The Rugby Championship 2014

[Train Without a Station]

Yeah we're probably slow starters because said start against the All Blacks.

Every team plays the other one home and away. The only potential advantage/disadvantage I can see is the inequality between the Sanzar nations and Argentina due to the unequal footing with regards to domestic seasons and mid season tests, where all the Sanzar nations are identical in their schedules however between their tests and player locations Argentina may be slightly different.

 

[Braveheart81]

Surely getting your first game at home in a short competition is about the best advantage you could hope for.

Win that and you've got some momentum going into the away game the following week.

If you lose that first game at home, well you weren't going to win The Rugby Championship anyway.

 

[Scoey]

I was under the impression that ARU had an agreement with NSW government that first Bledisloe would be played in Sydney for 5 years or so?? And imagine if the home tests were played when finals of other codes were on, perhaps there would be a little bit of whinging then too!

It's worse than that Dan, pretty sure it was a 10 year agreement.

 

[Brumby Runner]

We open up vs the form team of the june tours, in their home ground full of 80,000 people with a referee who has proven he ain't a big fan of us, and we have some sort of advantage? Then goto finish up consecutive weekends at La Plata, followed by Ellis farking park?

If we were opening at Eden Park with Craig Joubert. I'd see a point. But we are bookended with probably 2 of the 3 toughest games it's possible for us to play (Poms at Twix the other).

But my point is that the ABs will most likely have wrapped up the RC by that time. I would like to see some years where just maybe the ABs have a loss or two on the road before finishing with the Bledisloe still being in contention.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Considering we haven't lost yet in the RC, it doesn't matter if home or away it seems! And the RC was unknown until the very last game last year.

I'm not sure it's possible to please some of you to be honest (outside a Wallaby sweep, of course)

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I was in a bit of a rush this morning so only had time to cut & paste the PR article without adding any comments, many have which have now been made by others, including:

I can understand ARU not wanting their fixtures to be going up,against the business end of the ARL & NRL, but it seems strange that they'll have played the AB twice before either of the other teams.

The appointment of Berry is worrying & should be match-by-match at best, which is to say "fuck up big time & you're gone". Hard to believe he's one of the best available given his well-documented errors in Super Rugby.

I Was expecting the reaction to the ref appointments for the 3 Bledisloes, esp Poite for the 2nd, but so long as your props have learned where their head goes since the Sydney test last year I can't see you being whistled off the park as many of you seem to fear.

The Barnes appointment has obviously drawn some comment in the NZ media but I really think the fans are over it - Cardiff was 1 game, it was 7 years ago & we've won a WC since. Barnes will never win NZ'er of the Year but he's a very long way from being Public Enemy No. 1 these days.

 

[KevinO]

Yeah that was my thought. The only real potential change would be to just reverse the schedule.

Probably benefits Australia to maintain profile immediately after the season with the Bledisloe and home tests. If we kicked off with 2 tests in different time zones people would likely lost interest and drop off for the home tests slightly.

It could actually work the other way, people get a two week break from rugby and then the Wallabies have a good tour and have a chance of winning the comp their will be interest.

Maybe try it out next year when there is no test rugby in June because of the World Cup and see how it goes.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I don't see how the schedule has any bearing at all really. We play all other teams home and away and if you want to win TRC you need to win all your home tests and one or two away. If a team can't do that then they shouldn't win the trophy IMHO.

 

[Scoey]

That's an overly simplistic view and while technically correct Rugby isn't played in a vacuum.
Here's two scenarios that are quite possible.

1. The RC is being decided by the last fixture. Basically the winner takes all. The home side would have a clear advantage would they not?
2. As you suggest, winning all 3 home games and 1 away should stand a team in good stead to win the thing. So given the preference wouldn't you prefer to have all of your home games straight up? That's a big advantage.


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[Train Without a Station]

I think you're over complicating it.

If you need to win your last away game in order to win it, you obviously haven't won enough prior. Much like if you need to win your last home game.


I will concede a slight disadvantage in the case of the pressure perhaps in the last game.

Swapping the draw would not work out for ARU. It can only go one way or the other, there aren't multiple schedules available that don't being the issue of travel into it.

It's a completely even draw for every team based on home and away.

Fans of every other sorting competition where teams play an uneven draw would find this talk ludicrous. And as a super rugby fan I fucking well do.

 

[ChargerWA]

1. The RC is being decided by the last fixture. Basically the winner takes all. The home side would have a clear advantage would they not?

Not at all. They have both had to win the same amount of games home and away to win the thing.

The advantage that was inferred to them in their home fixture can't be ignored just because it came first.

 

[Scoey]

Yes the draw is fair in that it's home and away for everyone but regardless of how they do it there will always be advantages and disadvantages within the comp.
I'm not saying there's some sort of conspiracy afoot but travel and home ground advantage make a difference in the RC.
Given the choice I'm pretty sure each of the teams would have their home games up first. It's just the nature of the beast.
I said in my original post that I don't think it's a major point of difference that AUS and NZ are both 3 out of the first 4 games at home but to deny that there is a difference to when/where the games are played is just ignorant.


