End-Of-Season Report Card: What Did The Jaguares, Kings And Sunwolves Bring To Super Rugby?
What have Super Rugby’s three new teams contributed to the competition, both on and off the pitch, in their first season? Jamie Wall takes a look.
Three expansion teams were added to the Super Rugby competition this year – the Tokyo-based Sunwolves, the Buenos Aires-based Jaguares and South Africa’s Southern Kings. All three teams’ seasons came to an end last weekend, all with fairly horrible debut records.
Let’s have a look at the fleeting highs and glut of crushing lows that have been the newbies’ 2016 seasons.
Jaguares
Record: Won 4, Lost 11
Final table placing: 13th
Wasn’t this basically the same team that made the semi finals of last years’ World Cup? They certainly started like it, running the ball from everywhere in a first up win over the Cheetahs. But then the weird decision to leave all their good players at home for the trip to New Zealand effectively tanked their season. An embarrassing loss to the Sunwolves in Tokyo exposed the team everyone had tipped as dark horses to win the comp as a bunch of pretenders.
Player of the season: Tomas Lavanini brought back some much-needed thuggery to the competition. Despite getting himself suspended twice for foul play, the big lock pulled off one of the (legal) hits of the season.
On-field highlight: Their 26-30 loss to the Chiefs in Round 4 was such a good performance it could probably be used as evidence in a case of false advertising.
Off-field highlight: Where to start? Laser light shows while the ball was in play? Inflatable dogs? A mascot on a zip line shooting fireworks? Crotch-grabbing as an acceptable show of appreciation for a try? Welcome to Estadio Jose Amalfitani, where I’d be quite happy for all Super Rugby to be played.
Southern Kings
Record: Won 2, Lost 13
Final table placing: 17th
The Kings’ money woes had them cutting corners all over the place, including seemingly basing their jersey design on a the winning entry of kids’ colouring-in competition. The Port Elizabeth based team’s woes carried over onto the field, where they gave up 50+ scores six times during the season. Having to play in the cavernous Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium didn’t help either, given that their home crowds were usually just the players’ parents and friends.
Player of the year: Edgar Marutlulle was a bright spot, managing to become the team’s equal top tryscorer despite playing at hooker.
On-field highlight: The Round 12 victory over Los Jaguares was notable because it turned around a 50 point loss to the same side just four weeks before.
Off-field highlight: The closest the Kings got to having a mascot was this cheerleader wielding a crudely put together spear.
Sunwolves
Record: Won 1, Drew 1, Lost 13
Final table placing: 18th
The team with the coolest name in rugby history started the season on the back foot, with barely enough players to field a team and having to employ one of the least successful coaches in Super Rugby history. They were expected to come in last, and duly delivered on expectations, but the Sunwolves have managed to achieve far more of a cult following than any other expansion side. Check out their very polite Twitter account, which had the good grace to incorporate other teams’ official hashtags.
Player of the year: Winger Akihito Yamada was incredibly productive in a team that was getting pantsed most weeks, notching up 10 tries.
On-field highlight: Without a doubt their Round 7 win over Los Jaguares in Tokyo.
Off-field highlight: The Sunwolves’ mascot is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to Super Rugby.
Comments on RugbyPass
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments