A World Cup year will always throw up more puzzles and the Super Rugby Pacific lift-off has been true to form. Here is a quickfire roll call of head-scratchers for Round Four.
HAVE THE WARATAHS FOUND A FULLBACK?
The warts on the NSW Waratahs in the opening weeks have been many but one area of persistent under-performance has been fullback.
It’s not Ben Donaldson’s fault. He’s a flyhalf, pure and simple. He was refashioned as a fullback to squeeze both he and Tane Edmed into the side.
It’s not the first time a team has tried to manufacture a fine positional player into something else and failed.
Waratahs coach Darren Coleman has finally made the call. Donaldson is starting at No.10 against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night, Edmed is on the bench and the attacking punch of teen Max Jorgensen is at fullback.
Jorgensen will enter the line and explode in unexpected places which was never in Donaldson’s make-up.
It’s a good call to get more out of a premium attacking position. Let’s see how it clicks because the Waratahs need it to.
The NSW Waratahs Women take on Force and the Tahs men battle the Chiefs in an enthralling double-header on Friday, 24 March at Allianz Stadium.
CAN THE AUSSIES WIN ON KIWI SOIL?
This is a perennial question. Only the Brumbies and Waratahs were good enough to win on Kiwi soil last year.
We’ll get a read this round with the Waratahs facing an in-form Hurricanes team in Wellington, the Western Force at the end of the rugby world in Invercargill to face the Highlanders and the Melbourne Rebels in Chiefs’ country in Hamilton.
Carter Gordon’s impressive night against the Waratahs in Melbourne was a fine show of his improvement.
In a seven-minute snapshot, he drilled a torpedo punt for a 50-22, he stepped through the line and dished a lovely one-handed pass to Josh Kemeny and he dummied his way over for a key try.
Consistency is the hallmark of top No.10s and the Melbourne Rebels prospect now has to be the calm, controlling head when the Chiefs are running and running.
This will be a true test of where he is at. Shine, even in a losing effort, and judges will be looking at him more and more.
OLD BULL vs NOAH LOLESIO
The homecoming of Christian Lealiifano to Canberra with Moana Pasifika on Saturday night makes for a perfect measuring stick.
The veteran flyhalf is there to give cool-headed direction to the ad-libbing of his team.
Brumbies No.10 Noah Lolesio will have chaos running at him when Moana Pasifika go on attack.
He has to enact a pragmatic game plan that limits those chances a la kicking the ball directly into touch not upfield.
These games can be difficult for a No.10 to take charge of but that’s what Lolesio has to show to be a contender as Wallabies flyhalf.
THE KIDS ROUND THEME
A nobrainer this. It’s a fantastic idea that was hatched when the media-marketing types from the Super Rugby clubs got together during the off-season to dream up themed rounds.
It should get bigger and better in the years to come.
How good is the kids-friendly 3pm kick-off for the Queensland Reds-Fijian Drua game at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Sunday arvo kick-offs at 3pm were once a staple for Queensland teams playing at Ballymore in the 1980s and ‘90s.
You’d enjoy dry-ball rugby, meet your future wife in the Bundy Bar and the night was still young.
Sunday’s game is a potential 60-point match-up of high appeal.
Why the Reds are offering only 1000 free tickets to fans aged 15 and under (when accompanied by a paying adult) is baffling.
Offer 15,000! It’s fine to have Kids Round but clubs need to bang the drum more and get players handing out tickets at every school First XV pre-season training and junior club in the lead-up.
All kids under 12 (accompanied by a paying adult) can get into GIO Stadium for Saturday night’s ACT Brumbies-Moana Pasifika game.
All adults dressed up in silly copycat Brumby Jack costumes should get in free as well.
MO’UNGA v BARRETT
It’s not just Kiwi rugby fans who should savour Saturday’s head-to-head between Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders) and Beauden Barrett (Blues).
Time is ticking on this peak duel of No.10s. They only have two or three duels left at Super Rugby level before both disappear to Japan.
The range of skills they both embrace is why you watch Super Rugby Pacific. The stage will be a poorer place without them in 2024 so enjoy while you can.
Mo’unga has a big task. He has to spark up the underperforming Crusaders. The Crusaders-Blues final in 2022 was a clear clash of the best teams in Super Rugby Pacific.
Are the Crusaders just showing a little wobble at 1-2 and with some key injuries affecting them?
The answer will be an even bigger “YES” if the Blues win this big clash on Saturday night at Eden Park.
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
Shades of Hoss.
ScottD
Roar Guru
Thanks. I'd forgotten that.
Brett McKay
Expert
He's been stood down, Scott, back in January..
Wig
Roar Rookie
Na just in hiding
ScottD
Roar Guru
Is Beale injured?
RayinSydney
Roar Rookie
Totally get that, and I bet the stadium will be less than half full,
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Can't give away the money making tickets mate.
