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Opinionated Rugby Commentary - by Fans for Fans
Spill what you really think about events in the rugby world.
Super 15 Rugby 2012 Findings 16 views
16 July 2012 by The Swede Eaters
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Scotty Donaldson looks at issues raised during Super Rugby 2012. Do you agree?
Super 15 Rugby 2012 is over for most of the teams involved. There are some interesting findings relating to this season which raised more questions than answers.
1) The Conference System - It seems crazy that the Reds get a home final against the Sharks this weekend when they finished not only below the Sharks on the ladder, but also behind the Crusaders and Bulls which left them finishing with the 6th equal amount of points (level with the Brumbies) but because every conference winner gets a home finals match, they are effectively gifted third.
This season highlighted the tough nature of the competition in the New Zealand and South African conferences compared with the Australian conference. Australian teams had the advantage of playing each other twice. Given that they finished with three teams in the bottom five, it seems that SANZAR is propping up Australia, while the teams from the other two conferences were bashing each other up. I believe that the likes of the Highlanders, Hurricanes and Cheetahs would have had a shot at winning the Australian conference, yet finished mid table and out of the playoffs. Highlanders finished fourth in the New Zealand conference and in 9th spot overall, this typified how difficult the derby matches were for the kiwi teams and it isn't surprising that the Chiefs only finished second. Australia doesn't have the depth to be a threat in this competition. They only have two good teams, but will get to host a finals match.
The June International Rugby window was a pleasant surprise although it must have been disruptive for teams so close to the finals. It was a good break from Super Rugby, but I wonder if it should have been earlier in the season.
2) Referees played a major influence in Super Rugby 2012. The Television Match Officials (TMOs) came under scrutiny in the later weeks with Israel Dagg and Dane Coles (above) being awarded dubious tries. There seemed to be at least one dubious try per match. Look at the Chiefs, they conceded controversial tries in their last few matches. The Hurricanes somehow weren't penalised for an obscrution when scoring against the Crusaders and were in touch two phases before scoring a decisive try against the Highlanders a few weeks before that. New Zealand referees don't seem to be up to the standard required and the rules of the game seem to be so open to interpretation that there are so many game changing decisions which are made by referees. Bryce Lawrence is one who had been found wanting this season.
3) Injuries
There have been heaps of injuries this season robbing us of the chance to see more of great players like Jerome Kaino, Isaia Toeava, Schalk Burger, Lima Sopoaga, Colin Slade and many more. The game has got so physically demanding and the season is so long with tough matches each week taking a heavy toll on players. Squads need so much depth in order to rotate players, otherwise teams end up hitting the wall like the Highlanders did. Teams almost need to rest players once a month to keep them fresh. My other concern is the number of players who get concussion but still continue playing. I worry about the future of these players. Gio Aplon above on Saturday was a nasty example.
What did you think of Super Rugby 2012? Do you agree about the flawed conference system, refereeing standards and injuries?
http://www.superrugbytips.com/2012/07/super-15-rugby-2012-conference-system.html
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