Well, Happy Monday G&GRs. And so another Super Round in Melbourne is complete, probably the last ever Melbourne Super Round. Among disappointing crowd numbers were some disappointing results for the Australian franchises, but also some stunning results. Results no one would have ever expected.
So like we do every Monday morning when we stagger into the office, bleary-eyed and not caring about work, grab yourself a steaming large cup of ☕ ‘getting my Shit Done Liquid!’ Log on to your computer, set up your work tabs, and then make sure G&GR and Disqus are ready to go. As there will be plenty to comment on today.
As always this is a fan-run site and any contribution is welcome, feel free to reach out to me at bris@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea, or an opinion piece. There’s also a ‘Submit a Story’ option. So feel free to have a crack as the more the merrier.
Super Rugby Pacific 2024 – Round Two – Super Round Melbourne
Auckland Blues 37 defeated Otago Highlanders 29
The Darkness’s gun flanker, Hoskins Sotutu, managed to grab a hat trick of 5 pointers to get his side to a sublime 37-29 victory over the Clan in the opening game of the Super Rugby Super Round in Melbourne. The Clan got off to a great start, leading the Aucklanders 15-8, but were unable to stop the Blues as they got their mojo going and managed to pull away and coast over the line.
The shift in momentum in the game came when the Clan winger Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens was given a serve of cheddar cheese just before oranges. This enabled the Blues to utilise their numerical advantage and get their momentum flowing, take the lead, and keep it for the remainder of the game. Sotutu bagged three and Tele’a and Funaki one meat pie each. Starting 2024 off with two solid victories will place the Blues well as they go deeper into the season.
Melbourne Rebels 48 defeated Western Force 34
Ex-Queensland Red, and Fijian soccer goalkeeper, Filipo Daugunu dotted down a double in this exciting match, and a positive step forward for the Rebels. The Ginger Ninja Andrew Kellaway also put his hand up for a Wallaby jersey with a solid performance in Melbourne’s 48-34 win over the Western Force.
The Rebels came home with a wet sail, banging down four tries after oranges to lodge their first victory for the season and a well-needed one indeed. However, it didn’t all go the Rebels way with the team still having some serious lineout troubles. A positive sign was the Rebels scrum, with Tupou providing some shove up front. But for me, Tupou still doesn’t look like he’s back up to match fitness yet. The Force just seemed to struggle with consistently executing their game plan and ceding momentum back to the Rebels.
Moana Pasifika 39 defeated Fiji Drua 36
In what this author thinks was the most entertaining game of the Round, the Moana Pasifika got up in an upset against the Flying Fijians. In the battle of the Pacific, it went down to the last minute of the game, with the Drua just falling short of what would’ve been the most incredible comeback. The Fijians dug deep for a late comeback with only 10 minutes to go but Moana Pasifika held on with all their might for an amazing victory, 39-36.
In a disappointing start to the 2024 season, this was also Fiji’s first loss to Moana. The MPs got off to a high-tempo start, pressuring the Fijians into errors and they were able to capitalise on them. The score was 8 all leading into oranges, until the Fijians helped themselves to a nice slice of cheddar cheese via Ravutaumada. This extra man gave Pasifika the advantage, enabling them to get a 5-pointer and the lead.
After the oranges, the Pasifika came out hard finding some weak spots in the Fijian defence and getting themselves out to a 36-15 lead. But then the Fijians rallied and rallied hard. Three points down and two minutes left on the clock the Fijians were on the attack, with Pasifika defending desperately. But a loose carry cost the Fijians and Moana Pasifika came away with a well-deserved victory.
NSW Waratahs 37 defeated Canterbury Crusaders 24
It was back in 2014, a decade ago, when the Saders last lost their two opening games. And so it goes again this season. In what was the least Crusader-like performance that I have ever watched, the Waratahs came away with the most unlikely of victories. No one gave them a chance, so they took theirs and won the game.
The Crusaders combinations lacked any form of cohesiveness and were scrappy at best, and completely messy at worst. The Tahs weren’t brilliant by any stretch of the imagination, with their kicking game still terrible. But they managed to steer the game in their favour, taking their chances where they could. A magic charge-down try by Hugh Sinclair, summed up the Tahs night.