Wizz
Roar Rookie
Only fly half left is the mullet from Melbourne,Cooper JOC Hodge as back up.Rest not up too it..
RayinSydney
Roar Rookie
I’m taking my kids along to the Tahs v Chiefs game next Friday under the kids get in free scheme, went online to book the tickets and they are only allocated General admission and behind the posts at one end only..’cos that’s where kids want to sit and watch their stars play I guess, it’ll be interesting to see what crowd turns up, give out free tickets to kids at one end of the ground while the rest of the stadium is empty, still, hope to enjoy the game .
carnivean
Roar Rookie
If you think that's my point then you've missed what we're talking about. The players that I mentioned are of a tier that means they should be first choices in their role in Super Rugby. All Wallabies or fringe Wallabies should be. The Waratahs have more people in that tier than there are spots. That's a problem for a number of reasons. Cost. Players in that tier take up a chunk of the salary cap. Carrying more than you need limits your spending capacity elsewhere. Development and Playing time. Players in this tier should be using their Super Rugby time to push their skills by playing lots of minutes of quality rugby, not sitting on the pine. Australia can't afford those players to stagnate. Blocking fringe Super Rugby players. The next generation of fringe Wallabies need spots on rosters and some playing time to help them get ready to fill the gaps as the higher tiers leave. Too many fringe Wallabies clog the conveyor belt. Overall Australian depth. If one or two teams have all the best players in certain positions then the other teams are having to play players that aren't ready or will never really be good enough. Push players too soon and they'll fail.
Pete Samu's Tucked Shirt
Roar Rookie
The entire Stan Aussie Commentary team would be whizzing themselves that Nadolo scored. Multis looking good boys
Greysy
Roar Rookie
They let people on the ground after Brumbies matches as long as there's not a Raiders game next day. They stopped during covid but they've brought it back this year.
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
If you get 4 kids going chances are you will get 1 adult going along as well. Without the 4 kids you don’t get the full paying adult. What do you lose by giving free entry to the 4 kids? 5 seconds longer with the blower to clean the rubbish offset by the $20 they all spend on food?
Pete Samu's Tucked Shirt
Roar Rookie
Can't say I've ever seen anyone on Moore Park (SFS), Combank, Olympic Park or McDonald Jones Stadiums...it's crazy. Just let the kids on the field!
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
The Waratahs have 1 established Wallaby. Everyone else was last choice, in and out of the team, or less than 5 wallaby caps. Yes they are Wallabies, but they would not be considered front line players for the wallabies.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
As far as I know he hasn't been given any. Will look into it further, but its silly if they dont' encourage as many as possible to come
carnivean
Roar Rookie
True and I really hope that we're not going to revisit those days. The obvious person that was meant to miss out was Jorgensen. Both Beale and Nadolo would have kept him on a training contract. We have a fairly impressive logjam in a number of areas at the moment. Back row has Hooper, Swinton, Hanigan, Holloway and Glesson as Wallabies, Gamble and Harris as probably Wallabies in the near future and 4 roster spots in the back row (3 on the field and 1 bench). If we keep Sinclair, Seu and the new signing at lock next year then some of those players aren't going to be getting game time. Even this year it feels like 2 too many. Similarly the backline feels like too many players and not enough spots. On one hand it's great that we have that many players competing. Hopefully it drives some of them to excel to nail down starting spots. Hopefully it doesn't drive half of them overseas leaving us with holes in the future. Meanwhile we're struggling at prop and lock (maybe not next year though). Is it time for central contracting and RA moving players from strong rosters to fill gaps in others? Already the incumbent Wallaby 10 was playing out of position and I can't imagine that Eddie would be pleased to lose that development time. The Waratahs can afford to build over a few years, the Wallabies can't.
jeznez
Roar Guru
We'll see where Ramm gets to - he's only 24 and missed two seasons due to injury so don't think he's anywhere near his ceiling yet. The comparison I'm trying to make is Nadolo not getting a game in 2009. Tahs were trying to squeeze Kurtley Beale, Lote Tuqiri, Timana Tahu, Tom Carter, Lachie Turner, Dan Halangahu, Sam Norton-Knight into their game day 23. When you consider that 2009 was Tuqiri's last year, that Tahu didn't kick on and that guys like Ben Batger and Matt Carraro were getting games, then not giving Nadolo his chance looks criminal. Which young gun not getting a game is the next Nemani Nadolo that the Tahs will miss out on?
piru
Roar Rookie
Do they not allow kids on the field at other grounds? They have to wait 15 mins in Perth, but after that they let everyone on
carnivean
Roar Rookie
James Ramm leaving was not great but I can see why he thought he had to. The outside back, especially Beale and Marky Mark was an area of a lot of competition. I don't think he'd have been threatened too much by Nadolo's signing. I also don't think he's going to be good enough to play for England. If he gets there then it will have been their development of him that got him there.