Analysis of Strength of Conference Tables.

[Roundawhile]

Secondly, the three conference winners and the three best performed of the remaining teams would qualify for a three week finals series, with seedings deciding the match-ups. This system would be a hybrid of the conference-based qualification system favoured by the SARU and the 'top six' model favoured by the ARU and NZRU.

The above is from wikipedia.

For all the Saffers saying a reds home final is unfair, I think you need to dicuss it with your Union.

 

[Muttonbird]

What does last night's result say about the strength of the Australian conference? Normally, if 6th beat third, away, it would be an upset but I don't think you could describe this result as an upset as such.

 

[Dam0]

What does last night's result say about the strength of the Australian conference? Normally, if 6th beat third, away, it would be an upset but I don't think you could describe this result as an upset as such.

You can't say anything regarding the overall strength of the conferences on the result of one game. A sample size of 1 is not statistically significant.

So nothing.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

So now that the strongest teams are through to the semis can we stop pissing and moaning about the conference system? The best teams are always at the pointy end of the comp and almost without fail win the thing. End of story.

 

[liquor box]

The above is from wikipedia.

For all the Saffers saying a reds home final is unfair, I think you need to dicuss it with your Union.

It is alright to disagree with your union though. I think the system is fine, but If the ARU supported another system then I would surely disagree with them

 

[gel]

What does last night's result say about the strength of the Australian conference? Normally, if 6th beat third, away, it would be an upset but I don't think you could describe this result as an upset as such.

Last nights result obviously says that new Zealand are the current title holders of the mythical muttonbird cup, which is awarded to the strongest conference every year.

Sheesh... Everyone knows they are, no one disagrees. Move on.

 

[Dam0]

Last nights result obviously says that new Zealand are the current title holders of the mythical muttonbird cup, which is awarded to the strongest conference every year.

Sheesh. Everyone knows they are, no one disagrees. Move on.

What you are forgetting is that the holder of the muttonbird cup is allowed to bring the subject up an unlimited number of times in any thread and whatever the context until a new holder of the cup is declared.

 

[Braveheart81]

I hope sanity prevails and we get a fairer finals system next season which involves the top 5 teams plus the Waratahs.

The Waratahs of course get an automatic home semi.

If the Waratahs are one of the top 5 teams, then there are only five finalists and the Waratahs get a bye in week 1 of the finals and a home semi in week 2.

 

[Brisbok]

If the Waratahs are one of the top 5 teams, then there are only five finalists and the Waratahs get a bye in week 1 of the finals and a home semi in week 2.

That would effectively give one of the teams who wins in the first weekend of finals, the "bye win" in the 2nd week of finals as they could rest most of their stars, keeping them fresh for the final and still beat the Tahs comfortably in Sydney in the semi!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

To compensate for the "Bye Win", SANZAR will arrange for them to travel from to both extremes of the SANZAR realm for compulsary undisclosed promotional and charity activities, and they must play in bare feet in the home semi in Sydney. This will be in solidarity with the IRB push into the poorer parts of Africa and Pacific Islands where footwear is an expensive option.

To raise the profile of Brumbies rugby, the opposition team will be accommodated at the Manuka Inn in Canberra, and will travel to Sydney on Gameday by the Countrylink and City Rail Trains to support struggling RailCorp.

 

[PDivvy]

Good day to everyone here. 1st Time poster on here. I was actually looking at all kinds of stats on the Internet when I came across this site. I find this interesting. I really amazes me how one can take stats and just post a number and make a conclusion out of things. There is a complaint about the weak sides in other conferences yet those wins by NZ teams especially the away wins are thanks to those weak sides where they faced the Strong opposition at home. For instant the Highlanders lost all their games against the so called Big from Aus and SA.

You can even go further and manipulate those stats in saying 4 of NZ teams got a free 34 points minimum for free thanks to the Blues where none of the other conferences had teams which lost all their conference games. Beating one another will help you in your own conference. Or we can go back to the old system where there is just the top 4 meaning The Blues will give you only 16 maximum for free, there is no play of rounds so the Canes getting last ditch freebies will be nowhere and no derby games to target as possible away wins.

Another thing is NZ teams player pool is more evenly spread. A thing they started in 96 which are back firing because they try to beef up their own teams to make them all appear stronger vs Aus and SA teams who scrape for signings of each other and do not get handed out freebies

 

[PaarlBok]

You can't say anything regarding the overall strength of the conferences on the result of one game. A sample size of 1 is not statistically significant.

So nothing.

Well we warned before the play off this would happen. Its not the 1 result, look at the overall log and you'll see the top 6 contenders without taking into account the stupid conference method.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yet the system is in place to safeguard against a strong and equal conference being unfairly disadvantaged.

As long as we have a conference system, the finals format needs to remain as is.

 

[PDivvy]

Clearly NZ miss the SA teams touring there for 2 months. Probably miss the braai's

 

[gel]

PB, mind telling me how you would have done things if NZ teams shared their wins evenly due to being in a strong conference and ended up lower down on the ladder than the teams from SA and OZ?

 

[Ulrich]

It is clear NZ has the strongest conference by virtue of wins against other conference sides, followed by SA and then AUS. If we were to take tha last 6 placed sides you'd find 3 teams from AUS, 2 from SA and 1 from NZ. There's a huge gap between 10th and 9th place (in terms of wins). Again, suggesting NZ is followed by SA then AUS.

In addition, one could average the total points of each conference.

NZ. 52.8
SA. 49.4
AUS. 42

The depate over whether the Reds deserve 3rd spot is an entirely different conversation to have altogether.

 

[barbarian]

......... and one we have had a million times, on this thread alone.

Frankly if no-one has anything new to add we might consider locking this thread, it is going around in circles.

 

[Mica]

What does last night's result say about the strength of the Australian conference? Normally, if 6th beat third, away, it would be an upset but I don't think you could describe this result as an upset as such.

That's like saying because the Rebels beat the Cru this year that they are the better team.
Also it was an upset - go look at the betting odds before the game. The Sharks played their best game of the year and the Reds had some bad luck with a key injury, a poor substitution and not playing their best game. It happens

The Rebels are a great example of a team making progress they only really got spanked by the Cane's this year but were competitive against the Stormers in Cape Town in their last game of the year despite being without their two marquee players. What this goes to show is that any team can turn up on their day and win.

BTW The team that wins the competition will deserve to win it. If your team has been eliminated they weren't good enough.

 

[It is what it is]

That would effectively give one of the teams who wins in the first weekend of finals, the "bye win" in the 2nd week of finals as they could rest most of their stars, keeping them fresh for the final and still beat the Tahs comfortably in Sydney in the semi!

.....and they'd play the bloody game @ Homebush.
After paying thousands of $$$ for a no name singer to sing one song at halftime, financial success would be breaking even for them.

 

[PaarlBok]

PB, mind telling me how you would have done things if NZ teams shared their wins evenly due to being in a strong conference and ended up lower down on the ladder than the teams from SA and OZ?

I want the old S12/14 format back, no conference system. It wasnt broken, its broken now.