The Templeton Cup

[Set piece magic]

With the off season of Super 12^3 here, time for a debate. The NSW QLD rivalry has been steadily growing, and with the return to the SFS next year it looks set for an injection of passion and hopefully a full house as well. (Well done 'Tahs HQ, seeing the light).

The Templeton cup is actually won each time the sides compete - i.e. it's contested twice a year, rather than once. This 'change' was done back in 2011 (before then the two sides only met once a season), and to me, it was really done to let the Reds win the darn thing as we hadn't touched it for a long time before then (2004).

With that all done, the Reds went on a 5 match winning streak against the 'Tahs, but the 'Tahs came storming back this year and comprehensively beat the Reds on both match ups. So at the moment, recent history is pretty even.

Is it thus time to change the Templeton cup to a two match series, instead of the double contest? I think so. This would add more to the NSW QLD rivalry, with the prospect of retaining or claiming the Templeton Cup an added incentive to the series.

What do the punters think?

 

[Crashy]

I'd love to see a full house for the Reds game next season and with some of the recruits the banjo-players have signed, combined with the growing Tahs fanbase, we should expect 40k.
The tahs are also playing against the Brumbies at the SFS and its an arvo game as well which will see a big crowd.
The Saders game has been shipped to ANZ which again will mean a decent crowd. Watch the Tahs average crowd increase from last season's regular season average of 20k to 30k.

 

[Set piece magic]

Absolutely, some great scheduling by 'Tahs HQ this year. Moving the Reds to ANZ was a short term profit that didn't grow the stature of the fixture in the long term. They cleverly shipped the 'Saders game to ANZ which means it will still get a decent crowd but they play the Reds & Brumbies at hopefully a packed SFS full of parochial fans who've been rumbling through paddington beforehand

(my brother lives in Surry Hills in Sydney and says there a billion pubs in that area).

I liken it to WSW in Football, whom despite qualifying for the ACL Final still insisted it be at Paramatta. They packed the place out and get a very noisy atmosphere going. ANZ really should only be used for the biggest games.

Hoping for a Reds Waratahs final at ANZ this coming year, that would send a real message to the broadcasters.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Reds will dominate the Tahs in 2015. Reds will head up the Aussie Conference.

Tahs will "choke" due to second year syndrome, Chek leaving and KB (Kurtley Beale) in the team (if he hasn't fucked off by then due to the ARU not topping him up)

The line up of Queensland is very impressive with (IMHO) , the signing of Adam Thomson being the best out of JOC (James O'Connor) and Mr Hunt. The Tahs line up is impressive as well but they will be off their game a bit.

AND we have RG as well.

Most important games of the year, as long as QLD wins

 

[Aussie D]

Would like to see it changed to similar to Ranfurly Shield in that the cup is 'live' whenever the game takes place at the current holders home ground.

 

[qwerty51]

For me just do an aggregate on points in both games. If it's a tie, most away points wins like soccer.

 

[Set piece magic]

All good ideas. Can we agree that the status quo is incorrect then?

 

[Ruggo]

Can we lock in a trial game vs each other each year alternating between whose home game it is and make it a genuine 3 game series?

 

[TOCC]

I prefer the idea of the cup been on the line each game, otherwise you end up with hollow victory type scenarios.. Lets say in 2015 the Waratahs win the first game but are comprehensively beaten in the second game, they are presented the Templeton Cup because they are the reigning champions from 2014. Aggregate points are all well and good for small round robin tournaments, but i think it would get lost if contained within Super Rugby.


I say place the cup on the line each time they play each other in the Super Rugby comp, I don't think trial games would work since the coaches are still experimenting too much with their teams.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree with TOCC. Put it on the line every time as I don't like it being decided on aggregate if the results are 1-all each year or just having the holder keep it if the results are 1-all.

A three game series would be awesome but realistically it isn't going to happen. I definitely wouldn't want a trial game being part of the Cup.

 

[Jagman]

In S18 they won't play each other twice every year anyway but they might as well only compete or it in the last game they play each other and alternate home and away each time. It's a bit pointless to hold it for a few months during superrugby.

An example is 2011. The Waratahs smashed the reds in Sydney and then lost by some tiny margin in Brisbane where Tom Carter was denied a try from a maul because the camera couldn't see it and horwill convinced the ref that kepu was angling in when the ref had already had several chances to give a card or even a penalty try. It was a good year for the reds not complaining but smashing them in that first game didn't mean anything in the end so why make it a contest for the cup.


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