Super Rugby 2025
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The only 'better' system I can think of for a six-team finals series that doesn't involve bye weeks would see the top two seeds pick their opposition from the bottom three (and then the top seed gets to pick their semi-final opposition). The lucky loser from the qualifying finals would automatically drop into the second tier, losing their right to a home match.
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Yep Mr Fish, I can't think of best systems. Knock out rugby is a shit way to find a champion anyway I think.
Not keen on this system for knockouts (6 teams) but it's all about more so called meaningful games for tv isn't it?
And even with Chiefs not dropping to bottom of the pack after losing? Would Crusaders think it a great idea as top top of the tree to have to play Chiefs in SF? I think they would prefer the 6th place qualifier. -
@Mr-Fish As others have noted - it's all driven by TV revenues.
In the old days, we had Super12 with four semi-finalists.
Now we've got 11 teams and six teams in the play-offs.
We could have axed the Blues and the Reds. Reds fans probably wouldn't mind that much, but I reckon there will be a shitload of Blues fans tuning in this coming Friday night.
I don't mind it. Everyone knows the rules at the start and I like watching rugby.
It can lead to a slightly bogus champion, but usually doesn't.
Probably more fuss should be made of winning the "minor premiership".
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So if the Chiefs had won, what would the games next week have looked like?
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby 2025:
So if the Chiefs had won, what would the games next week have looked like?
Chiefs v Hurricanes
Crusaders v Brumbies -
For all the good of this season, we've played for 18 weeks, seen some great upsets, but at the end, two New Zealand sides have been clearly better than the rest of the competition, and the Australian sides have fallen flat.
The Brumbies were good for large patches, but at no stage did you expect them to lose. The Hurricanes would have put up more of a fight - I'd even go as far to say as a full-strength Highlanders team would have been no worse.
If the Aussie sides can't compete at the business end, it is always going to hold back the competition, because there is no way to build hype for a semi-final, which everybody knows the result of before it is played.
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This is a ripper story about Jamie Joseph.
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@Bones said in Super Rugby 2025:
@Duluth said in Super Rugby 2025:
There was an article that briefly mentioned the sky viewership. Apparently it was up 15% this year
but people are turning away from the game and not bothering to watch
'Unions gay, League's way better'?
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@African-Monkey said in Super Rugby 2025:
@Bones said in Super Rugby 2025:
@Duluth said in Super Rugby 2025:
There was an article that briefly mentioned the sky viewership. Apparently it was up 15% this year
but people are turning away from the game and not bothering to watch
'Unions gay, League's way better'?
Up da Wahs
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@African-Monkey played golf with a work colleague on Saturday and he rushes off to watch the Wahs, I get home, no rugby so decide to have a watch for the 2nd time this season...15 mins.
Probably not a good match to try and reignite watching league (I think everytime I do they shit the bed...)
Sorry Wahs fans.
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby 2025:
@African-Monkey played golf with a work colleague on Saturday and he rushes off to watch the Wahs, I get home, no rugby so decide to have a watch for the 2nd time this season...15 mins.
Probably not a good match to try and reignite watching league (I think everytime I do they shit the bed...)
Sorry Wahs fans.
Aside from using that stupid name you have nothing to be sorry about, they broke last weekend.
Also, on Planet Rugby someone posted a Cully article where he was claiming that there were less viewers this year than last year, but the final had the most viewers in 10 years. There was also some confusing stuff about digital viewership that didn't make sense. I had to check it wasn't a Gregor Paul article. I'll see if I can find it.
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@Toddy said in Super Rugby 2025:
@Nepia this one?
Might be reading it wrong but they mention an increase in attendance despite a reduction in games - but don't factor in a reduction of games when talking about total TV viewership.
That is similar but slightly different, I may have seen a non updated version, I definitely don't remember reading the discussion about the decrease in the number of games.
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