Two games this morning, fans, as Super Rugby 2016 kicks off.
First up, at 08h30 SA time, is Blues v Highlanders in Auckland.
Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia, 14 Melani Nanai, 13 Male Sa’u, 12 George Moala, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Steven Luatua, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Joe Edwards, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Patrick Tuipoluto, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 James Parsons (c), 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Bench: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Namatahi Waa, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Akira Ioane, 20 Kara Pryor, 21 Billy Guyton, 22 Matt McGahan, 23 Rene Ranger
Highlanders: 15 Ben R Smith (c), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Shane Christie, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Tom Franklin, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown
Bench: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Brendon Edmonds, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Alex Ainley, 20 Dan Pryor, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Matt Faddes
Brumbies v Hurricanes, live from Canberra, follows with a 10h40 (SA time) kick-off.
Brumbies: 15 Aidan Toua, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Joseph Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (c), 1 Allan Alaalatoa
Bench: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, 19 Jordan Smiler, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Nigel Ah Wong
Hurricanes: 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Ngani Laumapi, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Mark Abbott, 4 Blade Thomson, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles (c), 1 Reg Goodes
Bench: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Loni Uhila, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Callum Gibbins, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Otere Black, 23 Willis Halaholo
Both games are live on SuperSport 1 in South Africa, and Sky Sports 2 in the UK.

Supeeeeeer Ruuuuugbyyyyy
@Seth101 (Comment 1) : Might be a disgrace of a format, but at least there is rugby to watch.
@Seth101 (Comment 2) : show me the Sharks then only will it feel as if Super rugby started!!!!!!!!!!! GO SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Will miss these as some of us still work on a Friday 😡 , but looking forward to catching my first one tonight.
@stevovo (Comment 4) : Streaming through the Supersport mobile app solves all ????
Good on Supersport for having only one analysit with a speech impediment (unless you count the Australian accent) for once 😀
@stevovo (Comment 4) : same here also working today @Seth101 (Comment 5) : and only until your boss catch you!!!!!!! 😈
Come one blues
Blues miss a shot at polls, 0-0 3 mins.
So far Landers looking the more dangerous side.
Ben Smith scores for the highlanders. Kick to come.
Sopoaga slots it, 0-7 Landers 10mins
Hi guys, can anyone help me with a streaming link for the SR please? I know it’s posted on a previous thread, but can’t find it for the life of me
Blues so far unable to break the Landers defence in midfield.
Sorry for the quick outage in updates, had to drive to work. Score is currently 7-10 Landers 25 mins.
Make that 14-10 Blues huge run from the 22 (with 4 players shrugged off) by Blake Gibson. 26 mins.
Good kick up-field by the blues, line out just outside the Landes 22.
Blues get a penalty, will go for polls.
Penalty for playing the player in the air.
West slots it. 17-10 Blues. 30 mins.
Landers back in the blues 22.
Walden throws the dummie and scores for the Landers. 17-15 kick to come.
17 all 35 mins. This is good rugby.
Blues lineout on their own 22.
Back and forth center field play.
Deliberate knock on by Naholo, commentators call for yellow, Blues get a penalty.
West 2/4 penalty kicks 20-17, 38 mins.
Amazing Landers try Aaron Smith chips it, Naholo catches on the try line and scores. Kick to come.
Kick is made 20-24 half time.
@JD (Comment 7) : Luckily my boss couldn’t give a damn. Hasn’t been a day on the job I haven’t watched on my phone while working :mrgreen
I am actually more efficient with back ground noise (unless I am giving updates but shhhh 😈 )
So under the previous rules the Highlanders would only need 1 more try for a BP…now they need 2 more and have to prevent Blues from scoring….great rule change in my opinion.
@Seth101 (Comment 30) : Thanks for the updates. We have a big screen in our office breakroom showing the game but it’s not visible from my desk and I can only drink so much coffee.
@Seth101 (Comment 26) : @Seth101 (Comment 28) : So if Naholo had been yellowed, chances are that the Blues would still be in the lead.
@SheldonK (Comment 31) : Yup.
@vanmartin (Comment 32) : Can you? I have an extra stomach reserved for coffee
@vanmartin (Comment 33) : Second com made a comment that I agree with, the knock one most likely did not prevent a try so the penalty is okay.
Second half under way.
Blues lineout in their 22.
Blues get it out, Landers lineout just outside Blues 22.
Blues hold up a player in the tackle, maul and they win the ball.
Blues scrum in their 22.
2 resets, still waiting.
Blues win in, kick it out on the half way, Landers lineout.
Blues steel it.
@vanmartin (Comment 32) : @Seth101 (Comment 34) : think it’s time to move your desk into the break room!!! 😈
Break in play for subs.
Landers attacking again, in the Blues 22.
Ranger on, love this guy.
