Decisions, decisions…

The Crusaders & Bulls were punished for poor game management, writes new HoR2 contributor Manus McMichael

I suppose we've all seen it before. The main playmakers of a fantastic team with a glorious record boasting hundreds of caps, falter at the decision making side of a huge game. This weekends Super Rugby semi-finals were a glaring example of players failing to make the correct red-zone calls and being punished with extreme prejudice by their opponents.

As Morne Steyn turned down his opportunities to kick for goal and then backtracked on this decision with a failed drop kick, Dan Carter probably watched with his head in his hands, as it was somewhat similar for him in the corresponding fixture. In the first Semi-final, The Crusaders had the bit between their teeth, marching up the field for a crucial lineout in Chiefs territory. Any form of score would do - but the decision to have a drop at goal off the first phase of clean lineout ball has got to be criticised for its downright hastiness. Carter (arguably the best outhalf of his generation and many to come) did not realise right away that this had been a blunder of epic proportions, after all the Crusaders would get the ball back from the restart and could have another pop. Wrong.

The Chiefs punished the Crusaders for this mistake, as you must at the top level, as the Christchurch side should have to their Hamilton based opponents when Cruden kicked his restart out on the full and missed his shot at goal.

The Brumbies have already come out and said that the Bulls decisions helped them stay in, and ultimately, win the second Semi-final. Steyn turned down two run-of-the-mill shots that would have stretched the South African's lead and in all likelihood strangled the Australian Conference winners, restricting them to hoping for a try and eliminating the threat of Leali'ifano's boot in the middle of the park, which would have been a lot easier to defend. But, alas, it was not to be as the Brumbies scored a cracking try at the death.

If last Friday you were to pick two teams to make those painfully obvious mistakes out of the semi-finals, such experienced teams as the Crusaders and the Bulls would probably be your last choice, especially them both together. It's not often we see Steyn, Carter, Potgeiter and Read come up short in any department, and in fairness to the two captains, Potgeiter has accepted the burden of the criticism and Read was visibly disgusted with himself in the post-match interview.

As much as games come down to skill, preparation and executing a gameplan, it is hard to prepare for situations where the correct decision needs to be made within a split second or everyone goes home. The best players in the world fall short at this hurdle when the crunch is on very often. It's to do with a mindset that players need to be engrossed in, for example Craig Clarke for the Chiefs, who was wonderfully underhand in some of his play but he could not be faulted by anyone. It is these moments at the top level that win and lose championships, make heroes and villains of honest players.

Any campaign in professional rugby will only have one or two teams with this engrained in them, if even that. It is easily lost - as the beaten semi-finalists can attest to and it is very hard to gain. We'll only see about 10 great teams in our life time, such is the way. The Brumbies were so criminally let off I believe they have already taken a step above their station. One of those great teams though is the 2012/2013 Chiefs, and it is fully expected that they will beat their opponents in the final comfortably in the Waikato.

Manus McMichael (@The_Dange) : One-time Irish exile living on the border.

The Return of Super Rugby

Who are the remaining Super Rugby contenders? asks BallHandling Hooker…

click above to view BallHandling Hooker’s blog

Super Rugby returns this weekend, with the New Zealand and South Africans teams making up for the extra rounds that the Australians have had to accommodate some Northern Hemisphere visitors.

Super Rugby is a hugely entertaining competition, where pace and skill is emphasized. So far we've seen massive hits, scorching tries and baffling interviews.

In New Zealand, the Blues have massively improved on last season's dismal outing, but the Highlanders are faring even worse. The Cheetahs are entertaining anyone who watches them in South Africa, and with Willie le Roux and co on form, they are winning games in the process. The Kings are winning admirers for their brand of rugby in their first season, while the Brumbies are quietly going about their business at the top of the Australian conference.

With 3 rounds left before the playoffs, there is still a few things left to sort out. In Super Rugby, each of the top teams in each country qualifies for the playoffs, with the next 3 teams receiving wildcard entries based on match points. The top two teams in the tournament get a bye, with the 3rd champion of the 3rd country entering into quarter finals with the other wildcard teams.

Given that Australian teams only have one game left, I'll start there.

Australian Conference

Team (Overall)                                                                     Pts

1. Brumbies (1)                                                               59

2. Reds (4)                                                                     54

3. Waratahs (7)                                                               44

4. Rebels (12)                                                                 32

5. Force (13)                                                                 27  

The Brumbies have been by far the best team in Australia consistently this season. Led by new Wallaby caps Christian Leali'ifano and Ben Mowen, they play a smart game, while still playing an entertaining brand of rugby. Jake White is getting the most out of his players, as can be seen in their recent win over the aforementioned Northern visitors.

The only way they can be denied top spot in the Australia conference is if the Reds win with a bonus point at the Waratahs in 3 weeks, and they fail to get a losing bonus point at the Force. Neither of those scenarios appears likely.

Both the Force and the Rebels have improved this season, and both are losing admirably. At this stage of the season, neither are threatening the playoffs. The Reds in 4th have the best chance to qualify, with only 3 other teams outside of the playoffs able to climb ahead of their tally of 54 points already. More of this later.

Likely scenario:

Brumbies beat Force with no bonus point thus finishing first in Australia with 63 points.

South African Conference

Team (Overall)                                                                   Pts

1. Bulls (3)                                                                      54

2. Cheetahs (5)                                                               46

3. Sharks (10)                                                                  38

4. Stormers (11)                                                              38

5. Kings (14)                                                                    24

The South Africa conference is a little unusual, as we have the prospect of the first ever relegation.

With the new entry of the Southern Kings, the last-placed South African team in this year's Super Rugby competition will play a two-legged tie against the Lions to determine who participates in next year's event.

The Kings have done fantastically well in their first competition, winning 3 more games than most people thought they would, and apart from 2 games, were a lot more competitive, than I, and anyone else, thought they would. Their remaining games are all in South Africa, which helps, but the most points they can get is 39, while both the Sharks and the Stormers have to have no match points from here on in three games.

Up at the top, the Cheetahs can still technically catch the Bulls, but the recent defeat to them before the break probably stopped that from happening. The Bulls have a favourable draw, having to play the 3 other South African teams, while the Cheetahs face the Stormers and the fellow playoff chasing Blues.

Likely scenario:

Bulls take 13 of 15 possible points from the next games to finish 1st in South Africa on 67 points.

Kings get at most 3 losing bonus points, and face the Lions in the relegation match.

New Zealand Conference

Team (Overall)                                                                   Pts

1. Chiefs (3)                                                                  56

2. Crusaders (5)                                                             46

3. Blues (10)                                                                  43

4. Hurricanes (11)                                                           39

5. Highlanders (14)                                                          22

At this stage, only the Highlanders, who have had a terrible season, have no chance of the playoff.

The Chiefs have a commanding ten point lead, and while both the Blues and the Crusaders can catch them, it's still unlikely. The Chiefs have the hardest run in out of the conference leaders, but have the biggest lead. They play both the Blues and the Crusaders and the Hurricanes who have still have an outside mathematical chance of qualification.