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[Dan54]

It's worse than that Dan, pretty sure it was a 10 year agreement.

Actually I thought that too Scoey, just hoped it was 5 years, and didn't want to sound a doom merchant!! Not knocking Sydney, just I do think it would be good if it was moved around a bit!

 

[Pfitzy]

Fucking hell what is the problem? You play at home three times and away three times. Any game on this side of the planet is practically in-country!

Whether we play in NZ or Australia first is irrelevant. Having to do the trip to South America and South Africa on consecutive weeks sucks. But both those locations have to do the big journey for their away legs.

It doesn't bloody matter.

 

[Lindommer]

There's no way SANZAR should ever send Australia and NZ to South Africa and Argentina on different trips. As the Bokke and Pumas should never do two trips to Australasia.










But the Force? Fuck 'em. They can do two trips to the South Island. And let's make that for consecutive years. If they complain, we'll do it again.....

 

[Bullrush]

But my point is that the ABs will most likely have wrapped up the RC by that time. I would like to see some years where just maybe the ABs have a loss or two on the road before finishing with the Bledisloe still being in contention.

Wow.....waving the white flag already?!? And here I thought that games were won and lost on the field......



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[waiopehu oldboy]

AB squad out tomorrow, Faifax reckon it'll be:

Forwards: Tony Woodcock, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Charlie Faumuina, Wyatt Crockett, Dane Coles, Keven Mealamu, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Dominic Bird, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Liam Messam, Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Steven Luatua.

Backs: Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Julian Savea, Cory Jane, Charles Piutau.

Strangest for me is Cane with fuck all recent rugby ahead of Todd who has been in pretty good form lately & while he's never previously looked the goods at AB level surely deserves first crack at showing whether he's now ready yo step it up.

 

[Tahspark]

Tell you what, i would be more than happy having Rob horne on the wing come bledisloe 1

I've copied this from last night's match thread. Surely with Speight currently injured Horne must come into strong consideration? Although not the paciest finisher, Horne offers plenty of mongrel which will be needed during the RC. He's also running some great lines & taking pressure off the forwards with some of his carries.

IMO you also cannot leave AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) out of the run on side, just too durable & valuable in both attack and defence. So AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) either goes onto one of the wings (or Tomane) and Kuridrani goes to the bench with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Bokke squad has been named:

"Injured players who were not available for selection after featuring in 2013 or earlier in 2014, are Flip van der Merwe (knee), Pieter-Steph du Toit (knee), Arno Botha (knee), Pierre Spies (bicep), Fourie du Preez (ankle) and Jaque Fourie (ankle).

"The Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship 2014:
Willem Alberts (Sharks) Loose forward, 32 Test caps
Bakkies Botha (Toulon, France) Lock, 79 Test caps
Schalk Brits (Saracens, England) Hooker, 7 Test caps
Marcell Coetzee (Sharks) Loose forward, 16 Test caps
Damian De Allende (Western Province) Utility back, uncapped
Lodewyk de Jager (FS Cheetahs) Lock, 3 Test caps
Jean de Villiers (captain, Western Province) Centre,96 Test caps
Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks) Hooker, 60 Test caps
Jannie du Plessis (Sharks) Prop, 54 Test caps
Eben Etzebeth (Western Province) Lock, 23 Test caps
Bryan Habana (Toulon, France) Wing, 97 Test caps
Cornal Hendricks (FS Cheetahs) Wing, 3 Test caps
Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls) Scrum-half, 28 Test caps
Patrick Lambie (Sharks) Utility back, 32 Test caps
Willie le Roux (FS Cheetahs) Utility back, 15 Test caps
Francois Louw (Bath, England) Loose forward, 30 Test caps
Frans Malherbe (Western Province) Prop, 2 Test caps
Victor Matfield (Blue Bulls) Lock, 113 Test caps
Teboho Mohoje (FS Cheetahs) Loose forward, 1 Test cap
Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks) Prop, 55 Test caps
Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks) Wing, 9 Test caps
Trevor Nyakane (FS Cheetahs) Prop, 4 Test caps
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland) Scrum-half, 76 Test caps
Handré Pollard (Blue Bulls) Fly-half, 1 Test cap
Cobus Reinach (Sharks) Scrum-half, uncapped
Jan Serfontein (Blue Bulls) Centre, 12 Test caps
Gurthrö Steenkamp (Toulouse, France) Prop, 51 Test caps
Morné Steyn (Stade Français, France) Fly-half, 56 Test caps
Adriaan Strauss (FS Cheetahs) Hooker, 34 Test caps
Duane Vermeulen (Western Province) Number eight, 19 Test caps."

www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9404029,00.html

 

[Train Without a Station]

Talking to an NZ mate last night and were discussing that we cannot believe Cane is rated higher than Todd.

Todd likely would have made the 2011 squad if it wasn't a World Cup year, and they opted for experience in Braid.

Then all of a sudden they developed a hard on for Cane and continually pick him. For mine, he's a little overrated. Especially considering at times the Cheifs have opted for Latimer to start and Cane off the bench. Todd on the other hand has forced the All Black captain and one of the worlds greatest opensides in history, out of position.