The top SuperRugby teams?

[woodward]

Sharks and Crusaders. Both teams have the ability to play multiple brands of game; they can kick, can use the forwards,can use the backs. Both of these sides have a strong squad; Sharks possibly have more Depth; Crusaders are not the same when they get injuries; Crusaders Depth is being put to the test currently and not doing too great in my opinion. Not the same without Carter and Read.

After this round of rugby is completed i would say it is Sharks/Stormers/Crusaders/Reds to be in the final; one of these four will win. Not sure how Reds will do in Knockout rugby though. That is how i see it currently.

I see you rate your Sharks higher than the table topping Blues, the Sharks are not serious contenders they will do well to make the play offs.

The Crusaders are by far the most exciting team at the moment, they are suffering from injuries to key players but they are still front runners. Their style of play this year is great to watch, Sonny Bill Williams is an amazing player and in combination with Carter he is unstoppable.

 

[Amobokoboko]

He's is a Sharks fan , The Blues are doing well and the Crusaders are almost an entire AB's team. I'm expecting a NZ finale which will boost confidence for the RWC.

 

[JJR]

People seem to forget that The Sharks have dominated the Blues the last few years, we beat them easily this season and last time we played in Auckland, i think 2008, we also won. Blues will suffer in Knockout games. Don't write The Sharks off. Bulls, Stormers and Crusaders probably the best 3 teams at Knockout rugby... Bulls can still maybe sneak in at 6th spot; but very unlikely though. Sharks will finish on around 60 points after round robin...still have to work out if that is enough. Sharks have 4 games that are guaranteed 5 points; Brumbies, 2 Lions games and 1 cheetahs game...20 points confirmed.

 

[Black Heart]

People seem to forget that The Sharks have dominated the Blues the last few years, we beat them easily this season and last time we played in Auckland, i think 2008, we also won. Blues will suffer in Knockout games. Don't write The Sharks off. Bulls, Stormers and Crusaders probably the best 3 teams at Knockout rugby... Bulls can still maybe sneak in at 6th spot; but very unlikely though. Sharks will finish on around 60 points after round robin...still have to work out if that is enough. Sharks have 4 games that are guaranteed 5 points; Brumbies, 2 Lions games and 1 cheetahs game...20 points confirmed.

I don't think you can use that kind of argument as to who the better side is. For instance the Crusaders have lost to the Blues on more occasions than they've won and you can hardly call them the lesser side.

 

[JJR]

Sharks are better than the Blues...don't care what anyone says, we will talk again once the Superugby tournament concludes.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I don't say the Sharks are bad team, but they lost against the Chiefs ( due to rain) and as we're coming closer to winter they will not have the weather on their side.

 

[Black Heart]

Sharks are better than the Blues...don't care what anyone says, we will talk again once the Superugby tournament concludes.

Perhaps you would be more content with the fact that the Blues have 3 ***les to their name?

 

[woodward]

People seem to forget that The Sharks have dominated the Blues the last few years, we beat them easily this season and last time we played in Auckland, i think 2008, we also won. Blues will suffer in Knockout games. Don't write The Sharks off. Bulls, Stormers and Crusaders probably the best 3 teams at Knockout rugby... Bulls can still maybe sneak in at 6th spot; but very unlikely though. Sharks will finish on around 60 points after round robin...still have to work out if that is enough. Sharks have 4 games that are guaranteed 5 points; Brumbies, 2 Lions games and 1 cheetahs game...20 points confirmed.

What a joke, your using hide to head history in past years as justification for placing your team ahead of the tournament leaders, all the more impressing considering they are playing in the vastly superior New Zealand conference. Under what basis are the Sharks better at knockout rugby than the Blues? The Blues are the second most successful super rugby franchise nd the Sharks don't even rank. The Blues so far this year have shown an ability to close-out close games unlike the Sharks who haven't managed to win consistently. Your also suggesting the South African conference might get 3 teams in the top six? at this stage it's only the hopelessness of the Waratahs allowing the Sharks to cling on. I understand that your a Sharks/South Africa fan rather than a rugby fan but this is a rugby forum so if you make such ignorant statements you will get called up on them.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

The Sharks are too poor in defense to actually have a chance of winning it this year. The Reds, Blues, Crusaders and Stormers are all better balanced at the moment.

