How bad "was" SuperRugby

There was a time when Super Rugby was the best rugby tournament in the world, outside of test rugby. 

If our teams are getting hammered in this new tournament, it goes to show how much Europe has improved and the Southern Hemisphere digressed. (bar some New Zealand teams, and 1-2 SA/Ozzie sides).

Boks are currently missing from our teams, although some of them will play overseas. 

Connaught was a pub team about 20 years ago where pints of Guinness were poured, and now they are beating our teams. 

Super rugby experienced a shift from 2008 onwards. Australia held a gun to world rugby's head that nearly split the game in two through the ELVs. Literally, the rest of the world nearly went a different way. An emphasis on running and space. Give the attacking team more space. What did we see? Fewer scrum plays, as it was more advantageous to run 8 into the seam for free gains. More screens and more passive attacking. In the pre-ELV days the defence was upon attackers quicker, but that meant attackers had to exhibit better short passing accuracy with greater field vision and quicker decision making. Slick running lines were more deadly. Basic skills have regressed markedly in the ELV era. We don't have very skillful players. They may be fitter, but our skills are weaker, and the profile of player we are producing has become more generic. We have a glut of runners who don't quite fit into a defined role. Super rugby is the source of the rot that allowed the NH to break up the big three for many years. The NH has always valued line integrity, contests at the breakdown and set piece quality. It's no surprise that the Lions really battled us in these facets. More so than the SH sides tend to. Why did the SH move away from the essence of the game? The Aussies believed that the breakdown was a hindrance to the flow of the game, particularly the attacking team. They're influenced by rugby league. They wanted watered down set pieces so they were just a means to get the ball in play quickly so we'd have more ball in play time, more running. Set the defence back so the runners would have the initiative and there'd be more tries. Teams became more generic in their tactics, looking more alike. I could go on, but it's late and I'm tired. 

Could just be a case of your local sides standing still or standards dropping like the wee bokkies.

Just because your getting slaughtered in the north doesn't mean they have got better you know.

Will be interesting to see how we all fare in the next month or two, will give us more of an idea where the south stands against the north

Looking forward to the European experience. Tired of getting shafted by the down under criminals. It's in their genes you know. 

Hoping for a fairer deal in the NH. AND lots of boodle for our players. 

It's time for a change. Watching the kiwi ballerinas has got stale. 

Hahahahaha.

Once we get our teams back to full strength we will do well. 

Once we get our teams back to full strength we will do well. 

Oz and nz can battle it out again and again and again. 

The Argies need to move North as well. 

Leave Oz ND nz to play against themselves and Tonga. Bwahahahahaha. 

If you oaks need some money we may think of loans for old times sake. 

Of course it's possible we could eventually return to play in a new Rugby Championship. But only on the right terms. No more Crooked down under refs and of course more money for us - only fair as we are the main. cash generators.

But let's hope we join a six nations or whatever emerges. 

From a reffing standpoint, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina must all want rid of us! You're arguments are out of date Sitzsack. Just follow my lead and you'll be okay.

Your lead. Bwahahahahaha. 

What a buffoon.

No Org as one of the daftest posters here I will certainly Not follow your "lead". 

If course a stuck clock is right twice a day so maybe sometime you will get something right.

Spot on Dave.

I was shocked to see Pienaar in a Sharks game last week.

At this rate we will see Jacobs back in the squad at center pretty soon.

"standards dropping like the wee bokkies." 

LOL!