Thread: The Mega 2016 Super Duper Super Rugby Thread

You are a teacher? You couldn't afford a drink here son.

Content manager.

Where is here, old timer?

Originally Posted by Baas Babelaas

You are a teacher? You couldn't afford a drink here son.

Content manager.

Ah, so you're the guy that sorts out and orders the books for the teachers.

Nice.

Well it's ANZAC Day today so in the spirit of that, and this being the Super Rugby thread and all, let's celebrate the unique close ties and bonds of kinship between Aust and NZ by bagging the Aussies

How many Aussies would make an Anzac rugby XV?

12:36 PM Monday Apr 25, 2016


New Zealand's full-back Ben Smith (C) is tackled by Australia's prop Scott Sio (r). Photo / Getty Images.

Herald sports writers Wynne Gray (rugby), David Skipwith (rugby league), David Leggat (cricket) and Dana Johannsen (netball) name their selections for a current, composite Anzac squad.

Wynne Gray's Anzac rugby XV:

15. Ben Smith
14. Damian McKenzie
13. Malakai Fekitoa
12. Charlie Ngatai
11. James Lowe
10. Aaron Cruden
9. Aaron Smith
8. Kieran Read
7. Sam Cane
6. Jerome Kaino
5. Sam Whitelock
4. Brodie Retallick
3. Charlie Faumuina
2. Dane Coles
1. Scott Sio (Aus)

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Hell of a game! Bit of a weird finish with it going to uncontested scrums and the Chiefs forced to play with 14 over some technicality.

It certainly fixed their scrum issues.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Even the Aussie commentators noted that's the true measure of the conference.

True that, as much as it pains me to say it.

Originally Posted by Baas Babelaas

You are a teacher? You couldn't afford a drink here son.

Content manager.

Where is here, old timer?

Well I got that wrong, son.

Whangarei.

Originally Posted by Baas Babelaas

You are a teacher? You couldn't afford a drink here son.

Content manager.

What is a content manager?

He decides which text books the teachers use.


And cleans the board duster.

If the Super Rugby regular season ended today...

1:49 PM Tuesday Apr 26, 2016


The Chiefs sit just one point above the Crusaders. Photo / Getty

It's back to the crystal ball to work out how the Super Rugby playoffs would play out if the season ended today:

Playoffs schedule
Chiefs (Seed 1) vs Bulls (Seed 8)
Stormers (Seed 2) vs Highlanders (Seed 7)
Lions (Seed 3) vs Hurricanes (Seed 6)
Rebels (Seed 4) vs Crusaders (Seed 5)

- The Chiefs remain top seed and are still locked in to face the Bulls, a team with the same amount of defeats as the Chiefs (just one from seven games).

- The Crusaders have the second most points in the competition, which will earn them a trip to face the Australian Conference winner at the moment (which is pretty much a first round bye).

- With that loss to the Crusaders, the Brumbies go from hosting a quarter-final to sitting outside of the playoffs.

- The Highlanders currently sit in the seventh seed spot and lost ground to the Hurricanes and Crusaders in the weekend. But their next three clashes are against the Brumbies, Chiefs and Crusaders. Three huge games in terms of their fate.

- Australia's Conference leaders the Rebels head to face the NZ Conference's worst side the Blues on Friday night. The Blues are $1.35 favourites.

- NZ Herald

This highlights the flaw with the new conference system I reckon. Still a lot that can happen from here and those standings are obviously not final but the Stormers, currently seeded 2nd, don't play a single Kiwi team in pool play.

Some great Rugby being played but unfortunately not by the Aussie sides.

Rebels are trucking along ok mate (although I get the sense they're only an injury or two away from problems). Brumbies still a chance despite recent results, they're a quality team and have the experience.

The Aussies are poorly coached in my opinion.

Even with the addition of numerous islanders, and I don't use that term with disrepect, they are still streets behind the Kiwis.

A little off topic but I also watch the Rugby League and there are some brilliant islanders playing that code. Fast, big and brilliant in attack.

I bet you the Aussie Rugby scouts are sniffing around looking for some who will change codes as well as nationality.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

A little off topic but I also watch the Rugby League and there are some brilliant islanders playing that code. Fast, big and brilliant in attack.

I bet you the Aussie Rugby scouts are sniffing around looking for some who will change codes as well as nationality.

Just saw the other day that they're apparently chasing the Melbourne Storm wing... Forget his name just now.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Just saw the other day that they're apparently chasing the Melbourne Storm wing... Forget his name just now.

I don't follow names but there are a number of great back line players who are huge in frame, can run like the wind, play like loose forwards and have great ball skills. All Islanders and I expect they all formally played Rugby Union when they were young.

Suliasi Vunivalu continues dream Melbourne Storm start | Stuff.co.nz

Some great Rugby being played but unfortunately not by the Aussie sides.

Agreed. But one does not expect much from the Crims.

So a bit of controversy following the strange ending to the Chiefs and Hurricanes game.

A new VDO appears to show that the Chiefs gamed it and the prop that went off (that lead to the depowered scrums) was under orders to fake an injury by a trainer.

VDO at the below link, can't work out how to embed it... Baas must've hacked my PC or something:

Explained: The Chiefs scrum controversy - Sport - NZ Herald News

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

A new VDO appears to show that the Chiefs gamed it and the prop that went off (that lead to the depowered scrums) was under orders to fake an injury by a trainer.

CKBs at it again!

doesn't surprise me!

Chiefs aren't Kiwis, they're based in Hamilton.

They're the Tasmanians of NZ.

It's not outright cheating to be fair, more gaming the rules. Not that I'm condoning it.

NH teams have a pretty poor reputation for similar things in the SH. Forwards in particular taking their sweet time or going down for magic-water treatment as teams try to speed the game up.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

It's not outright cheating to be fair, more gaming the rules.

Disagree, it's outright cheating, as poor as the soccer diving dramas.

I still am quite confused by some of the refereeing decisions and particularly after watching the Reds v Stormers game.

The Kaffer ref ruled twice on dangerous high tackles by Reds players when even at game speed there was nothing wrong with the plays.

One was a forward tackling the fly half high and the other was the winger grabbing the opposition wingers jersey and taking him across the sideline.

Both times the Stormers scored points and turned the game when the Reds looked like they were taking control.

Both decisions looked like home town verdicts to the point I would say the ref cheated the Reds out of a win.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

The Kaffer ref

I'm assuming you meant Saffer????????????????

All seth efricans are Kaffirs Bob.

Cheating bastard that Stormers ref.

Oh Dear.... Is someone else going to tell him????

A kaffir is a racially derogatory term for a black South African, on a par with Nigger.

Now go back to clutching at straws

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Oh Dear.... Is someone else going to tell him????

Oh Dear......................Now your going to tell me what I can and cannot call people Bob.

Get off your high horse Taffy................55555