Super 14 "Second" Team

[C A Iversen]

I support the Highlanders (Help me), and although they have given the Bulls a horsewhipping tonight, it's not always a smooth ride as you can probably imagine.

I've been looking around the Super 14 for another team to keep an eye on, a second team if you will. Someone to follow as well, but never taking the place of my beloved Highlanders.

So, I was wondering if any of you want to help me by suggesting a good team to follow. The factors I will take into consideration are as follows.

1. It musn't be another NZ team.
2. I am not a bandwagon jumper, so I don't care where they are on the table or how awesome their franchise has been.
3. The team must have some stars, by stars I mean players with skills, flair & low on ego. I'm not too into the Gregan, Marshall, Spencer and Harrison attitudes of the past. Sh*t-stirrers are not my kind of player.
4. This might sound petty, but I'm slightly biased to a colourful kit. I'm not into this whole bland white, mixed with bugger all colour or grey tones either.

So, lets hear some suggestions, I'd be keen to hear your ideas.

Also, while I'm at it, does anyone else have a second team that they like to watch from outside their country?

 

[QLD]

I don't really have second teams but I'm happy whenever I see the Highlanders pull off a win. Probably my favourite NZ atm and I like the Sharks from SA. Probably because being a Reds fan I can relate to the Highlanders crapness. That's why I think you should give the Reds a go as your second team.

1. We aren't a NZ team
2. No such thing as bandwagoners supporting the Queensland Reds
3. Berrick Barnes is class. Daniel Braid's a legend.
4. One colour. Red. Never wear white, our away jerseys are always red.

Plus if you ever move to this dry barren land one day you'll probably end up in Queensland. This season our brand of footy has been surprisenly good for a Queensland team, our players are resigning instead of going interstate/overseas and I'm going to the game tonight.

 

[C A Iversen]

Thats honestly some damn good reasoning. I have one foot over the ditch, lol! Any other thoughts out there?

Another reason (although minor) for my second team is for Rugby '06 instead of taking the Highlanders. Good to have another option. Also, walking around wearing a foreign rugby jersey for a change would be cool.

 

[jawmalawm24]

Get a referees kit than you can support Matt Goddard and you'll always have a smile on your face because no matter the ref never loses lol.

I'm one eyed as I don't ever care about Rugby if the Hurricanes have a bye but if I had to go for an over seas team it'll probably be the Bulls because they have great players like Bakkes Both, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana. There's heaps of other good players in their team too like Pierre Spies, Fourie Du Preez and they're a very physical team who even on the losing end of a game are still very exciting to watch.

 

[tommowins]

The Cheetahs have a pretty colourful outfit with bright blue and orange but whether you want to support such a team is another matter.

I understand you looking for another team to keep an eye on. I am doing so with the Chiefs as I really like some of their backs, especially Masaga who as I said in another thread I think should be in the All Blacks squad.

Reds are alright, if I had to choose a third favourite it would be these guys. What about Western Australia or Gauteng Lions? Blue home/Gold away and Red?

 

[C A Iversen]

Thanks for the other opinions too. I agree a bit with the comment about the Bulls, as they are a fairly exciting team to watch most of the time, so am bearing that in mind. As for the Cheetahs, I love their away kit (bright orange stands out like the Netherlands in soccer!), but they have a dull white home kit with a little blue in it. Also they don't really have players that I've heard much about at all.

Don't really like The Force, something about them rubs me the wrong way. They kind of seem a bit arrogant at times without having achieved a lot. Gauteng haven't got much in the way of a squad that interests me.

The front runners for me so far are the Reds (the less arrogant of the Aussie sides IMO) and the Bulls so far.

 

[Woldog]

Some Reds supporters are fickle, when the going gets tough they support NSW's or someone else, the true Reds supporters stay with them through thick and thin, like myself and Dale. I would be surprised if the Reds could afford a bandwagon let alone if anyone could jump on it .

 

[C A Iversen]

Well so far Dale and yourself seem to be some of the few fans passionate enough about their team to promote it to me. So, Braid and Berrick Barnes, huh? Who else do they have?

 

[Flux]

I actually can't say I have a second team outside of New Zealand. I don't know why but it's just never been in my way of thinking. I do, however, have a soft spot for the Chiefs. Probably because in 2004 I loved Byron Kelleher and I thought he was instrumental in leading them to their first semi-final.

However, if I were to choose a team outside of New Zealand it would be the Sharks because I know a very passionate Sharks fan and stuff like that rubs off on you. Plus, for a South African team I think they play an amazing brand of rugby with good results.

 

[William18]

You can't just follow a formula to select a team you like. My second teams are generally just random choices at the start but they don't really change much. I can become pretty passionate supporters of those teams despite just feeling some random pull to them that I can't explain.

