Some musings at the half time break in the Super Rugby season.
I am not 100% sure the Super competition point’s structure will produce the best 6 teams in the finals play-off.
The allocating of points for having a bye is just plain silly in anyone’s book and needs to be done away with for next year.
The Crusaders will win this year’s competition away from home without key All Blacks and with one arm behind their backs.
The Rebels have been a huge surprise package.
Pat Lam (Blues) has got hard-nosed with his coaching style and it appears to be paying dividends.
The Bulls look a spent force.
There appears to have been more injuries than before. Tahs and Cheetahs have been hit hard.
I don’t understand the citing system, can you be cited if you receive a yellow card and is that any different from if you don’t and must the referee see it or not and what about if you get a red card. I need to do my homework. I don’t understand it.
I am not also sure if there is any need for the ‘PAUSE’ in the scrums and has it just lead to more free kicks for early or late engagements , I can’t seem to remember early engagement being a problem in the past.
Beau Robinson has been the most eye catching new comer to Super Rugby.
Ewan McKenzie clearly knows how to set up and coach a football club and team respectively.
The best goal kicker in the Southern Hemisphere is Patrick Lambie.
Radike Samo, Brad Thorn, Tony Brown, Stefan Terblanche, Keven Mealamu, and Phil Waugh must be amazed they can still foot it with the youngsters.
Wouldn’t it be good to see the Heineken Cup winners play the Super Rugby winners.
Thank goodness for the Reds, Highlanders and Sharks for spicing up their respective conferences.
Player of the first 9 Rounds – James ‘everybody wants me’ O’Connor (Force)
Rising star – Sam Wykes (Force)
Fading star – Pierre Spies (Bulls)
Best Referee – Mark Lawrence
Best Captain – James Horwill
Hardest Man (excluding Brad, and Bakkies) – Jarred Hoeata (Highlanders)
Most likely top try scorer – Drew Mitchell (Waratahs)
MVP in the Final – SBW (Crusaders)
I am sure these views will all change very quickly during the second half of the season, but that’s how I see it at the half time break.
Stupid thing about the conferences:
Let’s say the Crusaders and the Blues end no 1 and 2 with the Stormer, Reds, Sharks and Waratahs next. Home semifinalists will be Crusaders and Stormers with Blues, although second overall having to play the knockout game (albeit at home) before having an away semi and possible final.
Most One Dimensional Player – SBW (have one guy tackle him and another guy standing in his passing channel, duh)
Worst Tackler: A few guys could win this – but James o Conner let Drew Mitchell step him twice for two tries. Honorouble mention for Pierre Spies who let the diminutive Israel Dagg power-drive him 10 meters over his own tryline.
Chancing their luck: The refs are so in awe of the Crusaders at the mo, they seem to overlook the blatant offsides play by the Canterbury men in the rucks and mauls. Will someone please start penalizing them?
Most Valuable Player in SA: Pat “I got this” Lambie.
Silliest post-try celebration: Breyton’s post-try backflip was always extravagant but a full-on breakdance from Digby Ioane??? Flamboyant. It’s rugby, not “You got served”
Tim Noakes ‘I told you so” Award: Goes to the Bulls for overplaying their senior springboks despite scientific evidence of player burnout.
Defence? What defence? For running rugby, you have to take your hat off to the Cheetahs. Now someone just needs to tell them, it’s not touch rugby.
@King Shark (Comment 1) : Yeah, that just sucks. If you finished second overall in the old format, you were rewarded by having a home-semi. Now there’s an extra hurdle to the whole process.
HH seems you forgot a name when metioning all those old heads still being able to play with the youngsters, Tana Umaga.
@CapeShark (Comment 2) : That turtle celebration was classic!
Do people realize how strong Digby must be do have done that?
Look for a South African to do something similar in due time.
@Honey Badger (Comment 6) : Yeah I hear you, takes a hell of a lot of arm strength to do that.
How could you have left out Wilde Willem Alberts out of your hard men?
@KingRiaan (Comment 8) : He’s from over the waters…
Chuck Norris only fears one man…Bic Vic
this was an awesome read, HH… well done!
Great stuff HH.
@KingRiaan (Comment 10) : And there’s only one thing Chuck Norris can’t break.
Justin Bieber’s voice.
HH
You forgot ‘The Stormers are rubbish’
@Honey Badger (Comment 6) : wtf
@King Shark (Comment 1) : @CapeShark (Comment 3) : No guys. Top two of the 3 conference winners sit out the “Quarter final” round. In that round the lowest placed of the 3 conference winners plays lowest wild card (at home). And top wild card plays 2nd wild card (at home) to produce what would have been 3rd and 4th place in the old system. Then 1 plays 4 and 2 plays 3 as before. Not difficult at all – yeah right!!!
Most likely top tryscorer : Sean Maitland.
@CapeShark (Comment 2) :
Funny.
I wonder if it`ll still be funny when he runs out against us in the WC final though.
@Ben (Comment 7) : He is about 90kg I guess.
Real strong,because the people that do that kind of dancing is probably about 60kg-70kg?
@BoerSeun (Comment 15) : ?
@Ben (Comment 4) :
Forgot about that old chap, I see he may be injured for saturday !
@KingRiaan (Comment 8) :
There are actually a few young hard men doing the rounds.
That Jarred Saffy looks hard !
@robdylan (Comment 11) :
Hope you are enjoying your break in the homeland !
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 12) :
Thanks SVW
@wpw (Comment 14) :
Wes: Most rubbish team so far – Hurricanes !
@beet (Comment 17) :
Others that may get close are O’Connor, Gear and Ioane !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 24) : I thinkthe brumbies are worse, they lost to the force on their homeground…
@Honey Badger (Comment 19) : Yip, some people don’t realise how strong you have to be to do that. Break dancers are imensely strong in their arms and that’s when like you said they weigh 70kg’s. Digby has to be stronger because he weighs about 90kg’s. Wonder how big a impact adrenaline played there though?
@franshark (Comment 25) :
You are right they haven’t been flash……
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 21) : Who are they playing on Saturday?
@Ben (Comment 28) :
The old Waikato coach’s team ….. Lions !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 29) : Haha shame.
@Ben (Comment 26) : It would have been bold of him to try it,if he knew he only got a 50% chance of nailing it.
@Honey Badger (Comment 31) : Would have made his name popo if he tried it and couldn’t do it.
@Ben (Comment 32) : Maybe bakkies will try it this week?
@Honey Badger (Comment 33) : Haha Phillip Burger might give it a shot and fail badly.
@Ben (Comment 34) : Well PB weighs about 70kg so no biggy
@Honey Badger (Comment 35) : Those arms of he’s are a bit to thin to hold up 70kgs.