Blues defend the 5m driving mall.
Penalty Landers fro collapsed mall, crowd not happy.
Kick taken and missed, 20-24 Landers, 50mins.
@JD (Comment 43) : Don’t think my manager’s going to sign off on that one
Blues get a penalty on their own 22.
Ranger first touch, hard run but taken down. Blues attacking just in the Landers 22.
@vanmartin (Comment 50) : hahaha worth a try!!!!! and if it’s Varsity cup it could be a 9 point try!!!!!! 😈
Landers take it out, Blues line out in the Landers 22.
Driving mall taken down, blues have the ball.
Ref calls penalty advantage, lets Blues play and then blows a penalty for the Landers :/.
Commentators going on about player romance gossip, kill me now.
Blues attack outside Landers 22. Seeing some Ranger magic.
Blues penalty right in front of polls.
Penalty for no tackle release.
Slotted, 23-24 Landers, 58mins.
Blues put it out on their 10m line.
Time off, checking for possible neck roll.
Sounds like a good game of running rugga
Against Landers on the Ranger. Not to bad, just a penalty.
Very average kick, Blues lineout on their own 10m.
Penalty against Landers offsides. Just inside Blues half.
Blue lineout on the Landers 22.
This game is such a good example of why big wings are better.
Penalty to the Blues in Landers half. Ref warns Landers for too many breakdown penalties.
West slots another, 26-24 Blues, 62mins.
West puts in an up and under, Blues keep it, attacking just in landers 22.
Coles is not playing this week for the Hurricanes.
Landers steel it, try to run out the half and lose it. Scrum to Blues for a knock on, outside Landers 22.
Blues get a free kick, attacking outside Landers 22.
Ball in touch on the Landers 22, their lineout.
Great up and under, Blues attack. Blues get a scrum just outside Landers 22. Ranger looking so good.
Blues in Landers 22, Blues dominating possession right now.
Kockon advantage to the Blues, in the Landers 22.
Landers defending well but clokc is ticking and Blues still leade 26-24.
Yellow to Landers 11, repeated breakdown penalties. Penalty on the touch line/Landers 10m.
Blues lineout on Landers 5.
@Seth101 (Comment 79) : Kockon advantage…haha made my morning
Blues get it over the line, will go to TMO.
@SheldonK (Comment 83) : This is often an advantage.
@SheldonK (Comment 83) :
Missed that 😳
Looks like a try to me.
Try given.
Kick over, 33-24 Blues. I gave the game to Blues by 10 😎
72 mins.
Landers have a penalty, take the shot from just inside blues 22 and miss.
Landers running it out their half. Knock it on, on the halfway. Blues scrum.
Blues attack. Time off. I think there is a streaker, coms not saying anything and nothing been shown, crowd is cheering.
Streaker on the field 🙂
@Seth101 (Comment 92) : I like this thing of not showing or mentioning the streakers at all.
Landers win a scrum on their 10, and run all the way up the field offloading to score. NZ rugby.
Kick is over. 33-31 Blues, 78 mins.
Landers running out their 22.
Blues turn it over 20seconds to play.
Blues win!!! 33-31.
WHAT A FIRST GAME!!!!
So glad for Tana to get a win in his first game as coach
wow, so guess I already have my first prediction wrong 🙂
I’m 0 from 1 at this point.
Tana looks happy, compliments the Landers and says they have work to do but will enjoy the win.
Blues players walking around shacking fans hands and signing things, nice to see.
Blues pick up 4 points, Landers 1.
Pocock vs Savea, should be fun.
Analysts, 1 for Canes win, 1 for Brumbies win.
@robdylan (Comment 102) : ja boet not a really good start to my Superbru season. One game played one game wrong!!!!!!! 😥
@Seth101 (Comment 106) : Last year Blue would have taken 4points and Highlanders 2pts..so not much gain for the winning team. This year its a 3pts swing and i like it.
Correction to Canes team, Coles is out injured, I missed who’s staring.
@JD (Comment 109) : I also went Highlanders…but im not fussed as i have always got the Blues result wrong…if i pick them to win they will lose to even the Kings so ya no win situation for me
Moore gets his 150th cap.
Lineout to Canes, outside Brumbies 22.
Canes win it, run hard, knock it on, on the 22. Scrum Brumbies.
Brumbies early engage. Canes get the short arm and go for another scrum.
Aussie coms their normal annoying selves.
Canes get a penalty in the Brumbies 22, will go for polls.
Nothing in rugby is as cringe worth as Aussie contaminators.
Barret slots it. 0-3 Canes.
@Seth101 (Comment 119) : I see my mistake, but I like it
Eish ,they have taken the game to a new level,why aren’t I supprised,that ad on TV scared me and well justified,the Shrks are going to get hammered,also why do these NZ teams back all those youngsters ,and just look at them go,yet at the Sharks we consistantly opt for has beens under the guise of experience,what rubbish
Canes lineout between brumbies 10 and halfway.
