Super Rugby News

Duluth

So the Bulls were the only home team to win in round one

Stargazer

 Hurricanes and All Blacks starting first-five Barrett is expected to miss next weekend's Super Rugby derby against the Crusaders in Christchurch while taking extended All Blacks leave.

James Marshall, who can cover 10 or 15, lasted five minutes in his Hurricanes return as a second-half substitute in their 20-19 win over the Waratahs on Saturday. He was taken to hospital after the match with a dislocated shoulder.

Hurricanes coach John Plumtree was asked post-match about his side's depth at first-five given Marshall's loss.

"We've obviously got Jackson Garden-Bachop to fall back on and Beauden coming back, eventually, so it's not all doom and gloom," he said.

 Plumtree said Barrett would be back with the squad next week after spending two and a half weeks on his honeymoon.

"Beauden will be back in next week, but we won't be rushing him back. He's got a process around his contact, so we'll make a call on that when we get home."

It will likely fall to Fletcher Smith to once again start, with Garden-Bachop on the bench.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/110651634/beauden-barrett-expected-to-miss-derby-showdown-with-richie-mounga

Duluth

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/110653470/super-rugby-crusaders-on-the-hunt-for-prop-cover-after-all-black-tim-perry-breaks-arm

Tim

@Duluth

As far as cover options go, loosehead Isileli Tu'ungafasi trained with the Crusaders during pre-season but is sidelined with a calf strain. Another option could be Otago prop Donald Brighouse, who impressed when called into the team as injury cover during their title run last season.

What's Jarred Adams up to? Guess he may be a bit off the fitness level required for Super Rugby?

Is Nic Mayhew still injured? He was prefered over Eves at Harbour last year.

Tim

@Tim said in Super Rugby News:

Is Nic Mayhew still injured? He was prefered over Eves at Harbour last year.

Playing for Yorkshire Carnegie.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/yorkshire-carnegie/yorkshire-carnegie-keep-it-in-the-family-with-kiwi-capture-nic-mayhew-1-9424413

Tim

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/110672842/super-rugby-all-blacks-foundation-days-set-to-again-disrupt-the-five-kiwi-franchises

Stargazer

Every week throughout Super Rugby we will award points to the three best performing rookies and at the end of the season a New Zealand Investec Super Rugby Rookie of the Year will be named.

Not sure who they mean with "we" though.
NZR? The editors of the NZ Super Rugby website? Or, heaven forbid, commentators at games (like the Duane Monkley Medal in the M10 Cup)?

NOTE: The qualification for rookies is players that are either playing in their first season of Super Rugby or who are playing their first season as a contracted player and have played less than five games prior to 2019.

Round 1:
3 Points: Tom Robinson (Blues)
2 Points: Bailyn Sullivan (Chiefs)
1 point: Etene Nanai-Seturo (Chiefs)

http://www.superrugby.co.nz/News/33730/rookie-watch-chiefs-wingers-shine

Daffy Jaffy

Match : Highlanders v Reds
Date : Friday 22 February
Venue : Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick Off local: 19:35
Referee: Federico Anselmi
Assistant Ref 1:Nick Briant
Assistant Ref 2:James Doleman
TMO : Glenn Newman

Match : Sunwolves v Waratahs
Date : Saturday 23 February
Venue : Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
Kick Off local: 13:15
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant Ref 1:Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Ref 2:Shuhei Kubo
TMO : Minoru Fuji

Match :Crusaders v Hurricanes
Date :Saturday 23 February
Venue : AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Kick Off local: 19:35
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Ref 1:Federico Anselmi
Assistant Ref 2: Nick Briant
TMO :Glenn Newman

Match : Brumbies v Chiefs
Date : Saturday 23 February
Venue : GIO Stadium, Canberra
Kick Off local: 19:45
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Ref 1:Damon Murphy
Assistant Ref 2:Graham Cooper
TMO : Ian Smith

Match : Sharks v Blues
Date : Saturday 23 February
Venue : Kings Park , Durban
Kick Off local: 15:05
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Ref 1:Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant Ref 2:Griffon Colby
TMO : Marius Jonker

Match :Stormers v Lions
Date : Saturday 23 February
Venue : Newlands, Cape Town
Kick Off local: 17:15
Referee: Egon Seconds
Assistant Ref 1: Divan Uys
Assistant Ref 2:Aimee Barrat-Theron
TMO :Christie du Preez

Match : Jaguares v Bulls
Date : Saturday 23 February
Venue : Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires
Kick Off local: 18:40
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant Ref 1:Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant Ref 2:Mike Fraser
TMO : Santiago Borsani

Canes4life

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/110838739/super-rugby-hurricanes-whistle-up-lions-lock-andries-ferreira--sa-report

KiwiMurph

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/02/25/super-rugby-waratahs-latu-hearing

Waratahs hooker Tolu Latu has been suspended for six weeks for dangerous play in the final stages of NSW's Tokyo win.

