1
With just one game of Super Rugby remaining in 2016, Jamie Wall looks back at five of the season‘s best games.
ADVERTISEMENT
Round 1: Blues 33 Highlanders 31
WATCH: Full Game | Condensed
The Super Rugby season kicked off back in February with the Blues upsetting the defending champions in a thriller at Eden Park. After Ben Smith opened the scoring for the Highlanders the Blues struck back with openside Blake Gibson making the All Blacks fullback look like he was made out of balsa wood with a brutal one-out run to the line. Smith put himself back together to finish off a great Highlanders team try in the second half, before Patrick Tuipolotu hit back again for the Blues, who managed to hang on in front of a home crowd that had been watching One Day International cricket at the same venue the previous weekend. Long-suffering Blues fans probably had their expectations raised a little too high by their team’s Round 1 performance.
Round 2: Chiefs 32 Lions 36
WATCH: Full Game | Condensed
The coming-out party for this season’s Cinderella team came in the decidedly unromantic setting of Hamilton, where the Chiefs found out the hard way that the Lions aren’t Super Rugby’s joke team anymore. Three of the Lions’ most prominent players of the season stepped up, with skipper Warren Whitely scoring a try, Elton Jantjes kicking accurately and He-Man lookalike Faf de Klerk marshalling a dominant forward pack around the field. The Chiefs definitely played their part in the spectacle as well, with Seta Tamanivalu and Damian McKenzie displaying the sort of form that would get them All Black squad call ups later in the year.
Round 4: Jaguares 26 Chiefs 30
WATCH: Full Game | Condensed
Argentina’s Los Jaguares were widely tipped as a dark horse contender for the Super Rugby title pre-tournament, but instead left many scratching their heads as their season slowly unraveled. Their vast early-season promise was exemplified in their first home game, a Round 4 thriller against the Chiefs. The game will be remembered for Jaguares replacement halfback Martin Landajo’s stunning 73rd-minute try, but in a game that didn’t lack for excitement, the visitors pulled the lead back an equally freewheeling try to Brad Weber just five minutes later.
Round 9: Sunwolves 36 Jaguares 28
WATCH: Full Game | Condensed
There were some apocalyptic predictions made about the Sunwolves’ chances before the Super Rugby season started, and they seemed to be coming true when the Cheetahs destroyed them 92-17 in Round 8. But in the biggest turnaround of the season, the next week they ran out onto Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium and shocked the Jaguares 36-28, scoring three entertaining tries and holding their nerve at the death to notch their first (and so far only) Super Rugby win. The Sunwolves, who had already achieved cult status early in the season thanks to their terrifying mascot, had exceeded almost everyone’s wildest expectations.
Round 14: Hurricanes 27 Highlanders 20
WATCH: Full Game | Condensed
Revenge is a dish best served in the 79th minute. While it didn’t quite make up for the Hurricanes’ capitulation in the 2015 final, this game certainly dispelled any doubts about Ardie Savea’s ability to wear the black jersey. The flanker scored two tries to lead the Hurricanes to victory. For the first he finished off an 80-metre team effort sparked by Cory Jane; the second came as the relentless home side smashed away at the defending champions’ line, eventually opening up a gaping hole which Savea went crashing through. The Highlanders had earlier come back from a 14-point deficit to draw level, but with just seconds left on the clock, Savea’s try proved the decisive blow.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
45 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
45 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
45 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
45 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
45 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
45 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
45 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments