The new face of Super Rugby
20 Dec 2010
Find out everything you need to know about the expanded competition in the bumper 156-page issue of SA Rugby magazine.
We kick off our Super Rugby preview section with an idiot’s guide to the new format (if you still don’t know how it works after reading this, we can’t help you). That’s followed by three pages on each South African team (how they are shaping up, player signings/losses, fixtures, previous log finishes, numbers that matter etc) and one page on each of the Kiwi and Aussie sides.
Also in the new issue:
– The Springboks failed to make any progress on their end-of-year tour
– Is Victor Matfield too conservative to be Bok captain?
– The All Blacks capped off an outstanding 2010 with their third Grand Slam in five years
– The Wallabies were frustratingly inconsistent on their end-of-year tour
– If England are to seriously challenge for the World Cup, they will have to stand up to the big beasts of the game
– Behind the swagger lies a secret diary that is driving England wing Chris Ashton to new heights
– Why the Barbarians are still relevant in the professional era
– Yet again the World Cup schedule helps the big nations and hinders the smaller ones. Why can’t the IRB make rugby’s showpiece event fair to all?
– Plus: Why Stuart Abbott is back in SA, Tim Noakes on the Boks ‘doping’ controversy, Heinrich Brussow’s injury battle, SA players in Europe
Click here to subscribe to print edition
Click here to subscribe to digital edition
2,264 Comments
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20 Dec 2010, 14:00 pm
@Dawn : That’s a big accusation to make, claiming that someone deliberately reneges on his bet obligations. Hope he isn’t reading this.
20 Dec 2010, 14:00 pm
@>^..^< katman : @Dawn : We can all have a glass for Jinx tonight.
20 Dec 2010, 14:02 pm
@Puma : Yep, let’s do that.
20 Dec 2010, 14:05 pm
@Dawn : 99 – Very sad Dawn, can’t believe he is gone.
Was looking for some posts Jinx done during the IPL we posted plenty together. He was really gifted with words. Took me forever to find those, but came across some great posts when he was talking to you Dawn. He sure was fond of you plenty.
20 Dec 2010, 14:06 pm
@Dawn , lol. I just googled Skop’s nazi shark tirade, farkin hilarious. Jinx also commented on that thread.
20 Dec 2010, 14:08 pm
@>^..^< katman : 103 – Right its on..hahaha.
The last time I spoke to Jinx he told me to hop on a plane to CT and come and have drinks with everyone at Firemans. Just too far for me though. Wish somehow I did. So will have a few glass for Jinx tonight here in Umhlanga of course. He wont mind at all. Probably would say, “I dig that lank”…hehe.
20 Dec 2010, 14:11 pm
@>^..^< katman :
He KNOWS I will moer him.
20 Dec 2010, 14:14 pm
@Puma, Jinx brother spoke about him and mentioned both blogs in the eulogy.
20 Dec 2010, 14:16 pm
@Slappes : 108 – Very nice of Jinx’s brother to do that.
Go Google “Roelof saves SA. Keo.co.za.” Jinx posts a great post there to Roelof. Only Jinx could say such great words.
20 Dec 2010, 14:18 pm
Eish! Why amongst all the malls in CT does my wife want to go to Kanala Walk today?
20 Dec 2010, 14:19 pm
@Slappes : Jinx posted under another nic during the IPL. (for fun of course) Google Frikkadelhi Daredevil that was his nic during the IPL. He posted some great posts then. He was gifted with words.
20 Dec 2010, 14:21 pm
@Slappes : 110 – Look up Shark_Lover there. He runs the Cattle Baron Restaurant in that Mall.
Pity you going to the Malls this time of year. Not for me…hehe.
20 Dec 2010, 14:29 pm
No malls please, thank you!
Voortrekker Road was bad enough.
20 Dec 2010, 14:40 pm
@Puma, Dawn lol. I hate malls – period! Voortrekker was scary but it seems as if Katman knows his way around there? Scaly place and people, Lions supporters are quite at home there.
20 Dec 2010, 14:42 pm
I did my Christmas shopping in Somerset Mall yesterday. I was on the telephone from Chad while my wife was fighting the crowds.
Easy
20 Dec 2010, 14:51 pm
Rest in peace Jinx.
