Super Rugby

[rowan]

Simplest way: 3 6 team conferences with the Jaguares joining NZ and the Sunwolves joining Australia. 10 games against conference rivals still leaves room for 6 games against teams from the other two conferences during the regular season (3 from each)?

ANDY MARINOS SAYS THEY ARE LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE FORMATS
Super Rugby’s controversial format will not be changed next year but a new format could be brought in as soon as the 2018 season.

According to reports SANZAAR has hired a consultancy firm who will look at the format over the next six months and they will map out its 10 year strategic vision (2016-2025).


A major part of the process will be look into the current problematic conference style structure which has teams with less points ranked higher than those with more points.

SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos says that everything will be looked at and considered including expanding into new territories or the reduction of teams in some countries.

It’s unlikely that New Zealand will drop one of their teams and it’s even more unlikely that South Africa will drop a team as they pushed the current expansion to include a sixth team.

There has however been rumblings in Australia about dropping the Force and adding a second team in Sydney.

A yet to be named consultancy company will work with the respective Sanzaar national unions, Super Rugby franchises, broadcasters and commercial partners before they sign off with a new and clear direction at the end of this year.

Critics of the Super Rugby system say that the current format lacks integrity as some teams get easier routes into the play off as they avoid the top teams so regaining some of the compromised integrity and credibility should be a focus.

Read more: http://www.superxv.com/sanzaar-planning ... z490gxmZze

[rowan]

New Zealand teams still with 4/5 top places, including the top 2. Expansion teams rooted to the bottom of the table. Jaguares have been a little disappointing, in my view, but appear more likely to improve in the future than either the Sunwolves or the Kings - neither of whom belong in the championship. A particularly bad year for the Aussies, meanwhile, with even perennial flag-bearers the Brumbies battling mid-table.

[rowan]

2 of the top 3 teams tumble so far this weekend - & it's only Friday

[rowan]

Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Jags blew a 12 point lead in the third quarter to lose 29-22 at the Kings Apparently they were down to 12 players at the end. How did they get so many players sent off??

[rowan]

Sunpoodles looking totally out of their depth, as I predicted.

[rowan]

5 week break now for the spring internationals? Bummer. I'd rather just keep watching Super Rugby

[Lizard]

A few weeks for the Chiefs to pull themselves together might be a good thing.

[rowan]

I was just starting to get interested

[rowan]

Silly me, but I assumed there were going to be some tour matches this weekend, since Super Rugby's on ice for the rest of the month. I mean, don't they play build-up games against provincial sides any more?

[melbournerebel]

Wales play the Chiefs on the 12th

[Puja]

Silly me, but I assumed there were going to be some tour matches this weekend, since Super Rugby's on ice for the rest of the month. I mean, don't they play build-up games against provincial sides any more?

Given that the English, Welsh and Irish players were all involved in matches on the weekend of the 28th/29th, it'd be a bit difficult to turn around for a match on the next weekend. The Irish might just be able to given they're in a similar timezone, but there'd be no way for the Welsh or English.

Puja

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Silly me, but I assumed there were going to be some tour matches this weekend, since Super Rugby's on ice for the rest of the month. I mean, don't they play build-up games against provincial sides any more?

Given that the English, Welsh and Irish players were all involved in matches on the weekend of the 28th/29th, it'd be a bit difficult to turn around for a match on the next weekend. The Irish might just be able to given they're in a similar timezone, but there'd be no way for the Welsh or English.

Puja

The irony of posting this in the Super rugby thread won't be lost on most.

[Puja]

Silly me, but I assumed there were going to be some tour matches this weekend, since Super Rugby's on ice for the rest of the month. I mean, don't they play build-up games against provincial sides any more?

Given that the English, Welsh and Irish players were all involved in matches on the weekend of the 28th/29th, it'd be a bit difficult to turn around for a match on the next weekend. The Irish might just be able to given they're in a similar timezone, but there'd be no way for the Welsh or English.

Puja

The irony of posting this in the Super rugby thread won't be lost on most.

International rugby's a bit different to domestic though.

Puja

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Given that the English, Welsh and Irish players were all involved in matches on the weekend of the 28th/29th, it'd be a bit difficult to turn around for a match on the next weekend. The Irish might just be able to given they're in a similar timezone, but there'd be no way for the Welsh or English.

Puja

The irony of posting this in the Super rugby thread won't be lost on most.

International rugby's a bit different to domestic though.

Puja

Yes, but not in terms of time zones and none of us has to cope with issues of altitude at the same time.

