Official 2015 Super Rugby Thread

[APoc184]

Highlanders 29 - 26 Crusaders
Western Force 31 - 21 Brumbies

 

[Creag]

Western Force going to be the unknown factor again this season?

 

[Creag]

Any photos of the Sharks jersey yet?

 

[Fulcrum29]

Highlanders 29 - 26 Crusaders
Western Force 31 - 21 Brumbies

I initially thought the Crusaders had their match against the Rebels, only to notice later that the Rebels are their opening game in the 2015 Super Rugby.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Western Force going to be the unknown factor again this season?

Depends, the Honey Badger was their playmaker... he's is replaced by a Japanese player which is a top scorer in their top rugby league, he’s also part of an Australian rugby development program.

 

[Creag]

Depends, the Honey Badger was their playmaker... he's is replaced by a Japanese player which is a top scorer in their top rugby league, he’s also part of an Australian rugby development program.

The Japanese player is in their dev programme? Interesting.

 

[Fulcrum29]

The Japanese player is in their dev programme? Interesting.

Here is the guy:

[video=youtube_share;HC4wuUe8tB8]http://youtu.be/HC4wuUe8tB8[/video]

 

[Creag]

Thanks for the video. Plays with passion and extremely fast off the mark.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Thanks for the video. Plays with passion and extremely fast off the mark.

Yah well, don't know at this stage how many games will have him on the team. I also don't know how the development plan works, each Australian Super Rugby team are allowed to recruit one Japanese player. Only the Rebels, Reds and Force recruited a Japanese player, the Brumbies are 100% Australian by citizenship. However the Reds, Waratahs and Rebels recruited one Fijian. There is also a Togian and Samoan in the mix. The Force is also very boer with 7 SA players.

 

[Fulcrum29]

The New Zealand teams also has this principle in relation to Pacific Islanders:

I'm ignoring the Togians and Samoans in their teams as they are generally playing there, many with citizenship.

Chiefs (1 Fijian; 1 Japanese)
Crusaders (2 Fijians) Note: Nemani Nadolo played in the 2014 Super Rugby season
Highlanders (1 Japanese) Note: Fumiaki Tanaka played in the 2013 Super Rugby season

It is mainly the Australians showcasing new blood.

 

[GreGorGy]

What? Togian? From Indonesia?

 

[Fulcrum29]

What? Togian? From Indonesia?

I meant Tongans.

 

[GreGorGy]

I meant Tongans.

Oh. For a second there I thought you copied it from somewhere and that they were playing rugby in those parts. You had me on a Google hunt. Hahaha

 

[Fulcrum29]

Oh. For a second there I thought you copied it from somewhere and that they were playing rugby in those parts. You had me on a Google hunt. Hahaha

I only realised my mistake when you made mention of it. I apologise for the Google hunt.

 

[MickeyD]

Any photos of the Sharks jersey yet?

http://www.natal-sharks.co.za/?Task=Category&CategoryID=33292&HeadingText=Replica+Wear

 

[GreGorGy]

I only realised my mistake when you made mention of it. I apologise for the Google hunt.

Meh - I learnt something new either way

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Interesting piece on the host of players leaving Super Rugby after this year and the effect it could have on the competition.

Super Rugby faces foreign recruiting blitz from France and England

Super Rugby faces its greatest credibility test next year as a post-World Cup walkout and aggressive European club recruitment blitz continue to pillage Southern Hemisphere nations.

A host of high-profile stars are expected to depart the Super Rugby stage after the global tournament in England and Wales in September and October.

Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock, Bismarck du Plessis, Victor Matfield, Jean de Villiers, Duane Vermeulen and Adam Ashley-Cooper are among frontline test campaigners who will either retire or chase a golden years contract in Europe or Japan. More will follow in coming months.

When combined with the host of fringe All Blacks and polished Super Rugby campaigners snapped up by French and English clubs, the 2016 playing resources for Sanzar's premier franchise competition are looking the thinnest in its two decade history.

The problems are amplified by the Rio Olympics where the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Liam Messam and possibly Julian Savea will make only minor appearances in the competition due to Sevens commitments.

With a sixth South African team, the new Argentine and Japan-based franchises also entering the competition in 2016, there are genuine fears the playing talent will be spread too thinly and the competition may fall flat.

The game's faltering position in Australia, where it is slipping further behind league, football, AFL and cricket, is also causing headaches.

The competition's financial bottom line is another worry. While Super Rugby can be justified as world rugby's premier franchise competition, it can't compete with the financial backing in France, England or Japan.

