Why Aaron Cruden will be looking forward to the New Zealand-only Super Rugby competition
Aaron Cruden’s 2020 homecoming hasn’t exactly gone to plan.
The Chiefs first five was anticipating a full season of Super Rugby before heading off on his next adventure but the competition’s suspension stymied that a little bit.
Thankfully, Super Rugby will be returning soon – but the format will be turned on its head. Gone are two-thirds of the teams with just the New Zealand sides set to play-off in a winner-takes-all round-robin tournament.
While losing the international aspect of the competition isn’t ideal, it will probably make things a little easier to follow for spectators.
Cruden spoke to RugbyPass before 2020’s one-off competition (officially dubbed Super Rugby Aotearoa) was confirmed and was simply hoping to get back out on the field, no matter what the tournament format – but the potential for something a little bit different still excited him.
“For me, as a bit of a traditionalist, I’d love to go back to just your straight round robin-format,” Cruden said. “But I also do understand that there are certain elements and restrictions that probably aren’t letting that come back into play, as such.”
Ironically, it’s global restrictions which have forced SANZAAR and New Zealand Rugby’s hands. The new competition will see the five Kiwi Super Rugby sides play one another both home and away over a 10-week period. The team with the highest number of competition points at the end of the 10 weeks will be crowned the winners.
It’s about as simple as it can get.
As has been well documented, the derby matches are far and away the toughest challenges that Super Rugby has to offer – which will be both a blessing and a curse for the five New Zealand franchises.
Although the upcoming clashes may be intense, Cruden will just be relishing running out on the park.
“You just try and make the best out of it that you can but we certainly get some tough battles out of those New Zealand derbies,” Cruden said.
“The atmosphere, the pressure, the expectations… All of those things, you know. You chuck that on top of two teams that know each other reasonably well where you’ve got friends playing against each other on both sides and you obviously want to get one up on your mates.
“In a way, that’s what you want as well – there’s a little bit of extra spice and a little bit of extra motivation always when you come up against another Kiwi team, but often that’s sometimes when you play your best rugby too. You can’t really complain about that too much can you?”
New Zealand Rugby has engaged in talks with a multi-billion-dollar American investment firm about taking a stake in the struggling sport.https://t.co/7XHevTqj0e
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 8, 2020
And while international football is still a long way off, the 2020 competition will be an excellent barometer for new All Blacks coach Ian Foster to assess the current crop of players around the country.
Matches against foreign clubs are invaluable for giving New Zealand players an idea how national sides may tackle the game but it’s the derby matches which really test an individual’s mettle.
Former All Blacks coaches have time and time again alluded to the fact that the games between two Kiwi teams are about as close as you can get to test match pressure and atmosphere – without actually playing against an international team.
“Certainly, that’s probably a great way to describe it,” Cruden confirmed.
“The intensity takes it up another level and the bodies are always sore afterwards – but you can deal with the sore body if you’re able to get the win, I think. That’s always the goal.”
From your average spectator’s point of view, it will simply be great to have some rugby back on televisions again, even if attending live matches is out of the question.
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The final match of the normal Super Rugby season was played way back on the March 15. Two days earlier, the Hurricanes earned their first win in Hamilton since 2007 in a cracking game against Cruden’s Chiefs, with Jordie Barrett kicking a penalty goal well after the final siren sounded to hand the visitors the 27-24 win.
While fixtures like that may be tough for the players – especially if they’re having to do it week-in and week-out – the public with be buzzing at the opportunity to see the competition’s best teams face-off round after round.
“I also think [an NZ only competition] would be pretty cool for the fans,” said Cruden.
“I think everyone would certainly embrace it and get right behind the local teams. You’ve got the best players in the country going toe-to-toe week-in-and-week-out and it would certainly make for some healthy competition, that’s for sure.”
Super Rugby Aotearoa will kick off in the coming weeks with a mid-June start-date highly probable.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments