We are
reaching the halfway mark of the 2012 Super Rugby season, these are some of my thoughts so far.
South African conference
Much was expected from the Lions after their demolition job on the Sharks in the Currie Cup Final last year. Most pessimists warned that Springbok players did not take part in most of the Currie Cup games. Whether it is the step up in Super Rugby or all the injuries, the Lions are fast heading down the drain to relegation.
The Cheetahs, with the big sponsorship from Toyota for once kept their team in tact and they have played some of the best rugby seen this year. Losing by narrow margins against the Crusaders, Chiefs and the Lions derailed their title hopes but they will certainly hurt some of the major title aspirants.
The Sharks, I simply do not have answers for their plight but a few questions come to mind. Did the demolition job in the Currie Cup Final at the Coke-Tin leave scars that won’t heal? Is John Plumtree still the great saviour he was previously made out to be? We all wondered about their backline but their biggest problem this year seems to lie in the depleted front row and the poor start this year by Bismarck du Plessis.
The Bulls were touted by their nay-sayers as relegation candidates after the exit of 13 of their stalwarts. The way they scrape, scramble and win some games convincingly, is a great reminder that their policies and structures are working well. However, with the emptying of our intellectual coaching staff cupboards, the rest of the season should be a massive challenge for the underrated Frans Ludeke. The most difficult part for the Bulls lie ahead, playing away from home on tour but to be where they are at the moment is a real surprise.
This must surely be the year that the Stormers graduate. After a 3 year apprenticeship they must bring silverware home… this year. So far they are doing almost everything right, are well positioned and although they have recently suffered some injuries, they should stay patient because these injured players might just return at the right time and peak at the right time in the competition. Getting over that last hurdle in the competition has been a problem fir the Stormers but like the Bulls who first had to lose 2 semi-finals before they could reach the final and steal it from the Sharks, the Stormers might just do it this year.
The Stormers’ composure is the stand-out feature and their defense remains the strongest characteristic of a side that relies on discipline, physicality and little risk for results. It has worked for them in the first half of the tournament but, as we have witnessed in the past 2 seasons, there is no guarantee that it will win the competition
The structure of this tournament does not necessarily reward the best teams. Take the Crusaders as an example, they are starting to build to a peak but just when they should be in the play-off stage, most of their players will be involved in a 3-Test All Blacks series against the Irish. Ditto the stars of the Stormers and Bulls when England play 3 Tests in South Africa in June.
All the momentum that is being built now will be halted with the introduction of the month long June Test window, after which the players have to return to their Franchises and attempt to build another peak in July.
It is unrealistic to expect players to peak for the Test season and be at a similar level in Super Rugby six weeks later
I do think the statement above might be proven wrong. I believe the length of this years competition requires two peaks. The Stormers are now peaking and with easy points at home should get to the play-offs if they manage work to their second peak at the right time.
The Bulls with their bad tour record have a lot of work left.
The Sharks might just find form soon, but to me it will put an unbearable strain on them to win their last 8 or 10 matches in a row. Remember last year they barely reached the play-offs with 5 losses in the season and they have already lost 5 games this year. Although the Waratahs made the play-offs with 6 losses it is going to be tough for the Sharks to make it to the play-offs and advance past that.
The Cheetahs are in the same situation as the Sharks with 5 losses so far.
The Lions with 1 win out of 7 games will only play the role of party poopers, they might just be the team to eliminate one of the other SA contenders in stead of beating overseas sides.
No coach could be bothered to make it an issue because it is the reality of this season’s competition, but in it’s current guise, the tournament will never be a true reflection of who is the best, pecially when the best do not always play the best in the league stages.
Lots of good points there and it seems the Stormers are rated as SA’s best hope possibly with their overseas tour almost done and the fact that Bulls are yet to start ours. However, just time for one point, last year at the same stage of the competetion (ie. 8 rounds which as this year also included 1 bye for Bulls) we only had 17 points compared to the 33 points we have this year! At this point we had lost 3 games, and bear in mind also played the Lions twice. The main difference I can see is that we were on our tour overseas and had played and lost 2 games at same stage. So that just puts this season so far in perspective especially considering all the changes in staff we have had. As a Bulls fan I am disapointed to read some of the horrible criticism that is being handed out by so called ‘fans’, more especially on other sites.