The Blues have been much improved, and with young guns Charles Piutau, Francis Saili and Steven Luatua making a big name for themselves.

Likely scenario:

I think the Chiefs will take 10 points from a possible 15 of their remaining games, finishing first in New Zealand with 66 points.

This leaves the conference leaders as; 1. Bulls (67), 2. Chiefs (66), 3. Brumbies (63), with the Brumbies facing one of the wildcards.

Wildcards:

Those still in contention (mathematically) are:

4. Reds (54)

5. Cheetahs (46)

6. Crusaders (46)

7. Waratahs (44)

8. Blues (43)

9. Hurricanes (39)

10. Sharks (38)

11. Stormers (38)

First, it shows a lot about the strength of the competition that with 3 rounds left, 11 teams are still mathematically in with a chance of qualifying, and that in 10th and 11th place are two of last year's semi-finalists.

Secondly, while the Hurricanes, the Stormers and the Sharks can still qualify, they need a lot of things to go their way, with the most either of them can achieve is 54 points, and I don't think that tally will be enough to qualify.

For this reason, I am also discounting the Waratahs, as the max they can finish with is 49.

This leaves 4 teams battling for 3 places, with the Reds, the Cheetahs, the Crusaders and the Blues. The Cheetahs are the only team in the competition that have a bye left, which means that they will finish with 50 points at least.

The way I see the season panning out is, the Crusaders, the Blues and the Cheetahs all win this weekend against the Highlanders, the Sharks and the Stormers respectively.

The following weekend is set for a titanic battle as the Blues face the Cheetahs in what initially appears to be a huge game, while the Crusaders face the Chiefs. I think the Crusaders will beat the Chiefs, who should be safe as 1st by this stage, while the Blues put more pressure on the Cheetahs with a narrow win. This leaves the Cheetahs with 55 points (after the bye), the Crusaders with 55, the Reds still with 54 and the Blues with 52. All to play for.

At this point, if the Reds lose to the Waratahs with a losing bonus point, the Cheetahs and the Crusaders would finish ahead of them based on the higher number of wins they have.

The final weekend sees the Blues play the Chiefs in a huge game, knowing that a win would guarantee them a place in the playoffs. This would be a huge achievement for a team that was all at seas last year, recording only 4 wins. Unfortunately I don't think they will have enough, and the teams will finish like this;

4. Crusaders (60)

5. Reds (58)

6. Cheetahs (55)

7. Blues (53)

This leaves:

(1) Bulls vs ((3) Brumbies vs Cheetahs (6))

(2) Chiefs vs ((4) Crusaders vs Reds (5))

My tip is for the Chiefs to retain their crown against a tough Brumbies side in a fantastic final.

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Fifteen still to find their stride

No real Super Rugby title contenders have emerged yet, says Crusaders fan Tim Cronin from RugbyShirts.net

After five rounds of this year's Super XV we still have surprisingly little idea about who the real title-contenders will be, with almost every team having struggled for consistency to date.

It was an interesting week for us here in Christchurch; we got press passes for the staff at  our own website and with those in hand we were present at Crusaders training as they prepared for their clash against the Bulls, facing increasing pressure to get their campaign underway whilst dealing with the continued fall-out from Zac Guildford's battle with the bottle.

Having seen the intensity with which they operated with during the week it was no surprise to see them perform against the Bulls, and were it not for a nervous first 20 they could have won by an even bigger margin than the 41-19 final scoreline. But despite that compelling performance there remain plenty of questions about the champion red and black side, and whether their consistent, dependable squad have enough flair and x-factor to go all the way this year.

The Chiefs have been the best of the New Zealand sides to date, and did well on the weekend to bounce back from their loss against the Stormers to snare some valuable points from their African tour. The Blues started with a hiss and a roar but were beaten up by the Bulls in their last outing, and it will be interesting to see whether their young side can bounce back from that, or whether the memory of Pierre Spies and his brutish mates man-handling them will haunt them for the rest of the season.

The Highlanders have been disappointing to say the least. Amidst much fan-fare regarding the signing of prominent All Blacks like Ma'a Nonu, Tony Woodcock and Brad Thorn the Dunedin-based side sit winless on the bottom of the table, with their lack of depth having been exposed early on. The Hurricanes are having an uninspiring season as well, displaying signs of genuine potential in the midst of woefully ho-hum performances.

Across the ditch the Brumbies top the table and are the competition's only unbeaten side. Jake White has create a cohesive, hard-working team, but I wonder whether they have the depth and experience to carry this form over for the entire season.

The Reds are hot and cold, leaning heavily towards cold on the weekend just been when they lost to the Force, while the Waratahs have failed to live up to their pre-season hype. I've said it before and I'll say again – the Force and the Rebels are rubbish and really aren't worth mentioning.

Things couldn't be more different in Africa, where their sides, for the most part, have all performed encouragingly. The Bulls looked head and shoulders better than anyone else in the competition when they dominated the Blues at Eden Park, only to be ripped apart by the Crusaders, but I'm sure they will bounce back and feature at the business end of the season. The Sharks and the Stormers have enjoyed up and down form, but have the personnel to ensure they'll be there or there-abouts at the end of the year too.

The real surprise package is the Cheetahs. They showed plenty of heart last year without displaying the ability to sneak over the finish line, but this year their fortunes have changed. They schooled the Highlanders the week before last, and made it two-in-a-row on the road with a one-point win over the other 'Tahs in Sydney this weekend, suggesting that this side which has promised a lot in recent years may well be coming of age.

The final South African side is the Southern Kings, who have played with courage and passion in their first year in the Super XV. They'll lose more than they win this year, of that there is no question, but if they're the worst that South Africa has to offer the game is in good shape in the Republic.

So all in all no-one has really dominated the early stages of the Super XV. The New Zealand sides have, in general, been good without being great; the Brumbies are the best of the Aussies but have question marks over the depth in their squad, while the Africans look solid but have yet to achieve consistency. The only thing that can be said with any real assurance is that this year's competition looks set to be a tightly fought, evenly matched one.

Tim Cronin is a Rugby fan and full time writer based in the rubble of the Canterbury Crusaders’ home town, Christchurch. Tim is a part of the Pukeko Sportsteam, where his role is watching, writing, and complaining about all things rugby.

Super Rugby–Week 4 preview

Time for @shumpty77 to turn his crystal ball to the next round of Super Rugby…

Last week saw the continued rise from the ashes of last season of the Auckland Blues, the Reds sneak to win against the unlucky Hurricanes, the Chiefs confirm their favouritism for the whole competition with a dominant display against the Cheetahs and the Force continue only the path to not winning game this season which now seems to have to the feeling of the inevitable about it.

This week’s games are again replete with local derbies as well as a fixture that some pundits may have been tipping to be the final of this year’s competition when the Stormers host the Chiefs at Cape Town.

Hurricanes v Crusaders, Wellington

The Crusaders, having only played one game in the first three weeks of the season, have again gotten off to their traditional slow start to the season. They will be very disappointed with their performance with their performance against the Blues where their much vaunted attack was as penetrative as a plastic spoon. Dan Carter was a bit down on form last week and will again be vital to the chances of the Crusaders in this fixture.

