TOCC: I hope the Reds do well this year as they will be rebuilding agin next year when the Force and Rebels strip them of many players.....
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TOCC: I hope the Reds do well this year as they will be rebuilding agin next year when the Force and Rebels strip them of many players.....
I'm not happy that we miss out on playing two teams but the draw actually makes sense once you figure it out - and really it's no more complicated than the AFL draw.
Someone summarise it.
I'll summarise it from a Force point of view to make it easier...
* 3 domestic conferences - Force plays in the Australian conference
* Force plays the other 4 Australian teams twice (8 games)
* Force plays 4 out of 5 New Zealand teams (4 games)
* Force plays 4 out 5 South African teams (4 games)
* 6 team finals = 3 conference winners and remaining 3 best overall teams
* Finals = straight knockout format, with 2 best conference winners getting a bye in 1st week
why do we only play 4 out of 5 SA and NZ teams?
Australia and New Zealand didn't want the tournament starting in early February anymore, while South Africa wanted a mid-season break for the June tests. There was no more room at the end of the season due to the Tri Nations and nobody wanted to budge on their demands so those 2 games got the flick.
Same reason the finals got so complicated - New Zealand wanted a straight top 6, South Africa wanted the top 2 from each country, and I don't think Australia gave a rats.
Exactly FA..... home and away sounds good.... but gee rugby is expensive now... prob drop the membership and rock up each game. They had better be careful they dont price themselves out of the market gold membership $470 odd for 6 games $75+/game sitting in a scafold stand with no cover..... nice dinner with wifey and watch it on Fox!
the focus is on local derbies, the broadcasters and SANZAR realise the main interest is in the local derbies and not the international matches. So SANZAR came up with a system so that each team will play the other teams in there country twice(home and away) and then 4 of the teams from RSA and NZ.
The reason they dont play 5 teams from NZ and RSA Is because the SARU and NZRU didnt want the season going to long that it would intrude onto the provincal comps like the NPC and Currie Cup
So how many home games do we get all in all? It's a tad confusing and I'd hate to be the ones who miss out on playing both the Lions and Highlanders!