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Day 1 of the Brisbane Tens saw low crowds take away the headlines from some of the action-packed displays of rugby. There are suggestions the Tens could be headed to New Zealand after just 11,430 supporters showed up on Friday at Suncorp Stadium.
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The Chiefs, Crusaders, and Blues went unbeaten to top each of their Pools while the Hurricanes and Highlanders finished with one win and one loss each.
The Chiefs look formidable with Tim Nanai-Williams showing his class throughout the day. He looks like a favourite to take home the MVP award if the Chiefs have another successful run on day two. A controversial no-try helped them overcome the Highlanders 17-12 before they pasted the French club Pau 31-7.
The Hurricanes were a major disappointment in an error-ridden display first up against a clinical Crusaders side who punished them 22-0. The Hurricanes squeaked past Fiji 12-5 in their final match of the day while the Crusaders then put the Brumbies to the sword 31-7.
The hometown Reds went winless on the day, after getting thumped by the Blues 29-7 before losing at the death against the Rebels 21-17 after their captain Samu Kerevi was yellow carded for a high shot. The Aussie derby saw an impressive performance from Izaia Perese.
The Waratahs were the most impressive Australian side, beating French visitors Pau 31-5 in their opening match, and pushing the Highlanders all the way to lose on a last-gasp try 12-10. The Brumbies were handsomely beaten by the Crusaders and just managed to outlast Fiji while the Rebels were beaten by Japan’s Panasonic Wild Knights before a last-gasp win over the Reds.
The Blues up-and-comers Jordan Trainor, Caleb Clarke, and Dalton Papalii were impressive while the Crusaders wings George Bridge and Manasa Mataele were dangerous. Their execution of team-play was a cut above the rest, and their underrated squad looks good to push for finals contention.
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Day 2 will start with the final round-robin clashes and the top two teams from each pool will qualify for the finals.
The Blues, Chiefs and Crusaders look assured finalists as they will play the Rebels, Waratahs and Fiji respectively in their final pool game with the result only determining who will get the first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Hurricanes will need a solid victory over the Brumbies with the winner likely qualifying. The Reds look all but done but the Wild Knights could sneak through if they keep the hosts winless. A Highlanders win could knock out the Waratahs if they go down to the Chiefs.
All five Kiwi sides could qualify while the Australian sides are looking shaky to secure at least one playoff spot.
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Day 1 Results
Pool A
Wild Knights 19 Rebels 17
Blues 29 Reds 7
Blues 47 Wild Knights 10
Rebels 21 Reds 17
Pool B
Waratahs 31 Pau 10
Chiefs 17 Highlanders 12
Chiefs 31 Pau 7
Highlanders 12 Waratahs 10
Pool C
Brumbies 17 Fiji 12
Crusaders 22 Hurricanes 0
Hurricanes 12 Fiji 5
Crusaders 31 Brumbies 7
Women
NSW 19 Queensland 5
Brumbies 17 Rebels 7
NSW 27 Rebels 0
Queensland 33 Rebels 0
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to comments