halfway mark in S15 to allow comment on the final six makeup. The Saffa teams who've impressed me are the Stormers and the Cheetahs, the Brumbies, and from NZ, the Highlanders and the Chiefs. In a strange sort of competition where there are no clear favourites and with improvement in mind my final six is as follows....
Stormers
Bulls
Highlanders
Chiefs
Crusaders
Reds
Good selection although I still think the sharks could make it if they really get going. Wonder if the Cheethas may surprise here. They should have three more points than reflected on the log.
The only reason there will be an Ozzie team in the playoffs is due to the flawed conference system which forces their top team in. I hope SANZAR reviews this farce which favours the Australians only.
My question is if an Aussie team in third position has less points than the wildcards in 4, 5 and 6, will they get a home playoff?
The two top teams will have a bye in the first week of the play-offs. The catch is that the three top spots are reserved for the conference winners. As it stands at the moment, the Stormers are no 1, and the Chiefs no 2. The Brumbies get the top-spot by virtue of them being the Oz conference leaders, and despite having less log points than no6, i.e. the Hurricanes, and despite that, based on all the other criteria, they should be out of the running and not even in the top 6. The top 6 are the ones that are involved in the play-offs.
The first round of the playoffs (the qualifiers) will be between the team that is ranked 3rd, (and if the compettion would end as it stands at the moment, that would be the Brumbies, at home) against the 6th ranked team (the Hurricanes). The other game would be between the no 4 and 5 (Bulls, at home v Highlanders).
The next round (the semi-finals). Qualifier no1 would then be between no 2 (at home) against the winner between 4 and 5. The second qualifier would be between no 1 against the winner between 3 and 6.
The final will be between the winners of the above two games.
www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/about-super-rugby/
Thanks for the clarity Ceradyne, but its such a flawed system!
It is indeed flawed green. If you look at Denny's predictions. He has named the folowing:
Stormers
Bulls
Highlanders
Chiefs
Crusaders
Reds
The sad reality is that, if he is 100% spot-on, and they end in that order according to their log points, that is not the order that they would end up on the log. The order would be:
1. Stormers - SA Conf winners
2. Highlanders - NZ Conf winners
3. Reds - Oz Conf winners
4. Bulls - next highest placed on the log after the three conf winners
5. Chiefs - next highest
6. Crusaders - next highest.
This would mean that even if the Bulls end up one point behind the Stormers and 20 points ahead of the Highlanders and 25 points ahead of the Reds, they will still be placed in fourth spot, and the Highlanders will have a free ticket to a home semi-final.
My guess is the Bools will be nowhere near the second spot. Thus far they have played only in RSA and mostly at Loftus. In the last 4 weeks they get the Chiefs, Highlander and Tahs away....and when they get back after their long flight, the get the Mighty Stormers who put them away physically.
Good selections.
I'm with Beeno though. I think the Sharks can pull it off.
If they can beat the Blues (which they can) In Auckland, then 6 of their last 8 games are on Home turf. The two road games are against the Lions and Cheetahs. So, If they beat the Blues, I could see the Sharks winning (barring any injuries) 7 of their last 9 games. They only had 2 home games in their first 7 games. Games in Pretoria, and Cape town also. The back half of their schedule favours them. They need to get healthy, and stay healthy and they could make it.
