Super Rugby 2022

[waiopehu oldboy]

NZ's bubble has burst:

Big blow: Super Rugby opener postponed after positive Covid tests

Covid-19 has arrived in the Super Rugby Queenstown bubble.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Eyes and Ears]

446 COVID cases in NZ today with 340 in Auckland. They have tried valiantly to hold it off but I think they have finally lost the battle.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ testing rates have pretty much halved since August & QR scan-ins by over half since mid-December so the real number could easily be double what's being reported & based on what happened over your ways we're probably a month or even six weeks away from the peak.

Edit: at the same time, people are getting themselves boosted & their kids jabbed in huge numbers so it's all a bit hard to fathom what's going on. The run of long weekends so soon after Christmas/ NY may have something to do with it but there's also a theory that people are choosing not to scan in and/ or get tested 'cos they just can't face the protect of isolating for 10 days if they test positive or perhaps longer if they're deemed a close contact.

 

[RugbyReg]

Pacifika v Blues postponed.
Covid strikes.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ yep:

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Pacifika v Blues postponed.
Covid strikes.

 

[zer0]

Can't blame them from fleeing in the face of the reigning Trans-Tasman Champion Blues professional rugby union football team.

 

[Adam84]

So interested to see how a postponed match works now, when are they going to play it?

 

[Dan54]

So interested to see how a postponed match works now, when are they going to play it?

lol I was wondering that in the NZ matches thread Adam, I guessing it will be midweek game. Pretty hard on MP (Moana Pasifika), as I suspect Blues could do it with a 2nd string team, but not sure MP (Moana Pasifika) can.
I won''t be surprised to see more of them during season.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Current draw has them.both on a bye in Round 9, maybe they'll play it then?

 

[Adam84]

Frankly the Super Rugby TT components of the comp must be played in Australia, NZ Govt rules are too restrictive to play a tournament under this conditions, it’ll only ruin the comp.

Either that or RA scrap TT component and just play the AU component like we all wanted.

 

[Wilson]

Frankly the Super Rugby TT components of the comp must be played in Australia, NZ Govt rules are too restrictive to play a tournament under this conditions, it’ll only ruin the comp.

It's looking more and more likely. Having to delay the first game of the season should help reduce any remaining opposition to it amongst the kiwi sides.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ there's no way RA will scrap the TT rounds but I'm pretty sure the NZ teams won't be returning to NZ after the Super Round in Melbourne. Several franchise CEO's etc have already said they'll do it if necessary & I'm pretty sure at least one has said he's resigned to it.

 

[Dan54]

I think it will be able to be played in both countries, anyone who has seen the plans know everything relaxes when we get high numbers like Aus. At the very least even if they play round robim in Aus which I am strongly against, they can still probably work finals into wherever the teams are that have earnt home finals etc.

 

[Sully]

Gagr's Super rugby pool on Superbru is here.

Superbru - Super Rugby Pacific tipping & prediction game - Old Pool

1.8m sports fans have played Superbru. Set up private leagues and win great prizes.

www.superbru.com

 

[Joe King]

Is it too late to separate Super Rugby AU from Super Rugby Ao for this year? Each play a double round robin + finals (12 weeks). Week off, then play a seperate knock out comp over 4 weeks with all 12 teams + top 4 Japanese teams in one location.

 

[Bandar]

Is it too late to separate Super Rugby AU from Super Rugby Ao for this year? Each play a double round robin + finals (12 weeks). Week off, then play a seperate knock out comp over 4 weeks with all 12 teams + top 4 Japanese teams in one location.

Yes

 

[Dan54]

Is it too late to separate Super Rugby AU from Super Rugby Ao for this year? Each play a double round robin + finals (12 weeks). Week off, then play a seperate knock out comp over 4 weeks with all 12 teams + top 4 Japanese teams in one location.

Boy that is out of left field Joe, at this late stage to change the 2 comps, and then to imagine the Japanese comp is waiting to throw 4 top teams in a comp.
Still it would be great if it was that easy to arrange international tournaments wouldn't it?

 

[dru]

It would be great if we didn't end up having these late discussions - implies this sort of option gets considered properly in the stage where the comp alternatives were being developed.

 

[Dan54]

It would be great if we didn't end up having these late discussions - implies this sort of option gets considered properly in the stage where the comp alternatives were being developed.

Yep dru, all these options etc were no doubt discussed, and I sure there no discussion going on among the people who matter, ie the ones running the comp.