Super 15 2011

[Somerset]

Bit late starting the topic but its snuck up considering the first match of the competition's scheduled before the Cricket World Cup even starts. Hopefully theres enough members that are keen to enter the tipping competition we usually run.

Week One Fixtures:
Hurricanes vs Highlanders
Rebels vs Waratahs
Blues vs Crusaders
Brumbies vs Chiefs
Sharks vs Cheetahs
Lions vs Bulls
Reds vs Force

Usual rules, one point per correct tip, if you don't tip you'll get the home team by default.

 

[ripper868]

Week One Fixtures:
Hurricanes vs Highlanders
Rebels vs Waratahs
Blues vs Crusaders
Brumbies vs Chiefs
Sharks vs Cheetahs
Lions vs Bulls
Reds vs Force

Brumbies Chiefs and Blues Saders the only two games you need to think about a little before tipping, the rest pick themselves IMO - though wouldlove to see the rebels put one over the tahs

reds

EDIT:the Reds brought up the Reds membership ad...

 

[social]

Have literally taken no notice of the build up to this year's comp as the Sydney papers are full of the usual "Waratahs are favourites" or "Matt Guiteau blah, blah blah"

So I guess it's time to dust off the dart board and wash the trusted blindfold

 

[Magrat Garlick]

In

Canes
Tahs
Blues
Brumbies
Sharks
Bulls
Reds

 

[Somerset]

Hurricanes
Waratahs
Blues
Brumbies
Sharks
Bulls
Reds

First match is tomorrow night at 7.30pm NZT, so that leaves you with a bit over 24 hours to get your first round tips in.

 

[Athlai]

Hurricanes vs Highlanders
Rebels vs Waratahs
Blues vs Crusaders
Brumbies vs Chiefs
Sharks vs Cheetahs
Lions vs Bulls
Reds vs Force

 

[Smudge]

I'm in enough tipping comps this year, and this is the first one I'll forget about, so I'm out, sorry.

 

[TT Boy]

Bit late starting the topic but its snuck up considering the first match of the competition's scheduled before the Cricket World Cup even starts. Hopefully theres enough members that are keen to enter the tipping competition we usually run.

Week One Fixtures:
Hurricanes vs Highlanders
Rebels vs Waratahs
Blues vs Crusaders
Brumbies vs Chiefs
Sharks vs Cheetahs
Lions vs Bulls
Reds vs Force

Usual rules, one point per correct tip, if you don't tip you'll get the home team by default.

Who won it last year?

And I'm in. Come on the Sharks!

 

[TT Boy]

Canes
Tahs
Crusaders
Brumbies
Sharks
Bulls
Reds

 

[Athlai]

Really looking forward to this season,

 

[ripper868]

Really looking forward to this season,

Ditto - Reds v Bulls Final you heard it here after i read it in the paper.

 

[social]

Hurricanes vs Highlanders
Rebels vs Waratahs
Blues vs Crusaders
Brumbies vs Chiefs
Sharks vs Cheetahs
Lions vs Bulls
Reds vs Force

 

[Somerset]

Ditto - Reds v Bulls Final you heard it here after i read it in the paper.

I wouldn't bet on them making the final but I'd be extremely surprised if they missed the top six. They've lost Daniel Braid to the Blues so I'm not sure about their depth in the loose forwards but otherwise they look pretty strong. Having Horwill back should be a huge boost too.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Week One Fixtures:

Hurricanes vs Highlanders
Rebels vs Waratahs
Blues vs Crusaders
Brumbies vs Chiefs
Sharks vs Cheetahs
Lions vs Bulls
Reds vs Force

 

[Quaggas]

Hurricanes vs Highlanders
Rebels vs Waratahs
Blues vs Crusaders
Brumbies vs Chiefs
Sharks vs Cheetahs
Lions vs Bulls
Reds vs Force

 

[Somerset]

Eight in for round one - three and a half hours from this post for any last minute entries - Hurricane, Heath, etc?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Really looking forward to this season,

I'm not. Much like the County 20:20 in the UK, SANZAR are whipping every ounce of money out of the Super Rugby cash cow. Every year it gets longer and with every additional team, the quality gets diluted. Plus, the NPC has been trimmed to accommodate this extension (effectively, if not directly). Super Rugby should go back to its roots. They won't get the crowds back like this.

Hurricanes vs Highlanders
Rebels vs Waratahs
B.lose vs Crusaders (Stephen Brett vs. Dan Carter)
Brumbies vs Chiefs
Sharks vs Cheetahs
Lions vs Bulls
Reds vs Force

 

[Somerset]

I'm not. Much like the County 20:20 in the UK, SANZAR are whipping every ounce of money out of the Super Rugby cash cow. Every year it gets longer and with every additional team, the quality gets diluted. Plus, the NPC has been trimmed to accommodate this extension (effectively, if not directly). Super Rugby should go back to its roots. They won't get the crowds back like this.

As much as I'd like to disagree, thats a fair post. Its the longest Super Rugby season, quite comfortably, and although the amount of "local derbies" has increased (each New Zealand team plays the others both home and away, as do the Australian and South African franchises) I don't think its the right format. I think 15 teams is too much for a start, but even so the conference system which draws the season out is hardly ideal IMO. It'll be July before the tournament finishes, and we're only in February.

 

[Somerset]

For those that are competing in fantasy competitions where you select players, I've taken the liberty of going through each squad and noting major omissions from round one (was for my own fantasy team's benefit though you're welcome to use the information):
Blues - Mika, McAlister
Chiefs - Elliot, Ross, Bourke, Kahui
Hurricanes - Thrush, Lowe, So'oialo, Weepu
Crusaders - McCaw, Guildford, SBW
Highlanders - King, Donnelly, Slade, Saunders
Reds - Tomiki
Waratahs - P.O'Connor, Palu
Brumbies - Elsom, Hooper, Lealiifano
Rebels - Freier, Blake, Gerrard
Force - yet to name their side
Bulls - J.Pretorius, F.Hougaard
Lions - full strength
Cheetahs - Brussouw, J.Smith
Stormers - bye
Sharks - JP Pietersen

 

[TT Boy]

As much as I'd like to disagree, thats a fair post. Its the longest Super Rugby season, quite comfortably, and although the amount of "local derbies" has increased (each New Zealand team plays the others both home and away, as do the Australian and South African franchises) I don't think its the right format. I think 15 teams is too much for a start, but even so the conference system which draws the season out is hardly ideal IMO. It'll be July before the tournament finishes, and we're only in February.

Is that a good thing though? I can wait until the summer to watch the Sharks play the Cheetahs twice in the Currie Cup. Don’t really want to see that in Super rugby as well. Super 12 was the best, South Africa and Australia can’t support 5 sides, not if they are going to be filled with a local talent pool.

Interested to see how the Lions fare this year, played some good stuff in the Currie Cup and are now being bank rolled heavily. Be nice if they can get out of Ellis Park also, one of the most pathetic sights on a Friday evening is seeing the Lions let in 50 odd in front of 10 people in a 60,000+ stadium.