After three rounds of the Super Rugby season it’s less about spectators and players feeling out squads early in the season and more about teams establishing consistency and starting to build momentum.
In the chock-a-block nature of the conference play-off system it’s important sides get the wheels ticking over sooner rather than later. So who’s ticking the boxes early in the piece? And who is lagging behind the pack?
Here are five things we learnt from Round 3
1. The Rebels are serious
Yes, they have benefitted from the mass exodus of Force players to the latte city, but the Melbourne Rebels have been ultra-impressive in their first two matches of 2018. In Will Genia, Dane Haylett-Petty and skipper Adam Coleman they have a wealth of experience. With that comes a sense of composure on the field that has simply not existed in their first few seasons as a franchise.
Add Reece Hodge and Amanaki Mafi to that list and you have one of the best spines in the tournament. Their win over the Sunwolves was clinical and could’ve been bigger if not for a few lapses in the second half. If they can find consistency, especially away from home, they’re favourites to top the Australian conference and play solid finals football.
(AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
2. The Brumbies are not
Friday night was ugly. A largely insipid performance from the Brumbies saw the Reds steal an upset win in their first home game of the season despite not scoring a single try. The Canberra side was absolutely obliterated at scrum time, and that was ultimately the difference between the two sides.
Their backline is misfiring at the moment too. They seem to be short of ideas when deep in opposition territory. Too often it is a Joe Powell dart or a Lealifano short ball to one of his centres running an unders line.
They have genuine finishing potential out wide in Tom Banks and Henry Speight, and they desperately need to find the keys to unlock that. Beware of the wounded beast in Round 4, though.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
3. The New Zealand conference is a different animal entirely
Despite the vastly improving Rebels outfit and a Waratahs side that has one of the more electric backlines in the competition, I don’t think it’s unfair to say that watching two New Zealand franchises play is just better viewing than any other fixture.
The Chiefs versus Blues game was a belter and the Crusaders continued their winning run with a pretty comfortable dismantling of the Stormers. The New Zealand sides play an attractive brand of rugby. They’re the Louis Vuittons and the Guccis of the Super Rugby. While their end-to-end style of play has existed for years, where they stand out is in their ability to consistently keep the ball alive in broken play.
The New Zealand franchises offload better than any rugby nation in the world. Period. The Waratahs in particular look to be aiming to emulate this style of free-flowing rugby early in 2018, but there’s still a way to go before we can consistently match it with our neighbours across the ditch.
(Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
4. Jake Gordon will keep Nick Phipps out of his starting spot when he returns
Jake Gordon is one of the most vastly improved players in Australian rugby. His form in the NRC in the last two years basically demanded a spot at the Waratahs in 2017, where he sat on the bench behind Phipps for most of the season.
Come 2018 and an injury to Phipps and Gordon has not missed out on his starting opportunity. He was outstanding in his 65 minutes against the Sharks, scoring the first try and providing quick, accurate ball from the base of the ruck.
He is an energiser bunny in attack, and behind Genia he is the best genuine distributor in the country at the moment. When Phipps returns I imagine it will be off the bench and, assuming Gordon stays fit, don’t be surprised if it stays that way for the better part of the season.
(Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
5. Jack Maddocks could well be our next long-term Wallabies flyhalf
It’s early in his career, but with one spring tour as a development player under his belt and the backing of Stephen Larkham to play as a long-term number ten the future looks bright for the young Rebel currently residing on the right wing.
He scored a hat-trick against the Sunwolves on Saturday, but it has been his two delightful try assists in the first two rounds that will set tongues wagging. In Round 1 against the Reds he threw a four-man flat cut-out to Dane Haylett-Petty that saw him score his first try in Rebels colours.
Yesterday against the Sunwolves his 30-metre cut out to a flying Sefa Naivalu who scored untouched was inch-perfect. Special talent.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
He is also at 14 because DHP has the 15 spot that he usually plays in. Maddocks at 10 is a Cheika/Larkham fantasy. Until we see him play some real minutes at SR in that position, it is way, way too early to tell. Just because he racked up try stats last weekend as an outside back doesn't make him a 10. English, Jack D, Hodge and at one point Coleman were they guys giving him and Sefa the great service. They step up to finish the job.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
DHP, Meakes,Coleman,Philip,RHP, Cotterell, Ainsley, Rangi, Faulkner, Ruru, Wessels, Foot. Parling, Ginea, Talekai take us to 13, Not sure where these 11 Rebels come from.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
You are right, It isn't new information but when it is the center of the player culture and emphasised in every game and every training session, it makes a difference. If the Tahs and the Wallabies are thinking like this, it is hard to see. To me it looks like there are a small group of guys with inflated ego's, kicking away the ladder so young talent can't climb up and take their spot.
