ITM Cup VS Shute Shield

[rugbyvet]

Having watched a few ITM CUP games and the Shute Shield this year just wondering what peoples thoughts are on the differences in stantard between the competition and teams? Obviously the ITM Cup has superior sponsorship and production values for television but i am sure the top teams for the Shute Shield would compete very well

 

[qwerty51]

Ok...

 

[barbarian]

Not sure, it would be interesting. I would suggest the ITM Cup teams would be a class above, but the difference would not be huge. You would expect a full-strength Uni side to beat a lot of them, full strength Eastwood and Manly would go close. Parra, Penrith, Warringah< Gordon would cop a flogging most weeks I reckon.

 

[Scotty]

One or two teams might go ok, well even. That is about it.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

ITM way ahead. Sydney Uni with all its Super Rugby players in it is the only side that could compete with the ITM teams IMO.

 

[lily]

If the top 5 or 6 had every super player on board they would still only go mid table.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Shute Shield teams would likely struggle in my opinion.

 

[centreman]

Obviously there is more player depth in NZ but I think that Sydney Uni, Eastwood and the team Souths put out last week would compete well in the ITM. I sometimes think the Shute Shield looks more amateurish due to the crap grounds and the ABC match coverage which whilst welcome as no other station is interested is not up to the same standard as S15 or the ITM cup.
It will be interesting to see how former Shute Shield players like Sydney Universitys Dan Kelly who is back up to Cruden at Manawatu and Manly and Force halfback Swanepoel at Canterbury perform.

 

[TOCC]

ITM Cup is miles ahead, the player depth in New Zealand is incredible by comparison, significantly more so at 'club rugby' level

 

[Keithy]

Warringah, Randwick and Easts at full strength have S15 players all across the Park. I agree Uni and Eastwood have the ability and probably the depth. The other sides I have mentioned would struggle when injuries kick in.

 

[rugby_man]

I think we're underestimating just how good the Shute Shield really is. I, for one, have been very impressed with the standard of play that has been displayed this year, especially by Eastwood who are obviously undefeated at the moment. The ITM Cup is of a very, very good standard with Super 15 players featuring heavily in most, if not all the sides. Obviously not all the Shute Shield sides will be competitive and that's not to put down the likes of Penrith, Parramatta and West Harbour but it's a reality that these 3 sides would find the going very tough against ITM Cup sides. But as for the rest of the Shute Shield, provided that all their Super 15 players are available (minus Wallabies 22), they would definitely compete with the likes of Canterbury and Auckland etc. There are several club players who wouldn't look out of place playing for a Super 15 franchise on a permanent basis, such as Chris Cottee, Hugh Perrett, Tim Bennetts, Clinton Sills, Ed Gower etc just to name a few. I personally believe that the Shute Shield has the depth and the talent to be competitive in the ITM Cup. When Randwick and Sydney University are at full strength, they can even compete with the Super 15 sides. This again though brings up the debate of whether we need our own national competition like the ARC.

 

[TOCC]

I don't think we are underestimating, maybe overestimating the standard of thur Shute Shield...

Ignoring the semi-professional nature of the players in the ITM cup, by simple maths the ITM cup has a higher representation of super rugby players. Whilst the Rebels, Force and Reds are split between the QLD and NSW comps, all the NZ Super Rugby(non All Blacks) players are part of the ITM Cup

 

[rugbyvet]

Not sure if it is miles ahead, journeymen club players James Lew and Tim Cornforth were both starting for Southland the other day. While in the past players like James Hilgendorf, Julian Huxley, Brock James and Ben Batger have gone over there and apparently been the best players in their respective sides (according to a article I read a few years back).....although I do agree only the top 4 or 5 sides would be competitive

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

Shute Shield Rugby and ITM dont compare. You put a full strength Sydney Uni side with all their players against a Full Strength Canterbury or Full Strength Auckland Side, I think Sydney Uni would struggle.....In terms of the above post, i think the only Aust players to leave their mark on the competition were Brock James and James Hilgendorf with Taranaki, Huxley was good but was not in the same level as some of the other players in the NPC when he played...was one of the better players for Northland but Northland then were near bottom of the table. I dont think its fair to compare the Shute Shield with NPC/ITM. For mind, compare a full strength Sydney Uni side against a full strength Ponsonby (Akld Premier club side) and you would have more of an even contest.

 

[topo]

When Robbie Deans watched the finals of the Shute Shield 2 years ago, he made the comment that he thought that the finals of Shute Shield was equivalent to ITM cup. He'd have a fair idea.

 

[Blue]

Just watched the Aukland Otago game on Fox and I have to say that the likes of Randwick and Eastwood would compete admirably but the rest would get hammered by the top four or 5 ITM teams.

 

[ACT Crusader]

When Robbie Deans watched the finals of the Shute Shield 2 years ago, he made the comment that he thought that the finals of Shute Shield was equivalent to ITM cup. He'd have a fair idea.

Don't ever go into politics topo, you'll miss all the spin

 

[topo]

Don't ever go into politics topo, you'll miss all the spin

As my year 5 teacher wrote on my school report: " it's a shame to see such cynicism in one so young".

 

[undercoverkiwi]

When Robbie Deans watched the finals of the Shute Shield 2 years ago, he made the comment that he thought that the finals of Shute Shield was equivalent to ITM cup. He'd have a fair idea.

Yeah, but he'd also be pretty stupid/unlikely to say "This Shute Shield stuff is shithouse, you blokes would get killed playing against the Kiwis".