SupeRugby 2024...

[Kiwias]

Canes' bench doing the job for them.

[Gumboot]

Canes prevail 47-20.

And the Rebels are no more.

[Kiwias]

Classy comments by Jordie about the Rebels.

[Jethro]

Canes prevail 47-20.

And the Rebels are no more.

And if we can get rid of the Farce then maybe Oz rugby can move ahead, by going backwards. The expansion clubs haven't worked, as Super League found in the day.

[Guy Smiley]

Canes prevail 47-20.

And the Rebels are no more.

And if we can get rid of the Farce then maybe Oz rugby can move ahead, by going backwards. The expansion clubs haven't worked, as Super League found in the day.

I was living in Freo when the Force started up... I think it's fair to say they were stuffed up and around by the then ARU, who initially seemed to want to make it hard for a new team before later swinging in behind the Rebels to the detriment of the Force. A lot of strategic decisions were misguided and immense public interest and goodwill was squandered.

Any discussion about expansion clubs has to look thoroughly at the actions of the parent body, then and now.

[Gumboot]

QF3: Blues vs Drua kicking off soon in Auckland.

Blues:
Stephen Perofeta, Mark Tele’a, Rieko Ioane, AJ Lam, Caleb Clarke, Harry Plummer, Finlay Christie, Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papali’i, Akira Ioane, Josh Beehre, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Marcel Renata, Ricky Riccitelli, Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu’a, Angus Ta’avao, Cameron Suafoa, Adrian Choat, Taufa Funaki, Corey Evans, Cole Forbes.

Drua:
Ilaisa Droasese, Selestino Ravutaumada, Iosefo Masi, Kemu Valetini, Waqa Nalaga, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, Frank Lomani, Meli Derenalagi (c), Kitione Salawa, Etonia Waqa, Leone Rotuisolia, Mesake Vocevoce, Mesake Doge, Tevita Ikanivere, Livai Natave.
Reserves: Zuriel Togiatama, Emosi Tuqiri, Samu Tawake, Isoa Nasilasila, Motikiai Murray, Elia Canakaivata, Peni Matawalu, Caleb Muntz.

[GrahamWa]

Any of these matches going to be nip and tuck or are they all going to be mismatches?

[Gumboot]

Blues ahead 22-0 at HT.

Any of these matches going to be nip and tuck or are they all going to be mismatches?

Hopefully the plucky underdog Highlanders can give the heavily favoured Brumbies a decent fright later.

[Kiwias]

WOWWWWW！！！　That was a stunning solo try.

[Gumboot]

Blues win it 36-5.

[Kiwias]

Three out of four. Can the Clan join the gang?

[Gumboot]

Three out of four. Can the Clan join the gang?

We'll soon find out. Go, Highlanders!

Brumbies:
Tom Wright, Andy Muirhead, Len Ikitau, Tamati Tua, Corey Toole, Noah Lolesio, Ryan Lonergan, Charlie Cale, Jahrome Brown, Rob Valetini, Tom Hooper, Darcy Swain, Allan Alaalatoa (C), Billy Pollard, Harry Vella.
Reserves: Liam Bowron, Rhys van Nek, Sosefo Kautai, Nick Frost, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Jack Debreczeni, Ollie Sapsford.

Highlanders:
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Tanielu Tele’a, Sam Gilbert, Jona Nareki, Cameron Millar, Folau Fakatava, Billy Harmon (co-captain), Sean Withy, Oliver Haig, Fabian Holland, Mitch Dunshea, Jermaine Ainsley, Henry Bell, Ethan de Groot (co-capt).
Reserves: Jack Taylor, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u, Max Hicks, Nikora Broughton, James Arscott, Jake Te Hiwi, Finn Hurley

[Kiwias]

So who plays who in the semis?

Canes at home vs Chiefs and Blues at home vs winner of Brumbies vs Clan?

[Jethro]

So who plays who in the semis?

Canes at home vs Chiefs and Blues at home vs winner of Brumbies vs Clan?

Think you might be right, a couple of good match ups right there.

The Clan up 3-0 btw, early days

[inactionman]

Who is the commentator who sounds like they're playing his voice at half speed?

[Kiwias]

So who plays who in the semis?

Canes at home vs Chiefs and Blues at home vs winner of Brumbies vs Clan?

Think you might be right, a couple of good match ups right there.

The Clan up 3-0 btw, early days

Clan now leading 9 - 7

[Gumboot]

Brumbies ahead 17-16 at HT.

[OomStruisbaai]

Like to see the Clan to win this.