The Hurricanes have been unlucky thus far this season when injuries cruelled their momentum in their first fixture and then were denied by the TMO against the Reds. They showed a significant lack of composure in their last fixture and were unable to convert basically 100% possession in the Reds half into points despite numerous attempts. Conrad Smith had the look of a very angry man at the end of the Reds fixture and will have his team primed for this contest.

The battle between Carter and Barrett will be a highlight of this game. The Hurricanes have shown promise in their first two games of the season but have lacked composure and attacking flair at key moments. The Crusaders, despite their poor start last week and the name McCaw missing from their team sheet, are a quality lineup and I expect them to be more composed at those keys moments and win this game.

Prediction: Crusaders by 8

Rebels v Reds, Melbourne

The Rebels are yet to record a victory this season and whilst they were competitive against the Waratahs last week they again did not play out the full 80 minutes. This week presents another tough test for them and this fixture has now been made all the tougher by the withdrawal of Kurtley Beale for the next month. The hole left by Beale will rest more weight on the narrow shoulders of James O’Connor who will need to step up to be the principal attacking option for the Rebels.

The Reds bounced back from their first game loss away to the Brumbies with two fairly unconvincing wins at homes against the Waratahs and the Hurricanes. The Reds are still without their injured leaders Genia and Horwill but welcome back Anthony Faingaa to the midfield. Liam Gill was dynamic last week and with Ed Quirk and Jake Schatz is forming one of the most formidable back rows in the competition. That back row will be looking to again dominate at the break down to lay a strong foundation for the enigmatic Quade Cooper.

The Rebels late fade outs in games so far this season is a worry and if they stumble late against the Reds they will be punished. The battle between Liam Gill and defector Scott Higginbotham will be a highlight of this fixture. The Reds will have too much class in this game though I expect it to be closer than many think.

Prediction: Reds by 9

Highlanders v Cheetahs, Invercargill

In the early Saturday afternoon game the rested Highlanders host the Cheetahs at Rugby Park in Invercargill. Coming off the bye last round the Highlanders will be looking to avenge their round 2 loss to the Chiefs before their adoring home crowd. They will play an attacking brand of football in this fixture but will also be looking to the experienced Hosea Gear and Ma’a Nonu for some more composure in attack which was sorely lacking against the Chiefs.

The Cheetahs were belted by the Chiefs last weekend, but only after they had resisted the Chiefs for the whole of the first half. These second half fade outs from the Cheetahs have become a common problem for the Cheetahs when they abroad. They have only made one change to the team that played last week with Heinrich Brussow returning to the bench. Johan Goosen will again be the focal point in attack for the Cheetahs and if they are to have any hope in this game he will need to play the game of his Super 15 career.

The Highlanders at home looking for redemption after round 1 are irresistible in this game and if the Cheetahs have another late game fade out in the deep south of New Zealand the Highlanders could raise a half century in this game.

Prediction: Highlanders by 21

Brumbies v Waratahs, Canberra

In another local derby, the Brumbies return to competition play after a bye last week against their neighbours the Waratahs at Canberra Stadium. The Waratahs come into this fixture off the back of a win last week against the Rebels and will take some confidence from that performance. They will be without Wycliff Palu in this fixture and welcome the return of Wallaby Berrick Barnes for this game after he tore a PCL in the lead up to the season.

The Brumbies stocks in Australian rugby have continued to rise during the week with the signature of George Smith solidifying an already quality back row for the men from the nation’s capital. The battle of the forwards in this fixture will be willing and if David Pocock continues to dominate as he did before the bye the Brumbies have the class in back line to put a score on the Waratahs in this game. Jesse Mogg’s star continues to rise and there is now talk of him being in the frame for higher honours: his battle with Israel Folau will be a stark example of a journeyman challenging a superstar.

The Brumbies have been untroubled thus far this season and I don’t expect that to change here.

Prediction: Brumbies by 14

Stormers v Chiefs, Cape Town

Are we witnessing a preview of the grand final for Super 15 2013 in this round 4 fixture from Cape Town? Many think this to be the case however whether it is or it is not this is certainly the match of the round.

The Chiefs are in very good form having put ten tries past their opponents in their two fixtures to date and have shown yet again that they can score points from any part of the field. Their 20 minute onslaught that blew the Cheetahs out of the game was breath-taking in both its efficiency and flair and they will again be looking to get quick ball from their unheralded forward pack to allow their backline to run amok. Liam Messam has lambasted his team for their first half performance last week and they will be looking to put on an 80 minute performance in this game.

The Stormers are yet to open their account in 2013 having recorded losses to both the Bulls and the Sharks in rounds 2 and 3. Their season has been a direct contract to that of the Chiefs having only scored two tries in their first two games and not looking like scoring last week. Adding to the woe for the Stormers is news coming out of the Cape that they will be without Juan de Jongh and Jaco Taute for this fixture.

The Chiefs are the form team in the competition at the moment and it will take a massive improvement from the Stormers to succeed in this fixture. On current form I cannot go past the Chiefs here.

Prediction: Chiefs by 13

Kings v Sharks, Port Elizabeth

After a week off last week the Kings return to Super 15 action in a buoyant mood after their first up victory over the Western Force in the battle many expected to be for the wooden spoon. Despite that win a perusal of the team sheet for the Kings continues to fail to impress and news that Luke Watson may be struggling to make the team with injury will be a major worry for the Kings faithful. This game, to state the obvious, presents a much sterner challenge than their initial introduction to Super 15 play.

The Sharks come into this fixture also on a high after besting the Stormers in a fixture last week that was as dour as it was filled with tension. They possess a perfect record in Super 15 paly thus far and will again be looking to their Springbok filled forward pack to dominate in this fixture and lay a foundation for their backline which was starved of the ball and opportunities last week.

I cannot tip against the Sharks in this fixture though I again expect the Kings to lift in front of their home crowd particularly as this will be their first competition fixture against a conference member.

Prediction: Sharks by 23

Blues v Bulls, Auckland

The final match of the round would have been pencilled in by many as a win for the Bulls before the season started however 3 rounds into this competition the Blues have been nothing short of impressive and have earned the moniker of favourite for this game. Coming off the back of an excellent win against the Crusaders, Kirwan’s men will be looking to continue to play their expansive and confident style of play against the travelling Bulls.

The Bulls have failed to impress anyone so far, particularly last week when they were expected to dominate the Force and instead they only pulled away from the Force in the last 10 minutes of the game. In the 13 matches played between the two, the Bulls only won four, with one draw, but often lost heavily. In fact, the average score between the sides is 38-25. The Bulls start probably the toughest overseas tour for a South African team (they also play the Crusaders, Reds and Brumbies on this tour) here and will be hoping to get off to a good start here.

The Bulls are next to impossible to back here on form but there is also a part of me that is expecting the bubble of the Blues to burst. I do not think that will happen in this game though and thus I am tipping them to make it three wins from three starts here.

