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'The benefits for Australian rugby are far less tangible': The one-sided Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition becoming a concern
After a second round of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, the gap between the New Zealand sides and Australian sides couldn’t be clearer. After ten games, the ledger stands at 10-0 in favour of the five Kiwi franchises.
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The second round was more brutal than the first, with the closest margin being 10 points between the Highlanders and the Force.
Every other game was a blowout with the Crusaders thumping the Reds 64-28, the Chiefs 40-18 winners over the Brumbies, the Blues 48-21 over the Waratahs and the Hurricanes dispatching the Rebels 35-13.
Questions are now being asked whether we will see an Australian side get a win as the strength of the Kiwi sides has proven to be too much to handle.
Kiwi rugby journalist Paul Cully wrote that the competition has been ‘liberating’ for the New Zealand players after the toughness of the Aotearoa competition and questioned whether there were any benefits for the Australians.
Super Rugby Trans Tasman has been liberating for NZ players after beating each other up for 2 years. The benefits of SRTT for Australian rugby are far less tangible. #REDvCRU
— Paul Cully (@paulcullystuff) May 22, 2021
I don't think I can watch any more of Australian teams getting their arse kicked tonight, all a bit depressing really.#REDvCRU
— CarrickTalksRugby (@TalksRugby) May 22, 2021
10 out of 10 so far. Hard to see how the Aussie teams win one going by these performances. #SuperRugbyTT
— Moses Rudende (BEWILDERED HERD MEMBER #0069) (@rudende) May 22, 2021
Kiwis 10 Aussies 0… winning the #SuperRugbyAU title looks a bit like coming runner up in the kissing cousins comp… Kiwis light years ahead. #SuperRugbyTT #SuperRugbyTransTasman
— Paul Kneeshaw (@Stick_Beetle) May 22, 2021
In breaking news, Australian Super Rugby teams have asked for the trans-Tasman bubble to be closed at the conclusion of the #REDvCRU game.
— Aiden McLaughlin (@Womble101) May 22, 2021
The Australian breakdown work across all five games this weekend has been poor. Smashed in every encounter. #REDvCRU
— Sam Bruce (@Sambruce86) May 22, 2021
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South African journalist Jon Cardinelli questioned whether there was enough balance in the Australian game, and highlighted just how far the former World Champions had fallen since the turn of the century.
Crusaders embarrass Reds 63-28 in Brisbane.
Aussies were the best in the world at the turn of the century – Wallabies were RWC/3N champs, Brumbies won a S12 title.
Great attack, but also great defence and kicking.
Not enough balance in Aussie game at present.#SuperRugbyTT
— Jon Cardinelli (@jon_cardinelli) May 22, 2021
Fans were in debate over whether the Trans-Tasman competition is healthy for the Australian teams, as Super Rugby AU was a confidence-breeder for them but hard games against New Zealand teams may help improve the standard.
Some fans believed the teams could benefit from a foreign import quota to provide some balance to the teams.
What would be better for Australia rugby development? Regular matches against high quality NZ teams but getting regularly beaten or more matches against Aussie teams for wins and breeding confidence but lower standard?
— Mark (@Mark__d_h) May 22, 2021
I think it’s good for Oz rugby . But Oz rugby needs to allow more foreign imports in its sides Eg 8 imports per squad from anywhere in the world. It’s not all about wallaby development
— Steve Mitchell (@stevemitchell80) May 22, 2021
I would say that Australia’s weakest link, the Waratahs, are clearly weaker than the Hurricanes, who finished last in Super Rugby Aotearoa. But beyond that, there is a lot to be respected and admired, but not feared, about the New Zealand sides. Hmmm
— Kingsley (@Kdub1970) May 22, 2021
While the results in round two were disheartening for Australian rugby supporters, the Brumbies were a conversion away from a draw against the Crusaders while the Force missed a crucial match-winning kick against the Chiefs.
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It is within the realms of possibility that there will be some Australian wins but an all-Kiwi final is at short-odds after two weeks of action.
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
69 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI 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.
9 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.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 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?
9 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.
2 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 comments