cdn_content says...

Gotta agree with trinats2. I like sbw too planet rugby, may even have a lil man crush as well, but I swear to god if that guy took a dump in the middle of the pitch, ud label it as revolutionary anaward him man of the match.

Posted 23:43 06th August 2012

carpelone says...

New laws require more scrum halves in the back mix, as simple as that.

Posted 18:48 06th August 2012

cuw3100 says...

Many rugby players in NZ are unfortunate unless they are the very best. That is why some prefer to go abroad and get citizenship and play for say England, Italy, Japan, Australia, etc.

Messam is just one of those lucky even to get a look in. When McCaw and Collins were playing there were many who could not even get a few minutes off the bench. At least now there is some space mainly due to injuries (read and Kaino). In the European domestic tournaments players like Rush, Masoe, et al are still playing at a high level, years after being discarded by the MIB.

Posted 17:55 06th August 2012

JayStarr says...

How can you argue that flying over the Indian Ocean and Australia three times in a row wouldn't have affected the Sharks..? The Crusaders flew over once and beat the Stormers, then they flew back and lost to the Reds... The Sharks flew over and beat the Reds, then they flew over and beat the Stormers - which makes them better than the Crusaders already, if you want to make comparisons - and only fell at the 3rd hurdle. I don't "buy" your stupid argument.

As for JP Pietersen being the player of the season: NO WAY. If judged by only looking at the 2nd half of the season, then yes maybe. But he was mediocre to poor before that. He can be voted player who turned it around most. If looking at the whole season, there is only one man who, week-in and week-out, delevired quality: AARON CRUDEN.

You are also neglecting to acknowledge the effect of the June Internationals. It specifically serves as a watershed for the seasons of both the Sharks (who made up most of the Springbok team) and the Stormers (who only had 3 players involved). If you compare the (weakened) Stormers team who beat the Bulls at Loftus the week before the June Internationals with the Stormers team who struggled against the Lions, Cheetahs and Rebels thereafter - and then compare the Sharks team who lost to the Lions the weekend before the June Internationals with the Sharks team who wiped all before in the weeks thereafter, it is clear that the June Internationals were a significant factor in the SA conference... In the Australian conference the Reds (who made up most of the starting Wallabies) also played better after their Internationals - and the Crusaders (who made up most of the starting All Blacks) also lifted to another level. The Stormers was the top Super Rugby team with the least players involved in the June Internationals (3) and also the only take a dive thereafter.

Posted 14:26 06th August 2012

Trinats2 says...

Loose Pass ??? more like loose reporting.

"brilliant try from Sonny Bill Williams" ????

Did he not just run through a huge hole and fall over the line, against a very tired defence ? Or was it the try that he scored that he ran 60m beat 5 players with his side step chip through, regathered and beat the full back !!!!

"Australian conference only managed to produce a play-off qualifier on account of the automatic qualification of a pool winner"

Reds qualified on points to get into the play offs (sixth ) it was the pool winner that leaped them to 3rd if the Conf sys. In hind ide maybe a game in Durban with a Briso born ref would have bodewell instead of a home game V Sharks with a Durban born ref !!!!

Posted 12:48 06th August 2012