[2020 Super Rugby] Round 1 (31 January - 2 February)

[unrated]

Bah, that was brutal for the bulls. Dont think they deserved that. Was back and forth all game, they deserved at least the bp.

They deserved that IMO. No Super rugby team with a 35 year old Morne Steyn should have been expected to be winners against The Sharks team we saw last night. Why you ask? Because that would mean our youth system cant even produce players good|talented enough to beat a 35 year old who is at an exiting top 14 standard. I mean this with all the respect it deserves. The bulls are a legendary SA team but if a team brings back An old player who was never really that good in open play (apart from kicking) then you have to question the quality of our youth system and our ability to produce new talent in SR when the others gets poached by the EU.

Secondly it was our first victory against the Northen transvalers since 2015, they can take this on the chin. Our intensity outmatched them, they took their chances infront of goal but they wont be able to win Super rugby by aiming at the posts the whole time. Morne Steyn and his kicking can't dominate the bulls mindset for this year, they should play Libbok and let Steyn groom him. Steyn is a Great kicker and any fly halve can learn from him. This should just not be their go to strategy. Last night i saw their general take control. It became a Morne Steyn game for the Bulls.

 

[The Seeker]

I like that the Sunwolves started the season off with a win over the Rebels in Fukuoka. For a team that many didn't want in SupeRugby and can't wait to get rid of, I say...good job Sunwolves!

 

[The Seeker]

Kudos to the Brumbies on their win over the Reds. The Brumbies had to relocate because of the Australian fires and spent their preseason practice time in Newcastle, New South Wales.

 

[User1245]

Nice to see some of the new talent on display for the Sharks. The new scrummie Nohamba had a lot of hype around him and he does look the business so far. He's got that Faf de Klerk vibe about him.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Did anyone watch the Blues game/how did Joe Merchant get on?
I saw a report saying he went really well but it was a NH rugby page that was saying it and I doubt they could name another player on the pitch so probably a bit biased

 

[argie]

Good job Jags!!!. The Second Half was really good.

 

[The Seeker]

Good job Jags!!!. The Second Half was really good.

I just watched the replay on ESPN+ and the Jaguares blew the Lions out. I expected a close game, but it was all Jaguares. Congratulations on the victory!

 

[The Seeker]

Did anyone watch the Blues game/how did Joe Merchant get on?
I saw a report saying he went really well but it was a NH rugby page that was saying it and I doubt they could name another player on the pitch so probably a bit biased

I haven't watched it yet, but it's on my list. Due to the time difference I see most of my SupeRugby games via replay.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Did anyone watch the Blues game/how did Joe Merchant get on?
I saw a report saying he went really well but it was a NH rugby page that was saying it and I doubt they could name another player on the pitch so probably a bit biased

Pretty anonymous as far as I was concerned and I was watching him because he was part of my fantasty team (I thought myself quite clever snapping him up late in the draft). Cutting him as soon as I get the chance TBH. TBF everyone in that Blues side carry the ball well and wants to have a go and it might be that Marchand will get himself into their type of game the more familiar he gets with it. Fantasy rugby is also a poor gage of the actual value of the player.

 

[rooster]

Attendance:

Blues - Chiefs
Brumbies - Reds - 7436
Sharks - Bulls
Sunwolves - Rebels - 10426
Crusaders - Waratahs
Stormers - Hurricanes - 18867
Jaguars - Lions - 6820

 

[Oliver Madden]

going back to my predictions I knew I should've picked the Sunwolves against the Rebels. Saw the Blues/Chiefs game on Friday morning and I thought It was a great spectacle but the Chiefs really dominated in the pack in the 2nd half. wasn't surprised by the Stormers/Hurricanes result but I didn't expect the Canes to be nilled.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Same. I picked SW over rebels and changed it back after i read the thread here. Silly me.

About Jaguares, very happy with the result, but i am not sure about the performance. Part of me couldn't help thinking it was the lions throwing the game. Don't get me wrong, we took advantage of their mistakes, but i cant recall a game where they defended so poorly.

Stormers were the team of the round imo. Flawless execution of sound plan against a tough opponent.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

That Sunwolves game is what gave me the leg up on superbru

The way i see them, they actually did well last year, turned over the Tahs and Chiefs away from home...and these guys all need to find new contracts next years so all have something to prove, not saying they'll win it or anything, but they'll get some results

 

[mania]

I like that the Sunwolves started the season off with a win over the Rebels in Fukuoka. For a team that many didn't want in SupeRugby and can't wait to get rid of, I say...good job Sunwolves!

yeah the wolves are doing way way better than rebels, kings and force combined at the same time.
wolves beat an NZ team when all of the aussie franchises couldnt.

 

[mania]

canes suk. might have to get me a saders jersey this season

 

[Kiwiwomble]

canes suk. might have to get me a saders jersey this season

i hope you joking...the saders jersey is....unpleasant...have you seen the away ones?

 

[mania]

i hope you joking...the saders jersey is....unpleasant...have you seen the away ones?

the new ones are nice

 

[Hulk Hogan]

The Reds first 9 minutes was the equivalent of the Hurricanes full 80 minutes.

3 Minutes in the the Reds game I though "oh no this is going to be a long season" but once they settled they looked promising.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Stormers look like the Stormers of the Alli Coetzee era. Difference this time round is we have some exciting halves although they are still very young. Its early days but going off of one result I think we can expect mostly wins at home and a few on the road and be in a pay off spot but I still don't expect we'll get to the home Semi or final we'd probably need to make a ***le tilt.

The good:
- Forwards were pretty much dominant.
- Our halves *seem* more able to capitalize on said dominance than earlier Stormers outfits.
- Our brand of rugby is effective in a knock-out scenario should we make it to the play-offs as expected.

The bad:
- Our brand of rugby is attritional and-
- we are not deep enough to ITO quality in depth to compensate for the above.
(already we've lost Kolisi and Mbonambi to injury though granted this was in large part due to the Hurricanes' reckless and at times straight out dirty and off-the-ball tactics)
- Two of our tries came from intercepts. Sure one can argue those intercept opportunities arrived due to our strangling defence and structures BUT I this Canes side lacked a number of their star players and just looked lethargic. Come a potential SR final against a class and motivated Crusaders outfit one shouldn't rely on opposition mistakes to garner a win.

*just felt the need to qualify my refering to the 'Canes as having played dirty- Those injuries to Kolisi and Mbonambi I felt was due to recklessness on the part of Canes players and ther were also two fully earned yellow cards for foul play and I wonder whether Kirifi will get cited for eye gouging PSdT.. Just too much off the ball.

Also, well done, Sunwolves. I know some people on here said to expect them to be competitive but I certainly wasn't one of them even if I don't rate the Rebels. Otherwise pretty much as expected. Jaguares and Crusaders business as usual against sides that will do good to keep of the bottom of their logs and in the Sha/Bul, Bru/Red and Chi/Blu ties it was all very competitive but with the more settled sides coming out on top early season.

 

[The Seeker]

Sharks vs Bulls was pretty boring until the last two minutes. I guess if you really like defense then it wasn't so boring. I prefer offense myself, so I didn't find it exciting.

Another match I watched on ESPN+ was the Blues vs the Chiefs. Now that was a very exciting match, lot's of scoring and some really brutal hits. What a great way to start the new season in New Zealand.