the Canes.

Wouldn't get any complaints from me. Unless they were facing the Crusaders in the final.   

James O'Connor playing for the Queensland Reds next year.

DC is injured, I'm shocked.

Rebels will win this because they are tackling hard and the Crusaders are hapless.

I often get the feeling with the Crusaders that they really dont look like theyve never done much of a pre season, year after year they look very ordinary for the first 6 weeks of the competition, in fairness they do turn up for the months of July to September.

Good on the Rebels for taking their chances.

Thing is Laurie, yes... Richie and Carter are getting on. It must take its toll even gradually for Canterbury.
They'll pick up the pieces as the comp progresses.

But thinking of your national team - you've got all bases covered with younger and now very Test ready players anyway.

Such a strong side with big winning experiences already under their belts.

DC injured alreay, not severely though but even earlier than I picked him to go down. He wasn't firing either, the chip through got tangled up in feet immediately and gave the rebels 9 a try.

Changing of the guard again this year. Best two NZ sides on tonight...

Actually youre right there was a sort of inevitability about that injury, but what was blackadder thinking?

He had a crocked Carter limping at nothing but half pace, its the first game of the season with 6 months to go, he's behind on motionless scoreboard, hes got an All Black test five eigth playing at fullback...... and he does nothing, he keeps Carter on till about 5 minutes to go, meanwhile the Rebels cant believe their luck, they pick up another easy try and wait for the final whistle...

I wish the blues were playing Canterbury next week.

aucklandlaurie wrote:
Actually youre right  there was a sort of inevitability about that injury, but what was blackadder thinking?

He had  a crocked Carter limping at nothing but half pace, its the first game of the season with 6 months to go, he's behind on motionless scoreboard, hes got an All Black test five eigth playing at fullback...... and he does nothing, he keeps Carter on till about 5 minutes to go, meanwhile the Rebels cant believe their luck, they pick up another easy try and wait for the final whistle...

I wish the blues were playing Canterbury next week.

We'll make our own luck Laurie...starts tonight with one big dollop of it required, the Chiefs looking the ones to beat this year.

Taylorman wrote:

aucklandlaurie wrote:
Actually youre right  there was a sort of inevitability about that injury, but what was blackadder thinking?

He had  a crocked Carter limping at nothing but half pace, its the first game of the season with 6 months to go, he's behind on motionless scoreboard, hes got an All Black test five eigth playing at fullback...... and he does nothing, he keeps Carter on till about 5 minutes to go, meanwhile the Rebels cant believe their luck, they pick up another easy try and wait for the final whistle...

I wish the blues were playing Canterbury next week.

We'll make our own luck Laurie...starts tonight with one big dollop of it required, the Chiefs looking the ones to beat this year.

I dont care about beating them this year, I'd be more than happy with just beating them tonight.

Woodcock back, Kaino to skipper, Piutau back, These guys need to look at the ledger, we havent beaten these chiefs for too damn long.

Chiefs looking strong but so did the brumbies. Waratahs as well looked good this morning.

Think those three will be there or there about scone the end if the season.

yappysnap wrote:Chiefs looking strong but so did the brumbies. Waratahs as well looked good this morning.

Think those three will be there or there about scone the end if the season.

Just watching the Chiefs Crusaders match now since it was on during the middle of the night.  After only 30 minutes it is shaping up as a chippy dirty match.  Already two yellow cards for running into a player in the air looking to catch a kick.  In both cases, the chaser did not show even a hint of looking up at the ball.  Both given yellows, but I not sure if that was enough.  If I was savvy enough to isolate the video and share, I would.

Ruck me that was poor from Canterbury.

I wonder how much World Cup timing is contributing to this and how much Hot Toddy is a lemon of a coach. I suspect both in equal measure.

Of course early days yet and every time I call for Blackadder's head, the team come back and look back to their best only to lose out to a team in the semis because they don't have a home game.

But tonight was embarrassing. Well done to the Chiefs and thank goodness the cricket went our way as these kinds of results can really ruin a man's weekend.