Super Rugby 2022

[Brumby Runner]

Beyond the Brumbies and Reds, I think the Force have the potential to finish third of the Aussie sides. They have the makings of a very strong forward pack with a couple of current Wallabies in the front row and an excellent back 5, including Rodda another Wallaby. They won't be let down by Harry Lloyd either. FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) is an exciting lock/6 prospect who must have been close to Wallaby squad consideration.

Fines-LeLeiwasa could be challenging for our third best Scrum half with a full season under his belt, and he will have established cohesion with two of the up and coming 10/12s in the game in Paitoa and Kuenzle.

I think No 15 is the only real position of weakness atm.

And to top it off, they have an excellent coach in Tim Sampson now in his third? year at the club so all in all I'm looking for them to have a strong and successful year.

I am hoping that the Tahs and Rebels will improve on this year's efforts.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

What is it that makes you think the Reds will do worse than they did this year?

No not worse but at best marginally better. I just think brumbies in comparison have bit more quality and big improvers ie swain, ikatau whilst depth shored up in backs with mogg and cfs.

 

[Adam84]

I think you may be disappointed. As I reckon brumbies can challenge to be in best of the best, but reckon reds will challenge to even beat 5th best kiwi side. I just can’t see reds, rebels and tahs making too 8 personally. But on tahs I certainly expect them to be more competitive this year and hence can’t expect too much short term.

Assuming you have 5 kiwi teams and the brumbies in the top 6. Who are the 7th and 8th ranked teams if its not one of the Reds, Rebels, Tahs or presumably Force?

 

[Rugbynutter39]

RN there are 8 in the finals. There are only 5 Kiwi teams. Unless you are suggesting that both new PI teams will outperform 4 Aussie teams there has to be more than Brumbies in the finals.

Whether they approach from the bottom or top half of the 8 is a different matter.

Yeh must have got my head wrong on this, yeh probably means 3 oz sides. Tahs or Force my choice. Drua in 2023 I reckon will threaten to make the 8 but not in 2022. MP (Moana Pasifika) not in 2022 and probably not in 2023

 

[Adam84]

there's no 2022 draw yet is there?

Not released but i believe they know who is playing who on what round, just massaging the broadcast schedule perhaps.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Brumbies memberships on sale from this week. I'm assuming the draw is about to be released.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Why do you expect the Tahs to be more competitive? Outside Hooper, Bell and Swinton they still have the roster of an NPC side

Bit harsh…more competitive as got hooper and hanigan back, Ruan smith who shores up prop stocks and foketi and perese who are on wallabies tour. Competitive means they will probably fight for last spot in the 8 with the force and rebels after the kiwi 5 sides

 

[Adam84]

Why do you expect the Tahs to be more competitive? Outside Hooper, Bell and Swinton they still have the roster of an NPC side

I think they'll be better in 2022..

Bringing guys like Hooper, Holloway and Hanigan back to the forward pack will make a big difference and far outweighs the loss of Dempsey.

Maddocks is the only loss from the backline, besides that the added maturity of young players across the team should benefit them overall.

 

[Wilson]

No not worse but at best marginally better. I just think brumbies in comparison have bit more quality and big improvers ie swain, ikatau whilst depth shored up in backs with mogg and cfs.

Not sure how relevant the Brumbies are to the Reds overall performance, but they've also lost quite a few regular members of their 23 - Hansen, Pasitoa, Kuenzle, Lloyd, Fines-Leleiwasa and Cusack. Along with Lloyd they've lost another prop in Kolz and are yet to sign any replacements. For what it's worth I do think they'll step it up next year but that will be neck and neck with the Reds with no clear stand out at this stage.

Ignoring the Brumbies, the outcomes you described for the Reds are significantly worse than this year given they beat the second placed kiwi side in the Chiefs. Considering the horror draw they had for trans-tasman in 2021 and the retention of almost the entire young and improving squad I think it's more likely they'll get two wins against kiwi sides then the zero you're predicting.

 

[Adam84]

Not sure how relevant the Brumbies are to the Reds overall performance, but they've also lost quite a few regular members of their 23 - Hansen, Pasitoa, Kuenzle, Lloyd, Fines-Leleiwasa and Cusack. Along with Lloyd they've lost another prop in Kolz and are yet to sign any replacements. For what it's worth I do think they'll step it up next year but that will be neck and neck with the Reds with no clear stand out at this stage.