 

[Amobokoboko]

The can still make it into the play offs but I don't see them advancing that far.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

On a side note, can anyone explain to me why the New Zealand franchise's kits are so much better than the others? ( I know its all subjective). Just think they're all really cool designs.

Otherwise, I've wondered who to support in super rugby for a while . i'd like to base it somewhat around myexperiences of its different places from when I went there back in 2003. New Zealand from that month experience is my favourite country in the world, it's so incredible i nso many different ways. I probably felt more of an affiliiation to the south island, so in terms of teams thats highlanders and crusaders right? However I didnt get to Dunedin and i dont so much want to support a team as successful as crusaders. I really like wellington in the north island and think maybe hurricanes are the team for me.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Oh and also, Blues are better than Sharks until the latter can prove otherwise!

 

[Black Heart]

On a side note, can anyone explain to me why the New Zealand franchise's kits are so much better than the others? ( I know its all subjective). Just think they're all really cool designs.

Otherwise, I've wondered who to support in super rugby for a while . i'd like to base it somewhat around myexperiences of its different places from when I went there back in 2003. New Zealand from that month experience is my favourite country in the world, it's so incredible i nso many different ways. I probably felt more of an affiliiation to the south island, so in terms of teams thats highlanders and crusaders right? However I didnt get to Dunedin and i dont so much want to support a team as successful as crusaders. I really like wellington in the north island and think maybe hurricanes are the team for me.

The Kiwi sides are sponsored by Addidas is all I can say.


Wellington is an awesome city (the best in the country imo) but you're wasting your time supporting the Canes.

 

[Draggs]

Oh and also, Blues are better than Sharks until the latter can prove otherwise!

http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/match/123094.html
Proof?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

That only proves the Sharks are better in a match against the Blues. That does not prove the Sharks are a better team in general compared to the Blues.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I don't see the point of this discussion. The topic starter wanted to know which team to support and now everybody is defending her/ his team.
The better team will win the ***le this year and the result will be based on the squad selection, injuries and luck ( from both sides).

 

[Draggs]

That only proves the Sharks are better in a match against the Blues. That does not prove the Sharks are a better team in general compared to the Blues.

Of course.
Head to head though...

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/match/123094.html
Proof?

Tis fair enough, but I wasn't in any way buying into the our team is better than yours mentality, just pointing out to JJR that you cant just for no reason say Sharks are better than blues especially with blues' better overall records. I do think the Sharks are a good side though, no denying it.

On the who to support question, Black Heart, wasps my main team are probably the most frustrating, inconsistent and currently just awful team, so I'm prepared for anything!

 

[Bossco]

I think the Sharks are still doing well considering the limited amount of talent they have in the backs compared to the Blues, with 1 or two exceptions. They certainly aren't looking like a better team at this stage though and their game previously was alot closer than the score indicated, think it was an intercept in the 2nd half that really turned it.

Style of their play is great to watch, think they will be real ***le contenders if Plumtree can get his hands on a few more players.

 

[Black Heart]

Tis fair enough, but I wasn't in any way buying into the our team is better than yours mentality, just pointing out to JJR that you cant just for no reason say Sharks are better than blues especially with blues' better overall records. I do think the Sharks are a good side though, no denying it.

On the who to support question, Black Heart, wasps my main team are probably the most frustrating, inconsistent and currently just awful team, so I'm prepared for anything!

The Canes are not a bad side, (granted they are having a particularly bad 2011) They have made the playoffs on a number of occasions as well as finals rugby.

The problem with supporting them is that for all the stacked talent they possess (and have possessed) they often play as a team of individuals all out to prove themselves. This results in outstandingly brilliant performances one week and shocking defeats the next. They are in complete contrast to the Crusaders who put the success of the team before any individual praise. The one drawing card of the Hurricanes is that they have always had powerful backlines and that's where they play their rugby so win loose or draw they will always try and play a running game (which may or may not be of interest)