Excellent win for Harlequins at the Stoop last night vs Wasps to the tune of 32-13. Wasps now no certainty to finish top as they've got Saracens next week at the Ricoh Arena.
Rugby 2017 Discussion
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Waratahs + the ref 29 Reds 26. I'm beyond angry at the moment. I really don't like blaming refs but this is the 2nd week in a row this ref has refereed one side. Didn't matter in the grand scheme of things last week as Crusaders thumped the Stormers but this shouldn't happen. He's a mini Glen Jackson - a past player who has been fast tracked into refereeing and this is what happens. Even some Tahs fans on theroar blog of the game have admitted the ref has favoured them. Bloody filthy and tonight was the only opportunity this season to beat those twats from NSW.
Did they get Atkinson'd?
Wouldn't say Atkindon'd as such as this was the first time the Reds had this ref. So it's not a case of the same ref stitching up the same team. But a trend is developing that he only refs one side and that's not right. I have calmed down since the game finished.
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In other results the Chiefs beat the Sunwolves 27-20 and the Lions beat the Force 24-15. Both games were triumphs for Super Rugby's try scoring bonus point system.
Sorry couldn't watch any of it today, had a day being dragged around the shops
Sorry couldn't watch any of it today, had a day being dragged around the shops
No worries. The SANZAAR YouTube page has highlights of games readily available.
Southern Kings demolish the Rebels 44-3
Kings are making a good case for why they shouldn't just be canned. Have looked better than the Bulls this season.
And the Australian sides have been so poor this season.
Kings are making a good case for why they shouldn't just be canned. Have looked better than the Bulls this season.
And the Australian sides have been so poor this season.
The Brumbies are the best Australian side and they have less points than the 5th best Kiwi team. Says it all really. 3 weeks ago, the ARU admitted it was a mistake to go from four teams to five and the chickens have well and truly come home to roost there.
On the Rebels, 4th time in 8 games they have conceded 40+ points in a match and they've lost all four by at least 30 points. Awful tour to South Africa too: a 9-9 draw with the Sharks in Durban where they weren't good enough to take advantage of the one man advantage they held for 52 minutes, to go with the flogging they received in Port Elizabeth vs the Kings.
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Kieran Read looking at 6 weeks on the sideline after suffering a thumb injury in the Crusaders 48-21 win over the Cheetahs.
Shades of the Chicago match with the injuries they're racking up.
Here is the Super Rugby ladder at the end of round 10. If the finals started this weekend, the Brumbies will host the Chiefs despite the Chiefs having more than double the Brumbies points tally. The Stormers would host the Hurricanes despite the Hurricanes having 7 more championship points than the Stormers and that gap could grow if the Hurricanes beat the Stormers Friday night. That is simply unfair, wrong and exposes the conference format for the rubbish that it is.
Here is the Super Rugby ladder at the end of round 10. If the finals started this weekend, the Brumbies will host the Chiefs despite the Chiefs having more than double the Brumbies points tally. The Stormers would host the Hurricanes despite the Hurricanes having 7 more championship points than the Stormers and that gap could grow if the Hurricanes beat the Stormers Friday night. That is simply unfair, wrong and exposes the conference format for the rubbish that it is.
That is one confusing table
That is one confusing table
It's a far cry from the simplicity of Super 12 and Super 14. Every team played each other once, finals were top 4 based on points, 1&2 hosted semi finals, semi final winners met in the final and highest ranked semi final winner hosted the final. Self interest from Australia and South Africa has made this comp the mess that it is.
That's more or less the Pro12 system. Makes for a good competition.
How is this supposed to work?Here is the Super Rugby ladder at the end of round 10. If the finals started this weekend, the Brumbies will host the Chiefs despite the Chiefs having more than double the Brumbies points tally. The Stormers would host the Hurricanes despite the Hurricanes having 7 more championship points than the Stormers and that gap could grow if the Hurricanes beat the Stormers Friday night. That is simply unfair, wrong and exposes the conference format for the rubbish that it is.
http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/about-super-rugby/
How to qualify for finals
- Win Conference – 4 conference winners (will host quarter-final) 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5.
- Earn a wildcard place – 4 wildcards places available
- Best placed runner-up team (based on tournament points) from either Africa 1 or Africa 2 Conference
- Three next best teams (based on tournament points) from either the New Zealand or Australian Conferences
But the conferences aren't of the same strength. It means a team like the Stormers will be hammered for half century scores and still get a home knockout tie.
At least it all ends this year.
This is the finals format for next year's change to a 15 team format.
