Super Rugby 2025
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby 2025:
With the round robin now over, it would be interesting to see how many players from each team never took the field. I am not talking about those with long-term injuries, but the squad players who have spent the season training but never playing.
For the Chiefs, the only players who have never played a minute are Fiti Sa and Liam Coombes-Fabling, both returning from off-season surgery. All other players had some time on the field (not many for Trask).
Ake Darry Grindlay Spencer Paul for Blues
Cashmore Poliko Taula Allen for Canes
Brewis Gardiner for Sanders
Michaels Sanders and poss Wingham for Landers
Papuni and Fomai for MP
Sa and Coombes fabling for Chiefs.
Hard to fathom the Blues and Canes treatment of some young players. -
@ARHS I thought I could remember both Papuni and Wingham being named on their respective teams benches this season, is this the case that they were named and just didn't get on
@Trig I've just double checked, there was a game where Tauelangi was a late call up for Moana Pasifika which I had wrongly remembered as being Papuni called up for. And for Wingham he was named on the bench for the Highlanders against Moana but was not used
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Was he the one that made that rapid break away try against the ABs that was then disallowed? I remember thinking he looked very athletic for a lock
@DurryMexted said in Super Rugby 2025:
Was he the one that made that rapid break away try against the ABs that was then disallowed? I remember thinking he looked very athletic for a lock
Yes on YouTube (plus another good one against Canada)
Search 'Warner Dearns disallowed try JAPAN v NZ rugby' -
For anyone still confused on the finals format for this year's competition, below are all the possible playoff scenarios from the quarter finals this week.
Scenario 1
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Hurricanes (4), Crusaders (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 2
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Brumbies (4), Crusaders (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 3
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Brumbies (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 4
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Hurricanes (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 5
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 6
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 7
Winners: Blues, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Brumbies (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Scenario 8
Winners: Blues, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Hurricanes (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:
For anyone still confused on the finals format for this year's competition, below are all the possible playoff scenarios from the quarter finals this week.
Scenario 1
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Hurricanes (4), Crusaders (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 2
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Brumbies (4), Crusaders (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 3
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Brumbies (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 4
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Hurricanes (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 5
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 6
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 7
Winners: Blues, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Brumbies (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Scenario 8
Winners: Blues, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Hurricanes (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Thanks for taking the time to do this
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
English Premiership
Top 4 teams involved
2 Semis
1 FinalIt's not fucking rocket science
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@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:
For anyone still confused on the finals format for this year's competition, below are all the possible playoff scenarios from the quarter finals this week.
Scenario 1
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Hurricanes (4), Crusaders (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 2
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Brumbies (4), Crusaders (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 3
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Brumbies (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 4
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Hurricanes (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 5
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 6
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 7
Winners: Blues, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Brumbies (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Scenario 8
Winners: Blues, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Hurricanes (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Thanks for taking the time to do this
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
English Premiership
Top 4 teams involved
2 Semis
1 FinalIt's not fucking rocket science
@MiketheSnow said in Super Rugby 2025:
@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:
For anyone still confused on the finals format for this year's competition, below are all the possible playoff scenarios from the quarter finals this week.
Scenario 1
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Hurricanes (4), Crusaders (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 2
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Brumbies (4), Crusaders (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 3
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Brumbies (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 4
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Hurricanes (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 5
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 6
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 7
Winners: Blues, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Brumbies (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Scenario 8
Winners: Blues, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Hurricanes (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Thanks for taking the time to do this
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
English Premiership
Top 4 teams involved
2 Semis
1 FinalIt's not fucking rocket science
We measure everything against the NRL and they have system where top teams get extra chances so we have to do the same, just shitter.
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@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:
For anyone still confused on the finals format for this year's competition, below are all the possible playoff scenarios from the quarter finals this week.
