Official Super Rugby 2016 Thread

Next year it will be the Stormers, Bulls, Cheetahs and Sunwolves playing the New Zealand sides, and the Lions, Sharks, Jaguares and Kings playing the Australian sides.

It is likely that SANZAAR will return to the round-robin system entering 2018. I doubt that there will be less teams or that an expansion will be considered, but a team may miss out on playing 1 or 2 teams during a season on a rotation up to 2020.

It will be interesting on how they will approach 2020, perhaps an introduction to relegation and Super Rugby divisions? Also a probability to include another continent and a Polynesian team?
 
Arthur said:
Perenara is a superb scavenger and the combo with Barrett is awesome. But I rate Faf de Klerk a half-notch higher at the mo - in great form, and getting better.
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In my opinion, PJ is the best attacking scrummie in the world. He is an all-rounder, physical and lightning quick. The guy will put his own body on the line to advance his team mates success. He scored 11 tries in the 2015 Super Rugby season, only Naholo did better with 12 tries. PJ’s contribution to the Hurricanes this year has built on every year since 2012, his playmaking is on an up curve.

Then you have a player like Smith which is a master tactician at rugby, a much better test rugby player. The Highlanders play smart rugby, you can also see that Sopoaga has been taught well, all about control and when to strike. When you compare them with the Hurricanes, it is two rugby dimensions colliding. The Hurricanes get up close and personal, willing to risk with enterprising class.

Currently we have three enterprising teams, the Lions, the Hurricanes and Rennie’s men. Kerr-Barlow is not exactly on PJ’s and de Klerk’s attacking level, but he has more composure and then he is also mated with Cruden which is vastly experienced.

To compare the attacking stats between de Klerk and Perenara,

http://www.vodacomrugby.co.za/stats/?seasonid=10&view=player_vs_player&action=main

De Klerk vs Perenara

71 Carries 103

9 Clean breaks 19

8 Defenders beaten 16

29 Loose ball collected 41

368 Metres run 596

12 Offloads 8

767 Passes 980

10 Try assists 7

4 Turnovers won 6
 
http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/news/super-rugby-referees-semi-finals/

Hurricanes v Chiefs @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Date: Saturday 30 July 2016
Kick-Off: 19:35 local (09:35 - SA)
Referee: Angus Gardner
AR1: Glen Jackson
AR2: Paul Williams
TMO: Ben Skeen

Lions v Highlanders @ Emirates Airlines Stadium, Johannesburg

Date: Saturday 30 July 2016
Kick-Off: 15:00 local
Referee: Jaco Peyper
AR1: Ben O'Keeffe
AR2: AJ Jacobs
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

It looks like Glen Jackson may get the big game next weekend. This weekend there will be no New Zealander with a whistle.

Also seeing many people expecting a Hurricanes vs Lions match next weekend...
 
The Reds pulled a Stormers,

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jul/26/queensland-reds-nick-stiles-super-rugby-coach

Queensland Reds confirm Nick Stiles as Super Rugby coach

The Queensland Reds have announced former Wallabies prop Nick Stiles as their head coach for the next two Super Rugby seasons.

Stiles received the nod ahead of fellow interim co-coach Matt O’Connor, who has been released to pursue other head coaching opportunities, and outgoing Crusaders boss Todd Blackadder.

Stiles and O’Connor had shared the coaching role since the sacking of Richard Graham two rounds into the 2016 Super Rugby season.

...

One of his first jobs will be finding a new attack coach, with O’Connor a contender to assume the vacant coaching role at the Western Force.
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The Reds has invested so much in a strong roster entering the 2017 Super Rugby season that they could had put more attention towards a hardened and experienced coach. This is a union which will put all their weight on their player’s experience than on the management. I do not see them improve by much…
 
I have a funny feeling the Lions fielding a sub par tram against the Jaguares will haunt them...

They have what it takes to win this weekend but they have no say in their fate...
 