Eight team Finals Series: Three Conference winners and; five wild card places – the next best performing teams based on competition points after the Conference winners regardless of Conference. Conference winners and fourth-placed team on competition points will host quarter-finals.
Read more: http://www.superxv.com/sanzaar-confirm-super-15-tournament-2018/#ixzz4fpGwpvPo
To the shock of nobody, Nigel Owens will referee the Champions Cup Final between Saracens and Claremont at Murrayfield. Owens will be assisted by George Clancy and Ian Davies.
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Great comeback by the Highlanders today. If the injuries ever subside they are going to be tough to beat.
The Lions have outplayed and outclassed the Rebels 47-10, 7 tries to 1 in Melbourne. Can't rule out the idea of the Lions finishing top at the end of the season, they'll need to the Kiwi sides to beat each other though.
The Aussie sides are just shambolic this season.
Chiefs 46 Reds 17 in New Plymouth, Blues 40 Waratahs 33 in Sydney and the Sharks have beaten the Force 37-12 in Durban. That along with the Lions giving the Rebels a touch up caps off another disappointing weekend for the Aussie sides - the Brumbies had the bye.
Seems Ben Youngs has withdrawn from the Lions tour as his brother Tom's wife has just received news her cancer is terminal and they want to spend time as a family.
Real shame for people so young.
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39832093
Real shame for people so young.
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39832093
Crusaders slay the pitiful Bulls.
I repeat that the Kings deserve to stay in this competition more than the Bulls based on this season's showing.
I repeat that the Kings deserve to stay in this competition more than the Bulls based on this season's showing.
So, the Premiership semi finals are set. In two weeks, Wasps will host Leicester at the Ricoh, while Exeter will face Saracens at Sandy Park. Saracens still a fair chance in my view to play Exeter having won back to back Champions Cups.
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I can't escape the feeling that the Lions will top the table but be unable to up their play against the NZ sides in the playoffs.
The only Kiwi side i don't think they're capable of beating at Ellis Park is the Crusaders.
Looks like Faf de Klerk is heading to Sale after the Super Rugby season. He's been in shit form most times I've seen him this season, but that's a big loss long-term. I can't help but think that the Springboks not adapting to a style of play that works for the Lions players was a part of his decision.
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From a Scottish POV, quite pleased about that. Ireland will be tough and Japan at home but avoided other tough teams, fancy us to qualify. New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Wales should all go through too. England's draw is tasty and really tough, two cracking games v Argentina and France then.
England not to make the second round again?
It's funny that Ireland and Scotland will both look at that and think, "great!". Recent history definitely in Ireland's favour but Scotland (and their clubs) are looking much better than a few years ago and who know what the lay of the land will be like in 2 more years.
It's funny that Ireland and Scotland will both look at that and think, "great!". Recent history definitely in Ireland's favour but Scotland (and their clubs) are looking much better than a few years ago and who know what the lay of the land will be like in 2 more years.
Pretty happy with the pool the Wallabies have. Wales hasn't beaten Australia since 2008, i'm hopeful and confident that record will still be intact by the time the pool stage match rolls around. It will also be the 4th straight World Cup where Wales and Australia have locked horns.
England not to make the second round again?
It's funny that Ireland and Scotland will both look at that and think, "great!". Recent history definitely in Ireland's favour but Scotland (and their clubs) are looking much better than a few years ago and who know what the lay of the land will be like in 2 more years.
That'd be too funny but Aussie Eddie won't allow that to happen.
Top two from each pool IMO:
Pool A: Ireland & Scotland
Pool B: New Zealand & South Africa
Pool C: England & France
Pool D: Australia & Wales
Pool A: Ireland & Scotland
Pool B: New Zealand & South Africa
Pool C: England & France
Pool D: Australia & Wales
Who loses out in the Group Of Death then? It'd be France most likely on current form, but WC France is different to run of the mill France.
I haven't been terribly impressed by Argentina since the last World Cup, so i have them third in the pool of death at the moment.
Thats as easy a group as Ireland will ever get.
Really need to get over the QF duck.
South Africa might not make it out of the group stages. Especially under current management. Cant really say they are better than Italy. Well beaten the last time this two played.
New Zealand are overwhelming favourites again. Cant see anyone else winning it. It would be bad for rugby if they did though.
Really need to get over the QF duck.
South Africa might not make it out of the group stages. Especially under current management. Cant really say they are better than Italy. Well beaten the last time this two played.
New Zealand are overwhelming favourites again. Cant see anyone else winning it. It would be bad for rugby if they did though.
Hard to see past a final between New Zealand and England. I can live with that. Australia making the final last time, playing then subsequently losing to New Zealand brought out the worst in me in the RWC 2015 thread.