Super XVIII 2016

sydthebeat

the Jaguares starting 15 have 366 international caps for argentina !!!!

Yeah_Right

sydthebeat wrote: »

i think you'll do quite well off the back of how well auckland did in the ITM with such a young team. Umaga has what it takes i reckon

Damn it!! Just realised I have to drop the missus at the airport at half 7 on Friday :mad: there goes my plan to watch the Blues v Highlanders.

sydthebeat

Ah... at that stage we'll have the bonus point already secured

Yeah_Right

I will have to record it and the Hurricanes game as well.

swiwi_

sydthebeat wrote: »

Ah... at that stage we'll have the bonus point already secured

Fair play for knowing you'll finish within 7 points of the Blues...

At the risk of alienating 95%+ of the forum, I'm really really looking forward to attack-minded rugby in warm conditions and on dry pitches.

I've forgotten what an offload looks like too.

Will be delayed replays of Friday's games, but the traditional breakfast + NZ franchise game Saturday morning beckons.

CatFromHue

Ah Swiwi you messed your chance up there.

We don't get warm conditions and dry pitches

swiwi_

CatFromHue wrote: »

Ah Swiwi you messed your chance up there.

We don't get warm conditions and dry pitches

You get a horizontal gale in Cardiff. Leinster-Cardiff solved my insomnia issues

Larbre34

In Sydney for the week so picked up a couple of tickets to 'Tahs v Reds, should be fun! Reds not being given a prayer on the local media, but im pulling for the Waratahs, everything still compared to the Cheika era in these parts

CatFromHue

swiwi_ wrote: »

You get a horizontal gale in Cardiff. Leinster-Cardiff solved my insomnia issues

the light grey with swirling wind soothes a hangover :pac:

rsh118

Hopefully this new format will equal what all MZ fans want and that's less more local games. Everyone I spoke to in NZ wanted more games against NZ teams.

sydthebeat

"Less more local games"?

I see Jamie Hagan is on the bench for the rebels

LuckyGent88

Haven't had a chance to look up this new format at all yet or how the squads are for the teams.
Serious cramming to be done today. Need to keep my record in the superbru pools!!!

thomond2006

Jaguares:
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo De la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Rodrigo Báez, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (c), 1 Lucas Noguera

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Matías Orlando

A lot of quality in that side. No JMH though, injured?

pickarooney

Hon the Hurricanes!

Legalfarmer89

Comp seems confusing these year, Could they not split it into 3 conferences of 6 with the Aussies and NZ conferences hosting the Japanese and Argentinian teams in there conference? The plane journeys from Japan to South Africa will be tough Id say. The Argentinians look like a solid team though!

sydthebeat

Legalfarmer89 wrote: »

Comp seems confusing these year, Could they not split it into 3 conferences of 6 with the Aussies and NZ conferences hosting the Japanese and Argentinian teams in there conference? The plane journeys from Japan to South Africa will be tough Id say. The Argentinians look like a solid team though!

basically the overall league table wont count for anything...
the australasian league and the south afrian league are the important bits

the important bit is this:

The top team in each of the four conferences will automatically qualify to the Quarter Finals. The next top three teams in the Australasian Group and the next top team in the South African group will also qualify to the Quarter Finals as wildcards. The conference winners will be seeded #1 to #4 for the Quarter Finals, in order of log points gained during the group stages, while the wildcards will be seeded as #5 to #8 in order of log points gained during the group stages.

so basically the top australian and NZ team will go through to the quarters, plus the next 3 in the australasian group (so 5 from that league)

the top of each SA group go though and the next team in the league go through to make up the 3 other quarter final placings.

so the quarters are guaranteed to have at least 1 team from australia, NZ and SA

sydthebeat

LAST CALL FOR SUPERBRU COMP

http://www.superbru.com/superrugby/pool.php?p=11503249

Pool name: boards.ie S18

Pool code: onyxkeel

SuprSi

Done!

sydthebeat

and approved!!

SuprSi

Interesting making picks for the Japanese teams - pure stab in the dark! Having said that, I haven't been keeping up with pre-season form or signings for any teams so it's all a bit of a stab in the dark!

pickarooney

I'm not even going to try and work it out, just enjoy the rugby.

SuprSi

Have to admit that I've missed my Saturday morning fix. Super League, followed by 6 Nations. Happy days!

LuckyGent88

So crash course on how the competition works this year done. Initially it appears to favour the South African sides although they will have an awful lot of travel involved I think.

So many stories going on with this seasons competition really with the main one being how the new sides will do. Can't see anything but a struggle for the sunwolves or kings but reckon the Jaguars could make playoffs.

For me, seeing how the crusaders go this year will be very interesting with additional interest with the talk of Blackadder possibly going to Munster. So many changes for crusaders this year and lost not just 1 but basically 3 fly halfs in carter, slade and Taylor.

The New Zealand teams will have some serious games on their hands. Think all the franchises are pretty even in terms of quality. Highlanders seem to be. Under the radar once again and haven't lost many players at all while the blues under Umaga should be a much better competitor.

Between the Australian sides it's hard to see past brumbies and Waratahs. Reds just have too many changes and question marks and rebels should take 3rd spot I'd say. Lots of talk in Australia about their halves pairing.