Prediction: Blues by 9

Steve (@shumpty77) is sports tragic and is particularly fanatical about rugby and cricket. A proud Reds member, Steve is also a fan of Wallabies as well as the Welsh team (when they are not playing the Wallabies). When not following rugby, cricket and all other sports, Steve is an account director at an accounting firm.

Super Rugby–Week 3 preview

Six Super Rugby clashes this weekend for Stephen Humphreys to have a look at…

Round 2 of the Super 15 action last weekend was replete with upsets and it has been suggested to me by some that I should hang up my tipping spurs after only picking three of the winning teams last week. That is Super 15 rugby though and one of the reasons we all love it: it is unpredictable and, generally, the teams are fairly evenly matched.

A game I wrote off as being the worst match of the round proved interested and saw the Kings open their Super Rugby account with a win whilst the whipping boys of the New Zealand conference got the John Kirwan era off to a flying start at home. In Australia the Brumbies continued their impressive start to the season whilst the grudge match between Queensland and New South Wales was a game low a skill in patches but high on intensity.

This is another round of matches filled with conference derbies that should lead to some exciting rugby and no doubt more upsets!

Blues v Crusaders, Auckland

Keeping to the usual schedule, week 3 of Super 15 action gets underway in Auckland with the Blues hosting the Crusaders. The Crusaders, off the back of a bye last week make their first foray into Super Rugby this week. Many Crusaders fans will be using this game as the start of their countdown till the return of Richie McCaw however even without him Todd Blackadder’s men still look like a quality line-up. Indeed, any side with Dan Carter in it and Kieran Read at the helm ought be dismissed lightly only be fools.

The Blues produced the first upset of Super Rugby 2013 last week and this week will be looking to continue on their winning ways against their long time foes from the South Island. Piri Weepu was impressive last week and controlled the game for the Blues. His influence will be vital to the play the Blues and ultimately the outcome of this fixture.

The Blues pulled of an upset last week but I do not think they will best the Crusaders who will be primed for their first match of the season.

Prediction: Crusaders by 12

Waratahs v Rebels, Sydney

The Rebels travel up to Sydney for their third fixture in 2013 to face the Waratahs in this all Australian clash. The Waratahs were valiant in defeat against the Reds at Lang Park last week and threatened to steal an upset of their own when the score read 17-17 with less than 10 minutes to play. They have basically an all Wallaby forward pack and if that forward pack can lay a solid foundation the mix of youth and experience in the backline could score a few points here. They do need to sort out their goal kicking which was terrible last week.

James O’Connor takes on the captaincy of the Rebels this week and by the look of the Rebels lineup the result of this fixture may largely rest on his and Kurtly Beale’s shoulders. The Rebels showed very good form against the Australian benchmark in the Brumbies before being outclassed in the second half and they will be similarly dealt with by the Waratahs if they can not play out the full 80 minutes here.

The pressure of the goal kicking duties and captaincy may well prove too much for O’Conner and if he does not grapple well with his extra responsibilities then this looms as a danger game for the Rebels. If he is on song however this may be a danger game for their opposition! I think this might be a closer game than many expect with less than a try between the teams. The Waratahs get the nod from me only because of home field advantage.

Prediction: Waratahs by 6

Reds v Hurricanes, Brisbane

An unusually late start has been mandated by SANZAR for this fixture which is a shame because this game has the potential to be one of the matches of the round. The Hurricanes were lacklustre at best last week against the Blues and certainly have the player list to improve on that performance. They will be heartened by the news that Conrad Smith has crossed the Tasman for this game having passed a fitness test following his concussion last round.

The Reds continue their season again without the names Horwill and Genia on the team sheet but showed last week the combination of grit and flair in patches that saw them win the competition in 2011. Ed Quirk has replaced some bloke called Higginbotham so well that Reds fans have hardly noticed his absence and Quade Cooper showed last week that he has the ability to direct this team around the park.

The Reds are at home and they seem to continue to find ways to win at Lang Park and I do not expect this fixture to be any different. The Reds will not blow the Hurricanes off the park but will do enough to win here.

Prediction: Reds by 8

Chiefs v Cheetahs, Hamilton

The first Saturday fixture of Round 3 sees the Cheetahs make the long trek to Hamilton in the North Island to take on last season’s champions, the Chiefs. The Cheetahs made a horror start to their 2013 campaign and saw themselves on the loosing side of a 26-5 scoreline at one point against the Sharks. They remain one of the enigmas of this competition because on their day they have the look of a team that can defeat any opposition whilst at other times they look worse that the Force.

The Chiefs were in fine form last week to defeat the Highlanders in what was the match of the round albeit they will be concerned that they had so many points scored against them. This is a quality line up that plays an attacking and expansive style of game whilst also looking to dominate in the set pieces. If they get on top of the Cheetahs at the break down and in the set pieces and Aaron Cruden gets quality ball they could put a big score on the men from Bloemfontein

I think the Cheetahs might succeed in keeping this game close in the first half but will fade in the second as the trip over and the Chiefs forwards take their toll.

Prediction: Chiefs by 19

Bulls v Force, Pretoria

The travelling Force move to Pretoria with their metaphorical tails between their legs after a, lets not sugar coat it, woeful display against the competition new boys, the Kings, in Port Elizabeth last week. The conundrum with the Force is that on the face of their lineup and given the number of players with international experience in their ranks you would expect them to travel better as team. Last week’s capitulation again proved otherwise however.

The Bulls have injury woes arising from their victory last week against the Stormers in what was a game when they, much like they did for the bulk of last year, won off the back of the boot of Morne Steyn and bone crushing defence. Steyn’s metronomic boot will again be a key to victory to the Bulls whose game plan revolves around strangling teams out of the game. If the Force are in any way ill disciplined in this fixture one can rest assured they will be punished on the score board.

After last week’s performance there is no way I can see the Force winning this fixture and the only reason I am tipping as narrow a margin as I am is because that is just the way the Bulls play.

Prediction: Bulls by 14

Sharks v Stormers, Durban

The last match of the round and only Sunday fixture sees the Sharks host the Stormers in Durban. The Stormers were very disappointing last week against the Bulls: they themselves have admitted as much. They have chosen not to rush Peter Grant back into their line up despite some pretty poor goal kicking last week from Elton Jantjies who again presents as a key to victory for the Stormers in this fixture.

In a performance the polar opposite to that of Jantjies for the Stormers, Patrick Lambie was on song with the boot for the Sharks last week landing 7 from 7 and the battle between these two young men will not only be one of the highlights of this game but also of this round. The Sharks ran out of gas it seemed last week when they had a substantial lead and they will know that doing the same against the Stormers will see them, in all likelihood defeated.

I see this fixture as a real toss of the coin between a team smarting from a first up loss and a home side looking for improvement. It has the look of a game that might come down to who kicks the best here and I only leaning the way of the Sharks because of their home crowd support here but there will be the barest of margins in it.

Prediction: Sharks by 1

Steve (@shumpty77) is sports tragic and is particularly fanatical about rugby and cricket. A proud Reds member, Steve is also a fan of Wallabies as well as the Welsh team (when they are not playing the Wallabies). When not following rugby, cricket and all other sports, Steve is an account director at an accounting firm.