 

[Jer1cho]

For me, i just can't support an Australian team. I just can't... So, i would say my second choice (outside of South Africa) would have to be the Crusaders. I love their jersey's, and love their playing style. On an in-form day, there is just no better team to watch than those guys. They bleed class! So yeah, i would take them. I also love love LOVE the New Zealand commentators!

Australian commentators are just bias, and South African commentators need speech therapy, as well as education into the pronunciation of non-native names.

 

[QLD]

Second teams always vary too. One minute you might love watching a certain team, next you hate them.

Woldog is right. We got 21,000 at the Chiefs game. 21,000 rugby fans. Go to the other code (Brisbane Broncos) and it will consist of 50/50 rugby league fans/bandwagoners. They might get an average crowd of about 10,000 more than us per game but they've been the no.1 team for 20 years now and some people will have the mindset "Reds suck, lets go to the Broncos" I prefer to go to Reds games even though chances are we will lose. The 50/50 fickle supporters go to the Broncos.

Reds got the Australian born Ezra Taylor in the offseason from the Highlanders.

 

[Charles]

As a real neutral, my fav S14 teams would be the Canes and the Sharks.

I love the Canes, they got awesome players, they score good tries and they blow hot and col just like us ( France). Fav players: Nonu, Hore, Guildford (Coles)

I began to watch the Sharks when Michalak went over there and I just stick to them because I love their style, much more balanced rugby (Forwards/backs) than the NZ or Oz teams.Also they score some very god tries. Fav players: Terblanche, Pienaar, Daniel.

 

[frntline]

Well lately Ive been watching the lions. Really only one reason to is cause of Todd Clever the first American in Super Rugby. Since i started watching them they have started to turn around by beating the Brumbies and a really close game losing to the Hurricanes. A few stars id say Jaque Fourie and Andries Pretorius but they dont really have very colorful jerseys which i agree is pretty boring. But again I have jumped on the Chiefs bandwagon watching them just destroy the Reds(Sorry boys) i was very entertained by there back line and you cant not love watching Sivivatu with ball in hand.

 

[BLR]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Mar 30 2009, 05:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Don't really like The Force, something about them rubs me the wrong way. They kind of seem a bit arrogant at times without having achieved a lot. Gauteng haven't got much in the way of a squad that interests me.[/b]

It isn't arrogance, it is a fortress mentality. Keep in mind that we went many years where the only sport we heard about was AFL, even when the Wallabies were at their peak. Plus even when we do get regular rugby we are once again attacked, this time by those from the East coast who look down on us like we are scum.

Considering how every article about the Force is a negative one I can see how you would come up with such a conclusion.

 

[cyRil]

I really got into watching the Chiefs about 2 years ago, then got the jersey for my birthday last year. There is a lot about them that is similar to the Ospreys - a heap of quality players, yet who underachieve quite a lot. I love watching them play though and use them in my Rugby 06 career
Hopefully this scoring flurry they're currently on will continue into the play-offs!

 

[Fa'atau82]

I tend to support teams because i like their kit. This is how i first got into rugby when i used to like the Quins and Richmond kits in 1998 (the year i first played)

Then it's a case if having a favourite player from those teams and you tend to follow them. Like i follow David Lemi and Alesana Tuilagi. If they moved to other clubs, i'd follow that clubs results. I got a Bristol shirt last season, purely because i'm a Lemi fan, and the same with my Tigers/Alesana and Auckland/Pesamino.

If i could recommend a club to to Craig, i'd suggest Cheetahs and Reds. I would say this because they are teams you can genuinely follow because they are not associated with glory hunting and also it's good to support a team that when it wins, it is an important win. You get more out of it.

 

[William18]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dale @ Mar 30 2009, 09:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Second teams always vary too. One minute you might love watching a certain team, next you hate them.

Woldog is right. We got 21,000 at the Chiefs game. 21,000 rugby fans. Go to the other code (Brisbane Broncos) and it will consist of 50/50 rugby league fans/bandwagoners. They might get an average crowd of about 10,000 more than us per game but they've been the no.1 team for 20 years now and some people will have the mindset "Reds suck, lets go to the Broncos" I prefer to go to Reds games even though chances are we will lose. The 50/50 fickle supporters go to the Broncos.

Reds got the Australian born Ezra Taylor in the offseason from the Highlanders.[/b]

The Broncos have to sustain their crowds for double the time that the Reds have to and face a lot more competition in Australia. I'm pretty sure the Broncos will always get much bigger crowds then the Reds. League seems to be much much bigger in Australia then union.

 

[Ickon]

Yeah League is massive mainly in NSW & QLD, in NSW the paper sports section is dominated with League news, because News Ltd has money invested in alot of the teams.

 

[C A Iversen]

In some areas yes, but in other areas, no. Also in my opinion, I think union will grow in popularity over time in Australia. Besides that point Dale was referring to the fact that The ***ans don't get the crowds that the Broncos do. Mostly due to people always being quick to jump on winning bandwagons.