Super Rugby Season 2011

[Wahooti Fandango]

Stannard has also been good for the Force as has Swanopoel. He should start ahead of Sheehan.

 

[lollies]

It's great for the Reds that they have already secured the home semi-final. I think with all their injuries they will really benefit from having the week off.

What's great about the new conference system, is that although the Crusaders could finish with the same points on the table as the Reds, and have a better points difference, the Reds will still finish higher because they have more wins.

I'm expecting the Brumbies to lift for the Waratahs and play like they did against the Reds last week but hopefully the 'Tahs can win as it will be great to have two teams from each country competing in the finals.

 

[shavedham2kg]

It's great for the Reds that they have already secured the home semi-final. I think with all their injuries they will really benefit from having the week off.

What's great about the new conference system, is that although the Crusaders could finish with the same points on the table as the Reds, and have a better points difference, the Reds will still finish higher because they have more wins.

I'm expecting the Brumbies to lift for the Waratahs and play like they did against the Reds last week but hopefully the 'Tahs can win as it will be great to have two teams from each country competing in the finals.

The Conference system is going to hurt the Crusaders. Winning the tougher NZ conference rewards them with a home final to start with instead of a week off, followed by (most likely) a trip to Newlands to face the Stormers and then a return trip to Suncorp to play the Reds.

Going to be a tough ask...

 

[balmainforever]

Damn, the poor people at AAMI won't get to see O'Connor this week. One match suspension

 

[Swans120]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/15/3244322.htm

Those at AAMI might get to see him much more regularly after this season though...

 

[Aucklander]

Absolute shocker of a decision to give the Rebels a shot at a win last night. How do you miss that sort of stuff?

 

[Santana]

Reds get top spot, the Stormers should get the 2nd spot, the Waratahs sneak into the finals.

Bulls and Sharks playing off against each other later tonight to get into the finals.

 

[Tassie19Cairns20]

Sharks beat Bulls 26-23 to clinch the last finals spot. It's good revenge for the 2007 Grand Final that the Bulls stole. Next weekend the Sharks will play the Crusaders in Nelson and the Tahs will play the Blues in Auckland.

 

[Bomber Bears]

The Conference system is going to hurt the Crusaders. Winning the tougher NZ conference rewards them with a home final to start with instead of a week off, followed by (most likely) a trip to Newlands to face the Stormers and then a return trip to Suncorp to play the Reds.

Going to be a tough ask...

Surely this shows what a joke this system is, how much the game has sold out in order to keep itself relevent. Artificially boosting crowds (or attempting to) and TV rights through a somewhat flawed comp.

The advantages of being in the Australian comp, where you get the Rabble and the Force twice, compared to the NZ comp is especially show with a side like the Highlanders, who were going great guns. Imagine if instead of Auckland and Canterbury they had some of the really s**t sides twice?

And thus playing in the toughest 'division' simply makes it much harder to win the whole comp, as seen with the finals make up.

 

[lollies]

I think the conference system needs a few more seasons before it can be truly judged. The Australian conference was the only conference to field a brand new team which was always going to spread thin the Australian talent pool. The Brumbies have had an uncharacteristically horrid season (their worst ever I believe) and the Force were often unlucky and were more competitive than their place on the table suggests.

The Reds only lost three games all season, 2 of which were to Australian sides. If they hadn't beaten the likes of the Crusaders, Stormers, Blues, Bulls then their top position could have been used as evidence as a result of a weaker Australian conference, but they did and I think their placing was deserved.

If in a couple years time the Australian sides are still clogging the bottom of the ladder then yes the conference system should be looked at, but at this point in time it's too early to say.

In the end I believe two teams from each country making the finals is a good result.

 

[Bomber Bears]

when you are not playing some teams and playing others twice there is a deep flaw IMO.

 

[Mint Condition]

Lots of American competitions involve these sort of conference systems and they work out fine. Sometimes one conference is weaker and sometimes another conference, it balances out over time. The only truly fair system is full home and away against everyone, but that's obviously not realistic.

The Reds didn't really gain huge benefit from being in the Australian conference, so I don't think you can say the Crusaders missed out on top 2 because of the conference system. I think their game against the Reds was actually much more crucial. The Waratahs definitely did gain an advantage because they won all but one of their derby games.

 

[shavedham2kg]

Lots of American competitions involve these sort of conference systems and they work out fine. Sometimes one conference is weaker and sometimes another conference, it balances out over time. The only truly fair system is full home and away against everyone, but that's obviously not realistic.

The Reds didn't really gain huge benefit from being in the Australian conference, so I don't think you can say the Crusaders missed out on top 2 because of the conference system. I think their game against the Reds was actually much more crucial. The Waratahs definitely did gain an advantage because they won all but one of their derby games.

Somewhat disagree. Even though the Crusaders finish top of their conference they dont get a week of like the other conference winners do which is a huge flaw IMO.

Short term I am not sure what could be done about it, but long term I would like to see 20 teams, 2 conferences, conference teams change every season, with an expanded finals series (top 4 from each conference?)