Super Rugby–early doors

Crusaders fan Tim Cronin from RugbyShirts.net has a look at the early Super Rugby form…

After the first full round of Super Rugby for 2013 we've now had a chance to see every team except the Crusaders in action, so here are my initial opinions on each of the sides.

The Blues got new coach Sir John Kirwan's tenure off to the best possible start with an away win against the Hurricanes, and look to be a genuine force to be reckoned with. Pre-season the expectation was that Kirwan's young side would struggle, but it now looks as though there could be five quality sides battling for position in the New Zealand conference.

The Brumbies are the early pace setters in the Australian conference, with Jake White having created a near-impenetrable defensive structure. New signing David Pocock has already been prominent for the Canberra-based side, and they must surely be considered the early-favourites to top the Aussie conference.

Commentators were suggesting the Bulls' ageing squad may have run out of steam, particularly given their lacklustre finish to last season, but a resounding defeat of the highly-fancied Stormers on the weekend put those theories to bed. The Springbok-laden Bulls were back to their formidable-best, and will be contenders when the business end of the season rolls around.

The Cheetahs were competitive against the Sharks, although a late rally did make the narrow margin a little deceptive. A team that won't win many, but will earn plenty of bonus points along the way, and will tip over one or two of the top dogs before the season ends.

Can the Chiefs defend their title without Sonny Bill Williams? If Friday night is anything to go by the answer is yes. A stacked Highlanders team was favoured to win in Dunedin, but the Chiefs slipped straight back in to the captivating, expansive style of play which won them their first title last season, and they look set for another highly-competitive campaign.

The Force are terrible.

Despite having recruited heavily over the off-season, Jamie Joseph's Highlanders still lack depth in a number of positions, and this was exposed in their very first outing. In addition, the introduction of so many new players means the side will take some time to gel, with their midfield combination, complete with All Black star Ma'a Nonu, looking lost at times. A disappointing start for a much-hyped team.

The Hurricanes should really have won on the weekend. They had an inexperienced Blues side on the ropes, but failed to put them away. Plenty of X-factor out there, but Saturday's performance showed they might still lack the ability to finish opponents off. Another side who will be disappointed by their first hit-out.

The Kings rode a wave of emotion on the weekend to win their first game of Super XV rugby. Playing an expansive, free-flowing style of play the got up over the Force, but then again the Force are terrible.

The Rebels are terrible too, just slightly less-so than the Force.

The Reds bounced back from their first round loss to the Brumbies to beat traditional rivals the Waratahs and kick-start their campaign. Quade Cooper is controlling the game reasonably well, and with Will Genia to come back the Reds will be there or thereabouts when the Playoffs begin.

The Sharks were ho-hum against the Cheetahs, outclassing their compatriots but failing to really put them to the sword. They'll be better for the hit out though, and I still think they'll be serious contenders for the title this year.

The Stormers were the big losers on the weekend, suffering a heavy defeat in the most talked about game of the round, and looking poor in doing so. Their famous defence only leaked one try, but their ill-discipline allowed Morne Steyn to punish them time and time again, and despite scoring two tries of their own they offered little to excite fans of running rugby, and may have to rely on grinding out wins this year.

New recruit Israel Folau was impressive on the weekend but failed to inspire his Waratahs side to victory as the New South Welshmen went down to the Reds, thanks in no small part to a scoring blitz early in the first half. It was a reasonably tepid display from the 'Tahs, and while they'll battle away with the Reds and the Brumbies for honours in the Australian conference they look unlikely to challenge the big guns from New Zealand and South Africa for the overall title.

With all that said, it's early days, and plenty more questions will be answered in the next few weeks. In Round 3 the most notable match-ups include the Crusaders kicking off their campaign away to the young, exciting Blues, and the Stormers travelling to Durban to meet the Sharks in another mouth watering clash in the Republic.

Tim Cronin is a Rugby fan and full time writer based in the rubble of the Canterbury Crusaders’ home town, Christchurch. Tim is a part of the Pukeko Sportsteam, where his role is watching, writing, and complaining about all things rugby.

Super Rugby–Week 1 preview

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Only two games this week in the most abridged of possible starts to the Super 15 season. Only Australian teams are in action this week with games coming to fans from AAMI Park in Melbourne and Canberra Stadium.

Rebels v Western Force

This fixture presents the sides placed 4^th and 5^th last season in the Australian Conference with the opportunity to get off to a flying start to their 2013 campaigns. Both teams have lost some key players since 2012 without gaining many players of similar quality. The Force start 2013 without Nathan Sharpe, David Pocock, James Stannard, Rory Sidey and Cameron Shepherd while the Rebels have lost Adam Byrnes, Danny Cipriani, James Hilgendorf, Sterling Mortlock, Mark Gerrard and Julian Huxley. It would be fair to say that the Force gaining Sias Ebersohn and Alby Mathewson and the Rebels gaining Scott Higginbotham do not make up for those losses.

On paper the Rebels are replete with class across the park and will be looking to their Wallabies in Higginbotham, O’Connor and Beale to lead the charge this season. Conversely the Western Force have been, rightly in my view, installed as second favorite for the wooden spoon in 2013 and have the look of a side out of its depth against quality opposition.

The Rebels have been successful in three of the four encounters between these two teams and I frankly can not see there being any other result than a Rebels win in this fixture. The only reason I am not tipping a blowout is the propensity for local derby fixtures within the conference to throw up a tight fixture here and there. We all know derbies tend to be close affairs and upsets are often on the cards but I think the Rebels will be too much for the Force, especially at home, and the Force will end up the losers on Friday.  Rebels by 8

Brumbies v Reds

Having started the season by watching the two teams that came 4^th and 5^th in the Australian conference last season, attention will turn on Saturday night to the two stand out teams in the Australian conference, the Brumbies and Reds. The Brumbies are coming off an excellent and improved season last season where they fell at the last metaphorical hurdle whilst the Reds were courageous in their run to the finals despite a massive injury toll including injuries to some key players.

The Reds come into this season having taken a limited role in the player transfer merry-go-round save for the loss of Scott Higginbotham whilst the Brumbies have replaced the a new star at number 7 in Michael Hooper with the second best flanker in the game in David Pocock. As an opening fixture to the competition, Australian fans and the broader Super 15 community could not ask for a better game when one considers the following “battles” that will play out on the night:

• The battle of the coaches pits Ewen McKenzie against Jake White: two of the premier coaches in the game. These two wily combatants will have their teams well drilled for this fixture.

• The battle of the number 7s pits the incumbent Australian captain, David Pocock, against the captain of the Australian U20s side that competed in the IRB Junior World Championship in 2012. Fans north of the border consider Gill to have been desperately unlucky to have fallen behind, the now Waratah, Michael Hooper as Pocock understudy at open side flanker and one expects this to battle to be a mouth watering prospect.

On paper the Reds probably have the better team, a team filled with first choice Wallabies and players who have grown up in the squad however they are also without their two principal leaders in James Horwill and Will Genia which poses an obvious risk to their continuity. In particular, it would be fair to say that Quade Cooper has the propensity to look lost at times without Genia inside him. Conversely the Brumbies have a squad that includes a mix of old heads with young talent and will have the advantage of player in front of one of the must partisan crowds in the game in the nation’s capital.