[Kiwias]

Brumbies start 2H very strong and now lead 27 - 16, kick to come

[inactionman]

I've only caught snippets but there's a few tries gone a bit begging here.

The 15 tiptoeing into touch, he crabbed a fair bit before the dummy so his wing needed to come inside.

[Gumboot]

Brumbies win 32-16 after a strong second half.

[Jethro]

Anyone else think the competition would be a lot better with the return of the Saffa franchises, Sun wolves, and the Argy lot?

Not calling for Pasifika removal btw, a lot added by both teams.

[Guy Smiley]

No.

I don't miss the Saffas and their dramas. I know some within the playing environment have said they miss playing against the Saffa 'style' of play, meaning the physicality... but I think this season might have changed that tune a little with the resurgence of the Australian teams and the harder edge they brought.

The Sunwolves are a lost opportunity more for the share of that market they present than for any real playing value and I think some first steps have been taken by NZR towards getting more involved in that market with more games being promised away from the Super comp. I hope that continues to develop...

and as for the Argies. I do have regrets more couldn't be done to keep them included. I know there's an American Super comp running now and a South American tournament which is promising. The Argies bring something to the game, a mixture of that supposed Saffa toughness combined with flair and real rugby smarts.

I see Super Rugby as being able to do two things for us... it's a revenue machine that we need to flourish and it can be a development tool to bring other teams (and their home unions) into the fold and up to scratch. I think those two are mutually inclusive, one feeds the other... so without getting cumbersome and contrived as it did with the Saffas involved, it could grow more yet and include more teams in the right places.

[Jethro]

No.

.. but I think this season might have changed that tune a little with the resurgence of the Australian teams and the harder edge they brought.

Oh wait you are serious, I'll laugh a lot harder then

[Guy Smiley]

The good Aussie teams have always had a hard edge to them. They win against Kiwi teams more than the Saffa teams ever managed, too.

My point is about the supposed hype around not playing Saffa teams now, which your question addressed... sure, they have a certain style to their play. Dumb fuck oke, really... they were always about being big, brutal and stupid. The Aussies deliver better rugby, in general... when they're in form. We had a couple of years of poor Aussie teams, they're turning that around and are on their slow way back... perhaps the experiment with mouthy fuckwits running the game has been surpassed in favour of delivering results first and foremost.

[Enzedder]

Semi-final team for Saturday (in the rain and wind)

[Kiwias]

Damned fine bench you guys have got there, especially in the backs.

[Gumboot]

I still haven't fully recovered from the shock of seeing Caleb Clarke score a double last week, but...

Brumbies by 4

Chiefs by 6

[Enzedder]

Damned fine bench you guys have got there, especially in the backs.

Yeah, but so do the Canes dammit.

Both home sides by around 8 is my prediction.

[Kiwias]

Damned fine bench you guys have got there, especially in the backs.

Yeah, but so do the Canes dammit.

Both home sides by around 8 is my prediction.

Home advantage will be huge but I reckon the Chiefs might just sneak this one, while I can't look past the Blues in today's match. Neither by a significant margin.

[Gumboot]

Go, Blues!

[Guy Smiley]

My stream is from Stan sport...

Australian accents

[Guy Smiley]

This is a little one sided

[Kiwias]

Blues up 24 - 6 after 21 mins. Quite unexpected

[Gumboot]

Blues ahead 27-13 at HT.

[Guy Smiley]

34-20 in the end and I'm glad to see the end of it

[Gumboot]

Blues take it 34-20. Their scrum and defence were immense.Thought the way they absorbed all the Brumbies pressure in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half was critical.

[MungoMan]

My stream is from Stan sport...

Australian accents

Diddums. Find another stream or stick your fingers in your ears.

I watched the older soup comp with three sets of national commentators for years and didn't have a problems with other folks' accents...

[Guy Smiley]

My stream is from Stan sport...

Australian accents

Diddums. Find another stream or stick your fingers in your ears.

I watched the older soup comp with three sets of national commentators for years and didn't have a problems with other folks' accents...

Mate. I still have my Australian passport. I lived with you lot for 33 years. If I have had enough of that accent then I have fucking earned the right.

(It’s commentary that gets my goat, you normal run of the mill blokes are alright in small doses. On your own. Away from home.)

[Enzedder]

Thought that the Ponies got the thin end of the wedge from the officials last night.

He seemed good in letting a lot of small things go, and then would pull up the Ponies for something very minor.

And ... as for that 50 - 20 kick