[Puja]

The irony of posting this in the Super rugby thread won't be lost on most.

International rugby's a bit different to domestic though.

Puja

Yes, but not in terms of time zones and none of us has to cope with issues of altitude at the same time.

Well, if they want to have a club competition where they thrash their players without consideration for the workload and stress, then that's their business. I think I'd rather be in a hemisphere where there's proper rest periods and players aren't just ground into the dirt to satisfy a ludicrous fixture list.

...

I'm not helping the irony here, am I?

Puja

[rowan]

Good news for the battling Kings:


NEWS: THE POSSIBILITY OF A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO EASTERN PROVINCE KINGS' FINANCIAL WOES TOOK A GIANT LEAP FORWARD THIS WEEK.

The Kings' American benefactor, PRO Rugby North America's Doug Schoninger, has been in South Africa since the weekend for high-level talks.

Independent liquidator Danie Acker last week confirmed to rugby365 that he is close to 'making a deal' that will bring to a conclusion the protracted liquidation saga of EP Rugby (Pty) Ltd.

And on Wednesday it was confirmed that Schoninger and the liquidators had met - in the presence of a South African Rugby Union representative.

Acker, who was again reluctant to divulge details of the ongoing process, on Wednesday repeated last week's declaration that he is "talking to interested parties".

http://www.rugby365.com/countries/south ... tep-closer

[rowan]

Another developing story here:

The Sanzaar partners are likely to vote unanimously for an extension to the eligibility rule related to foreign players representing their adopted country.

As it stands, a South African player who has not been capped for the Springboks or Junior Boks could qualify to represent another country after just three years of residency, with the likes of Ireland star CJ Stander having completed this qualification.

With so many players heading abroad, SA Rugby would undoubtedly be keen to support means to curb the player drain, while it's reported that New Zealand and Australia would join South Africa and Argentina in supporting a change to the eligibility ruling.

Votes will be cast at a World Rugby council meeting in May, where a two-year extension could be tabled.

http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/detail ... ity-ruling

[rowan]

[rowan]

Canes with a 38-33 pre-season win over arch-rivals Auckland. That's my boys!

2 tries to Jonah Lowe while Milner-Skudder also returned to action.

[rowan]

What happened to the Super Rugby champ v European Cup champ playoff this year? France staged it the last two years, but it doesn't seem to have taken place since. Did it bite the dust?

Either way, really is time they got this thing up and running on a proper basis...

[rowan]

Guess nobody knew the answer to that

Meanwhile, results so far from the Brisbane 10s:

The full slate of matches for today is as follows:

1pm: Rebels 19-5 Chiefs
1.28pm: Wild Knights 15-5 Waratahs
1.56pm: Reds 17-17 Blues
2.29pm: Bulls 14-10 Force
2.57pm: Brumbies 7-14 Highlanders
3.30pm: Samoa 7-12 Crusaders
4.33pm: Rebels 12-17 Wild Knights
5.01pm: Force 12-19 Hurricanes
5.33pm: Chiefs 26-14 Waratahs
6.01pm: Brumbies vs Toulon
7pm: Reds vs Crusaders
7.28pm: Blues vs Samoa
8pm: Highlanders vs Hurricanes
8.28pm: Brumbies vs Bulls
8.56pm: Force vs Toulon

[zer0]

It's cricket season so not many here will have too much of interest in rugby ATM -- myself included. I don't remember there ever being a SR/EPCR match, let alone two of them, but I imagine it's not been played because it's a naff concept.

[rowan]

Sure. Interesting, though. A couple more results just in:


6.01pm: Brumbies 10-0 Toulon
7pm: Reds 0-28 Crusaders

http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/02/11/br ... e-updates/

[rowan]

Last of day 1 results:

7.28pm: Blues 14-27 Samoa
8pm: Highlanders 13-5 Hurricanes
8.28pm: Brumbies 7-5 Bulls
8.56pm: Force 7-5 Toulon

[rowan]

Chiefs took out the Brizzy 10s:

Final

Chiefs 12-7 Crusaders

Semi-finals

Chiefs 26-14 Bulls 14
Crusaders 17-7 Hurricanes 7

Quarter-finals

Chiefs 12-10 Reds 10
Crusaders 12-7 Wild Knights
Bulls 17-12 Force
Hurricanes 7-5 Highlanders

Final pool matches:

Waratahs 14-12 Rebels
Chiefs 33-5 Wild Knights
Reds 12-5 Samoa
Crusaders 17-12 Blues
Hurricanes 32-0 Toulon 0
Bulls 26-17 Highlanders