20 Dec 2010, 14:57 pm
@Dawn :
@107
My! Oh my! Am I surprised you have not received the so promised goods? That one just panders to this cyber crowd. Totally untrustworthy, if ever there was one such.
Surely you know you are dealing with a veritable, grossly self-interested, conniving skunk – net ‘n ou soetbek.
20 Dec 2010, 14:58 pm
@Slappes :
Nee jong
Katman almost drove us to Katmandu.
Missed his turnoff.
20 Dec 2010, 15:07 pm
@Dawn : the worst news this holiday is that Rossoneri has stopped drinking
now i get gesuip alone!!!!! Not kosher AT ALL
20 Dec 2010, 15:15 pm
@Transformation :
Whatever for.
20 Dec 2010, 15:28 pm
Trying to imagine two sour old crones drinking together…not a good mind picture.
20 Dec 2010, 15:34 pm
@Dawn :
She wants to save what’s left of her two front teeth.
20 Dec 2010, 15:43 pm
Stormers, Sharks and Bulls to make the play offs of Super Rugby next year.
20 Dec 2010, 15:44 pm
@Dawn : just…
@Great White Shark : ah Predawn and his useless imagination
20 Dec 2010, 15:44 pm
@Slappes :
Please tell this doos I’m not a sour old crone
20 Dec 2010, 15:45 pm
Sharks team for next Year
1. Beast
2. Smit
3. Jannie
4. Sykes
5. Hargreaves
6. Daniel
7. Alberts
8. Kanko
9. Mcleod
10. JLP
11. Mvovo
12. Bosman
13. Adi
14. JPP
15. Lambie
16. Bismarck
17. Van Staden
18. Skeate
19. Deysel
20. Hoffmann
21. Riaan Swanepoel
22. Odwa
20 Dec 2010, 15:46 pm
@Great White Shark : She is reg my bru.
20 Dec 2010, 15:49 pm
Bulls team for next year.
1. Guthro
2. G.Botha
3. Werner Kruger
4. Bakkies
5. Matfield
6. Stegmann
7. Potgieter
8. Spies
9. FdP
10. M.Steyn
11. Basson
12. Wynand
13. Pretorius
14. Gerhard
15. Kirchner
16. Chiliboy
17. Greyling
18. Danie
19. Van Velze
20. Hougaard
21. Brummer
22. Dippenaar
20 Dec 2010, 15:52 pm
@Dawn, no need to. He seems like the stalking type, and you don’t need a crazed lovestruck shorky following you in the holidays…
20 Dec 2010, 15:53 pm
Stormers team for next year
1. Blaauw
2. Liebenberg
3. Brok
4. Fondse
5. Bekker
6. Burger
7. F.Louw
8. Vermeulen
9. Ricky
10. Grant
11. Habana
12. JDV
13. JF
14. Aplon
15. Jantjes
16. Deon Fourie
17. CJ
18. Anton van Zyl
19. P.Louw
20. Dewaldt
21. Lionel Cronje
22. Juan de Jongh
20 Dec 2010, 16:10 pm
I predict 1 SA, 1 NZ and 1 Aussie team in the semis next year, with the other spot a toss up between an SA and Kiwi team.
The true effect of the new format will take time to become clear, but I just have a sneaky suspicion that it’s gonna nail us more than usual.
If the Bulls lose away to the Stormers and Sharks, the Sharks lose away to the Stormers and Bulls and the Stormers lose away to the Sharks and Bulls, then all 3 SA teams are stuffed.
And that is a very possible scenario.
20 Dec 2010, 16:33 pm
@Tacitus : I notice you don’t see the Lions losing to anyone. Finally you seem to be seeing the light.
20 Dec 2010, 16:36 pm
@iori Yagami :
I dont like a few positions there in that sharks team mate
1. Beast
2. Smit……time to go old man (Bissy)
3. Jannie
4. Sykes
5. Hargreaves
6. Daniel
7. Alberts
8. Kanko
9. Mcleod
10. JLP….Lambie way too gifted to be wasted @ 15 (Lambie)
11. Mvovo
12. Bosman….(JLP)
13. Adi
14. JPP
15. Lambie……(Ludick)
20 Dec 2010, 16:36 pm
@>^..^< katman : naturally Tacitus is only concerned about the ‘super powers’
20 Dec 2010, 16:39 pm
@subliminal verses : who actually rates alistair hargreaves? Everytime he gets picked for the Bokke he pulls a ‘Stegmann’…
20 Dec 2010, 16:44 pm
@Transformation :
Yeah……good in black and white tho (realentles defense)
would try out Anton Van Zyl or Ross Skeate for the green and gold instead
20 Dec 2010, 16:51 pm
@subliminal verses : i rate A van Zyl too, even more after that Baabaas game…
20 Dec 2010, 16:55 pm
@Tacitus :
We were just talking about you!
