Super Rugby 2019

fish_man said:
Great win for the Rebels..... and I'm on the score board :)
Click to expand...

Good job. I was in doubt for both games and when in doubt, I usually pick the home team. Who knew that both games would result in wins for the visitors...
 
I am really glad the Rebels put one over the Brumbies. This will also not go down very well with the Brumbies losing a derby like that. They are under instruction to win their home games. The Rebels are also under immense pressure as they are likely, like the Sunwolves, in line to lose their brand in Super Rugby.

The Brumbies reappointed their coach next year, giving him a two-year extension. Dave Wessels must be loving this moment he had today. In my opinion, the ARU was dumb not to amalgamate the Brumbies and the Rebels. Just to put it into perspective, the Brumbies averaged ~8000 in home attendance during 2018, the opening game this season had ~10 000 attending and now, thanks to this loss against the Rebels, it is going to drop below 2018 unless they pull one over the Kiwis next week…

The only reason the Brumbies are kept in this state, even though they don’t have the money, is due to their brand. Silly, really… things change in time.

Well done Rebels.
 
The Sunwolves, due to the RWC, and while their brand is on the chopping block made a really strange decision. They will not play a single game at strength, resting players accordingly to be RWC ready. It makes sense due to their limited player base and due to the industrial league not willing to put their best players on the line as they are actual company employees which aren’t doing their rugby any good and the JRFU don’t promote their best rugby players at university unless that player is picked up by the industrial league. Bad situation.

Now they decided, that the RWC players which are to be rested will play in the Sunwolves B team and already have 5 matches scheduled. During March, April and May, the ‘better’ players will play against Hurricanes B (twice), Highlanders B, Brumbies B and Rebels B which is also probably a good thing, but the Sunwolves needs to put up a good show in Super Rugby this year or else they are gone.

The team tomorrow,

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...al-sunwolves-side-for-super-rugby-opener.html

Hansen -- who has led the team's preparations in Melbourne with head coach Tony Brown away on national team duty -- has picked a 23-man squad for Saturday's match featuring six Japan-born players and seven born in New Zealand, two of whom have played for Japan and are now naturalized Japanese.

The remainder of the foreign-born contingent comprises three from Australia, two from South Africa, two Tongan-born Japan internationals, a Georgian, a Fijian and one New Zealander eligible to play for Italy and Fiji.

"Scott Hansen in his capacity as the Sunwolves acting head coach will be leading the team in Singapore this week for Round 1 against the Sharks," Sunwolves CEO Yuji Watase said.
Click to expand...

Foreign Legion, some old but experienced. I believe 2020 will be it, the broadcasting deal is to be renewed next year and the whole competition will go back to the old days, Super 10/12 in 2021. Global Rapid Rugby will likely pick up the teams which are cut.
 
Jissis, foul play now when you putting your forearm up and it happens to catch the opponent in the wrong place :rolleyes:
 
So looks like 1 Japanese player in the starting 15 ...... about as farcical as the 50 odd spectators in that massive stadium :laugh:
 
31C and humidity like Durban - A score of 45:10, 6 tries to 1 with both teams all over the field ....... definitely boring and dull
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
So looks like 1 Japanese player in the starting 15 ...... about as farcical as the 50 odd spectators in that massive stadium :laugh:
Click to expand...

Singapore is the worst decision made by SANZAAR and only they will know why it is still being kept in the loop. The broadcasters were also willing to move their games away and the marketing budget in Singapore could have been applied elsewhere. Silly place to play Super Rugby under the circumstances as there is no real value and return.

The Sunwolves will look like this throughout the year and it will only be by round 6 that you will see more Japanese players in the team as the entire RWC squad, incl. the Sunwolves head coach is on training duty, and rest, with only the RWC development players kept in the Sunwolves squad. Similar rules apply to the Top League which may now have up to 5 outsiders in the playing 15 which will be relaxed back to 2 next year.

I expect the Sunwolves to be atrocious this season as they will never have their best selection available this season, unless they cause upsets, and when available they will be split to play B-team matches during March, April and May which will mostly select RWC players.

These policies were made back when Jamie Joseph took charge to prepare the RWC team.
 
The stormers are making the sunwolves look good at this point.

Maybe the late bus messed there heads up.
 
Some beautiful play from the Bulls. Nice to finally see them back in the game as a real force.
 
Bulls defense seems quite solid, hope to see them play more of this type of rugby for the rest of the season (minus all the penalties)
 
Bulls have produced a masterclass this evening. Very impressive to watch. However, Stormers fans should be heartened by their team's performance.
 
Political debate is going to hit the WPRU, see Treu and Div being reconsidered. WP is in a bad place, politics created this mess the Stormers are in. It is only going to get worse by the week.
 
Well played. Defense was unbreakable, line outs was brilliant and the kicking was on top form.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X