Jacko
Guest
Malo I'd like to see Maddocks at 10 before saying that...It may well be accurate as I see Foley as a good SR 10 but slightly below a good International 10 but if maddocks is selected on the wing all the time its hard to promote him as an option at 10
Jacko
Guest
because he cant.....to be a great FB it has to be natural......not learned....Wing is where he is instinctive
Jacko
Guest
Well said Richard and Steven. I've been astounded by some of the anti Thorn sentiment and blaming Thorn for the 1st up loss but blaming the brumbies for the Reds win on friday. The Reds were far from perfect but with a bit of luck could of had 3 or 4 trys by half time. Some games those will click and some games they wont but the attitude of every Reds player on friday night was the impressive thing and there was far more to be impressed with than just the scrums. The 3 debutaunts just fitted in smothly when they were required and this side is so young its pretty much an U23 side.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Almost the same? We've already established that there are more previous Rebels than 2017 Force players in the starting XV and 23. Then there's neutral recruits like Genia. I'm not sure you quite understand the meaning of either "almost", or "same".
Fionn
Guest
He spends a lot of time on the wing already. He doesn't play a classic fullback role.
P2R2
Roar Rookie
they have a good back up in Mitch Hunt.....
Ex force fan
Guest
With almost the same team.....haha
Ex force fan
Guest
Wouldn't it be nice if any of the Superugby teams could make the final? The last 4 will look the same as last year....it is predictable and therefore people do not turn up to see their team loose.
Malo
Guest
He’s not a winger, Folau should be placed where he gets the most ball either Fullback but outside centre he’d get plenty of ball. Otherwise keep him fullback and Kuridrani outside centre
Agreed Sam. I think Dyanti has been an absolute pleasure to watch, he has finishing skills and defensively do not shun away from contact, I think Combrink and Dyanti will be the regulars if fit throughout the season. Skosaan is of great concern to me on defence, Mahusa isn’t too bad. I predicted the Bulls will surprise many this season due to Mitchell bringing some much needed rigby intellect to them Pollard has been impressive at 12, the Bulls backline looks to have improved and hopefully Mitchell will continue to make strides to a more intellectual approach to attacking. The Sharks are simply making too many unforced errors and their senior players should be making better decisions. I have some theories about the Stormers but need to verify my suspicions first.
Train Without A Station
Guest
We also didn’t do so well with him there in 2016, or the June tests in 2017.
KiwiHaydn
Guest
Except, you know, Mo’unga has broken his jaw and is likely to be out for at least a couple of months.
Train Without A Station
Guest
I’m not sure Deb is up there with the rest of the backline. I think it’s a matter of 10 being the weakest position, so he’s got a chance there to start.
Morsie
Guest
Yeah, we did so well without him on last year's EOYT. Drop him, he's useless.
Sam Taulelei
Roar Guru
Don't know if it was deliberate or an oversight to omit the SA conference games on the weekend. The Lions v Bulls game was the match of the round. The Lions are missing Combrinck and Skosan on the wings through injury but Dyanti and Mahuza are making lots of people stand up and take notice. Dyanti will be this year's breakout player - SA's answer to Rieko Ioane. Lions are the form attacking team in the competition and are an absolute joy to watch. Forget the timezone difference, do yourself a favour and watch these boys play. They're going to be tough to crack on their home ground and on current form they are the team to beat. The Bulls surprised many last week against the Hurricanes but continued from where they left off and John Mitchell has been impressive in what he's accomplished so far with this team. Not considered by many SA judges pre-season as contenders but on evidence to date, they look far more polished and confident with ball in hand than the Sharks and Stormers. If they can string some wins on the road, they're a good chance to push for a wildcard spot.
Mac
Guest
WC 9) Gordon / Genia 10) Maddocks / Foley 11) Koro 12) Beale 13) Kurandrani 14) Folau / Sefa 15) Hodge / Banks
Dean
Guest
Just pushing my agenda , that’s all ?