what even between SA and NZ ? – just can’t see the wallabies getting near either side

When you’re there it’s not hard to gauge the impact on the TV coverage – as there’s numerous channels replaying every game plus of course there’s the live games to take in from the other cities – the sound comes across far, far worse on TV than when you’re at the actual game – when you’re in the various stadiums the normal football atmosphere is still there the vuvuzela is just another added component – FIFA certainly did the right thing by allowing them

Negtives ? – why dwell on what really are minor gripes – overall I think this has been a fanastic world cup – with SA proving a lot of doubters wrong, they most certainly can hold their head high and should be congratuated on putting together an excellent tournament.

the vuvuzelas are actually fine – they sound a lot worse on TV than when you’re actually in the ground – they add to the atmosphere and the experience of being in Africa.

Sure the refs have been inconsistent but are they any worse than some of the displays and decisions that we see in the the major leagues around he world – the only difference is that due to the compressed nature of the tournament – bad decisions are amplfied – there’s no chance of them being evened out over a total of 7+ games .

Bit hard on Messi – he performed in the group stages – the rest certainly have been a letdown but world cups often are like that – we should look at positives surely of the new stars coming through.

The ball ? – the worst thing I noticed was it’s high bounce in some of the early games – but these blokes are highly skilled and they’ve generally come to grips with it – it most certainly hasn’t been a factor in keeping some sides out at the expense of others.

Finally one point that seems to get missed is the climate – a winter tournament that has provided perfect playing conditions

Just don’t see this other than an opportunity to moan about supposed rough decisions dished out to the aussies …. sure Cahill may have got a hard deal – but in the pre-tournament game against the kiwis it was spelled out to him in no uncertain terms, both in the press and by his coach, that if you go diving in 2 footed then refs at the w/cup will take a dim view of it …. as for Kewell you’re surely not seriously suggesting the ref had any other option …

Regarding the ball surely these guys are pro’s and should be able to adapt – which quite obviously all the last 16 teams have as did those teams that dropped out ….

play acting and diving unfortunately has been around for decades, yet the competition still produces quality games – there’s nothing wrong with this tournament compared to any other – in fact SA have proved a lot of doubters wrong by producing a top quality event

Won’t happen … I’d even go as far and say a full strength Irish outfit would get beaten by this NZ team – Ireland are on the downward slope – their big game players have rarely, if ever, performed to a decent standard in NZ and it won’t start now … Aussie will roll them also

like OJ I expect 3-0 for the June tests …. the difference this year Warren is that perversely having a disappointing S14 campaign has been a positive for Henry and Co as they’ve been able to have an extra week with the squad than they normally do …. over the last few seasons I’ve almost got the feeling that the scheduling has tried to manufacture an uphill challenge for the AB’s with crazy 7 day turnarounds …

wet or dry I can’t see Ireland getting within 20 points on Saturday – I expect Stanley to go well and if the rumours are true and Dagg plays – then hopefully we get to see some of that running style style which on occasions mirrors Cullen …

excellent news for the A league

and Thomson

that’s wrong – it was the NZRFU who instigated the dropping the regional identifiers – there are no such teams as the one’s you’ve listed

I’d agree with that Winston – if you were looking at an Aussie – I’d have an early Latham …. Cullen for sure and Wilson also – just class

the use of “sack” has slipped in over the last couple of seasons as well – I’d argue that the use of red zone has slipped in more from league using it and being picked up from there

So how do you expect a bloke in Northland or North Harbour to connect to Super rugby if they scrapped the blues and just called them Auckland …. ditto those people in Manawatu, Hawkes Bay and Taranaki with a re-badged Wellington team …. it just won’t happen ….

as OJ has pointed out the NPC showed last year growth in viewership in the regions only … the major centres are showing nil growth or in fact regressing and that’s in both NPC and Super 14 … rename the super teams with only one province and those feeder provinces won’t bother supporting at all and viewership will drop further …

This S15 format is going to be interesting …. I can see the S15 format being far more receptive to kiwis as they’ll switch on to watch the home game rounds – but I certainly can’t see kiwis flicking on to watch the Aussie conference – some may recored the SA games – but overall this new format will certainly polarise viewership …

overall the SA and NZ derby games have generally produced intense and watchable games .. however the Australian derby games have been on the whole horrible to watch – they regularly produce error ridden affairs like this years NSW v ACT game – that’s not going to get people switching on … throw in the fact that Australia hasn’t won a super rugby title since expansion and they are the only ones expanding again – then the lack of on-field success may impact on the current supporter base

If Gasnier and Folau are a devillish pair of mercenaries … what makes you think that any of the top Storm players that may have the heads turned aren’t the same …

getting the necessary players in was always going to be a hard process … Mortlock really is on the sweetest of deals for someone continually injured and on the downward slope – 3 years is 2 too many … Cipriani has many, many demons to exorcise and really shouldn’t be expected to be on fire from the first whistle … Huxley is a great story – but strip away the emotion of it all and he was nothing more than steady for the Brumbies this year, Frier is an honest toiler – but too small to really be classified as anything other than a journeyman

