Super Rugby Aotearoa: Round 1 - [13 - 14 June 2020]

[Kiwiwomble]

Ioane sustained a groin strain, he's out...garland starting...that's a huge blow

Correction, Hunt moving to 10 and Koroi to 15 with gatland onto the bench....koroi os a great runner...could change the game plan a bit

 

[The Seeker]

Ioane sustained a groin strain, he's out...gatland starting...that's a huge blow

A huge blow indeed. Ioane was my favorite Highlander before the season was cut short.

 

[bakakumon]

The first match of the season begins

 

[unrated]

Good fast rugby! Glad Super rugby is back even if it's just a budget version

Highlanders look a different team to the one that played earlier in the year

 

[The Seeker]

All things considered it was a good first half by the Highlanders (leading 22-16). Going on team records before the season's suspension I'm guessing the Chiefs are the favorite in this match? Keep up the fight 'Landers!

 

[Umaga's Witness]

All things considered it was a good first half by the Highlanders (leading 22-16). Going on team records before the season's suspension I'm guessing the Chiefs are the favorite in this match? Keep up the fight 'Landers!

According to New Zealand's betting agency the chiefs are still favourites paying 1.75 to the dollar compared to 1.95 for the highlanders.

 

[The Seeker]

Awesome 28-27 win by the Highlanders. I think the big and vocal home crowd made the difference, the team fed off their energy. I love drop goals!

 

[unrated]

Great game, well done Highlanders!
The two drop goals was amaze

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Entertaining game. Penalties a bit over the top here and there. .

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Bryn Gatland just got uninvited from xmas dinner, doubt he'll struggle to find some to go in Dunners though! Fitbit telling me to take a rest!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Bryn Gatland just got uninvited from xmas dinner, doubt he'll struggle to find some to go in Dunners though! Fitbit telling me to take a rest!

Yeh I am sure Warren had a mixture of disappointment for the Chiefs losing, but pride that his son was the one who caused it.

 

[TheOvalBall]

Bryn getting one over his father is hilarious. A lot of penalties, but of course it's the first game. Can't be too critical really.

 

[RedruthRFC]

According to New Zealand's betting agency the chiefs are still favourites paying 1.75 to the dollar compared to 1.95 for the highlanders.

Are they normal decimal odds (i.e. bet $1, win $1.75 / $1.95)? If so, they're daylight robbery. Are you legally restricted to using NZ based bookies? That's an 8.42% overround!

Anyway, it's good to be back!

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Are they normal decimal odds (i.e. bet $1, win $1.75 / $1.95)? If so, they're daylight robbery. Are you legally restricted to using NZ based bookies? That's an 8.42% overround!

Anyway, it's good to be back!

Yeah, It does seem like robbery but they will be regulated so maybe it is legitimate in a small country that they would need to have a bit of a buffer to ensure adequate cashflow when things don't go their way. I don't know if we can use other agencies to be honest.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Bryn getting one over his father is hilarious. A lot of penalties, but of course it's the first game. Can't be too critical really.

Yeah, there were loads...but weirdly it didn't bother me too much, ref explained them all, the "clear lift" on holding calls, the "if you're not clearly ON side then you're OFFSIDE"

players are just going to have to accept loosing the ball Is often better than being penalised for holding

they've removed a bit of ambiguity

 

[The Seeker]

Bryn getting one over his father is hilarious. A lot of penalties, but of course it's the first game. Can't be too critical really.

Penalties and bad passing. But as you stated, it's the first game. With all that in mind I found it entertaining, especially the two drop goals in the final minutes. And of course I'm very happy the Highlanders won considering the Chiefs were favored. It'll be nice if tonight's match is equally entertaining if not more.

 

[The Seeker]

I liked last night's match so much that I just watched it for a second time on ESPN+. And it was still exciting even though I knew what the outcome would be.

Here's my prediction for the future of Super Rugby. I think the Jaguares will join SLAR (the new South American league) and the Western Force will do well in Super Rugby AU this summer and then sign on with Super Rugby full time after that. So we'll have the 4 teams in South Africa, 5 in New Zealand and 5 in Australia once again. As I look into my crystal ball I see this happening next year or in 2022 at the latest.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

it will be interesting to see if the next game has a similar number of penalties

question, if there going to take a hard line with the not releasing penalties, do we think it might run smoother if it was just a free kick? some of the ones given last night we 100% on the money technically but in reality were fractions of a second.

Or,

Do we think we're just going to start seeing trying to place it as they go to ground to try and get some distance between the ball and the tackle?

 

[The Seeker]

At half time, the Blues lead 14-13 before a big crowd of 43,000 at Eden Park. It's been a very hard hitting match so far.

 

[The Seeker]

Blues defeat the Hurricanes 30-20. It's great to have Super Rugby back again!