FOUR BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS
01 HOW LONG BEFORE SANZAAR CRACK?
This whole business of giving home playoff games to the four conference winners is a joke. But not a funny one or even a kind of one that your dad would tell that makes you groan. Nope this is just bad – the concept lacks credibility and integrity even if Sanzaar want to say it doesn’t.
If the same things happens this year where a couple of Kiwi teams – any teams for that matter – finish with more competition points but are forced to play away then surely there has to be change for 2018?
02 OUT OF AFRICA
The Lions played well last year – but they were the only South African side to offer any kind of realistic challenge. It was sad to see, but is it going to be any different this year? Probably will be – except it will be worse. More players have headed offshore, confidence has all but collapsed and South African rugby is in chaos. Please someone fix it.
03 FORCE THEM TO GO... PLEASE
The Australian Rugby Union are determined not to admit defeat with the Force. Even though a consultancy firm has recommended axing one team in Australia – and the Force are the obvious candidate – the ARU are clinging to the notion Perth is viable. They are bankrolling the side, coaching it and contracting the players, and things are so desperate locals have been asked to buy shares. Oh please, take them to the back paddock and do the kind thing.
The question, we suppose, is this – what positive contribution are the Force going to make in Super Rugby this year?
04 WHAT IMPACT WILL THE BRITISH LIONS HAVE?
Super Rugby, in it’s post 2011 format, has been, to some extent, a competition of two parts. There’s the pre-June segment and post-June. There’s no doubt that some teams with a high number of international players are not quite the same after the first test window of the year.
Their test players return to action a bit dented, a bit drained and a bit flat. So what will it be like in New Zealand when players have to return after what should be an epic Lions series? Don’t be surprised if a few Kiwi teams struggle to get going in the second half of Super Rugby. The hype around the Lions will be huge and the comedown just as severe.