'Super Rugby' 2021
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"Wallabies defy depth critics"
How? We knew they had 23 good players, but probably not 150+.
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@Snowy not saying it's 'fixed' but 3 debutants and a bunch on 1 or so caps fronted up - most of them young. Plenty of other youngsters in the wings. What was it, 2 starting fifteen players retained from last year?
@Derpus NZ had three debutants too - and our most experienced back was Rieko with 29 caps!
At times the forward alignment was all over the shop, as the system bedded in. I think we've got a lot of upside once the team plays together; hopefully far more than the Wobs who played really well
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@Snowy not saying it's 'fixed' but 3 debutants and a bunch on 1 or so caps fronted up - most of them young. Plenty of other youngsters in the wings. What was it, 2 starting fifteen players retained from last year?
@Derpus Something like that.
Certainly aquited themselves well. Having a decent coach sure helps too.
Still not sure about the "depth" headline though. A full super season and a few internationals might show some cracks - but it probably would for us too.
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@Derpus Something like that.
Certainly aquited themselves well. Having a decent coach sure helps too.
Still not sure about the "depth" headline though. A full super season and a few internationals might show some cracks - but it probably would for us too.
@Snowy said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
Still not sure about the "depth" headline though. A full super season and a few internationals might show some cracks - but it probably would for us too.
IF (and it's a big if) SA rock up for the Rugby Championship, it's going to stress the players bigtime. 6 big games in a row - load management will be critical to not get knocked over at the end of the tourney.
I can see us losing to Argentina ... there's an argument for them to play their B side for the first few weeks, and then bring their best players off the bench and start them towards the end of the comp...
EDIT: for clarification, I can see the potential for us to play poorly at the end of the comp, and a fresher/more motivated side could get up on us
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@Snowy said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
Still not sure about the "depth" headline though. A full super season and a few internationals might show some cracks - but it probably would for us too.
IF (and it's a big if) SA rock up for the Rugby Championship, it's going to stress the players bigtime. 6 big games in a row - load management will be critical to not get knocked over at the end of the tourney.
I can see us losing to Argentina ... there's an argument for them to play their B side for the first few weeks, and then bring their best players off the bench and start them towards the end of the comp...
EDIT: for clarification, I can see the potential for us to play poorly at the end of the comp, and a fresher/more motivated side could get up on us
@nzzp said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@Snowy said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
Still not sure about the "depth" headline though. A full super season and a few internationals might show some cracks - but it probably would for us too.
IF (and it's a big if) SA rock up for the Rugby Championship, it's going to stress the players bigtime. 6 big games in a row - load management will be critical to not get knocked over at the end of the tourney.
I can see us losing to Argentina ... there's an argument for them to play their B side for the first few weeks, and then bring their best players off the bench and start them towards the end of the comp...
I dunno how many of their top players are even in Oz, I've not seen a squad list that are actually there and available
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@KiwiMurph a 5+5 comp is miles better than 5 + Force + Pacific RagTag + Ilford Seconds that was mentioned.
NZR have done very very poorly recently. The Board must look pretty hard at this, and deliver some firm messages
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@KiwiMurph can't really see that as forcing since NZR announced that was one of their preferred options prior to the Xmas quarantine fiasco
@Machpants said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@KiwiMurph can't really see that as forcing since NZR announced that was one of their preferred options prior to the Xmas quarantine fiasco
Sumo isn't the most objective.
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@Derpus NZ had three debutants too - and our most experienced back was Rieko with 29 caps!
At times the forward alignment was all over the shop, as the system bedded in. I think we've got a lot of upside once the team plays together; hopefully far more than the Wobs who played really well
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NZPA says wind your fucking neck in to NZR
And they're right
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Looks like common sense prevailed/NZR backed the fuck down from being tossers
@Machpants said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
Looks like common sense prevailed/NZR backed the fuck down from being tossers
Not really. There is still two round of SRA like this year but then a few crossover matches afterwards. Its what I want in the future. Start off with SRA with only 5 team (8 games per team) with no semis etc but also have a crossover knockout including as many teams as possible. Maybe yearly including SA Aust and NZ and maybe Wales Ireland and Scotland Japan PI etc as well, It might be possible to have a world event say every 4 years. Pools of 5 teams and winners progress to the finals for example. Quarters semi and finals in one location maybe. Anything but the ridiculous travel nonsense with SR finals
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A couple of different trans- Ta$man formats are suggested.
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@Kirwan said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
I hope they go back to a format where all teams play each other once.
I just don't think Aust teams will be good enough (if they stick with 5). And 5 strong NZ teams almost always beating 5 weaker Aust (4 teams can't compete) is bad for Aust rugby. So either NZ help aust by allowing our players to join their teams. Or don't have a combined competition as the main event
Also is 11 games enough (assuming 12 teams)?
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@Kirwan said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
I hope they go back to a format where all teams play each other once.
I just don't think Aust teams will be good enough (if they stick with 5). And 5 strong NZ teams almost always beating 5 weaker Aust (4 teams can't compete) is bad for Aust rugby. So either NZ help aust by allowing our players to join their teams. Or don't have a combined competition as the main event
Also is 11 games enough (assuming 12 teams)?
@Winger said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@Kirwan said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
I hope they go back to a format where all teams play each other once.
I just don't think Aust teams will be good enough (if they stick with 5). And 5 strong NZ teams almost always beating 5 weaker Aust (4 teams can't compete) is bad for Aust rugby. So either NZ help aust by allowing our players to join their teams. Or don't have a combined competition as the main event
Also is 11 games enough (assuming 12 teams)?
Ignoring their depth issue (that has been changable in the past with the Tahs winning, same with the Brumbies), 11 games then a short finals series is plenty. If my maths isn't terrible isn't that over three months of rugby?
Quality over quantity, and if the broadcaster wants more rugby, get the super rugby players into NPC and show that. Less cutover seperate parts of the season NPC/Super/Tests. That's a lot of rugby.
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Via an email I received:
The 2021 Super Rugby Draw is scheduled to be announced next week with the season kicking off from February 27, 2021. 2021 Memberships will include 4 x home matches against all NZ opponents & 2 x home matches against Australian opponents.So that implies a full set of home and away games for each NZ team and either 4 or 5 Aust teams in the competition.