Scenario 1
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Hurricanes (4), Crusaders (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 2
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Brumbies (4), Crusaders (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 3
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Brumbies (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 4
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Hurricanes (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 5
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 6
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 7
Winners: Blues, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Brumbies (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Scenario 8
Winners: Blues, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Hurricanes (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Thanks for taking the time to do this
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
English Premiership
Top 4 teams involved
2 Semis
1 FinalIt's not fucking rocket science
@MiketheSnow said in Super Rugby 2025:
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
It's all about maximising the games played to please the broadcasters. Common sense never applies.
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@Yeetyaah said in Super Rugby 2025:
Only super team he follows on instaI’d take him over Tucker any day then.
@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:
@Yeetyaah said in Super Rugby 2025:
Only super team he follows on instaI’d take him over Tucker any day then.
It would be nice for the Canes to have a lock over 6ft
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@Tim said in Super Rugby 2025:
If theyr'e going to have a "lucky loser" then that team should drop to the bottom spot.
Couple of things to consider here.
1/ That effectively means whether you're seeded first, second, third or fourth, the 'lucky loser' reward is the same if you're the only loser in that contingent.
2/ Probably more importantly - and I'm sure they consulted with the teams on this - it can unfairly punish higher-ranked sides who don't lose. If the Chiefs were to lose against the Blues this weekend then suddenly the Crusaders would end up playing the minor premiers in their next match, which probably isn't an ideal outcome for them.
That's not to say this isn't a silly system at all, just that there are a lot of factors that have to be weighed up when introducting the whole lucky loser concept. There's really no good system with a six-team final.
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They would have been better off doing a top 7 and the top seed gets a bye
That way they get their 3 games in playoff week 1 yet no lucky loser bullshit
@KiwiMurph said in Super Rugby 2025:
They would have been better off doing a top 7 and the top seed gets a bye
That way they get their 3 games in playoff week 1 yet no lucky loser bullshit
They would've consulted on this too and I'm sure every team would have said they don't want a bye going into the finals. It was useful when the competition was cross-continental, but otherwise it's a massive momentum killer.
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Yeah, there's no prefect system with an 11 team comp, especially if you want all playoff teams playing with no byes.
I'd prefer no byes because as already mentioned, it can be a momentum killer, for the team and fans alike.
8 out of 11 playoff teams is too many.
4 is too few (in my opinion anyway).
5 would be a good number, but how do you get 5 down to 4 then 2, without it being convoluted.
6 I like, but as mentioned before, the scheduling of 3v4 last is just daft.
The downside of the current system is that the lucky loser could be the 4th ranked team.
So if 1,2 & 3 win then 4 gets rewarded for lossing, and as they are already the lowest seed they don't get punished.I hope either the chiefs or the crusaders lose (especially the chiefs, I'm a blues fan) so as the Brumbies v hurricanes match isn't a dud.
Having said that, I'm happy to see how it plays out.
This round is just to determine the semifinal line up, then it's total knockout. -
Will post in here because there’s no Canes 2026 thread.
Some inside word on Warner Dearns to carry on from yesterday discussion. I put some feelers out and got told this.
The Hurricanes have got him but it’s all very under wraps right now. His team in Japan is announcing he is heading off over the next week or 2 and then the Hurricanes will follow suit - It’s a 2026 only sabbatical to my understanding at this stage.
There you go Canes fans. Big news.
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Will post in here because there’s no Canes 2026 thread.
Some inside word on Warner Dearns to carry on from yesterday discussion. I put some feelers out and got told this.
The Hurricanes have got him but it’s all very under wraps right now. His team in Japan is announcing he is heading off over the next week or 2 and then the Hurricanes will follow suit - It’s a 2026 only sabbatical to my understanding at this stage.
There you go Canes fans. Big news.
@Landers92 said in Super Rugby 2025:
Will post in here because there’s no Canes 2026 thread.
Some inside word on Warner Dearns to carry on from yesterday discussion. I put some feelers out and got told this.
The Hurricanes have got him but it’s all very under wraps right now. His team in Japan is announcing he is heading off over the next week or 2 and then the Hurricanes will follow suit - It’s a 2026 only sabbatical to my understanding at this stage.
There you go Canes fans. Big news.