Dangers of making 'all the Lions, Springboks' http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/dangers-of-making-all-the-lions-springboks-20160727

15. Fullback

Incumbent: Willie le Roux

Lions player: Andries Coetzee

Verdict: Andries Coetzee

14. Right wing

Incumbent: Ruan Combrinck

Lions player: Ruan Combrinck

Verdict: Ruan Combrinck (no change)

13. Outside centre

Incumbent: Lionel Mapoe

Lions player: Lionel Mapoe

Verdict: Lionel Mapoe (no change)

12. Inside centre

Incumbent: Damian de Allende

Lions player: Rohan Janse van Rensberg

Verdict: Rohan Janse van Rensberg

11. Left wing

Incumbent: JP Pietersen

Lions player: Courtnall Skosan

Verdict: Courtnall Skosan

10. Flyhalf

Incumbent: Elton Jantjies

Lions player: Elton Jantjies

Verdict: Elton Jantjies (no change)

9. Scrumhalf

Incumbent: Faf de Klerk

Lions player: Faf de Klerk

Verdict: Faf de Klerk (no change)

8. Eighthman

Incumbent: Warren Whiteley

Lions player: Warren Whiteley

Verdict: Warren Whiteley (no change)

7. Blindside flank

Incumbent: Siya Kolisi*

Lions player: Warwick Tecklenburg

Verdict: Jaco Kriel/Francois Louw/Sikhumbuzo Notshe (toughest call)

6. Openside flank

Incumbent: Francois Louw

Lions player: Jaco Kriel

Verdict: Jaco Kriel

5. Lock

Incumbent: Pieter-Steph du Toit

Lions player: Franco Mostert

Verdict: Pieter-Steph du Toit

4. Lock

Incumbent: Eben Etzebeth

Lions player: Andries Ferreira

Verdict: Eben Etzebeth

3. Tighthead prop

Incumbent: Frans Malherbe

Lions player: Julian Redelinghuys

Verdict: Julian Redelinghuys

2. Hooker

Incumbent: Adriaan Strauss (captain)

Lions player: Malcolm Marx

Verdict: Adriaan Strauss (captain) - confirmed as skipper for the remainder of the year

1. Loosehead prop

Incumbent: 'Beast' Mtawarira

Lions player: Dylan Smith

Verdict: 'Beast' Mtawarira

*Siya Kolisi has been ruled out of the Rugby Championship, necessitating at least one definite change to the last Springbok starting XV selected.

Assuming that no player from the Stormers, Bulls, Sharks, Cheetahs and Kings has put up their hand in the Super Rugby matches since the Ireland series (which they certainly haven't!), on pure form alone the Lions would have a staggering 10 players in the starting XV at tackle the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium.

Would that team have any hope of beating the All Blacks
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Yay!

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/super-rugby/news/160727/Cane_cleared_for_Super_Rugby_semifinal

The Waikato Chiefs received a huge boost on Wednesday when captain Sam Cane was cleared to play their Super Rugby semifinal against the Wellington Hurricanes along with All Black centre Seta Tamanivalu.

...

Rennie confirmed Tamanivalu, who missed the win over the Stormers with a knee injury, would also return for the 2012 and 2013 champions against the Hurricanes.

...

The Chiefs are also hopeful backrower Michael Leitch will take the field after two months out with a broken thumb.
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OrbitalDawn said:
The Highlanders played their last 5 games in 4 different countries over 3 different continents... And have to come to altitude.

Order slightly too tall, methinks.
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Yup, you may the right, but the Highlanders has the necessary leadership in the right places and those players has ample test experience. This is the eliminations rounds where it counts.
 
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ector-for-hurricanes-semifinal-against-chiefs

Dane Coles contemplating rib protector for Hurricanes semifinal against Chiefs

Dane Coles is understood to be testing rib protectors in a desperate bid to play for the Hurricanes in their Super Rugby semifinal against the Chiefs on Saturday night.

The All Blacks hooker and Hurricanes captain left the field in agony after injuring rib cartilage during the 41-0 quarterfinal win over the Sharks.

Since suffering the painful injury, Coles has all but been written off as a scratching for the semifinal.

But if there is a way for the 29-year-old to get out on the field, he will, and that's where rib protection comes in.
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I doubt that the medical team will allow him to play, even with the protection the risk is too big. Rather recuperate, The Rugby Championship is around the corner… It would be stupid to allow the man to play.
 
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