1
It’s Mad Monday for 10 teams in Super Rugby. They’ll all be commiserating their lack of participation in the playoffs, so let’s have a look at the highs and lows of their 2017 seasons.
ADVERTISEMENT
Blues
Well, someone had to finish bottom of the NZ Conference and it was probably always going to be the Blues – given the incredible strength of the other four teams. The pressure is now officially on coach Tana Umaga for next year, another early finish and the few Aucklanders that still care will likely turn on him for good.
Highlight: The massive, but ultimately unrealised potential shown in their hiding of the Rebels in round one.
Lowlight: Tempting to say the weekend’s loss to the Sunwolves, but their heavy defeat to the Chiefs in week two is when the wheels started to fall off.
Jaguares
Another disappointing return for the Argentine national side in different jerseys. This team should be making the playoffs, given their strength of squad and massive home ground advantage.
Highlight: Even though Australian rugby is particularly weak right now, the Jags still did well to pick up two wins from two games on their tour leg against the Waratahs and Rebels.
Lowlight: Getting thrashed by the Brumbies at home.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kings
The one success story of the also-rans, the perpetual cellar-dwellers pulled off their best season ever in Super Rugby with six wins. Their reward? Getting booted from the comp and having to go play in the Pro 12. Go figure.
Highlight: Their impressive four game win streak.
Lowlight: Having their fate sealed by having to play in an almost empty Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium earlier in the season.
Force
Another team that probably did better than most thought, the Force picked up six wins and maintained rugby union’s presence in the outpost of Western Australia. Once again though, they merely existed rather than doing anything amazing.
Highlight: Massacring the Waratahs in their last game.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lowlight: Which might actually be their last game, fullstop. The axe has been hanging over the Force all year, which can’t have been great for morale.
Cheetahs
Another goodbye, but this one is particularly hard for Super Rugby purists. From their inception the Cheetahs have been committed to high scoring games and weak defence – they will be missed.
Highlight: A statement 34-28 win over local rivals the Bulls.
Lowlight: A statement 53-10 loss to local rivals the Stormers.
Reds
At first glance the Reds have been horrible, but a closer look shows that they haven’t actually suffered that many hidings. But given the amount of talent on their books, that probably makes them still horrible.
Highlight: Actually a loss, but they played pretty well to go down 20-22 to the Crusaders.
Lowlight: Getting hammered 43-10 by the Brumbies.
Bulls
This team pretty much lives and dies on the fitness of Handre Pollard, so when he was ruled out for three months, so too were the Bulls’ playoff hopes. Their away jerseys looked pretty sharp, though.
Highlight: An unexpected 30-17 win over the Sharks.
Lowlight: Everyone is jumping on the Blues for losing to the Sunwolves, but the Bulls pulled off that ignominious feat too in 2017.
Waratahs
All that money, all that talent. The Horrortahs encapsulated everything wrong with Australian rugby right now with maybe their worst season ever. They didn’t get the wooden spoon, but they deserved it.
Highlight: They at least managed to summon enough energy to beat their old rivals the Reds.
Lowlight: They had clearly none of that energy left when they were destroyed by the Force.
This feels akin to an alcoholic doing a stocktake in a bottle shop. If ever there was a need for an independent set of eyes… #waratahs pic.twitter.com/tootX3CLCI
— Brett McKay (@BMcSport) July 16, 2017
Sunwolves
Everyone’s other favourite team managed to chime in with a couple of notable wins, but also drew in big enough home crowds to justify their existence. Plus, they staged the greatest turnaround ever by beating the Blues after losing to the Lions by almost 100.
Highlight: Wins over the Blues and Bulls that made everyone outside of Auckland and Pretoria smile.
Lowlight: Haemorrhaging 671 points – over 100 more than the next worse defence in the comp – including almost 150 in two consecutive games.
Rebels
The less said the better. The murmurings of an Australian team getting cut clearly didn’t inspire the Rebels, who made the best case for it to be them that’s missing next year.
Highlight: Their one win, over the Brumbies.
Lowlight: Getting torched by the Kings.
Comments on RugbyPass
Must be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
3 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
3 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
3 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
25 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
25 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
25 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to comments