Latu faced a SANZAAR hearing on Monday night after being cited for an incident in the 79th minute of their 31-30 win over the Sunwolves when the hooker appeared to dive at the knee of Sunwolves flanker Ed Quirk.

Latu will not be available to play for the Waratahs until their April 27 clash against the Sharks at Western Sydney Stadium.

He will miss five matches in total with the Waratahs on a bye this week.

antipodean

@KiwiMurph He's a brainless clown. Good to see these sorts of bans being issued for those types of "tackles". Sinckler should have been cited for one against Wales.

Bones

@antipodean he seems to have really one to town on the cynical and foul play this season? Too fit now and just finding stuff to do?

Daffy Jaffy

Match : Hurricanes v Brumbies
Date : Friday 1 March
Venue : Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North
Kick Off local: 19:35
Referee: Nick Briant
Assistant Ref 1:Federico Anselmi
Assistant Ref 2:Nick Hogan
TMO : Aaron Paterson

Match : Rebels v Highlanders
Date : Friday 1 March
Venue : AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick Off local: 19:45
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant Ref 1:Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Ref 2:Damon Murphy
TMO : Ian Smith

Match : Chiefs v Sunwolves
Date : Saturday 2 March
Venue : FMG Stadium, Waikato
Kick Off local: 19:35
Referee: Federico Anselmi
Assistant Ref 1: Nick Briant
Assistant Ref 2: Dan Waenga
TMO :Shane McDermott

Match : Reds v Crusaders
Date : Saturday 2 March
Venue : Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick Off local: 18:45
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Ref 1:AJ Jacobs
Assistant Ref 2:Damon Murphy
TMO :George Ayoub

Match : Lions v Bulls
Date : Saturday 2 March
Venue : Emirates Airlines (Ellis) Park, Johannesburg
Kick Off local: 15:05
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Ref 1:Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant Ref 2: Griffon Colby
TMO : Marius Jonker

Match : Sharks v Stormers
Date : Saturday 2 March
Venue : Kings Park , Durban
Kick Off local: 17:15
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Ref 1:Egon Seconds
Assistant Ref 2:Divan Uys
TMO :Willie Vos

Match : Jaguares v Blues
Date : Saturday 2 March
Venue : Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires
Kick Off local: 18:40
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant Ref 1:Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 2:Brendon Pickerill
TMO : Santiago Borsani

Tim

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Super Rugby News:

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

Fuck.

Crucial

@Tim said in Super Rugby News:

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Super Rugby News:

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

Fuck.

More evidence to my stance that dragging a team off the bottom rung is way harder than just selections and coaching ability.
You have to navigate having the shit draw and the shit refs as other teams are deemed more 'important' by ranking.

Stargazer

@Crucial Are you suggesting that ref appointments are influenced by how teams are ranked?

Crucial

@Stargazer said in Super Rugby News:

@Crucial Are you suggesting that ref appointments are influenced by how teams are ranked?

Yeah, I think they are (to an extent). There are probably a number of factors such as availability, location, the 'team of four' etc but certainly they would avoid putting a rookie in charge of a high interest game.

Stargazer

@Crucial I haven't seen any evidence of that during the first rounds.

This is from SANZAAR's website:

Following a comprehensive review of match official performances in 2018 and to ensure continued growth in the referee team performance, the team has been reduced from 17 to 15 referees. Another outcome from the review will see all match referees, assistant referees and television match official appointments being made by SANZAAR. When required, due to logistical and operational requirements, SANZAAR will utilise match officials from outside the team of 15 that allows for the development of local talent.

“The team is a well balanced mix of referees with Test and Super Rugby experience and several emerging referees who now have one or two seasons under their belt. The experience in the team comes from Jaco Peyper and Glen Jackson, who have refereed 95 and 77 matches respectively, while we also have a group around the 40-60 mark including Angus Gardner, Nick Briant, Ben O’Keeffe and Mike Fraser. Making their Super Rugby debuts this year will be AJ Jacobs and Damon Murphy,” said Super Rugby Game Manager, Lyndon Bray.