20 Dec 2010, 16:58 pm
@Transformation :
I rate Keegan Daniel as well….have you eva the pace on that kid ???
20 Dec 2010, 17:13 pm
Well, looks like TheTackler got served good and proper by the top dog!
20 Dec 2010, 17:17 pm
@subliminal verses : yeah but what else does he bring to the table, pace and? Is he a ball carrier, link man, does he slow down oppo ball?
20 Dec 2010, 17:21 pm
@Transformation :
he could play 12 or 13, i think
20 Dec 2010, 17:22 pm
who remembers Adrian Kaper ????
20 Dec 2010, 17:38 pm
@subliminal verses :
I remember that legend – used to work wonders with the run rate!
20 Dec 2010, 18:50 pm
Statistics are like a lamppost to a drunk man. It does not serve to illuminate but rather, to keep him upright.
A very apt description when it comes to statistics, specifically where it is used to motivate the inclusion and exclusion of certain players.
I had to learn the hard way that statistics, although extremely useful, can sometimes be very damaging. Especially in a dynamic medium such as rugby where success is dependent on more things than just raw mathematical or scientific data. Most telling, statistics only become useful, or useless, depending on the interpretation of data and how that is done.
In my days of doing analysis in sport I got very frustrated by certain coaches insistence on the continued selection of certain players when my analytical data suggested they were not where they should be from a performance point of view considering widely accepted bench marks. That was until I ventured into coaching myself.
I learned as the saying above goes, that statistics merely support views in rugby, it does not illuminate or give certain clarity on events or players.
Practically I am also reminded of this whenever I see a Baa-baa team, or World XV team assembled. Statistically you can pick the best individual players in the world in certain positions, but that is no guarantee they will gel as a team, in fact, they seldom do.
The recent End of Year Tour was supposed to answer the question of leadership within the Springbok team, in the absence of regular captain John Smit who underwent surgery and rehab. His long serving deputy, Victor Matfield was charged with the honour to lead the Boks on tour and given the performances, the questions on whether there is life after John Smit from a captaincy or leadership role, remains largely unanswered.
The situation is even more complicated with the fact that Smit’s continued inclusion in the Bok team mostly based on his leadership ability, is keeping who many believe to be the best hooker in the world at the moment, Bismarck du Plessis, on the bench.
Many argue it is more of a sentimental issue than a logical one, and statistically they can prove this to you rather convincingly, but I am afraid it is not that simple.
I think Smit would be first to admit that 2010 was a forgettable year for him. From a form and conditioning perspective it was probably his worst year as a professional player.
But is one bad season enough to make what would arguably the most crucial decision for a Rugby World Cup in 2011?
If one bad season is all we consider, not many players will play more than 20 tests for South Africa, let alone 50 or 100.
It is a very fine line one walks when you pick teams based on form alone, especially at test level where form comes from different dynamics (lower levels of competition, different teams and different competitions).
The question we should ask, is whether a fit, conditioned John Smit would be a asset, or liability for the Springboks at World Cup 2011?
Following that, it would be up to the player to ensure he is (fit and conditioned), because I do not believe this should be a case of either or, for me it is a case of having the best captain, lock forward, and hooker in a match day 22, and I cannot see why this is impossible.
20 Dec 2010, 19:04 pm
@PissAnt :
Surely as long as Smit’s performances as a player are overshadowed by those of Bismark, then it will always be a case of “either or”? Only one hooker can take to the field.
20 Dec 2010, 19:17 pm
smit is a hero….yesterdays hero!
20 Dec 2010, 19:53 pm
@PissAnt :
20 Dec 2010, 20:03 pm
@gunther :
You know I had to.
20 Dec 2010, 20:09 pm
@PissAnt :
an early christmas present?
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