Fantastic news. I wonder if that will mean he plays NPC rugby for Wellington, considering he's from here.
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Given the amazing record in recent years in the Super Rugby playoffs, surely the Crusaders should be seen as the most likely team to lift the trophy this year.
@sparky said in Super Rugby 2025:
Given the amazing record in recent years in the Super Rugby playoffs, surely the Crusaders should be seen as the most likely team to lift the trophy this year.
This Crusader's team is beatable. The Reds this week, and the Brumbies/Canes next week need to find a way to not get overawed by the Crusaders, the cold and their record.
I still think the Chiefs are favourite if they keep home advantage.
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@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:
For anyone still confused on the finals format for this year's competition, below are all the possible playoff scenarios from the quarter finals this week.
Scenario 1
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Hurricanes (4), Crusaders (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 2
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Brumbies (4), Crusaders (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 3
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Brumbies (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 4
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Hurricanes (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 5
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 6
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 7
Winners: Blues, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Brumbies (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Scenario 8
Winners: Blues, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Hurricanes (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Thanks for taking the time to do this
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
English Premiership
Top 4 teams involved
2 Semis
1 FinalIt's not fucking rocket science
@MiketheSnow said in Super Rugby 2025:
@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:
For anyone still confused on the finals format for this year's competition, below are all the possible playoff scenarios from the quarter finals this week.
Scenario 1
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Hurricanes (4), Crusaders (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 2
Winners: Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Brumbies (4), Crusaders (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 3
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Brumbies (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 4
Winners: Chiefs, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Chiefs (1) v Reds (4), Hurricanes (2) v Crusaders (3)Scenario 5
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Brumbies
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Brumbies (3)Scenario 6
Winners: Blues, Crusaders and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Crusaders (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Hurricanes (3)Scenario 7
Winners: Blues, Reds and Brumbies
Semifinals: Brumbies (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Scenario 8
Winners: Blues, Reds and Hurricanes
Semifinals: Hurricanes (1) v Blues (4), Chiefs (2) v Reds (3)Thanks for taking the time to do this
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
English Premiership
Top 4 teams involved
2 Semis
1 FinalIt's not fucking rocket science
Which is what I prefer, but also I think when we look at it's not rocket science, they get paid by how many games are on tv, and finals rate higher. Hell I would drop finals altogether and have first past post which is an indication of whole season.
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@MiketheSnow said in Super Rugby 2025:
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
It's all about maximising the games played to please the broadcasters. Common sense never applies.
@Bovidae said in Super Rugby 2025:
@MiketheSnow said in Super Rugby 2025:
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
It's all about maximising the games played to please the broadcasters. Common sense never applies.
This is modern Super. It's not 'best rugby' any more, it's driven by broadcaster imperatives. Which ironically weakens the comp and makes it less valuable.
12 teams. Full round robin. Semis and finals. Epic. It worked.
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby 2025:
@MiketheSnow said in Super Rugby 2025:
But with 8 possible scenarios it just emphasises how fucking retarded the whole thing is
It's all about maximising the games played to please the broadcasters. Common sense never applies.
This is modern Super. It's not 'best rugby' any more, it's driven by broadcaster imperatives. Which ironically weakens the comp and makes it less valuable.
12 teams. Full round robin. Semis and finals. Epic. It worked.
@nzzp said in Super Rugby 2025:
This is modern Super. It's not 'best rugby' any more, it's driven by broadcaster imperatives
..and one of things they want to avoid is a 4 teams finals with no Aussies. In most year all that would take is the Brumbies to have a below par season
6 teams makes it much more likely that there are 2 Aussie sides. Brumbies are a small market so they really want a NSW or Queensland there
Yes it distorts things but that's the reality
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I honestly don't know what is answer, what I will say when you have 4 team finals (my preference, after first past post) you will have moans because there too many meaningless games towards end regular season too. I dislike we have to make comp what TV wants, but let's face it ,unless we want amateur comp with no payments we got to listen to what the man with money wants? I not aware of many pro sports who don't do what tv wants.
