What Can Be Learned From SuperRugby?

First topic message reminder :

Watching the highlights as a curtain raiser for the U20's game a few things struck me:

(1) South African rugby doesn't seem to have moved on. New personnel in the Bulls pack. Same game plan. Same result, despite none of the kickers on display being able to reliably hit a barn door from predictably long altitude-enhanced range.

Conclusion: No one will be scared.

(2) Australian rugby hasn't moved on. Some very special looking backs out there. Still a staggering lack of ability to turn up a set of forwards. I'm sure the Wallaby incumbents will be out in force for the Reds/Waratahs tomorrow. But seriously, Deans must be looking for an exit clause in his contract before the Lions show up and torture his tortuous record even further.

Conclusion: No one will be scared.

(3) New Zealand rugby hasn't moved on. The composed by limited Crusaders missing McCaw and Carter predictably pipped the structureless and wasteful Blues with world cup golden boy Piri Weepu having gained 3 stone and lost the ability to put the ball between the posts. The only highlight was witnessing the Blues copying Hodgson in going in for a charge down try from a careless kicj from the off-song Israel Dagg.

Conclusion: No one will be scared.

It seems that after the world cup, the SH may have peaked and now be in need of serious rebuilding. However we're not seeing the kind of lightning sparks and green shoots from the bottom half of the world that we're seeing here in the NH.

None of it lived up to the standard we're used to seeing here at club level, let alone the fabulous spectacle that we saw two weeks ago.

Does this mean tomorrow's game may be more important than we thought? Could we be watching a game who's outcome will determine the 1st and 2nd best teams in world rugby?

OzT wrote:

biltongbek wrote:Yeah, I am now in the satirical phase of my recovery.

Phew that's flipping deep mate!!! Well good on ya!!

LOL!!

Yeah well, I wouldn't have had to go through these expensive therapy sessions, if it never happened.

Wonder if I can sue old Bruce for punitive damages.

I mean looking at the cost of therapy I might as well fork out for an attorney as well, in for a penny in for a pound and all that, eh.

No wait, a class action will work much better, there must be thousands of South Africans suffering and in need of some reimbursement on therapy sessions.

Well other than my Crusaders pick - which was tactical - I have got all the other picks right.

If Cowan were a horse, he´d be taken out to a paddock and shot. I hope he goes nowhere near the ABs team. It´s embarrassing to see him play.

I´m not even going to comment on the OP. My post would never reach his world so why bother.

Was Cowan so bad? I really used to like his gameplay.

He was a donkey. A lame donkey who was so laboured in his passing that you felt like closing your eyes whenever he came near the ball. Yes mate, he was that bad.

Whats happened to him then? Whenever i have seen him (been a while now admittedly) he has looked a class act.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:He was a donkey. A lame donkey who was so laboured in his passing that you felt like closing your eyes whenever he came near the ball. Yes mate, he was that bad.

His no-look pass was a bit of genius...until he looked and realised there were 0 supporting players, and then had to watch as the chiefs swept downfield and scored under the posts. Idiot.

Who was the replacement 9 for the chiefs late on? Leonard was having a good game by his standards, but despite leaking points I thought the shaggy head guy looked the business.