Eight of rugby's top 10 highest earners reside in the bosom of wealthy French club owners who are willing to pay up to $2 million per-season, with the other two plying their trade in England. Top players here have the ability to double, even triple, their earning potential with a move abroad that also includes less travel – an appealing lure for players with children. There are also 42 internationals among the top four Japanese club teams.

"We don't have the budgets that some of the French clubs have because there's no logic to it," New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew admitted.

"They are owned by people with super yachts. We've got income that we can afford to allocate to retaining our top professional players and we won't spend more than we can afford. We can't close the gap."

The imminent loss to Europe of Tom Marshall, 24, Luke Braid, 26, Ben Tameifuna, 23, Jeremy Thrush, 29, and Frank Halai, 26, underline how players are now also leaving at a younger age to cash in on overseas opportunities.

Then there are "project players" like Bundee Aki who was targeted to qualify for Ireland through residency after serving three years there.

"These guys now, this is what they do for a vocation; it's how they earn their living," All Blacks selector Grant Fox said.

"If some of them think getting through to the All Blacks is a challenge they might go sooner than we would like, rather than stay and fight for the jersey. But when one goes it's an opportunity for someone else. We've got a pretty good factory coming through. It's very clear that our players and coaches are in high demand around the world. That's the way it is."

All of this is accelerating a changing of the guard while weakening invaluable peer guidance. Eventually, it could create a competition full of 18 to 20-year-olds with limited experience.

Traditionally, New Zealand's seemingly endless production line of talent stayed here in pursuit of the black jersey. For some that remains, but there are clear signs those days are numbered. Retaining top players, and coaches, has never been more difficult.

One suggested response is a more open approach from NZ Rugby in allowing players to top up their salaries in Japan, though this would involve them missing the domestic provincial season.

"There are some other things we could do but they would have a material impact on our competitions," Tew said.

"You're always trading these things off. Some players have gone and come back. We're talking to players overseas now who are keen to come back. It's the way of the world, some will go and some will stay.

"The reality is the World Cup becomes a pretty important juncture in people's decision-making processes. We can't control that. Our contracting team are ahead of the game. No-one has slipped through the cracks it's just they have options and they're exercising them. I don't think it's any worse, but we won't know until we get through this cycle."

Australia has pressing concerns. Ashley-Cooper, Scott Higginbotham, Sekope Kepu, Nic White and James Horwill are all set to leave and the game there will be desperate to retain Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau who come off contract at the end of this year.

South Africa bit the bullet and now selects players from overseas clubs. While New Zealand persists with its staunch stance, pressure is mounting on Australia to follow the Springboks' lead.

DEPARTING PLAYERS

New Zealand

Dan Carter

Ma'a Nonu

Ben Franks

Jeremy Thrush

Frank Halai

Luke Braid

Ben Tameifuna

Tom Marshall

Peter Saili

Nick Crosswell

Jerome Kaino (rumoured)

Conrad Smith (off contract)

Richie McCaw (retirement)

Tony Woodcock (retirement)

Keven Mealamu (retirement)

South Africa

Bismarck du Plessis

Jannie du Plessis

Duane Vermeulen

Demetri Catrakilis

Willie le Roux (rumoured)

Willem Alberts (rumoured)

Victor Matfield (retirement)

Jean de Villiers (retirement)

Australia

Adam Ashley-Cooper

Scott Higginbotham

Sekope Kepu

Nic White

James Horwill

Will Genia (rumoured)

Rob Horn (off contract)

Kurtley Beale (off contract)

Israel Folau (off contract)

Quade Cooper (off contract)

Jesse Mogg (off contract)

Scott Fardy (off contract)

 

[OGroteKoning]

Interesting piece on the host of players leaving Super Rugby after this year and the effect it could have on the competition.

Super Rugby faces foreign recruiting blitz from France and England

I blame Eskom! Nobody wants to play rugby by candle light.

 

[APoc184]

And already the injuries mount.

Bandise Maku (Bulls) - Out for the season - Torn pectoral muscle.
Sergeal Pietersen (Cheetahs) - 6 to 8 weeks - Broken jaw.

Wonder if the two injuries are related?

 

[OGroteKoning]

And already the injuries mount.

Bandise Maku (Bulls) - Out for the season - Torn pectoral muscle.
Sergeal Pietersen (Cheetahs) - 6 to 8 weeks - Broken jaw.

Wonder if the two injuries are related?