Ignoring the Brumbies, the outcomes you described for the Reds are significantly worse than this year given they beat the second placed kiwi side in the Chiefs. Considering the horror draw they had for trans-tasman in 2021 and the retention of almost the entire young and improving squad I think it's more likely they'll get two wins against kiwi sides then the zero you're predicting.

shhh....

I'm happy for people to talk up the Brumbies as top dog for 2022, they're clear favourites with all expectations on them as the best team, anything less than a perfect season would be a disappointment for those from Canberra.

As BR has argued, with Wallaby stars like AAA, Sio, Swain, Frost, Samu, Slipper, Valentinie, White, Ikitau and Banks they're clear champions.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Not sure how relevant the Brumbies are to the Reds overall performance, but they've also lost quite a few regular members of their 23 - Hansen, Pasitoa, Kuenzle, Lloyd, Fines-Leleiwasa and Cusack. Along with Lloyd they've lost another prop in Kolz and are yet to sign any replacements. For what it's worth I do think they'll step it up next year but that will be neck and neck with the Reds with no clear stand out at this stage.

Ignoring the Brumbies, the outcomes you described for the Reds are significantly worse than this year given they beat the second placed kiwi side in the Chiefs. Considering the horror draw they had for trans-tasman in 2021 and the retention of almost the entire young and improving squad I think it's more likely they'll get two wins against kiwi sides then the zero you're predicting.

That is not true they were below other kiwi sides overall on the rankings and as I stated I expected marginal improvement but not necessarily ahead of 5 kiwi sides.

 

[Derpus]

That is not true they were below other kiwi sides overall on the rankings and as I stated I expected marginal improvement but not necessarily ahead of 5 kiwi sides.

Yeah they might improve but it doesn't seem like they'll be particularly competitive.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Yeah they might improve but it doesn't seem like they'll be particularly competitive.

That was actually my point, they might…and I say might snag two kiwi wins but that won’t necessarily place them above 5th ranked kiwi side. I just think brumbies got more key players who are showing more improvement (ikitau and swain) and better replacement quality depth in backs with cfs and mogg then players they lost.

Add in frost who was big improver on last year..plus even Samu who forgot to mention I just feel brumbies have more room for upside then reds next year. Would love the reds to prove me wrong…as still pretty good squad which I reckon will more peak in 2023…

 

[RugbyReg]

I agree with Rugby Nutter

Two Wallaby fullbacks in Banks and Mogg
Three Wallaby wings in Wright, Muirhead and CFS plus a league international in Kata
A test combination of Simone and Ikitau. Simone the closest thing we have to Quade Cooper in Australia, as BR has posted.
Test halves in Loloesio and White with local boy Ione back and Lonergan back after basically being a Wallaby all year.

Arguably the best backrow in the comp with Wallabies Samu and Valetini. Young gun Scott or Brown as openside.
So many wallaby locks to choose from with Swain, Frost and Neville
Wallaby props dropping out of trees in Slipper, AAA and Sio with their answer to the Tongan Thor in Fred Kaihea there too.
And far too many Wallaby hookers to count. Well three. Plus the best young rake in the country in Pollard.

Compare that to the Reds who have no idea who will play fullback, but it'll be either moderately talented Campbell, the position-less Petaia or the over-hyped Grealy.
Wings will be Fijian and likely injured.
Centres are just a mismatch of combinations likely to happen. Its just a matter of which pedestrian centre gets matched with Paisami.
JOC (James O'Connor) on one leg is our only 10 option otherwise its the son of a legend barely out of school.
Tate is our only go to but we have the overhyped Thomas as the only alternative if something goes wrong.
It seems Wilson, McReight and Wright have all already had their career peak and are now fighting for the title of the next Ed Quirk. Our only alternative is Angus Scott-Young - or as Barbarian has called him "Red Hanigan"
We have potential at lock, but only potential.
Thor, like Tate, is a go to but the back up is a real worry while our looseheads are too over weight to contribute around the park (FF (Folau Fainga'a) and Zander) or too underweight to contribute in tight (hoopert)
none of our hookers can throw.

Bugger.

 

[Wilson]

That is not true they were below other kiwi sides overall on the rankings and as I stated I expected marginal improvement but not necessarily ahead of 5 kiwi sides.