This will be a tight fixture the result of which could come down to one mistake or piece of ill-discipline within kicking range. My heart says the Reds but my head says that this will be a very very close game were the crowd might just lift their home town heroes over the line.   Brumbies by 2

Steve (@shumpty77) is sports tragic and is particularly fanatical about rugby and cricket. A proud Reds member, Steve is also a fan of Wallabies as well as the Welsh team (when they are not playing the Wallabies). When not following rugby, cricket and all other sports, Steve is an account director at an accounting firm.

XX Words on the Super XV

Crusaders fan Tim Cronin from RugbyShirts.net looks ahead to the new Super Rugby campaign…

With the Super XV about to kick off and rugby set to get in to full-swing in the Southern Hemisphere I thought I'd take a look at each of the sides and the chances they have in 2013.

As always at the start of a new season there are plenty of questions awaiting answers - Can a young Blues side bounce back from their franchise's worst ever year? Can the Crusaders, who have lost in the playoffs for four years on the trot finally add another trophy to their cabinet? Can the experienced campaigners that the Highlanders have added get them to the Semis, or will a lack of depth trip them up at the business end of the competition again? Will the Hurricanes continue to build on a positive year in 2012 in which their culture returned, and can the Chiefs defend their crown despite the loss of some key personnel?

Across the ditch can the brilliant David Pocock help take Jake White's already impressive Brumbies to the next level? Does Quade Cooper have anything left to offer the Reds, or were the handful of Touch Rugby tricks he pulled out a couple of years ago the best he had to offer? Is this the year of the 'Tahs, with marquee signing Israel Folau looking sharp already? Can the Rebels get some consistency into their game, and will the Force offer any resistance at all?

In the Republic the usual suspects will shine again, but can the Sharks carry on from their barn-storming finish last year? Can the Stormers take their dominant performances in recent years to the next level? Can Morne Steyn remember how to play and help the Bulls to the playoffs, or is a great career stumbling to an end? Can the Cheetahs offer anything other than the odd upset win, and can the Kings really be competitive in their first year?

To offer some insights in to these questions here are 20 words, no less, no more, on each of the 15 sides.

Blues – Talent to burn but lacking experience. Will struggle - at best will trip up one or two of the big boys.

Brumbies – Hard working side looking to build on last year, where they overacheived. Good coach in White, great flanker in Pocock.

Bulls – May have made the playoffs last year but the writing was on the wall. The great Bulls era is ending.

Cheetahs – Play with courage and passion, but lack the genuine talent to be truly competitive. Will cause an upset or two.

Chiefs – Defending their title without go-forwad men Sonny Bill and Sona Taumalolo will be a huge ask for Dave Rennie's men.

Crusaders – Four years in the playoffs without a title. Crusaders simply must win if Todd Blackadder is to retain his job.

Force – The time spent travelling is the hardest part of a game in Perth, with the Force themselves offering little. Cellar-dwellers.

Highlanders – Packed full of expereince and exciting new talent, but lacking depth. Could struggle at the business end of the season.

Hurricanes – After a year where cohesion returned to the Hurricanes they must capitalise this season and make the playoffs. Outside contenders.

Kings – Without doubt will struggle, with the Cheetahs their only real hope of avoiding the wooden spoon in the African conference.

Rebels – Mix of some of Australia's top players and a bunch of mediocre campaigners. At best a stumbling block for others.

Reds – Will be one of the better Australian sides again, but does that really say much? Will Quade fire or fail?

Sharks – Finished hard last year with a gutsy display despite having to travel. Great work ethic and plenty of talent. Contenders.

Stormers – Schalk Burger will have a huge influence. Great defence, but can they attack? Guaranteed to be one of the best.

Waratahs – New coaches, exciting backs and hard working forwards. Odds-on to win the Australian conference, although the overall title a stretch.

For weekly previews and breaking news visit us at www.RugbyShirts.net.

Tim Cronin is a Rugby fan and full time writer based in the rubble of the Canterbury Crusaders’ home town, Christchurch. Tim is a part of the Pukeko Sportsteam, where his role is watching, writing, and complaining about all things rugby.

The Year Ahead...

Crusaders & All Blacks fan Tim Cronin from RugbyShirts.net looks at what’s at stake in 2013.

For my first post of 2013 I thought I’d do a spot of crystal ball gazing, and look ahead to what the year might hold in store for the Southern Hemisphere sides.

The first chance we get to see the Southern Hemisphere’s stars in action will be the Super XV, and there are a number of sides with a lot of pressure on their shoulders ahead of this season’s tournament.

The Crusaders have made the play-offs for the last four years in a row without converting any of them in to titles, and, after throwing Backs Coach Darryl Gibson under the bus last year, Todd Blackadder’s will be the head to roll in 2013 if the red and blacks fall short of the mark again.

In Waikato, the reigning champion Chiefs have a big task ahead of them to retain their title, particularly without their superstar midfielder, Sonny Bill Williams. Like rockstars who bolt to the top of the charts on the back of one sensational hit the Chiefs took the competition by storm last year with their captivating brand of football, but I think they’ll struggle to live up to the hype in 2013.

At the other end of the scale are the Blues. You might think that John Kirwan has nothing to lose given their dismal showing last year, but I tend to think the Blues franchise could write off one year as an aberration, but two poor year’s in a row would be verging on a crisis. Unfortunately for Kirwan I just don’t think they have the personnel, and they’ll be the worst of the Kiwi sides for another year at least.

In South Africa the status quo will remain, with three of their teams, the Sharks, the Bulls and the Stormers all being title contenders, and the other two battling for the wooden spoon.

In Australia things will be much the same as in Africa in terms of the status quo prevailing, with the Reds, Waratahs, Brumbies, Force and Rebels all being rubbish.

The biggest talking point in world rugby this year will of course be the Lions’ tour of Australia. When the Wallabies struggled on home-soil against the Welsh 6 months ago I thought the time was ripe for the Lions to sweep the Aussies, but I’ve done an about-turn on this one. While they might be mediocre at best in the Super XV arena, when they get their dozen-odd decent players together the Wallabies are a formidable force, and I can’t help thinking how hungry their stars like Will Genia and David Pocock will be after a season ravaged by injury in 2012.

The dreadful injury run they had gave them opportunities last season which will also benefit them in the long term. Australian rugby has always lacked depth, and when the senior players started dropping mid-season that depth was exposed. But Robbie Deans’ men rallied, and while the season was full of mixed results it gave the ARU the chance to blood some new talent and expose some young up-and-comers to the international stage, and the Wallabies will be a far stronger entity for that experience. Personally I think the Wallabies will beat the Lions.

It’s a big year for the All Blacks, with some monumental questions in front of the powers-that-be. In 1987 the All Blacks were a class above anyone else in the world; In 1991 they traveled to the UK with a team of aging heroes and were shown up by a Wallabies side full of youth and flair. Players like Grant Fox, the Whettons and John Kirwan were just a year or two past their best when the 1991 tournament rolled around, and that could well be an issue for Steve Hansen and his pals come 2015.

