Early in the season - but there are already indications that

That the change in rugby played by SA franchises -
*  have not being negatively affected by departure of the older players and the teams have in fact improve and was better than they were in 2015 with the rugby old boys in their teams; and
*   some teams have improved their performances by playing 15 man rugby and not the stampkar model used over the past few years. 
The average age of the players participating in the matches on Saturday was 24.5 years and only 8 players were 30 years or older - a vast change from what happened in the past and of the above players only Joe Pietersen had a good game - the rest were  on or below par.  
Another example has been the Bulls-Rebels game.  Last year Ludeke was in charge and Matfield was prominent in the team selection.  The whole old boy team did a Japan on Ludeke and they lost the game.  The past Saturday they beat the Reb els with ease,
It is becoming clear what a massive detrimental impact Meyer and the franchise coaches had on test and Super Rugby in SA and how their team selection deficiencies and Stampkar rugby approach resulted in massive deterioration in SA rugby,              

It is early Tokkie, we will revisit this in due course.  

 It is early - but of the 18 teams only 4 won the games they are involved in - four with bonus point victories.   The Lions were the worst off having to play away from home - travelling massive distances to play in Tokyo and Hamilton.  The trip from Tokyo to Hamilton took 28 hours.   There long distance games ends on Saturday.   The Lions thought if they got 6 or 7 points in their foreign away games they would be delighted.  However, they already has 9 points and they have a reasonable chance of beating the Highlanders as well.   In other words they are over their international tours - bar a game in Argentina against the Jaguares.   That improves their chances in coming very near to the top of the log massively.
The Sharks have been good against the Jaguares - but they need to limit their mistakes.   They are playing the Stormers this coming week away and they have an outstanding  chance against them - they have a better loosie and center combination than the Stormers have and the Stormers have not moved forward - still playing Stampkar rugby.   Likely that the Stormers will stay on 9 or 10 points.
The only other team with a 9 points point count is the Brumbies - after two mtaches the most points any NZ team has is 5 points - so the story is not dim at this stage in the competition.  
  
      
  

  Dave 
I differ from you here the Sharks this year is playing attractive 15 man rugby - the team I thought still play too much of a stampkar game was the Stormers - the ball too frequently ended in or was lost by was De Jomgh  - he is not a 12's ass.  

The Stormers under Fleck are running it......that's a given, given how Fleck played the game. The Stormers are lacking clout at centre in that de Jongh can only operate in space, but there is very little space afforded at this level. Kotze is solid at 13, nothing special.
The Stormers are sorely missing the impressive de Allende at 12 and they should wake up and play v/Wyk at 13.
Lleyds on the wing is another let down.
The loss of du Preez at 10 is huge.....Coleman is a poor substitute