Super Rugby 2018

Canes being caned in Christchurch... This might leave a scar.
 
mbayshark said:
True... Saders should be promoted to play test rugby they are in a completely different league.
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Yep. I was hoping for the upset, but it didn't take long to realise that just wasn't going to happen today.

Their defence is a thing to behold and they capitalise on turnovers fasters than F1 drivers react to red lights going out.
 
OrbitalDawn said:
Probably just a dust-up post-match similar to Rieko Ioane and Blake Gibson?

Also, why did NTT apologise? What does it have to do with them?
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https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...t-case-may-imperil-future-japan/#.W1uOui2Q0Us

/Snipped

The bad news is the future of one of the sport’s best players, not to mention Japan’s hopes of making the quarterfinals of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, hangs in the balance.

...

Meanwhile, Amanaki Lelei Mafi faces a nervous wait ahead of an Aug. 3 court case in Dunedin, New Zealand, that could well determine whether he ever plays rugby in and for Japan again.

The Brave Blossoms No. 8 has been charged with assault with intent to injure, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, following an incident with Melbourne Rebels teammate Lopeti Timani.

Both the Japan Rugby Football Union and Mafi’s Top League side, the NTT Communications Shining Arcs, have issued apologies and said they will do all they can to prevent any similar incidents occurring. Both parties have also said they will make no further comments until the court case is over.

However, history shows that TL sides and the national union take a dim view of any behavior that puts Japanese rugby in a bad light.

...

Reports in the Australian press do not paint a pretty picture of what happened following the Rebels’ final game of the season, based on Timani’s version of events and some photos taken the morning after.

But Mafi is still innocent at this stage, and while reports of another altercation with a teammate earlier in the year do not help, one source has told me that not all that happened that night has come to light and that there is another side to the story.

All will no doubt be revealed in court, so until then the decision by the JRFU and the Shining Arcs to wait and see and not make a hasty decision on Mafi’s future is best for all concerned.
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Pending on what happens on August 3rd, both Amanaki and Timani may have their contracts cut short, well Amanaki is on a 2018 season extension in any case. Anyhow both players were penalised with maximum sanction stipulated by the Melbourne Rebels constitution, each had to pay 11,150 USD, as both breached its disciplinary rules and conduct in accordance with ‘breached team protocols and team management instructions’. Rugby Australia is waiting on the August 3rd outcome to decide on how they will proceed.

Basically, it is the media which painted the picture, but Timani was severely beaten up by Amanaki.

Amanaki is still on NTT’s ‘payroll, it is with them which the Melbourne Rebels has an agreement to ‘loan’ Amanaki as Bath did. Then again, the Japanese sporting industry is always apologetic, even when a player (or employee) receives a speeding ticket the employer will make a public apology.

What interested me in this case was Tony Thorpe supporting Amanaki in court which clearly painted another side to this story unknown to the public.
 
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