Super Rugby 2017: matches not involving Australian teams

[Upthenuts]

if ithe finals are going to be all one sided poundings its a shame the blues arent there

 

[Dismal Pillock]

if ithe finals are going to be all one sided poundings its a shame the blues arent there

Blues can lose and lose badly from anywhere on the fuekcn park. Blues up by 14 after 14 minutes? Keep fucken watching. One sided poundings? Blues can do that in both holes. I don’t even know which holes. But both of them anyway. Simultaneously. A fulcrum of brain falcons. They can pathetically defy the odds, and, with their “devastating on paper” pedigree name players, capitulate haplessly from 1-15 with the flick of a switch, their black holes beaten black and blue, check the flight recorder, blue holes in the black box

 

[Slim 293]

Stephen Donald is somehow the most dangerous attacking player in the Stormers v Chiefs game so far........

 

[Upthenuts]

saffa TMO, lol fuck off.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ Peyper should've said "thanks for your input but you can STFU now".

 

[TOCC]

Stormers vs Chiefs game is lacking a bit of skill and execution

 

[Upthenuts]

well done chiefs, how it should have ended

 

[Slim 293]

That's a shame........

I went into that game fairly neutral, although leaning towards the Chiefs, but they make it so easy to dislike them.

 

[Dan54]

Well not a bad game I didn't think. think the Saffas showing they got some good players , and more importantly seemed to be well coached. I am well impressed with Kohlisi as a flnaker, think he got the game that will go well in Test rugby too. All in all I not convinced either of those teams would knock over Crusaders next week, but it will be interesting.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^ Chiefs are CruSadists' new bogey team.......

 

[Ruggo]

@ waiopehu oldboy, good win by the Saders. Very well played. Played the conditions well with a great deal of skill.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^ yeah I was shitting bricks at the half hour mark but once the lead got to 10 I thought they were pretty safe in those conditions, I think even the 'canes would've struggled to string together a threatening backline move & I was pretty sure they could at least match the Clan up front esp with how poor their lineout was.

Interesting that the "real" top four, those with the most table points, are in the SF even if slightly out of order (& allowing for one of them not having had to play the other three).

 

[Ruggo]

Lions were friggin' lucky to escape with a win. Some really dumb decisions and some of their key players really dropped their shit.

Would want to smarten up for the Canes next week.

Cheifs vs Stormers was also very underwhelming.

Week one of finals saw some shit rugby and some even shittier refereeing. Either back your call on field or opt for a TMO check before awarding a try. Use the common sense and consult the touchies. Grow some balls and tell the TMO 'I'm fucking this cat, you're just holding the tail'. It looks like an idiot fest ATM.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

U-AA is on the blog:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/un-australian-activities-the-quarter-finals/#disqus_thread

Another joint effort, with mst helping with the writing as well as the editing & publishing per usual.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Fun fact: using the old method of determining the SF draw, Chiefs would be heading to Jo'burg & 'canes to Christchurch, which I'm pretty sure both would've preferred from a travel perspective. The Law of Unintended Consequences (intended consequence: fewer possible SF destinations to simplify logistics) strikes again, and hard!

Chiefs in particular now have a mountain to climb, I'll have to do some research but I don't recall anyone winning a QF in SA one week then a SF in Australasia the next (or vice versa) & of course no-one has won a title on the "wrong" side of the Indian Ocean.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think a couple of years back, the Brumbies won the quarter final at home followed by a win over the Stormers (?) in SA the next before going down in the last quarter to the Chiefs in Hamilton. Memory could be playing tricks though - maybe there were no quarters then.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ Brumbies 2013:

Qualifier: beat Cheetahs 15-13 in Canberra
Semi Final: beat Bulls 26-23 in Pretoria
Final: lost to Chiefs 22-27 in Hamilton

So it's "no-one has won a playoff match in SA one week and in Australasia the next" pending further research or someone with a better memory than me

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Chiefs are stuffed. Ends up being less a test of rugby ability and more a test of how well you can sit on an aeroplane. (“Yeah had a bit of deep vein thrombosis but went for a HIA with a stewardess in the bogs and worked out the kinks, I’m good to go now”)

Neutral (annually rotated) venue where all 8 teams converge for entire playoffs? (except Arg and Japan. Fuck them. For no reason.) Surely staying in some cheap motel for 3 weeks is cheaper than flying the whole caboodle all over the world 3 times in 3 weekends? Although spose that ends up meaning fans from some places don’t get to go and watch their team. Well, whoop-de-fucken-do, the stadiums are empty anyway.

 

[Brumby Runner]

^^^^^^^^^^ Brumbies 2013:

Qualifier: beat Cheetahs 15-13 in Canberra
Semi Final: beat Bulls 26-23 in Pretoria
Final: lost to Chiefs 22-27 in Hamilton

So it's "no-one has won a playoff match in SA one week and in Australasia the next" pending further research or someone with a better memory than me

Is that not the vice versa situation you were envisaging?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^ indeed it is. Doing more research later & will post if I find any more examples.

Chiefs are stuffed. Ends up being less a test of rugby ability and more a test of how well you can sit on an aeroplane. (“Yeah had a bit of deep vein thrombosis but went for a HIA with a stewardess in the bogs and worked out the kinks, I’m good to go now”)

Neutral (annually rotated) venue where all 8 teams converge for entire playoffs? (except Arg and Japan. Fuck them. For no reason.) Surely staying in some cheap motel for 3 weeks is cheaper than flying the whole caboodle all over the world 3 times in 3 weekends? Although spose that ends up meaning fans from some places don’t get to go and watch their team. Well, whoop-de-fucken-do, the stadiums are empty anyway.

Apparently they don't get back to NZ til 2AM tomorrow so you'd think they'll only have Thursday & Friday morning to train before flying south Friday night. Last year they had to do much the same & were badly beaten at Westpac.

Not sure how you'd make it more equitable, esp when we go back to three conferences, unless as you say all the post-season is played at a single venue but then you'll have arguments about cost- & revenue-sharing, etc.