I am a parochial beast. Being the baby brother of the Waratahs makes every Brumbies supporter one. So it hurts when I say the Brumbies success this season may be undeserved, especially after the result against the Reds.
That is not to say Jake White and his coaching staff haven’t done wonders with the youngest squad in the competition. Rather, the Brumbies draw has been extremely advantageous compared to the other sides in the Australian conference.
The Super season is long, stretching from February to August. So, to ensure that it doesn’t become any longer, each team only plays four sides from the other two conferences. In the Brumbies case, they avoid playing the Stormers and Crusaders – two of the leading contenders for the title.
On the other hand, the Reds avoid playing the Cheetahs and the Hurricanes. While there would be a guaranteed five points from these two games for the Reds (assuming a four try victory against the Cheetahs), no points could be guaranteed in the two games the Brumbies avoided.
The Super competition is not alone in their scheduling mismatch.
NRL teams either play each other once or twice, while NFL teams, in the US, miss playing teams entirely. These mismatches are down to practical realities of large sporting competitions. The season is not long enough to fill in every possible game and sometimes games need to be forgone in order to fit within the allotted timeframe.
This season the Brumbies have been fortunate to miss two tough teams and the Reds have been unfortunate to miss some easier ones. That being said, the Super competition is beginning to get to the point where one team can beat another on any given day, with the odd exception.
Because of these mismatches, and the Reds’ victory over the Brumbies last weekend, the cynic could argue that the achievements of the young Brumbies are unrepresentative. Any success they might have is tainted because they haven’t played the Crusaders and Stormers and they have lost to the Sharks, Chiefs and Bulls. However this argument neglects three points.
Firstly, the losses to the Sharks, Chiefs and Bulls were all within seven points and the team from the ACT earned four bonus points in these three losses. If the Brumbies truly were beneath these sides they should have been blown out of the water.
Secondly, although it’s a sporting cliché, it’s true that a champion team do make their own luck. In the American NFL conference system some teams don’t meet at all during the regular season, yet every year the same teams emerge during the finals.
This is because it doesn’t matter who you play – a successful team will always win. It’s true the Brumbies have lucked out, avoiding the Stormers and Crusaders but they’ve beaten teams the Reds haven’t (Force) and come closer to others (Bulls). At this stage they deserve to still be on top of the Australian conference.
Thirdly, at the start of the season pundits predicated, quite rightly, the Brumbies would be in the group of also-rans. They had Jake White but changes wouldn’t happen until at least the third year of his tenure. Unfortunately they kept on winning and, despite the loss to the Reds, they might make the finals for the first time in eight years.
Regardless of which teams they have missed out on playing, this young outfit should be applauded for proving everyone, including this parochial beast, wrong.
Dan
Guest
hear here!!! the have adapted to the new challenges yer??!!!
Dan
Guest
yes mate the same Reds that beat the Brumbies for the first time at Suncorp this year ever!!! look at the history between these teams champ. I think its 12 to 2 and yes thoose 2 came this year.... The one point victory mate could of gone either way and the first game was hardly convincing.. Yes the Reds that got a 52 point drubbing in SA by the sharks who just got beat by the lions LOL. Being a former openside i can see that you played a little longer than you should have few knocks to the head hey big boy???
formeropenside
Guest
But it would be easier to have a round-robin draw which worked over 2 seasons (home and away) not five. But that solution has been overlooked due to the "local derby" advantage of the pool system, which as far as I can tell just debases the competition in the pursuit of broadcaster funds.
Jerry
Guest
If they'd had a chance to play the Tahs, they'd both have an extra win and the Tahs might be below them on the table.....
Will Sinclair
Guest
Also worth mentioning that the Waratahs don't play the Blues or Lions this season... last and second last. When you're down...
formeropenside
Guest
last year the Reds missed Sharks and Clan - two problematic games, but not up there with missing the Cru and Stormers. The complaints were more that the Reds got to play the Blues and Cru at home (forgetting they had to play the Stormers away) and also that the Crusaders had an earthquake (true).
PeterK
Guest
no hatred whatsoever, just like to dispell overhyping. I loved the brumbies 1998-2003, style of play etc. Even now I have nothing against the brumbies per sae, just the fans are over the top. I am being factual and realistic.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
It's also worth mentioning that nobody knew the Brumbies and the Chiefs would be the Australian and New Zealand conference leaders when the draw was made.
apelu
Guest
You cannot get over your hatred of the Brumbies, eh Peter K? The Tahs need some help; they might benefit from a bit of your wisdom.
Brett McKay
Expert
It's also worth mentioning that that Stormers don't play both the current Australian and New Zealand conference leaders this year. Honestly, it all evens out in the end. It's an imperfect draw that works over a five year rotational cycle. As was mentioned above, the best team in the comp will still lift the cup in the end..
Jerry
Guest
Highlanders don't have enough depth and when they got a few injuries/suspensions they couldn't sustain their grinding spoiling style of play over the whole season. They could beat the Chiefs, but they'd have to have a bit of a turnaround. As far as congratulating Mitchell and the Lions, while I'm not gonna send him a bouquet I will happily draft a press release full of corporate media speak about 'the journey' and 'action points'....
AussieKiwi
Guest
Not much comment so far on the Lions win over the Sharks. Reds and Hurricanes fans should be sending bouquets to Mitchell and his team for opening up the sixth place again. I think the gutsy HIghlanders peaked too early as usual and with the games they have to come they are no chance. Still if the Lions can beat the Sharks, and the Rebels can beat the Crusaders, the Highlanders can beat the CHiefs.......
formeropenside
Guest
Thats the same Brumbies that has lost twice now to the "over-rated" Reds?
Spencer
Guest
Not enough money. Broadcasters keep ARU and NZRU alive. Home derbies pay the bills. Check the viewing numbers. Without the double conference games, the money dries up. Why not each conference play their 2 rounds. Top two teams from each confrence go into the third round. I.e another four matches. The points carried over to round 3 are an average of rounds 1 and 2 intra conference matches. That structure also allows each conference to have a different number of teams I.e. SA gets 6. SA could then use the intra conference as their Currie Cup Division 1. NPC could be similar.
Geoff Brisbane now California
Guest
So with the fact of many people saying that there is too much rugby being played and hence the injuries etc why not a straight forward comp of 14 comp weeks where everyone plays everyone once and then the top 6 compete in the finals. Makes sense or is it too easy.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
The real question is if the Waratahs had no home stadium would we ever hear the end of it?
stillmatic1
Guest
if its so easy peterK, why dont the tahs and reds play their home games elsewhere in their states? its not the sydney waratahs or brisbane reds is it? would you say the same thing if the reds had to play in weipa or the tahs in broken hill? travel is travel, playing at the sfs or anz stadium is not a problem when you can still sleep in the same bed at night. of course they would have had more support than the visitors, but does home ground/town advantage only mean the crowd now?
Jerry
Guest
Perhaps 'no advantage' is not accurate but they had home matches played at neutral venues (London, Napier) or even the other teams home ground (Wellington), there were in fact some matches where they had no home advantage, and even when they did have 'home advantage' it was substantially less than other teams would have had. The original point that without that disadvantage they may have been able to finish higher than the Reds is still valid.
PeterK
Guest
of course it is. Crusaders did not have to travel as far as the opposition. They still have home crowds cheering for them and influencing the ref. Yes it is a ground they dont play at as often, but it i still a home ground. The statement made was they did not get the advantage of any home games, that is blatantly and factually wrong. They received more advanatge surely than the visiting team who had to travel further, who had crowds against them.
Jerry
Guest
Don't be disingenuous Peter, it's hardly comparable.