Super S Returns!
I actually sat down and watched my first SuperXV rugby last night. Which is horrible right? We must be on what...round 5 and this weekend is the first that I've been able to catch. Yes - I was in Jamaica and no - I didn't tape any games while I was gone...which was utterly foolish but if I'm being honest - I completely forgot to tell anyone to tape the games.
After the World Cup in the fall - I had to take a bit of a break from rugby. I watched a couple of the Six Nations games but they really weren't that good. I mean - they sort of were but I'm a bit of a southern hemisphere snob. I am not a fan of the style that is played in Europe. I have tried. TRIED to get into the European Championships and Aviva Premierships but no matter how hard I have tried - I find that the style is just not as exciting. It seems slower and more old school - bash it up the middle and fight it out in the trenches. Don't get me wrong - I'm a prop...there's a time and a place for that but overall, times are a-changing and we'd better shift our mentality to keep in time. Otherwise we're not going to see rugby as part of events like the Olympics. You need to also remember that everything I just said is a huge generalization. Are there exciting players in Europe. Of course there are. Am I biased? Absolutely. So untie that knot in your shirt already and get over it.
Moving on to general opinions of the SuperXV league. There were huge, HUGE change ups on the teams over the summer. For the most part - I really like the changes. It seems to have equalized the playing field if you will. Completely stacked teams are not so now even though - there are still some teams that have an overwhelming number of brilliant players. But as always (don't ask me why) these teams are also incredibly slow out of the gates. There's also a lot of injuries right now to those headlining players - so that could also account for some of the slow starts.
I was able to catch the Hurricanes and Blues, Western Force and Rebels, and parts of the Waratahs and Sharks.
Let's start with the Hurricanes (26) and the Blues (25).
Major change ups...Ma'a Nonu and Piri Weepu both went to the Blues over the summer. There were other departures but these were among the most notable. It makes me sad because Conrad Smith and Nonu have played the most games as centres than any other combination in the world. The coach was planning something massive in sending Nonu and Weepu off. But it seems to have made way for some pretty flash talent. There's hope for the Canes, that's for sure.
The Blues were coming into this game with some injuries. Kevan Mealamu and Jerome Kaino are both out with injuries and Rene Ranger is still on suspension. Those are three key positions - ESPECIALLY when you consider that just in this game alone - the Blues lost 5 line outs. It was something like 68%. You've heard me on this soapbox before...if a hooker cant get the ball to his jumper then he shouldn't be on the field! Somebody in that country has to be able to throw a ball as good as Mealamu! He's not getting younger people!!!! McCartney has decent field play but...I will not accept him as legit until he can throw a ball to his jumpers.
Cory Jane is also among the senior players who have stayed on with the Canes. He was a little invisible during the game last night but picked up a try off a hard working Taylor. I would say that the number one thing that really caused the result of this game (other than a try by Conrad Smith in the 79th minute) would be the shoddy, shoddy hands of the Blues. It was turn over after turn over. It looked like a high school game at one or two points with the ball getting dropped and then kicked around on the ground by several players. The one thing that the Blues had going for them is their scrum. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Tony Woodcock - I love you.
One question though...Piri Weepu...he looks chubbier than Woodcock. A prop, more fit than a 10? I think that this needs to be addressed or maybe Weepu can throw line out balls.
The other game I want to make mention of today is the Force (29) and Rebels (30).
These two teams really aren't my favourite but it was a good enough game. The Rebels will always be that team that could. And this year - with acquisitions like Kurtley Beale and James O'Connell - there's a bright future there. Unfortunately - both those guys, along with Stirling Mortlach, were sidelined with injuries.
The Rebels were hot out of the game. One of the commentators even made a comment about them "playing like men possessed". They were up by three tries at minute 25. I don't know if the Force cast out the demons because it was almost all Force after that. Danny Cipriani pulled up at about 30 minutes with a hamstring injury and that seemed to deflate a young, inexperienced side. The Rebels hung on though - right to the last few minutes, grinding it out in the center field. Their win ended a 12 game losing streak dating back to last year when they beat the Force.