Just for clarity it should read we had played 2 games overseas and lost both those 2 games, in total Bulls had lost 3 games at same stage last year, and their were no bonus points for scoring 4 tries or more.
Bring terug die S12, vier spanne van elke land, elke span speel teen al die ander spanne (tuis en dan weg die volgende jaar). Top 4 spanne gaan deur en dan die semi’s en finaal einde Mei.
Hierdie S15 gaan ons rugby breek, die pawiljoene word nog meer leeg, kyk hoe baie beserings is daar reeds, en dit is ook nie goed vir toetsrugby nie.
Febr – Mei: superrugby
Jun – toetse
Jul-Okt: CB rugby
Nov: toetse
In superrugby sal ek ook graag wil sien dat alle spanne op dieselfde naweke af het, bv. 4 wedstryde, almal rus, nog vier, almal rus, ens.
Komaan SARU, word wakker en maak bietjie stem dik daar by SANZAR wat ons rugby opmors.
Just came across the following, and I have to say…I totally agree!!
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/super-rugby-rules-are-flawed-1.1282640
Call it peculiar, bizarre or just silly… the fact is it’s wrong. How can a team that has seven log points less than another team be placed higher in the standings?
Well, that’s Super Rugby for you. I find it incredibly disappointing to think that the Brumbies, with just four wins from eight matches, are third in the standings, while the Bulls, with six wins, are fourth.
But that’s not all. The Highlanders and Crusaders, also with more wins and points than the Brumbies, must accept, like the Bulls, that unless they win their conference, they will have to play a “quarter-final”, an extra game that may also involve having to travel halfway around the world.
How can a much weaker team, in this case the Brumbies, be rewarded so handsomely, while other stronger teams are “punished” – for simply not being their country’s best outfit? Surely in competition sport, the best teams, those with the most wins and log points, should be the ones to advance.
The structure of Super Rugby is flawed and no one can tell me differently.
We’re at the halfway point of the competition and it’s interesting to find that not much has actually changed from one year to the next. Not only is the conference system being shown up, but what is it with teams getting four free log points every time they have a bye? I still don’t understand what the reason is behind it and someone who has not read a manual about Super Rugby would take one look at the log and be very confused.
The Lions, for example, have recorded one win (four points) and picked up two bonus points, yet they have 14 points in total. It doesn’t add up. But add eight free points for their two byes and they total 14 points. Why? What’s the point?
Other interesting points to come out of the competition are the following: The Lions, despite bagging the Currie Cup last year, are still weaklings in Super Rugby, the Crusaders are hitting their straps after another slow start, the Stormers’ defence is as strong as ever and the Bulls keep winning despite not always playing to their full potential.
The major surprise of the year are the Reds, winners in 2011, but whipping boys in 2012. They’re down in 10th position overall, but the scary thing is they’ve won the same number of games as the Brumbies and are just five points worse off than the Australian Conference leaders.
Perhaps Sanzar should revisit the current Super Rugby format, because it clearly doesn’t reward the best teams … and then the whole issue of the Southern Kings might also be resolved. Just a thought.
All I have to say, about the SA conference and SA rugby as a whole is, THE CHEETAHS MUST STAY!!!
The Sharks and the Cheetahs has exactly the same opponents left, except, the Sharks play the Lions and the Cheetahs the Waratahs.
Both have toured, both have one bye left. And I’ll put some money on it that the men from the FS might actually end up higher on the log than the Banana boys. Not a lot of money though.
And THIS would do wonders for them. It could lead to sponsorships = money = player retention.
It would be an absolute DISGRACE if the Lions are picked to stay in the comp next year and the Cheetahs will have to make way for the Kings.
Btw, a msg to the players (if you are reading, Sarel Pretorius et al), remain loyal, please. It worked for Brussouw and Smith. It will work for nr. 1-3 and new boy Goosen.
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