Official Super Rugby 2016 Thread

[Fulcrum29]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/video/77734609/Joe-Wheeler-sees-similar-traits-in-Highlanders-and-Lions-packs

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has made five personnel changes, four in the forwards, for the Super Rugby champions' match against the Lions.

Lock Tom Franklin and prop Josh Hohneck, who started in the defending champions' 17-16 win over the Hurricanes last weekend, have been given a break and will sit out Saturday night.

Alex Ainley comes in for Franklin, while Siosiua Halanukonuka replaces Hohneck.

Co-skipper Shane Christie and fellow loose forward Elliot Dixon also get a breather by moving to the bench.

Liam Squire comes back to the No.8 jersey, with Luke Whitelock moving to blindside flanker for Dixon, and Dan Pryor takes over from Christie on the openside.

At inside centre, Teihorangi Walden has been ruled out because of concussion, replaced by Rob Thompson, who will make his debut for the Highlanders.

Big changes to the starting lineup/positions. I'm quite sure the Highlanders want this game to count, these changes may indicate that they have 'trouble' in the pack. They know the Lions can scrum and are actively hunting the ball.

And,

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/spo...-rugby-tells-malakai-fekitoa-he-did-score-try

To their credit, Super Rugby has admitted to the error made by Wratt, who may not have known that a ball placed short of the line is still a try as long as it's touching the padding.

"Turns out that it was indeed a try. Not because it hit the pad, but because it was grounded at the base of the pad," the statement read.

"In short, it's not a try unless it's touching grass and goalpost. Interesting fact, the law also says that if the ball is placed at the base of the pad, and this happens to be in front of the painted try line, it is a legitimate try."

This rugby law is older than I am. How the TMO, Chris Wratt, decided that it is short is beyond me. The video material available indicates a clear grounding. In my opinion, Wratt should be benched...

To quote the law,

http://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=22&language=EN

22.4 Other ways to score a try

(b) Grounded against a goal post. The goal posts and padding surrounding them are part of the goal line, which is part of in-goal. If an attacking player is first to ground the ball against a goal post or padding, a try is scored.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/video/77734609/Joe-Wheeler-sees-similar-traits-in-Highlanders-and-Lions-packs



Big changes to the starting lineup/positions. I'm quite sure the Highlanders want this game to count, these changes may indicate that they have 'trouble' in the pack. They know the Lions can scrum and are actively hunting the ball.

And,

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/spo...-rugby-tells-malakai-fekitoa-he-did-score-try



This rugby law is older than I am. How the TMO, Chris Wratt, decided that it is short is beyond me. The video material available indicates a clear grounding. In my opinion, Wratt should be benched...

To quote the law,

http://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=22&language=EN

IIRC it looked like Fekitoa 'placed' the ball against the post but in the air, and it wasn't clear that it reached the ground. There was confusion about this. I recall thinking I would be comfortable with the try being awarded.

 

[faniebraai]

IIRC it looked like Fekitoa 'placed' the ball against the post but in the air, and it wasn't clear that it reached the ground. There was confusion about this. I recall thinking I would be comfortable with the try being awarded.

exactly this, it was never clear if the ball, when rolled down the post, actually ever touched the grass.

edit: I wouldn't have been comfortable with the try being awarded. What people forget is that the TMO can't assume that the ball touched the grass based on what he sees. He has to ACTUALLY see it. No assumptions.

 

[Fulcrum29]

IIRC it looked like Fekitoa 'placed' the ball against the post but in the air, and it wasn't clear that it reached the ground. There was confusion about this. I recall thinking I would be comfortable with the try being awarded.

I couldn't get the right angle on the grounding. This video has the third angle at around 0:50,

[video=youtube;IVbo9RjNvT8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVbo9RjNvT8[/video]

 

[Pitbull]

exactly this, it was never clear if the ball, when rolled down the post, actually ever touched the grass.

edit: I wouldn't have been comfortable with the try being awarded. What people forget is that the TMO can't assume that the ball touched the grass based on what he sees. He has to ACTUALLY see it. No assumptions.