In less interesting news...the Waratahs beat the Sharks 34-30.
I'll try and slip in an update about the games that are happening today...including the Crusaders who should be sporting a certain Dan Carter for the first time since that horrific, fateful injury back in October that ended his World Cup dream. Talk soon peeps!
After the World Cup in the fall - I had to take a bit of a break from rugby. I watched a couple of the Six Nations games but they really weren't that good. I mean - they sort of were but I'm a bit of a southern hemisphere snob. I am not a fan of the style that is played in Europe. I have tried. TRIED to get into the European Championships and Aviva Premierships but no matter how hard I have tried - I find that the style is just not as exciting. It seems slower and more old school - bash it up the middle and fight it out in the trenches. Don't get me wrong - I'm a prop...there's a time and a place for that but overall, times are a-changing and we'd better shift our mentality to keep in time. Otherwise we're not going to see rugby as part of events like the Olympics. You need to also remember that everything I just said is a huge generalization. Are there exciting players in Europe. Of course there are. Am I biased? Absolutely. So untie that knot in your shirt already and get over it.
Moving on to general opinions of the SuperXV league. There were huge, HUGE change ups on the teams over the summer. For the most part - I really like the changes. It seems to have equalized the playing field if you will. Completely stacked teams are not so now even though - there are still some teams that have an overwhelming number of brilliant players. But as always (don't ask me why) these teams are also incredibly slow out of the gates. There's also a lot of injuries right now to those headlining players - so that could also account for some of the slow starts.
I was able to catch the Hurricanes and Blues, Western Force and Rebels, and parts of the Waratahs and Sharks.
Let's start with the Hurricanes (26) and the Blues (25).
Major change ups...Ma'a Nonu and Piri Weepu both went to the Blues over the summer. There were other departures but these were among the most notable. It makes me sad because Conrad Smith and Nonu have played the most games as centres than any other combination in the world. The coach was planning something massive in sending Nonu and Weepu off. But it seems to have made way for some pretty flash talent. There's hope for the Canes, that's for sure.
The Blues were coming into this game with some injuries. Kevan Mealamu and Jerome Kaino are both out with injuries and Rene Ranger is still on suspension. Those are three key positions - ESPECIALLY when you consider that just in this game alone - the Blues lost 5 line outs. It was something like 68%. You've heard me on this soapbox before...if a hooker cant get the ball to his jumper then he shouldn't be on the field! Somebody in that country has to be able to throw a ball as good as Mealamu! He's not getting younger people!!!! McCartney has decent field play but...I will not accept him as legit until he can throw a ball to his jumpers.
One question though...Piri Weepu...he looks chubbier than Woodcock. A prop, more fit than a 10? I think that this needs to be addressed or maybe Weepu can throw line out balls.
The other game I want to make mention of today is the Force (29) and Rebels (30).
These two teams really aren't my favourite but it was a good enough game. The Rebels will always be that team that could. And this year - with acquisitions like Kurtley Beale and James O'Connell - there's a bright future there. Unfortunately - both those guys, along with Stirling Mortlach, were sidelined with injuries.
The Rebels were hot out of the game. One of the commentators even made a comment about them "playing like men possessed". They were up by three tries at minute 25. I don't know if the Force cast out the demons because it was almost all Force after that. Danny Cipriani pulled up at about 30 minutes with a hamstring injury and that seemed to deflate a young, inexperienced side. The Rebels hung on though - right to the last few minutes, grinding it out in the center field. Their win ended a 12 game losing streak dating back to last year when they beat the Force.In less interesting news...the Waratahs beat the Sharks 34-30.
I'll try and slip in an update about the games that are happening today...including the Crusaders who should be sporting a certain Dan Carter for the first time since that horrific, fateful injury back in October that ended his World Cup dream. Talk soon peeps!
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