The briefest summary of round 3 from me....

[fatprop]

Totally agree fp, and it seems that some of us have even decided who the 'best' teams are after just 3 rounds! Maybe that'll be clearer after 6 rounds, but 3?

18 rounds, with a international break makes this comp an unknown as far as I care.

Just how will the test players perform after the June Tests?

Will they be rested for this round?

WEEK 19​

Friday, June 29​

Venue​

LocalAESTNZRSA
Highlanders v Chiefs Forsyth Barr Stadium 19.35 17.35 19.35 9.35
Rebels v Reds AAMI Park 19.40 19.40 21.40 11.40

Saturday, June 30​

Venue​

LocalAESTNZRSA
Crusaders v Hurricanes Rugby League Park 19.35 17.35 19.35 9.35
Force v Brumbies nib Stadium 17.40 19.40 21.40 11.40
Stormers v Lions DHL Newlands Stadium 17.05 1.05* 3.05* 17.05
Bulls v Cheetahs Loftus Versfeld 19.10 3.10* 5.10* 19.10
BYE: Blues, Waratahs, Sharks
* Sunday July 1

Frankly I am very pleased the Tahs will get a break from the 3 June until the 7 July because I think we will need it.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Theoretically, 3 NZ sides can make the finals...

Certainly, if the Aus and SA conferences are 'weaker' than the NZ teams can take massive points from them... particularly when local derbies seem to mostly give sides few competition points as they're traditionally close matches.

Going back to the Heineken Cup for a moment... you always wind up with a pool of death featuring 3 - 4 teams who probably deserve to make it to the finals over weaker teams from easier pools... shit happens...

I honestly can't see what they have to complain about. If the Aus and SA conferences are so easy then it should be an all NZ final.

If a NZ team doesn't win this year then they should just shut the fuck up...

Bit of a half arsed view here fella.

Not about confernces being stronger/weakers, it's about the perceived view that the stronger teams in the Aus & Sa conferences get points handed to them as they get to play shit teams twice, when the NZ teams may not get to play them at all.

The view is that the reds/tahs get handed 24-30 points due to playing the rebels, brumbies & force twice. then the sharks, stormers,bulls get 16-20 by virtue of havintg the lions and cheetahs.

then at the moment, the hurricans, the supposed NZ shit team, have just taken points off force & lions in away matches.

It may work out like this, it may not - the reds / rebels match certainly went some way to dispelling the theory & god knows the Jaaps seem to think they have it toughest as well...

It's round 3, fuck all has happened really. All i've noticed is that the aus teams have started slowly (odd), some of the kiwi teams have started strongly (odd) & half the blues are injured or suspsended already (not odd).

Oh yeah, and that I miss Quade Cooper (very ood). Reds are boring as batshit without him.

 

[Blue]

I agree that it's early days yet bu the Kiwi teams scare the crap out of me. Right now I have not seen a Saffer or Aus team that can travel across the dutch and beat the Highlanders, Chiefs and even Crusaders. Good old Kiwi rugby. Beat you up at the break down and run you off your feet.

Reds and Stormers are a faint chance but they will both have to lift their games in a BIG way or get battered. The Reds pack will get hammered and the Stormers will need to figure out how to score points.

 

[Bullrush]

Geez I love this thread!!

 

[suckerforred]

Geez I love this thread!!

Why? Cause we are beating up NZ's chance of winning something?

 

[Dan54]

Theoretically, 3 NZ sides can make the finals...

Certainly, if the Aus and SA conferences are 'weaker' than the NZ teams can take massive points from them... particularly when local derbies seem to mostly give sides few competition points as they're traditionally close matches.

Going back to the Heineken Cup for a moment... you always wind up with a pool of death featuring 3 - 4 teams who probably deserve to make it to the finals over weaker teams from easier pools... shit happens...

I honestly can't see what they have to complain about. If the Aus and SA conferences are so easy then it should be an all NZ final.

If a NZ team doesn't win this year then they should just shut the fuck up...

Have there been a lot of complaints Slim?? Enough for the comment at end? Your point about NZ team getting massive points against weaker teams in OZ for example is kind of blown away by the fact that some don't get to play these weaker teams, and certainly not twice which is a bankable 8 points, but as I said most kiwis I know are quite happy that is how the cookie crumbles, and would quite happily watch the extra games between good teams. I would also point out that it is very early to be working out who are real strong teams and who not, but while perhaps it would be great to have level playing field for all, with team numbers etc I think this is best solution.

Whoops sorry MR, just saw I saying same as you

 

[Roundawhile]

The Kiwi sides seem to be stronger than the rest. They play at a speed and intensity that other sides can't reach at the moment. They are also very physical.

The Australian sides don't have the same presence and physicality at the breakdown as the other sides.

The Tahs / Highlanders game was played with pace and intensity - like both were kiwi sides.

Seems there are quite a few pedants on this site so I'll give it a go

Don't these quotes seem a little contradictory?

 

[Dan54]

Ahh Round, I think the contradictory quotes qre what makes the site good reading.