“What is exciting for 2019, is that our 15 referees will be working closely in five pods of three, with each pod refereeing together on as many of their games as is practical (referee and assistant referees).  This will inevitably help the efficiency of their teamwork and the way in which they can support each other, both on and off the field.”

What was clear from the first rounds is that each pod officiates one or two games per weekend, but the roles are not the same in each game. So a ref in one game, will be an AR in another, and vice versa. The pod of refs that was in Argentina in week 1 is the same as the pod in week 2 and 3, and obviously that has been done to avoid travel.

For example:

week 1

Match Jaguares v Lions @ Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires
Date Saturday 16 February
Kick-off 18:40 local
Referee Mike Fraser
AR1 Brendon Pickerill
AR2 Rasta Rasivhenge
TMO Santiago Borsani

week 2
Match Jaguares v Bulls @ Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires
Date Saturday 23 February
Kick-off 18:40 local
Referee Brendon Pickerill
AR1 Rasta Rasivhenge
AR2 Mike Fraser
TMO Santiago Borsani

week 3
Match Jaguares v Blues @ Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires
Date Saturday 2 March
Kick-off 18:40 local
Referee Rasta Rasivhenge
AR1 Mike Fraser
AR2 Brendon Pickerill
TMO Santiago Borsani

After this game, the Jaguares will travel, so this pod will travel as well.

To use another pod as an example:

week 1
Match Chiefs v Highlanders @ FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Date Friday 15 February
Kick-off 19:35 local
Referee Glen Jackson
AR1 Federico Anselmi
AR2 Nick Briant
TMO Aaron Paterson

Match Blues v Crusaders @ Eden Park, Auckland
Date Saturday 16 February
Kick-off 19:35 local
Referee Nick Briant
AR1 Federico Anselmi
AR2 Dan Waenga
TMO Ben Skeen

week 2
Match Highlanders v Reds @ Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Date Friday 22 February
Kick-off 19:35 local
Referee Federico Anselmi
AR1 Nick Briant
AR2 James Doleman
TMO Glenn Newman

Match Crusaders v Hurricanes @ Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch
Date Saturday 23 February
Kick-off 19:35 local
Referee Ben O'Keeffe
AR1 Federico Anselmi
AR2 Nick Briant
TMO Glenn Newman

week 3
Match Hurricanes v Brumbies @ Central Energy Arena, Palmerston North
Date Friday 1 March
Kick-off 19:35 local
Referee Nick Briant
AR1 Federico Anselmi
AR2 Nick Hogan
TMO Aaron Paterson

Match Chiefs v Sunwolves @ FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Date Saturday 2 March
Kick-off 19:35 local
Referee Federico Anselmi
AR1 Nick Briant
AR2 Dan Waenga
TMO Shane McDermott

In this second example, you that Anselmi and Briant are in the same pod, officiate two games - in New Zealand - per weekend together, in each of the first three rounds.. The third ref is less clear, it could be Jackson, but he officiates fewer games, probably because he's involved in officiating Six Nations (IRC). You see the same with - for example - O'Keefe and Gardner.

Referees Jacobs and van der Westhuizen have been on duty together, first in Singapore and then in Tokyo, but now the Sunwolves are travelling, so this weekend they're officiating two games in Australia.

To me, it looks all very rational - with a lot of consideration for logistics - and don't see any reason to suspect a team's ranking has anything to do with which referee is officiating their games.

By the way, Jaguares v Lions and Jaguares v Bulls can be considered "high interest games" in the South African conference. The Blues get the same pod for their match against the Jaguares.

Crucial

@Stargazer , I get all of that which is why I mentioned the 'team of 4' (didn't realise the term was now 'pod') and logistics/ location.
When these 'locals' or pod members get elevated to reffing a match you can be certain it will be when lower ranked teams are playing and not, for example, when the Crusaders play the Highlanders.

Team 'ranking' will come into consideration in ref allocation at both ends of the scale.

Stargazer

@Crucial I seriously doubt that will play any role in the round robin, but - obviously - the best & more experienced refs will be involved in the finals. Of course, if anyone is looking for a reason to complain about a referee appointment, they can always find one. :winking_face:

Edited to add:
By the way, assuming you're right, would you really prefer that the lower ranked refs get the conference derbies, so that the more experienced refs are free to officiate the other games?

The Silver Fern

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