The big question is: will McCaw, Carter, Woodcock, Mealamu, Hore, Nonu and Smith still be amongst the very best in the world come the World Cup in 2015? If not they must start introducing new blood now.

All Black supporters must be prepared to loose some games this year. I think it’s inevitable that the gap will close, particularly with McCaw sitting out the season. Personally, I believe the selectors should be brave and give some of the exciting talent which is bubbling away in New Zealand at the moment the opportunity to step up and prove themselves. It’s time to discard Weepu and Williams for instance – long term they offer the All Blacks very little, so why not cut them loose now and start the search for the next big thing,

The clash between New Zealand and England late in the year will be highly anticipated following England’s stunning romp over the world champions in November. The All Blacks will be dwelling on that loss, but already I can see that’s going to be a huge mountain to climb at Twickenham.

All in all, I couldn’t be more excited about the year of rugby ahead. I think the top sides are getting irresistibly close to each other in ability, and that makes the year ahead an intriguing one to say the least.

Tim Cronin is a Rugby fan and full time writer based in the rubble of the Canterbury Crusaders’ home town, Christchurch. Tim is a part of the Pukeko Sportsteam, where his role is watching, writing, and complaining about all things rugby.

Super Rugby Final Preview

Both sides had tough roads to the final, only one will be crowned Super Rugby champions for the first time.  @shumpty77 sizes up the contenders.

As they say in the classics: all good things must come to an end, and this weekend after five months of scintillating action the battle for the Super 15 title will come down to a winner takes all battle in Hamilton.

In one corner is the home town favourite Chiefs who, after a massive clean out last season, have defied their critics all season to lead the New Zealand conference and beat the Crusaders last week. It goes without saying that last week's semi-final win against the Crusaders was their best performance of the season in which they defeated their more fancied opponents both tactically and in the physical contest.

In the other corner are the frequent flyers of the Super 15 in the Sharks from Durban. In the last fortnight they have travelled from Durban to Brisbane to Cape Town to Hamilton which is a heavy load in anyone's currency. I, for one, expected them to struggle after going through the first two legs of that schedule last weekend but they proved me wrong with another brilliant defensive effort in Cape Town against the Stormers.

As I see it there are four key factors that could swing this fixture in favour of either team. I will deal with each of them in turn:

1. Cruden v Michalak

Aaron Cruden is coming off what can only be described as a career year for him. He is solidified his hold on Dan Carter's number 10 jersey at All Black level when Carter eventually retires and has been the lynchpin for the Chiefs in releasing its dynamic backline. At the start of the season Michalak would probably have not expected to have played a starting roll for the Sharks with young Lambie preferred but by dint of a mix of injury and brilliant form has forced his way into the line up and played a key roll. His tactical nouse has been vital and his uncanny knack of taking 3 points whenever offered has been key to the Sharks final's run.

2. The front row battle

The Sharks possess one of the most experienced front rows in the competition and are all Springboks. A lot of their forward drive has come from the du Plessis brothers and "the Beast" who not only provide an excellent platform in the scrum but run like loose forwards in broken play. The Chiefs' front row has not been the focus of many plaudits during the season but, much like their Sharks counterparts, have often being dominant in the scrum and in Taumalolo have a bona fide try scorer in the front row.

3. SBW v JP Pietersen

It would be difficult to find two more entertaining players in the game at the moment than the back line impresarios in each back line in Williams and Pietersen. Williams is playing his last game of Super Rugby (for now) and he will be looking to go out on a winning note. The Crusaders had few answers for his rampages in the midfield last week and his ability to offload in traffic is probably without peer at present. Pietersen is deceptively quick and can sniff out a try in any situation and at any place on the field. He is also an excellent defender who will often be seen in this fixture coming off his wing to shut down a Chiefs' backline raid.

4. Jetlag

As I noted in the preamble, the Sharks seem to have spent more time in airport lounges and in the air than they have on the training paddock in recent times. Whilst last week the rigours of their travelling schedule did not seem to affect them however this week is a whole new ball game given that they have again had to make the more difficult west to east route. An added factor here is that the Chiefs have not had to leave New Zealand in the last four weeks so will be fresh, well at least as fresh as one can be after an encounter with the Crusaders.

All in all, there is little between these two sides on paper and this presents as a mouth-watering encounter that is a fitting way to end this Super 15 season.

Whilst the Sharks probably have a bit more starch in defence that the Chiefs, the Chiefs attacking weapons probably hold a slight advantage. In front of their home crowd and with the travel issues noted above playing on my mind I am going to tip the Chiefs to win here and to win their first Super Rugby title.

Steve Walsh is the referee and that is just reward for being the best referee in the competition.

Shumpty’s verdict = Chiefs by 6

Starting lineups

Chiefs: 15 Robbie Robinson, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Andrew Horrell, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke (c), 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Sona Taumalolo.
Replacements: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Ben Afeaki, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Jackson Willison, 22 Lelia Masaga.

Sharks: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Paul Jordaan, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Keegan Daniel (c), 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Steven Sykes, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Jacques Botes, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Riaan Viljoen.

Date: Saturday, 4 August
Venue: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Kick-off: 8:35 Irish time
Referee: Steve Walsh
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert, Keith Brown
TMO: Garratt Williamson

Steve is sports tragic and is particularly fanatical about rugby and cricket. A proud Reds member, Steve is also a fan of Wallabies as well as the Welsh team (when they are not playing the Wallabies). When not following rugby, cricket and all other sports, Steve is an account director at an accounting firm.

Super Rugby semifinals

FINALS (all times Irish)

1ST ROUND

CRUSADERS 28-13 BULLS

REDS 17-30 SHARKS

SEMIFINALS

CHIEFS 20-17 CRUSADERS

After building a 17-6 first half lead thanks to tries from Taumalolo and Messam, the Chiefs defence fell asleep before the break letting in Crotty but woke up again right at the end to withstand 22 phases denying the Saders a chance for a tying drop goal. Not Dan Carter's finest hour, and Sonny Bill, Messam, Clarke & co made enough hay from their hard-earned home advantage to reach the final.

STORMERS 19-26 SHARKS

For the second week in a row the Sharks have shown how play smart when you have to travel. A no-nonsense territory game was rewarded with well-worked 5-pointers from Ludik and JP Pietersen. The Stormers' fightback via a Gio Aplon try wasn't enough and a late Michalak drop goal plus some stubborn defence clinched it. The Chiefs will be glad to host the final but sure won't have things easy.

FINAL

CHIEFS v SHARKS

Saturday, August 4   8:30am

Super Rugby Finals Week 1

FINALS (all times Irish)

1ST ROUND



CRUSADERS 28-13 BULLS



REDS 17-30 SHARKS



SEMIFINALS



CHIEFS (2) v CRUSADERS (4)
Fri July 27 8:35am



STORMERS (1) v SHARKS (6)
Sat July 28 4:05pm



FINAL



SEMIFINAL WINNERS


Sat August 4 Time TBA

© JL Pagano 2012

Super Rugby v H Cup

Is it possible to be objective with this argument? I'll give it a go...