Brett I’m not trying to be provocative at all – but the aussie derby games over the last couple of seasons (barring possibly a handful) have been turgid, boring, mistake ridden affairs … just the type of games that a new team could handle and possibly sneak a few results – I couldn’t for instance see the Rebels living in either the NZ or SA conferences as their derby games are on the whole far more competitive and free flowing

The major leg up for the Rebels is the new format – they’ll be playing the majority of their games in the weakest pool and have limited external exposure to the SA and NZ teams … that way they can muddle through the first season having a few good victories against the aussie teams and perhaps a few brave defeats when on the international road – I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them paired off against the Cheetahs, Lions and Highlanders when the draw comes out

Just like the 1st international last year the Wallabies will roll a team in black and white on Saturday … Cooper will have a field day, the backline will sparkle …. which in turn will switch the media (esp the foxsports cheerleaders) into overdrive ….

and another thing who at he ARU decided to play this game in Canberra – where by kick off the temp will below well south of 10 degrees …. nice way to stack the deck even further …. perhaps they should hold a rematch in Darwin – to give the poor old Fijians a bit more of a chance

Whilst I understand that – surely given SA’s unique situation – some form of leeway could have been used when constructing their side … for example say Richards never got to play a test the option of leaving him out, based on that fact alone, would be madness

In addition to this announcement it’s also worth remembering NZ rugby are in a unique situation this year – they of course continue to run their NZ A squad to help develop the fringe players but they also have the Maori celebrations providing another layer of quality international competition for those players not named in this squad – so the likes of Ranger aren’t out of the mix for the tri nations

No mention whatsoever of Clive Rice for SA – strange to say the least

NZ 1 Serbia 0 …. now there’s a result to make the other teams in the kiwis group take notice

I’d take issue with most of what you’ve stated … however I’d also point out that Haden most definitely is not considered a great AB – to become one of those you need to perform not only on the paddock (and some would question some of his actions here) but also how you conduct yourself after your career – there’s simply no way Haden could be put in the same sentence as Lahore, Meads, Jones etc ..

As far as Haden is concerned he’s nothing but a walking headline hunter – that he’s given airtime by a clown like Deaker says more about the “quality” the show he pushes than anything else … I’d be surprised if there was anything less than universal condemnation from the mainstream media and the general public …

For a start isn’t Mitchell on the ARU payroll and in a role where, for the last 4-5 seasons, he’s meant to be developing players – he’s hardly going to say anything different – the other factor is the kiwis don’t over-hype and start shouting from the rooftops every new kid that laces up his boots – I’d argue there’s far more depth and quality in the NZ ranks than there will ever be in Australian rugby … one classic example – last year they were struggling in the second row and haul out Donnally

we had this same thing last year – the press took far too much out of the weak games leading into the tri-nations (esp the babas game), Dean’s spouted about how it was going to be the most competitive tri-nations ever and then went on to win 1 game … the kiwis will look at that squad and won’t lose too much sleep – the NZ pack won’t be dominated by whatever combination comes out the mix, will still feel confident of ruling the breakdown and they now won’t have to contend with the one player who the feared the most in the backline – Mortlock …

Mexted is obviously not everyone’s cup of tea .. however when you break through some of the comments for comments sake he actually makes some decent analysis ….

I find, on the whole, the kiwis actually make far more rational comments than most – sure there’s the odd one-eyed view every now and then – but overall they’re streets ahead of their Aussie conterparts … I mean what the f!@k was Kearns trying to do in Reds / Brumbies game having a crack at the refs accent – it’s just cringe worthy … and then ramp it up tenfold once the tests roll around ..

what I do enjoy is the pre-game blurb on the friday night game out of NZ … Melodie Robinson and Ian Jones etc .. no rubbish, no trying to joke around – just decent analysis and comment

Think you’re wrong there – it’s the top team of each conference which are guaranteed a spot – after that it’s a free for all … so the likelihood of Australia picking up another finals spot from next year onward, given they’ll be the ones yet again diluting the quality of their teams to fit a 5th side, are very slim indeed – esp in the short term.

If history tells us anything then this year will be the last chance for an Australian side to pick up a super rugby title for quite sometime …. perhaps if the ARU do place a national trophy on their conference – then there’ll be a emphasis shift by the Aussie teams to play for this at the expense of the bigger picture – but we’ll only know the answer to that 3 years in … or never if they ARU don’t go down this route.

Aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves here – let the S15 get bedded down fist before talking further expansion, new formats – the original post is about how the more home / away games could have a negative effect on things – yet already we got ‘what next’