Relentless attack from Canes, on the Brumbies 22.
Steven Moore makes about 50 meters runing through the Canes
Brumbies in the Canes 22.
Offsides against the Canes, Brumbies will take the shot right in front.
It’s over, 3 all 10 mins.
Canes knock it into touch, Brumbies take the scrum just outside their 22.
Brumbies destroyed off their own ball in the scrum. Brumbies get it back but kick it out on the full.
Brumbies defending on their 22.
Moore gets the ball, kicked up field, Canes attack on their 10m.
Long pass through Saveas hands and out. Brumbies lineout in the Canes half.
Brumbies onto the Canes 5.
Try Brumbies!!!
Kuridrani takes a defender on and shunts him back over the line to score.
Kick is over 10-3 Brumbies. 16 mins.
Brumbies playing lots of wide running rugby from deep.
Brumbies kick it up, Jane knocks it on, Brumbies scrum.
Scrums are mess (shocker right).
Brumbies cross field kick goes out, ref goes back for an advantage against the Canes.
Brumbies lineout, just outside Canes 22.
Messy but Brumbies hold it.
Double knock on, Canes scrum on their 22.
Pretty sure Canes just called a backline move “adolf” 😆
Canes lineout on the Brumbies 10m.
Canes get a penalty between Brumbies 22 and 10m. Brumbies get a warning for the breakdown.
Miss from Barret, 10-3 Brumbies 24 mins.
Canes have the ball in their half.
Penalty against Pocock, ref says final warning.
Brumbies steel it on their 22, kick it up, Barret is forced to carry it over the line. 5m scrum to Brumbies.
Try for Cubelli on debut. 15-3 kick to come.
Strong shove from the Brumbies, Cubelli breaks around the back and scores.
Kick is good, 17-3 Brumbies 30mins.
Canes have had possession and field position but haven’t converted.
Canes attack on Brumbies 10m.
Another kick up field by Brumbies, this time dotted down for a 22.
Brumbies scum on halfway. They get a penalty.
Will take the shot, about 5m into the Canes half.
Lealiifano kicks it wide (had the distance and then some).
Back and forth midfield play.
Brumbies scrum just in the Canes half.
Brumbies get another scrum penalty, in the exact same place as the last one. Will go for touch this time.
Lineout between 22 and try line.
Lineout goes to the front, back and forth passing to score!!! 22-3 kick to come.
Scored by Pocock. Kick is over 24-3 Brumbies 36mins.
Brumbies sit on a bonus point.
Dammit Canes, wake up!!
Popenis is having a great game.
Canes carry it out, halftime 24-3.
@vanmartin (Comment 168) : I had it as a Brumbies win but only by 2 😆
@Seth101 (Comment 171) : Maybe I’ll still manage a margin point on Superbru. I had Canes by 12. 😥
It’s the strength of the defense and the scrum by the Brumbies that is winning it for them.
@Seth101 (Comment 173) : That and Pocock 😉
@vanmartin (Comment 174) : Very true, having a great game.
Apparently these games are being broadcast to 50 countries, I think it’s laughable that we still can’t pull international sponsorship.
Mr Larkham says they are happy, will tweak things on attack and work on their break down.
Game back on. Brumbies lineout just in Canes half.
Leulua’iali’i-Makin is on, what a name 😆
Canes scrum just outside their 22.
Time off for injury.
Scrum collapse reset.
Canes get a penalty on their 22.
Huge driving mall from the Brumbies, from their half to Canes half, they run the ball all the way up to the try line and score.
Scott Fardy with the try, kick to come.
It’s over, 31-3….wow.
@Seth101 (Comment 186) : 47 mins played.
Brumbies on attack again, kick it up, Canes counter attack from their 22 and run it all the way up the field to score!!!!
Ngani Laumapi with the Canes first try.
Barret slots a hard kick from the touch line. 31-10 Brumbies, 48mins.
Canes get a scrum on their 22.
Canes bring on 3 subs in the forwards.
And the Canes new front row get a penalty against them straight away. Brumbies right in front of polls on the 22 choose to go for the 22.
Moore scores in his 150th game from a lineout maul.
Kick is over, 38-10….
Canes on attack, into Brumbies 22.
Pocock gets another warning!! Should be in the bin now, 3rd warning.
Canes go for the maul on the 5m, but get shunted back. Canes attacking on the Brumbies 22. But Brumbies turn it over.
ANOTHER warning against the Brumbies this is just dumb now.
Canes go wide from the scrum but knocked on, on the try line.
Fardy with the kick up field, Canes have a lineout in the Brumbies 22. Canes knock it on in- front of the polls.