Last Saturday saw the final round of regular season games in Super Rugby. There was high drama all day, especially after the Brumbies' unlikely loss at home to the Blues saw the reigning champions the Reds pinch the Australian Conference title off them at the last minute.

 

Since it's off season up here in Europe and I have no Leinster or Ireland performance to give an opinion on this Monday morning, I thought I'd offer my contribution to a long standing debate – which competition is better...Super Rugby or the Heineken Cup?

 

I have picked a few random categories to compare them under -

 

History– Us stuffy European rugby heads wouldn't like to admit it, but the Heineken Cup was essentially born because we wanted our own version of soccer's Champions League which was going from strength to strength every year. Since rugby had gone professional, a pan-European tournament with a decent TV rights income was (quite rightly) seen as the only way forward for the game.

 

Unfortunately, not everyone was happy to see the end of the amateur era, making the transition a laborious one which is still evident today. Since top level rugby is really only played in six nations, while soccer has to deal with over fifty, you'd think it would be a lot easier for rugby's European Cup to be formed, but as it turned out, although the first Heineken Cup was played in the 1995/96 season, it wasn't until 1999/2000 that all of the Six Nations were supplying teams.

 

Down under things happened a little differently. The concept of a tournament spanning the three major southern hemisphere nations was not only born before professionalism, it was being talked of before South Africa was formally accepted back into the international fold. In 1993 we finally had the “Super 10” which included teams from NZ, Aus and SA.

 

Then in 1995 the game went pro and the competition became the Super 12 and it has gradually expanded to the 15 team entity we now know as “Super Rugby” with the possibility of many more teams being added in the future.

 

Competing teams – This is where I feel rugby has struggled to produce a stable product in both hemispheres.

 

European soccer has a structure for its Champions League where all the clubs can compete in the competition so that the cream can rise to the top. Egg-chasing, however, emerged from the amateur era with strong clubs in England and France on account of their large player pools. The Celtic Nations all had pyramid club formats in place as well at home but the playing base was much, much smaller thus the talent was spread thin.

 

This meant that if they were to put forward clubs to a new European competition, they needed to embrace the concept of “super teams” or “franchises”. Ireland was lucky in that it had four ready-made regions with which the public could readily identify. Wales and Scotland, however, had to start from the back of the pack by trying to “create” teams (though it took the Welsh a few years to accept it). It could be argued that the fans still haven't warmed to the idea in either country.

 

Italy have always been considered an exception and put their “top” clubs into the Heineken Cup as lambs to the slaughter every year until eventually they went the super team route though they haven't quite gotten it right yet and are still considered whipping boys. And of course we must not forget the French, who rarely have more than two of their six or seven qualifiers give a jot about the competition every season.

 

The southern hemisphere found the transition to a franchise system a lot smoother, though with the ongoing Southern Kings saga they're not having things their own way by a long shot. Much like the top two tiers of the English game, the current Super Rugby regular season has ended with absolutely nothing decided as to who will compete next year, a crazy state of events for any top level sport.

 

Format – Article after article written by Southern hemisphere fans seems to complain about the current “conference” system employed by Super Rugby. They can't wrap their heads around the fact that the Reds on 58 points finish ahead of the Crusaders (61) Bulls & Sharks (both 59) on the overall table.

 

That may sound crazy when put in those terms, but not when you factor money into the equation. Dividing the 15 into conferences and allowing the winners of each occupy the first three seeds guarantees that at least one playoff game will be held in each market, crucial for advertising purposes. Plus, whatever you may say about the varying strengths of the three conferences, the Reds finished first in theirs, the other teams did not. This format is almost a carbon copy of what the NFL has been doing for decades now and its fans don't have much trouble understanding why it must be that way.

 

Of course with six different countries in the Heineken Cup, a similar method wouldn't be feasible. And as the English and French clubs keep reminding us, the teams in the Pro 12 for the most part don't have to bother with qualifying each season as they do. So before a ball is even kicked in the competition, the playing field isn't level.

 

Then we have the actual H Cup format itself, with everyone dying to draw an Italian team to boost the chances of the “best runner-up” coming from their pool.

 

The most glaring difference between the two formats is in the calendar. Super Rugby takes place on consecutive weeks to a conclusion. True, it had a three week break for internationals, but that's nothing compared to the breaks H Cup coaches must endure. At least the test matches during the SR break are friendlies...if you've worked hard to get your squad into the final eight of the H Cup, all you can then do is pray that your squad makes it through the Six Nations intact, and that can be a long, worrying two months no matter how deep your squad may be.

 

However the European system can at times be kinder to coaches...say a team's star player throws a swinging arm at an opponent in the final regular season game as Quade Cooper did last Saturday. A similar one-week ban means you miss nothing and you're more than welcome to take part in the next game in the competition, unlike Cooper, who misses their playoff clash with the Sharks next weekend.

 

Style of rugby - General consensus is that Super Rugby is more free-flowing....since they were the first to introduce the "4-try bonus" system into the sport, the culture is more geared towards whitewash-crossing down there while in Europe caution is generally shielded from the wind.

 

The tide may be turning, however. Joe Schmidt's Leinster were generally scoring tries for fun last season on the way to their third H Cup triumph in four years (I'll use any excuse to say it) while the Stormers topped the overall Super Rugby “log” despite being the competition's lowest try scorers.

 

Crowds– Numerically Super Rugby has the edge, but in Europe we seem to be better at playing H Cup matches in stadia that will fit the demand for tickets (Murrayfield of course being the glaring exception). So for the most part last weekend we saw massive gaps of empty seats at SR games (Suncorp of course being the glaring exception).

 

Money – Three words – Sonny Bill Williams. If the NZRU can't keep him, the World Champions have major piggy bank problems and that can't be good (no wonder they're considering besmirching their precious All Black jersey with advertising). Richie McCaw may be of the old-school “loyal” variety but you can't blame young talented players who maximise their earning potential in a sport where their career could be cut short at any minute. And the massive numbers moving south to north instead of vice versa shows just exactly where the power lies.

 

Conclusion– It's a tough one to call. Ideally I'd like the calendar and format of SR with the full houses and the financial clout of the H Cup.

 

If the ERC lost all reason and put it down to me I'd change the Heineken Cup to switch four pools of six and have the round robin matches played home and away in successive weeks going straight into the knockout rounds as Super Rugby does. The domestic leagues would finish beforehand and teams would qualify directly into the same season's H Cup instead of the following year's as it stands now.

 

But overall my conclusion is very similar to the one I came to on last week's rant, in that I think the entire world professional rugby union calendar needs to be taken down and re-assembled in such a way as to (1) make sense (2) allow for players to play for club and country regardless of hemisphere and (3) allow for an annual playoff between the winners of both competitions so this argument can be settled on the pitch rather than in blog posts.

 

Hang on – what would I have to rant about then? Oh wait, just thought of at least a dozen different topics. I'll try to have one chosen by next Monday. JLP

© JL Pagano 2012