Not the best on the other conference but hard to see past sharks, stormers, Bulls and Jaguars there.

Without injuries favourites for the title should be brumbies, Waratahs, canes, Chiefs, highlanders and stormers.

Once again looking forward to watching open and expansive rugby with plenty of offloads and ridiculous tries

I'll go with Brumbies for the title once they are relatively injury free. This is their last chance with the squad they have. Good quality and experience.

Enjoy

MUFC91CS

Could anyone explain to me how the fixtures are decided? Can't really figure that one out. Thanks.

Kiwi_knock

GAGR have a good article explaining the system.http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/super-rugby-changes-for-2016/

Things got messy in devising a 15-round draw for each team that was equitable .

Firstly, and most obviously, half the teams will have an extra home game. Given the high winning percentage enjoyed by home teams down the years this could be significant at season’s end.

Less obviously, but probably more importantly, is that the draw profile for each Group is different because the Group numbers are different.

In the South African Group every team will play every other team in their Conference home and away (six matches); every team in the other African conference home or away (four matches); and every team in one of the Australasian conferences home or away (five matches).

In total, ten matches v South African Group opposition and five v Australasian opposition.

In the Australasian Group each team will play two teams from their own Conference home and away, and the other two teams home or away (six matches). They will also play every team in the other Australasian conference home or away (five matches); and every team in one of the African conferences home or away (four matches).

In total, eleven matches v Australasian opposition and four v South African Group opposition.

In the 2016 and 2018 seasons the Conference crossovers are Africa 1 v Australia and Africa 2 v New Zealand. This will alternate in 2017 and 2019, meaning that over the four-year cycle everyone gets to play everyone in their own Conference and each of the other Conferences the same number of times, and the same number of home games as away ones.

JPNelsforearm

Bring back the Super 12!

nehe milner skudder

try time for the ghost.

best fullbck in the world.

LuckyGent88

Ah it's good to have super rugby back. Tries tries and more tries

LuckyGent88

What a half of rugby already. Auckland have been very good but highlanders are just capable of scoring from anywhere

Big players for highlanders stepping up.

sydthebeat

God I've missed super rugby!

5 very different but excellent tryouts in the first half. Crisp fast hard rugby.....

Hall and Gibson looking good for blues, Ben smith not often put on his ass like he was.

West being put under a lot of pressure.

Half backs for landers controlling very well....need to cut out the first up missed tackles though.

LuckyGent88

sydthebeat wrote: »

God I've missed super rugby!

5 very different but excellent tryouts in the first half. Crisp fast hard rugby.....

Hall and Gibson looking good for blues, Ben smith not often put on his ass like he was.

West being put under a lot of pressure.

Half backs for landers controlling very well....need to cut out the first up missed tackles though.

Bryn hall has been very good for the blues. Nearly a mirror image of smiths style with the quick passes and snipes.

sydthebeat

LuckyGent88 wrote: »

Bryn hall has been very good for the blues. Nearly a mirror image of smiths style with the quick passes and snipes.

And he has that bit of extra physicality as well.

Walden has grown into the game, been a bit lost for the first 25. Fekitoa hasn't done much, I want to see much more in this half.

LuckyGent88

Highlanders showed great defence and should have had the penalty on fekitoa.

Turning point was highlanders not scoring the try with driving maul and then missing the 3 points. Blues have dominated since with the extra players off the bench

LuckyGent88

What a frigging try. That's ridiculous
And what a conversion too

sydthebeat

Some try ! I'd be happy with 2 points here

LuckyGent88

Well!!! What a start to the season. What a game. Defences could have been better at times but some of the attacking play was brilliant.

Auckland bench made a big difference but those two missed penalties by highlanders probably cost them the game.

Highlanders never fail to entertain

LuckyGent88

Now roll on the next game between brumbies and canes. Lot of talent on show and NMS is back

sydthebeat

Discipline cost us, pure and simple.but I'm happy enough after that. Forward need to be more cohesive.
Blues looked very strong...some amount of strong ball carriers throughout the squad.

Kiwi_knock

Brumbies defence looking strong, and have taken the opportunities presented to them.

LuckyGent88

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Brumbies defence looking strong, and have taken the opportunities presented to them.

Looking very strong defensively alright and have been clinical with their opportunities. Plenty of ball and territory for the canes but not going anywhere really.

sydthebeat

In work so not watching this, but sounds like brumbies totally bossing canes?

Kiwi_knock

First real of sighting of NMS, and he sets up the try.

sydthebeat

hurricanes getting their arses handed to them

Kiwi_knock

Brumbies look very good all round. Sending a message to the rest of the competition with this performance.

sydthebeat

64 and 62 points scored in the first two games

LuckyGent88

Didn't get to see last 20 minutes of brumbies game but they have set the bar very high already. They have set their stall out for the season ahead. Deservingly favourites after that display but long long long way to go.

Kiwi_knock

That Cheetahs jersey is lovely.

LuckyGent88

Well an exciting start to this one. 2 interceptions by cheetahs already. Some run by 14.
Liking both jerseys

Kiwi_knock

Disastrous few minutes for the Jaguares.

Pudsy33

9 and 10 in the bin, jaysus