Brumbies kick it upfield, out just outside their 22.
Canes forward pass and then knocked on, toe’d up field and the Brumbies make it all the way to the Canes try line but spill it on the line.
Kicked up field. Brumbies throw in the Canes 10m.
Score is still 36-10 Brumbies, 61 mins.
Moore off.
FINALLY a yellow to the Brumbies for the breakdown. Matt Toomua gets it.
Canes over throw the lineout, wow they are sloppy.
Brumbies are looking good.
Brumbies scrum in the Canes 22.
@Ben (Comment 209) : More like the canes are looking shit.
@Seth101 (Comment 210) : Sorry scrum was outside the 22. Brumbies win a scrum penalty and go for touch.
Lineout maul and another try!!
Mann-Rea scores.
@Seth101 (Comment 211) : Bit of both, I guess.
45-10. This is brutal.
Brumbies break in the middle if the field, pass back and forth and score again.
@Seth101 (Comment 216) : How are you watching the game?
@Ben (Comment 215) : Now it’s all Brumbies.
@Ben (Comment 218) : Streaming on the SS mobile app.
52-10.
@Seth101 (Comment 220) : Is it delayed?
@Ben (Comment 222) : Yea, streams always are.
@Seth101 (Comment 223) : Noticed. About 2 minutes.
Brumbies penalty on halfway.
@Seth101 (Comment 225) : About a min, second min would be my typing and posting time :).
@Seth101 (Comment 226) : @Ben (Comment 224) : Woops meant to tag you.
Brumbies with the ball in the Canes half, but the Canes get a penalty.
Canes run it up, but the ball goes out, Brumbies lineout on halfway.
@Seth101 (Comment 226) : It might be more because I’m not sure if it’s delayed on my side.
As the score stands now – 52 – 10 I reckon canes fans know how Sharks fans feel; sort of anyway, it felt worse to be a Sharks supporter losing to the flipping crusaders at home…not that I feel any sympathy for kiwi fans who are bred in arrogance
FULL TIME
BRUMBIES 52 – 10 HURRICANES
Sorry had to work.
Well now the Sharks must shaya the Kings by a similar margin and make the opposition notice
What a win that was. We better do the same to the Kings.
@Seth101 (Comment 235) : @SeanJeff (Comment 234) : yes cause all this nonsense about showing respect etc is utter rubbish,the Kings are what they are & if the Sharks donshow them the proper respect by hammering them 50-0 the Sharks are in for a long painfull season as evidenced by the standard shown in the first two games!nas well all those crying for the Sharks to go play NH CC what utter rubbish the gulf between NH and SH rugby as shown today is so huge and Pastors Boss help those Neball players when they play these Brumbies eish cause I forsee a double bonus point coming
@benji (Comment 236) : Damn, where is a like button when you need one?
Exactly. Lets be honest here. If the Sharks do not slaughter this Kings team it will be worrying. Lets smash them and get people talking about the Sharks again.
For me, I wan to see the Sharks focussing more on respecting the Sharks Jersey, irrespective of the team they play.
That should ensure that they bring everything in every game….no matter the opposition – the value of what the Sharks ks stands for does not change.
That is something that has been lacking for some time now.
And in another turn up for the books, Durban has been ranked above Cape Town and Johannesburg as the 85th city with the best quality of living in the world..
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 240) : Must be the weather…or rather the lack of a winter season….just avoid it during February, you’ll be cooked on your way to the beach.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 240) : Anything beat Joburg
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 240) : HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. The city where most of the inner city residential buildings are controlled by Nigerian drug lords?
Maybe if we take Durban city out of the picture and only count Umhalanga and the western suburbs, even then it’s a maaaaybe.
@Seth101 (Comment 243) : Maybe the survey was restricted to drug lords only.
@Seth101 (Comment 243) : Dude, even in the middle of Point Road, I have felt more safer than anywhere in Joburg, suburbs included.
@KingRiaan (Comment 245) : Spend a lot of time on point road? 😉
Trust me, I am not pro Joburg, just pointing out the Durban is not the 85th best City in the world. Definitely not better than Cape Town. The only metric I can think of that we might beat Cape Town is cost of living.
@Seth101 (Comment 246) : Haha I do a lot of work city wide. I think people are just in general more happy here on the East Coast. We are definitely cheaper to stay in than Cape Town, and not nearly as rushed and impersonal as the Valies.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 241) : mate this Feb Pastors Boss bumped the volume switch to extra high and then forgot to turn it back down,eish its rough
@Seth101 (Comment 243) : Wait are you saying Durbs has more Nigerian drug lords than hilbrow and Yeoville?
@coolfusion (Comment 249) : Or any number of Cape Town suburbs.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 250) : Wow. When did it become their new capital? I haven’t been to durbs central for 15 years or so.