'The old format is better': All Blacks star's take on Super Rugby Aotearoa
While Super Rugby Aotearoa has been an unmitigated success, there have also been some undeniable adverse consequences of the high-intensity competition.
With top players being forced to front week in and week out due to what’s riding on every match, there’s been an exceptional number of long-term injuries to some of the stars of the game.
All Blacks Jack Goodhue, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Patrick Tuipulotu, Joe Moody, Liam Squire and Dalton Papalii will all miss a number of weeks of action with Goodhue and captain Cane unlikely to play any further role in this year’s rugby calendar.
The Aotearoa competition was always intended as a stop-gap measure once travel was inhibited thanks to the global pandemic but even as recently as last year, New Zealand Rugby were seemingly considering forging ahead with an Aotearoa-style competition that brought in two or three sides from Australia and the Pacific Islands.
That’s unlikely to eventuate now, with the five Australian Super Rugby teams set to join the Kiwi contingent, alongside two Pacific Island sides in next year’s competition.
That should come as some relief to New Zealand’s stars, who have expressed some discontent with the current competition due to its high ferocity.
All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith has previously noted that playing fellow Kiwis week in and week out is a brutal task for the players.
“I think if you look back over time, [the high attrition rate] is not a coincidence,” he said on the Devlin Radio Show. “Back-to-back derbies, it’s definitely got to have an impact.
“People don’t get how much harder you go against your best mate. It’s real. It’s not like saying we don’t respect the South Africans, Aussies, Jaguares, Japanese but when you play your mate every week, the collisions, the kilometres we run, it all adds up.”
Smith’s contemporaries have echoed similar sentiments in the past, with the likes of Ash Dixon and Brad Weber lamenting the loss of touring to South Africa – which was an important bonding experience for teams.
The likes of Richie Mo'unga and Damian McKenzie have started every match for their #SuperRugbyAotearoa sides while developing players have been left holding tackle bags on the sidelines. There are going to be consequences.
?? @TomVinicombe.https://t.co/hH9Fv443rB
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) April 27, 2021
Smith has now re-affirmed his position on the competition, suggesting that he preferred the more traditional Super Rugby competitions which saw sides from Australia, South Africa and, more recently, Argentina and Japan involved.
In his latest edition of ‘Nugschats’, where Smith fields questions from fans on Twitter, Smith suggested that the “old format is better” due to the annual tours and the slightly more manageable intensity.
The old format is better. I missing touring it was the times you really got tight as a team. Plus not much fun bashing your mates up every week #Nugschats
— Aaron Smith (@Te_Nug) April 28, 2021
The Highlanders play their final game of the Super Rugby Aotearoa season – and possibly ever – this weekend against the Hurricanes. After the grand final between the Crusaders and Chiefs in two weeks’ time, the Trans-Tasman portion of the competition will kick off, which sees each New Zealand side play each Australian side over five weeks.
Smith has been named to start in the No 9 jersey for the Highlanders on Friday at Westpac Stadium, with the match kicking off at 7:05pm NZT.
Comments on RugbyPass
Yet, according to Jake White and other twonks who think better, Jenkins shouldn’t be picked by the boks. Daft.
3 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks 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?
13 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.
10 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.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 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.
25 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
5 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.
10 Go to comments