Super Rugby 2025

gt12

If the number 1 seed loses in the first week, do they also lose their home field advantage? They should do - whoever loses should automatically be the 4th seed.

Bovidae

Teams will play 14 regular season matches, consisting of seven home games and seven away games, and be allocated two byes.

I am happy that there will be an equal number of home and away games, assuming that there is no Super Round to fuck things up again.

Teams will play four teams twice, with a focus on rivalry match-ups, and the six remaining teams once

Let's wait to see the details.

Also, there will be three family-friendly Sunday afternoon games. I wonder who will get those games?

And, SR starts a week earlier (Friday 14 February).

gt12

@Bovidae

Don't get too excited, they say they'll bring it ack the following year.

I'm sure all of Perth will turn out to see every team there over three days.

What a fucking stupid idea.

KiwiMurph

I don't like it

Just have a top 6 where the top 2 get a first round playoff bye

Kiwiwomble

is it better than top 8?....yes....could it have been better...also yes

Daffy Jaffy

@gt12 "The three winners of the Qualifying Finals will progress to the Semi-Finals.

They will be joined by the highest-seeded losing team (the ‘lucky loser’), who will drop one seeding for the Semi-Final draw."
The way this reads if the top seed loses they only drop to 2nd so still get a home semi ! .

gt12

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Super Rugby 2025:

@gt12 "The three winners of the Qualifying Finals will progress to the Semi-Finals.

They will be joined by the highest-seeded losing team (the ‘lucky loser’), who will drop one seeding for the Semi-Final draw."
The way this reads if the top seed loses they only drop to 2nd so still getting a home semi ! .

Firstly, points off for reading the article

Secondly, WTAF?

antipodean

This is the result of setting up a dedicated, independent commission?

Kiwiwomble

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Super Rugby 2025:

@gt12 "The three winners of the Qualifying Finals will progress to the Semi-Finals.

They will be joined by the highest-seeded losing team (the ‘lucky loser’), who will drop one seeding for the Semi-Final draw."
The way this reads if the top seed loses they only drop to 2nd so still get a home semi ! .

why is that necessary? (asking the world, not you @Daffy-Jaffy )....they have seedings already...why do we need to add a second level of complexity?

canefan

@antipodean said in Super Rugby 2025:

This is the result of setting up a dedicated, independent commission?

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Chris B.

@gt12 said in Super Rugby 2025:

If the number 1 seed loses in the first week, do they also lose their home field advantage? They should do - whoever loses should automatically be the 4th seed.

I guess it's out of fairness to whomever is seeded second.

i.e. Assuming:

1 loses to 6
2 beats 5
3 beats 4

Seeding becomes 2, 1,3,6

Your way - 2 would have to play 1, through no fault of their own.

gt12

@Chris-B said in Super Rugby 2025:

@gt12 said in Super Rugby 2025:

If the number 1 seed loses in the first week, do they also lose their home field advantage? They should do - whoever loses should automatically be the 4th seed.

I guess it's out of fairness to whomever is seeded second.

i.e. Assuming:

1 loses to 6
2 beats 5
3 beats 4

Seeding becomes 2, 1,3,6

Your way - 2 would have to play 1, through no fault of their own.

It was nice of you to highlight how much of a fucking stupid idea this is.

Edit: in that case, they should go down to play 3 away.

darylmitchell

So ultimately, they've gotten rid of 1 finals match and also added an extra bye round.

What a watered-down half arsed farce of a competition.

NZR won’t ever entertain the thought of a longer season. They only care about high performance metrics that relate to the All Blacks - which show the All Blacks performances have gotten progressively worse each year since they reduced Super Rugby down to 14 matches....

So much for 'high performance'. NZR are a bunch of clueless idiots.

KiwiMurph

If you wanted an extra game I would have preferred the NFL style

Top 7

First place gets a bye

2 v 7
3 v 6
4 v 5

Winners go through to semis and join the top team

Dan54

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby 2025:

How do they determine a lucky loser? If the top seed is knocked out, surely they should get a second bite of the cherry. What a shambles.

If the top seed is knocked out they would be lucky loser, so would get 2nd bite mate. Lucky loser is the highest ranked loser, so either 1st and 2nd could lose and get second bite. I think that's fair.

Lets face it fellas, I doesn't matter what they do some will be pissed. I much perfer this idea than top 7 qualifying. Hey I would like top 4 , but that would set up wailing too?

Dan54

@Chris said in Super Rugby 2025:

That is a crazy play off system just adds to more confusion.
It could work out the 3 v 4 play of game could mean nothing.
They have over thought this format.

Wouldn't it mean the loser would play top seed in semis, I think we are trying to hard to rubbish it.

1-6 if won by 6 they get home against lowest qualifier (ie 4 or 3 if 4 win their match)
Same with 2-5.

Chris

@Dan54 said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Chris said in Super Rugby 2025:

That is a crazy play off system just adds to more confusion.
It could work out the 3 v 4 play of game could mean nothing.
They have over thought this format.

Wouldn't it mean the loser would play top seed in semis, I think we are trying to hard to rubbish it.

Yes if it was played last both teams may qualify
If top 2 seeds are through so it is a nothing game if that happens you would think they would not play it as the last game.

Dan54

@Chris said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Dan54 said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Chris said in Super Rugby 2025:

That is a crazy play off system just adds to more confusion.
It could work out the 3 v 4 play of game could mean nothing.
They have over thought this format.

Wouldn't it mean the loser would play top seed in semis, I think we are trying to hard to rubbish it.

Yes if it was played last both teams may qualify
If top 2 seeds are through so it is a nothing game if that happens you would think they would not play it as the last game.

Mate thats not right, I just edited my above post, they are playing for who they play next week if top seeds have qualified. Add to that almost always the lowest knockout is played first!

Chris

@Dan54 said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Chris said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Dan54 said in Super Rugby 2025:

@Chris said in Super Rugby 2025:

That is a crazy play off system just adds to more confusion.
It could work out the 3 v 4 play of game could mean nothing.
They have over thought this format.

Wouldn't it mean the loser would play top seed in semis, I think we are trying to hard to rubbish it.

Yes if it was played last both teams may qualify
If top 2 seeds are through so it is a nothing game if that happens you would think they would not play it as the last game.

Mate thats not right, I just edited my above post, they are playing for who they play next week if top seeds have qualified. Add to that almost always the lowest knockout is played first!

Ok that makes more sense.

darylmitchell

Same old format, except now there's more bye-round weeks for everyone.

All teams play an uneven amount of games against half of the teams.

Refuse to have an open player market like other leagues do.

This competition will be gone in 5 years time.

The Silver Fern

Super Rugby 2025