Depends on the call from the Ref. though. If he had said "any reason why I can not award the try" vs "Try no try"

 

[Stevi]

6 changes for the Lions? Why change what is working, unless it is all injury related?

 

[Fulcrum29]

Lol, I called it,

http://tenplay.com.au/news/2016/03/10/not-pitch-perfect-but-singapore-ready-for-super-rugby

Not pitch 'perfect' but Singapore ready for Super Rugby

With Super Rugby set for its Singapore debut Saturday, the hosts admitted the pitch of the city-state's National Stadium was "not perfect" -- but insisted it was ready for the rough-and-tumble of the competition just days after a Madonna concert at the venue.

The head of the stadium complex said the playing surface, which was slammed by visiting football teams before undergoing a revamp last year, was "extremely playable" ahead of the clash between Japanese newcomers Sunwolves and the Cheetahs from South Africa.

I have played rugby on soccer approved pitches… that pitch gets hurt. Well… maybe the pitch will be able to take the physicality, but it may also have an big impact on the scrums, rucks and mauls.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Lions would have been a sure bet, although a tight one, if not for the wholesale changes.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Hmmmm,



Okay, so they still lack the necessary depth in the backline, Viliami Lolohea will most likely be available and trained into the squad by next week which will give the Sunwolves the boost that they need. Overall, more or less the same squad that they played in their opening game.

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/super-rugby/news/160310/Cheetahs_make_wholesale_changes

Toyota Cheetahs – 15.Sias Ebersohn, 14.Sergeal Petersen, 13.Francois Venter (captain), 12.William Small-Smith, 11.Raymond Rhule, 10.Niel Marais, 9.Shaun Venter, 8.Henco Venter, 7.Uzair Cassiem, 6.Paul Schoeman, 5.Francois Uys, 4.Carl Wegner, 3.Johan Coetzee, 2.Jacques du Toit, 1.Ox Nche.

Replacements:16. Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17.Charles Marais, 18.Maks van Dyk, 19.Reniel Hugo, 20.Hilton Lobberts, 21.Boom Prinsloo, 22.Tian Meyer, 23.Fred Zeilinga.

The Cheetahs also made a wholesale change ignoring that Lood is back at home.

So as long as the Sunwolves can keep the ball tidy and in possession it may be quite a challenge the Cheetahs has to go up against. I think the Cheetahs scrum may be the pinnacle. Lineouts... Ironman.

 

[faniebraai]

Lions would have been a sure bet, although a tight one, if not for the wholesale changes.

The Lions is never a sure bet But some of the changes bring more experience, where some not... all in all I don't think it will influence the continuity of the team...

I think it'll be on chiefs-level, if they beat the Highlanders this weekend.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

The Chiefs have a pretty brutal travel schedule coming up.

They play the Kings at 15:00 on Saturday, then on Sunday morning they have to leave the hotel at 03:00, fly to Johannesburg, fly to Sao Paolo, stay over there for a bit, then fly to Buenos Aires, to play the Jaguares for their first home game.

 

[faniebraai]

Blues been dominating so far, but it looks like there goal kicking is letting them down.

Blues 8 - Hurricanes 7 29min

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Of course... The week that I pick the Blues the Hurricanes start scoring tries...

 

[Solitude]

Of course... The week that I pick the Blues the Hurricanes start scoring tries...

Same here. It was the most difficult pick for me this week. Hopefully it'll go better in the second half.

 

[faniebraai]

Of course... The week that I pick the Blues the Hurricanes start scoring tries...

Yeh, same. Blues have more possession at the moment it seems, just can't finish off though.

 

[faniebraai]

good start to the 2nd half

 

[Solitude]

Typical. I take Moala out of my fantasy team because he's been sucking and then he scores a try.

 

[faniebraai]

Ranger is quite a hairy mofo now

 

[Agent_Smith]

Eish, this is going pear shaped very quickly...

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Typical. I take Moala out of my fantasy team because he's been sucking and then he scores a try.

Ranger is quite a hairy mofo now

Looks like one of the wild boards he so likes to hunt.