Super 12 (Or Attn: Spartak and Bundy)
 

Despite Fox Sports World deciding to be none too flash, to put it mildly, and change their broadcast to the "Fox Soccer Channel" with occasional rugby games, they managed to broadcast the Crusaders and Brumbies (which was a great match, even tho my boys from Christchurch lost :( plus my two favorite commentators were on.) Anyways, we've got a setup here that could turn out to be extremely interesting. The Crusaders managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (if Danny Boy had made his kicks and that try by the Brumbies No. 8 was disallowed, would have been a 31-25 victory, but I digress) their performance at the beginning of the season this year was better than it has been in the past. The Waratahs beat the Chiefs, but they always seem to be unable to finish out the year. Again this year, the class of South Africa looks like it will be the Stormers, with the Cats, Bulls, and Sharks feeding on each other at the bottom. The Blues seem to be returning to some sort of prestigious form after last year's debacle, but the first true test comes agains the Reds this weekend, and again on March 19 against the old rivals, Christchurch. The surprise this year, I think, could be the Hurricanes. A lot of people were pinging the Reds to destroy them in Brisbane, but Wellington managed to shock them and win by a spread of two tries and two conversions. My predictions for the year, I think Christchurch and Canberra could very well meet up again in the Super 12 Final, there's really no one else out there who can contend. I think the Blues and Hurricanes could, but they just don't have the depth of talent that either the Brumbies or Crusaders have.

On to related, but not on the pitch news. With the advent of the Super 14 next year, John Mitchell (former AB coach) is now the coach of Perth. Subsequently, that means that the ARFU can now select him to be an assistant coach for the Wallabies. He even said that Eddie Jones could call on his "talents" if need be. Sounds to me like someone's bitter. Anyways, I expect him to be fired from the Perth job in three years, or less. Spartak, Bundy, your thoughts? (oh, and all other rugby fans are welcome, it's just that there's a running joke between the three of us that we're the only ones who talk about rugby on here).

I expect Mitch to last his contract, the coaching turnover of the Super12 is nowhere near something like the NFL.

My beloved Hurricanes won their first game, they are the team of mediocrity despite having several All Blacks.

But for some of the South African tour we won't have Captain Fantastic (Tana) and Lome Fa'atau (who was with the Chiefs last year and was sorely missed) because of the Tsunami charity match and the Hong Kong sevens respectively.

We need to get some wins against the Southies, they are tough bunch, especially at home. With a depleted squad it will be tricky.

Well, well, well. Looks as if the Crusaders are now the class act of the Super 12. Someone just hand them the trophy now and be done with it.

Heh.

What happened in the 2004 grand final ?

Just quietly I think that was the most blatant example of match fixing I have ever seen.

The Sharks have made a turn around after they changed their coach. Watch this space guys, the Sharks will rule :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :D :D :D

Riiiighhtttt, not this season. They have improved, but they don't have enough to outclass the higher tier Kiwi and Aussie sides.

Are the Sharks the ones with Shalk Berger ?

Damn, seems you guys were right after all. It is back to he bottom of the log for the Sharks. Can you imagine the thrashing!!!

oh man i'm so out of the loop. sorry for not replying earlier arch.
i moved to tokyo a few months ago, and now i'm reduced to either going to shit gaijin pubs to catch the games, or just getting updates on the web.
to make things worse, i'm now living with two kiwis... which should make tri-nations time rather hostile round here.
you're right about the 'tahs arch, they never, ever finish out a season. the first half is usually impressive, but they always get shit around the half way point... which is a shame, because a 'tahs appearance in the finals might be enough to coax me home for a bit (provided they are home games).
super14 is going to be interested. i really hope it doesnt happen, but i think the perth team is not going to live up to expectations (mind you, many people said the same thing about the brumbies when that team was formed and now look at them...)... the coach situation should be interesting as well. can't wait to see it though.
japanese club rugby is fairly predicable. the stars here are all former kiwis (all of whom were rejected by the ab's). actually, its rather boring. but i'm still hanging out to catch a game or two next season.

The Super14 is going to be such a dud, as many rugby pundits pointed out, an extra South African team is getting harder and harder to justify.

The Perth team has managed to sign a few decent players already (Cannon, Sharpe, Tune). It wouldn't surprise me to see more follow.

Bloody Waratahs have already turned the corner towards mediocrity :(

Cantabs lost their momentum and Richie for at least another game, he seems to be the glue that hold both the Crusaders and ABs together. Whenever he's not there, they just seem to fall apart. Spartak, your Canes did rather well against the 'Tahs, so I hear, we only get one Super 12 match a week up here in the US, it sucks. The Super 14 is more than likely going to be a dud, Perth will have a chance to climb up the ladder, but Spartak's right, a new SA team is just looking like another sacrificial lamb to guarantee everyone else at least one win.

I've been seeing all the Canes games live, we are playing solid rugby. Gopperth is only 21 but plays like an experienced first five (discount his shocker vs the Bulls), the backs are sorta clicking, the forwards aren't falling apart, we aren't winning games with that trademark "Hurricanes flair", but we are second on the table with a 6-1 record. Our schedule was tough this year and is very back loaded, we had a tough tour of SA with a depleted squad, and to close out the season we have to play the Crusaders, Brumbies, Highlanders and Blues and then be fresh and ready for the Semis.

I really hope the Super14 expands the playoffs to more than 4 teams, ideally 8 teams in the playoffs would be good, for me anyway.

Bam! Whipping of the Stormers, good way to bounce back for the Cantabs.

There was a fair bit of discussion in the Sydney media about John Mitchell being the wrong guy for the job because of his attitude with the press - argument was that they want to attract WA fans to establish the game there, not put them off with someone getting the press off side!

I always rated Mitch. He gave us the Tri-Nations and the Bledisloe back. Yeah he coached an awful game against Aussie in the World Cup, but a lot of that was due to Deans (assistant) and the selectors selecting an awful squad. Leon MacDonald instead of Nonu? Cullen not even selected? Leon MacDonald doing the goalkicks???!!!!!?!!.

I think this quote from Deans sums up what kind of a moron he is: "You can't win the world cup with a kicker". The only reason why he has any sort success domestically is because that rugby factory known as Canterbury keeps on churning out good players.

Deans does some things that I don't understand even in Canterbury. To be fair to the selectors, I thought Christian Cullen was already in England thereby disqualifying him? Yes, some of it was selection, I thought the complete snub of Mehrts was nasty and he could have definitely made kicks that that prima donna Spencer missed. Oh well, such is the past.