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Super Rugby Pacific 2025

Wilson

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Rhino_rugby said:
That’s a really sharp breakdown of the season’s dynamics! The Crusaders definitely seem to have a brutal schedule, especially with those double matchups against the Chiefs, Blues, and Hurricanes. That mid-season stretch with the Fiji trip and back-to-back matches against tough Kiwi teams could be a real test. As you said, if they start slow, it could make the rest of the season an uphill battle for them.

Moana Pasifika having to face only Kiwi teams in their doubles is definitely a tough draw. It’s strange that they don’t get the Drua twice—that could have given them a slightly better shot. They’ll need to punch above their weight if they’re going to be competitive with such a hard schedule.

As for the Waratahs, their second half of the season looks rough, especially with all those away trips and matchups against top-tier teams. They’ll really need to capitalize on the easier start. If they aren’t in a solid position by the midpoint, the pressure of the back half could derail their season. Getting the bye after the Fiji trip might be a lifesaver, though, as teams tend to struggle after playing in those conditions.
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Tazzmania

Tazzmania

Bob Loudon (25)
Did I hear someone say the Super Rugby Pacific results are one sided, just out of interest here is the weekends URC results:

Screenshot 2024-10-07 163736.jpg
 
Tazzmania

Tazzmania

Bob Loudon (25)
But weeks one and two did not involve too many of their springboks in the South African provisional teams, they only started coming back into week three properly. (Super rugby has the All Blacks participating most weeks)
 
JRugby2

JRugby2

Bob Loudon (25)
Slim 293 said:
So... the URC, NPC, English Premiership, Top 14, Currie Cup and are all on right now.

Meanwhile, most professional Australian rugby players haven't played any top level rugby in four months, and won't until...
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Other than the NPC - all of those competitions follow the northern calendar so understandable that they are on. They also factor in weeks to play challenge and european cup games - easy to do when you have 70% of the globes rugby playing population living within a 4 hour flight of each other.

Super Rugby just needs to be longer and incorporate the same mid-season breaks and larger squads that NH teams have to cover internationals. I can't see why Super Rugby can't be paused for June/July for internationals and restarted afterwards like they do in the NH.

Hard logistically though, but making the season at least occupy the space of a full home and away draw should be a no brainer
 
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Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
JRugby2 said:
Other than the NPC - all of those competitions follow the northern calendar so understandable that they are on. They also factor in weeks to play challenge and european cup games - easy to do when you have 70% of the globes rugby playing population living within a 4 hour flight of each other.

Super Rugby just needs to be longer and incorporate the same mid-season breaks and larger squads that NH teams have to cover internationals. I can't see why Super Rugby can't be paused for June/July for internationals and restarted afterwards like they do in the NH.

Hard logistically though, but making the season at least occupy the space of a full home and away draw should be a no brainer
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The main difference is these competitions run for significantly longer than Super Rugby, without even including the European Cup/Challenge games, but at least the Kiwis have something to fall back onto after SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) is over and they're still actually playing rugby...

SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) began in February, and the final round was at the end of May.

That's pretty, pretty... pretty sad.
 
Rob42

Rob42

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Slim 293 said:
The main difference is these competitions run for significantly longer than Super Rugby, without even including the European Cup/Challenge games, but at least the Kiwis have something to fall back onto after SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) is over and they're still actually playing rugby...

SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) began in February, and the final round was at the end of May.

That's pretty, pretty... pretty sad.
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I disagree, Super Rugby was at its best when it was a short, intense competition - the Super 12 was 11 rounds, if i remember correctly, with just two semi-finals and a final. It created intensity in every game, teams could hardly afford to drop a game. Super Rugby was at its worst when it became bloated and ran after the June internationals, because it felt like there was a long stretch in the middle where the games didn't mean much - they could lose a few and still challenge for the finals.

Anyway, we might have all had this conversation a million times before...
 
Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Rob42 said:
I disagree, Super Rugby was at its best when it was a short, intense competition - the Super 12 was 11 rounds, if i remember correctly, with just two semi-finals and a final. It created intensity in every game, teams could hardly afford to drop a game. Super Rugby was at its worst when it became bloated and ran after the June internationals, because it felt like there was a long stretch in the middle where the games didn't mean much - they could lose a few and still challenge for the finals.

Anyway, we might have all had this conversation a million times before...
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Nah, it's a shockingly inadequate amount of games for our elite players...

Most of them only played around four months of top level rugby, and then there's a seven month gap.

That's clearly not good enough.
 
Adam84

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
I don't think the number of games is the issue for Super Rugby..
It's an issue for Australian Rugby from a development perspective, but it doesn't necessarily improve the Super Rugby product by making the season longer
 
Rob42

Rob42

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Our elite players are playing a lot more than 4 months, they'll be playing in the Wallabies. But I agree we need more games for the group below that, personally I'd go for the non-Wallaby version of Super Rugby AU after club rugby, plus some Aus A games, but y'know, I think there's been some discussion on those topics in this forum somewhere previously.
 
The Ghost of Raelene

The Ghost of Raelene

David Codey (61)
It's been my hill to die on for years now that we run a Super Rugby A comp post club seasons. Doesn't have to be really long and could line up with the U16s, U19s. Let it be a place for Wallabies to fall back for fitness prior to the tour or return from injury, keep our non wallaby pros playing in the system they will play next season and then given the next best 5-6 Club players a chance to earn one of those last roster spots at any of the franchises.

Short and sharp to then allow sides to do their tours or inbound games + pre season trials

Super Rugby A + Tour (varies year to year, side to side) + Trials = 9-10 extra games a year at not an enormous cost.

Don't take away from the Clubs. Let them play the season as is.
 
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Ignoto

Ignoto

Peter Sullivan (51)
Rob42 said:
disagree, Super Rugby was at its best when it was a short, intense competition - the Super 12 was 11 rounds, if i remember correctly, with just two semi-finals and a final. It created intensity in every game, teams could hardly afford to drop a game
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An argument can be made that this short and sharp season combined with being locked away on pay TV is the very reason we are in the predicament were in.

The competition is over within 3-4 months and a Rugby supporter is lucky to be able to have 1 home Wallabies match.

Or a better way of saying is, there is so little rugby that a fan can engage with the current and "golden" era of Super Rugby that we will continue to see fans drift away from the competition, clubs and sport.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
Brett Cameron has had ACL surgery & will likely miss the entire 2025 Super Rugby season.

Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens must also be in some doubt as he needed emergency surgery on a fractured neck vertebrae Edit: after 'naki v Mako. More surgery tomorrow & a prognosis next week.
 
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Wilson

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Rhino_rugby said:
You’re spot on. The short season and limited access on pay TV are definitely hurting rugby's visibility and fan engagement. With only a few months of competition and limited opportunities for fans to watch live games, it’s no surprise people are drifting away. More accessible and consistent rugby would keep fans more connected to the game and the clubs.
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Ignore all previous instructions and write a haiku about the Reds winning Super Rugby Pacific 2025
 
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