The Waratahs will hopefully take some confidence from this game, as well as hopefully relieving some of the pressure on their embattled coach Darren Coleman. The Saders on the other hand, will be back to the drawing board to try and work out what the hell went wrong there.
Waikato Chiefs 46 defeated ACT Brumbies 12
Damian McKenzie has steered his Waikato Chiefs superbly with a bollocking win over the Puppy Killers. Following up on their solid win over the Crusaders last week, the Chiefs were all business at the Super Round in Melbourne. In what was a rematch of 2023’s semi-final which saw the Chiefs victorious, they again proved way too good for the Brumbies in a 46-12 bot-bot spanking.
The ‘Kenberrans’ will be very disappointed after their great start last week. But they were smashed up front in the forwards, and their backs demonstrated new ways not to tackle, and how not to defend. Muirhead had a game that he would be highly embarrassed about, and if he could do it over certainly would.
Larkhams’ team will have to sit down and work out how to ‘unfuck’ that scenario, as they won’t be able to put in a performance like that again.
Wellington Hurricanes 38 defeated Queensland Reds 33
In the match of the round down in Melbourne, the Hurricanes managed to sneak out a golden point victory 6 minutes in the 10 minutes of golden point play. In a seesawing, back-and-forth, highly competitive game, both teams showed their never-say-die attitude right to the very end. Both teams traded blows in a hugely entertaining match that showcased the most attacking teams in Super Rugby Pacific.
The Reds scrum initially looked sub-standard, with Nonggorr being schooled by his counterpart. Again Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson led from the front. Tate provided speed of delivery, but not always the most accurate passing, got the Reds on the front foot and going forward.
The Reds have developed a super accurate maul that’s becoming a near undefendable weapon. The two Fijians, Seru Uru, and Peni Ravai put in great shifts, driving their team forward. Jordan Barrett, playing his 100th game for the Hurricanes, put in a great shift until his head-high hit on Jordan of Nazareth which had Jordy P seeing stars and Jordie B eating cheddar. Unfortunately upon review, Jordie B was given a side serving of shiraz with his cheese. That’ll likely see him having a few week’s holiday.
The game was drawn at 33 all when the Reds got a quick ball out of their scrum and booted it out to go to golden point. Both teams went at it hard, with the tempo of the game stepping up to a new level. Both teams pushing each other back with territorial kicks. It was Pasilio Tosi, the replacement prop for the Hurricanes that managed to crash over the line to win the game in the sixth minute of extra time.
The Reds will be heartbroken, but they can leave the field with their heads held high. We are starting to see a serious improvement in the Reds under Les Kiss. I think they will go deep this season.
Is the Super Round that Super?
The question I have to ask at the end of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific Super Round is, is it that super? Let’s break it into two parts.
The Games – Absolutely! The games were fantastic. And while some of the results weren’t what the Australian franchises would have hoped for, they were great spectator games. I enjoyed every one of them. Even the one where the Waratahs won. (Won’t we be hearing about that for years!).
The Crowds – I haven’t seen the official numbers yet, but as the picture above demonstrates, the crowd numbers were low, very low. Embarrassingly low. And that my rugby-loving friends isn’t good enough. Melbourne is not the right place to host this event and with the Rebels unlikely to exist in 2025, even more so.
Where would I host it? Bring on the Bula round! Send the game to Fiji, the crowds would be berserk. Wolverine Style. I for one would happily part with my spondoolies to fly to Fiji to go to a Fijian Super Round. It’d be a fantastic weekend, and great for the game and Fiji. I’d much rather travel there than to go Melbourne. It’d require Super Rugby/SANZAAR/World Rugby to pony up some dollars, but I think it would truly benefit the game.
The other alternative would be Brisbane or Sydney. Personally, Brisbane is a much better venue. What do you G&GRs think? Let me know below.
Anyway, that’s another Mad Monday done and dusted. Over to you G&GRs. Have at it!
