Watch: The finals match that made it painfully clear Super Rugby's structure badly needed a re-jig
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There’s been a growing discourse over the last decade that Super Rugby is not the same product it once was. After growing from 12 teams to 15 over the space of two decades, the 2016 season brought with it two further clubs and one very convoluted system.
The problems started in a year earlier, however, in 2015. That season saw the conference system introduced for the first time – one for each of the participating countries, who each boasted five teams.
Every team played their own conference rivals twice during the year as well as eight of the other 10 competitors (four from each conference). At the end of the regular season, the three conference winners plus the next three highest-ranked sides took part in the finals series.
While it wasn’t a horrible set-up, it certainly wasn’t a level playing field. While every New Zealand side had to play the Crusaders twice in the one season, for example, the Force and the Stormers managed to avoid that year’s champions altogether.
There was no doubt that the New Zealand conference was the toughest of the lot, yet despite the fact that the Highlanders finished ahead of the Waratahs on points (and both the Highlanders and Chiefs outranked the Stormers), they weren’t awarded a home semi-final because they were trumped by the Hurricanes for the conference champions.
Still, rewarding conference winners is a common occurrence in world sport and in a perfect world, each conference would be roughly equal in strength. You could at least understand where the tournament organisers were coming from when they devised the 2015 set-up.
The same couldn’t be said for 2016, however, when all sensibilities went out the window.
Argentina’s Jaguares and Japan’s Sunwolves joined the already packed competition and due to calendar constraints were added to the South African conference – which was split into two pools, Africa 1 and Africa 2, of four teams each.
Each team in the Africa conferences played their own pool-members home and away (six matches), the four teams from the other African pool (four matches) and either all the Australian sides or all the New Zealand sides (five matches) for a total of fifteen games.
The NZ and Australian teams played the five sides from the other Australasian nation (five games), two teams from their own country home and away (four games), the other two teams from their own country once (two games) and then either the four teams from Africa 1 or Africa 2 (four games).
It was an absolute nightmare for anyone not 100% engrossed in the competition to understand – which probably amounted to about 99% of the audience.
Only a reincarnated Ernest Rutherford could explain to us how the current Super Rugby playoff structure works.
— Sanjay Patel (@spat106) February 25, 2016
While there were fairness issues with the 2015 set-up, thing were considerably worse in 2016. Any team in the Africa 1 pool, for example, completely missed out on playing any New Zealand teams during the regular season – which was a huge boon for those four sides.
The Stormers were one of those four Africa 1 teams and they cantered into the playoffs without their place in the finals every really looking unlikely.
It’s fair to say that the 2016 Super Rugby structure drew a little bit of criticism.
Kings vs Jags a perfect advert for how dreadful this new Super Rugby structure is. What an absolute abomination of a game …
— Front Row Grunt (@FrontRowGrunt) May 28, 2016
The new super rugby format is so stupid! Just have overall standings and play everyone once! Over complicate everything
— Nathan stone (@nathanstone525) February 28, 2016
Whoever got the Aus players to pose at a slippery slope to launch the new Super Rugby format has a wicked sense of humour.
— Paul Cully (@paulcullystuff) February 17, 2016
Come the end of the round-robin, the Stormers were set to host the Chiefs – who had battled their way to sixth on the overall ladder (though had accrued the same number of points as the third-seeded Stormers and more than the fourth-seeded Brumbies).
And while coach Dave Rennie wasn’t happy that his side had to travel all the way to Cape Town, there was probably an air of confidence at Chiefs’ trainings that they could get the job done against the technically higher-ranked hosts. They’d honed their trade throughout the season and grown from week to week while the Stormers had stumbled across the finish line without ever really having to fight for their spot.
Come match day, it was clear very early on that the Chiefs’ tougher season was going to pay dividends.
The Stormers struck first through a converted try to prop Vincent Koch, but that was the only time in the match that the Stormers would hold a lead.
Sam McNicol and Brad Weber both dotted down for the Chiefs within minutes of Koch’s try to go ahead 14-7 and from they never let up, with Tom Sanders and James Lowe also notching up scores in the first half to take the lead 31-14 at the whistle.
Could these be the new Super Rugby replacements? @TomVinicombe speculates. #SuperRugbyhttps://t.co/TWAqOmkL16
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 3, 2020
The second half didn’t bode any better for the home side with the Chiefs scoring four more tries – including three in the final ten minutes.
The game ultimately ended with the visitors prevailing 60-21 – vindicating the majority who’d suggested that the competition table wasn’t an accurate reflection of the state of Super Rugby 2016.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck highlighted that his side was also hindered by the competition structure and not having the opportunity to play against the Kiwi teams throughout the year.
“The big disadvantage we had last season was that we did not play against New Zealand teams in the buildup to the playoffs,” said Fleck.
“We didn’t know what to expect and what the Chiefs hit us with in the quarterfinal was a level above what we were used to. They really played well in that game and they asked a lot of questions that we could not answer.”
The irregular competition format was also used for the following year but that was to be the last of it. In 2018, the Kings, Cheetahs and Force were removed from the competition, returning it to the same structure used in 2015.
Comments on RugbyPass
Sorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
1 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
2 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
2 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
3 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to commentsDon’t like Diamond but the maul is a joke, the sight of a choke tackle creating a maul then players in offside positions flopping on it killing the ball but then getting the put in? Banal.
3 Go to commentsHopefully Tabai Matson returns to Crusaders as head coach next season.
1 Go to commentsstorm in a teacup really. Penalty only so play on as the try was scored. Now the real question is: why was Maitland allowed to pass the ball off the floor? That is illegal but refs never pick it up.
1 Go to commentsWhen Beauden Barrett signed his contract before the 2023 RWC to play in Japan in 2024, it was NOT part of a sabbatical agreed to with NZRU prior to his signing, as was Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. Barrett changed his mind after the fact and negotiated his return to NZ Rugby and he was given permission to be eligible for All Black selection straight away once he signed a new contract to return to the Blues in 2025. Therefore, why would anyone argue against Whitelock returning to the All Blacks straight away after his season is France is finished if he signs a new contract with NZRU which includes a Super Rugby contract in 2025? If Barrett can, Whitelock should be allowed too.
10 Go to commentsThe All Blacks will select 5 locks this season. Scott Robertson will most likely want to select 2 veteran locks who can start right away in 2024 and 3 young promising locks who he would like to be pushing hard for selection in the starting XV in two years time- 2026. Scott Barrett is a world class lock. Who would you rather start beside him this season against England, South Africa, Ireland, and France- Sam Whitelock or Patrick Tuipulotu? I would choose Whitelock over Tuipulotu all day, every day.
10 Go to comments