Not sure what you're referring to here, what did I say that wasn't true?

 

[Derpus]

I like cranky Reg

 

[Brumby Runner]

I agree with Rugby Nutter

Two Wallaby fullbacks in Banks and Mogg
Three Wallaby wings in Wright, Muirhead and CFS plus a league international in Kata
A test combination of Simone and Ikitau. Simone the closest thing we have to Quade Cooper in Australia, as BR has posted.
Test halves in Loloesio and White with local boy Ione back and Lonergan back after basically being a Wallaby all year.

Arguably the best backrow in the comp with Wallabies Samu and Valetini. Young gun Scott or Brown as openside.
So many wallaby locks to choose from with Swain, Frost and Neville
Wallaby props dropping out of trees in Slipper, AAA and Sio with their answer to the Tongan Thor in Fred Kaihea there too.
And far too many Wallaby hookers to count. Well three. Plus the best young rake in the country in Pollard.

Compare that to the Reds who have no idea who will play fullback, but it'll be either moderately talented Campbell, the position-less Petaia or the over-hyped Grealy.
Wings will be Fijian and likely injured.
Centres are just a mismatch of combinations likely to happen. Its just a matter of which pedestrian centre gets matched with Paisami.
JOC (James O'Connor) on one leg is our only 10 option otherwise its the son of a legend barely out of school.
Tate is our only go to but we have the overhyped Thomas as the only alternative if something goes wrong.
It seems Wilson, McReight and Wright have all already had their career peak and are now fighting for the title of the next Ed Quirk. Our only alternative is Angus Scott-Young - or as Barbarian has called him "Red Hanigan"
We have potential at lock, but only potential.
Thor, like Tate, is a go to but the back up is a real worry while our looseheads are too over weight to contribute around the park (FF (Folau Fainga'a) and Zander) or too underweight to contribute in tight (hoopert)
none of our hookers can throw.

Bugger.

Ahh, but Reg, are you discounting the cohesion factor with your Reds? And we all know that there are only so many Wallabies in the Brumbies squad because of MacKellar's presence in the coaching team.

 

[Adam84]

Three Wallaby wings in Wright, Muirhead and CFS plus a league international in Kata

So many wallaby locks to choose from with Swain, Frost and Neville

Oh that's right, there were calls for Frost to selected for the Wallabies last week, well there's another Wallaby in the forward pack.
Arguably they also have 4 wallaby wingers if you count Pete Samu.

I'm just going to put it out there, but this 2022 Brumbies backline could be a better backline then the 2004 Brumbies!

 

[Dan54]

‘He’s a proud Samoan man’: Lealiifano set to sign with Moana Pasifika

The former Wallabies star will be the new franchise’s headline star in their first season.

www.smh.com.au

Christian signed up with MP (Moana Pasifika) - it's a promising start.

Good signing, he has the mana that will help attract players etc, still waitng to hear that Sekope Kefu is signed he sounded pretty keen earlier in year. I would imagine the Auckland based teams not playing is pretty frustrating for MP (Moana Pasifika) in looking at players.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Not sure how relevant the Brumbies are to the Reds overall performance, but they've also lost quite a few regular members of their 23 - Hansen, Pasitoa, Kuenzle, Lloyd, Fines-Leleiwasa and Cusack. Along with Lloyd they've lost another prop in Kolz and are yet to sign any replacements. For what it's worth I do think they'll step it up next year but that will be neck and neck with the Reds with no clear stand out at this stage.

Ignoring the Brumbies, the outcomes you described for the Reds are significantly worse than this year given they beat the second placed kiwi side in the Chiefs. Considering the horror draw they had for trans-tasman in 2021 and the retention of almost the entire young and improving squad I think it's more likely they'll get two wins against kiwi sides then the zero you're predicting.

I was never predicting zero wins and show me where I said that. I simply stated I see them finishing behind kiwi sides and yeh 2 wins does not mean they finish above 5th best kiwi side ranking wise. I said I see marginal improvement for reds but more significant improvement for brumbies ie brumbies could finish in top 4. If you think reds are going to finish in top 4 then state that, as that is where sure would differ on opinion. That said it does not mean reds don’t have a chance to finish top 4 it is just that I don’t think it will happen, unless see some more dramatic improvements in some players.