Super 14 v Super 12

[MysticBalls]

With this first year of Super 14 coming to end, are there any comparisons to be made? (apart from obviously the two new teams)

Whilst watching the Stormers v Crusaders match Rd12, the Saffa commentators mentioned how many more passes were dropped this year, as compared to S12.

The perennial complaint is always refereeing standards, but have there been any 'interpretation' changes to rules and enforcement ie 'truck and trailer' ?

Are styles of play more evident like mauls following lineouts? Lack of ball possession has been limiting the amount of phase play!

Any rorting of substitution & blood bin rules ( I've tried to find these rules out for myself !)

Any other issues that you'd like to see the "powers that be" address, or just changes to the game? 8)

One quirk of the draw is say a NZ team returning from Saffa to play another Saffa team whose already been on the road (or in NZ) and has a more settled preparation, and then beats the home team who is unsettled by jet-lag and a 20+days tour! ( eg H'Landers v Sharks Rd6)

Crowd levels and averages can be compared up to Rd12 only, but totals would be interesting too.

Team performances would rate in terms of building,consolidating or declining from one year to next.

Have your say - you'd be surprised who reads TWF !

[Sagerian]

I think the global game is changing, as the Wallabies discovered last year. The focus seems to be more on 10 man rugby than constantly firing to the backline to make everything happen and I think the Super 14 is also showing this.

Maybe I'm off the mark, just my opinion.

[Burgs]

Yeah, I agree with that Sage, seems to be a greater reliance on hitting it up and then kicking for field position. This is a little surprising to me following the stats released last year which showed (from memory) most S12 tries were scored in under three phases of play, tries were rarely scored from more than seven phases and S12 had the greatest reliance on counter attack scoring than the other top comps around the globe.
To some degree it was forecasted pre season that forwards would feature more in the new comp and Mitchell certainly recruited with that in mind.
The one I feel should be tightened up Mystic is the abuse of the compulsory return of a front row player if all the reserve front rowers have been used.
For the safety aspect I have no issue with this happening however, to avoid using this as an eighth reserve I feel the Coach should at that point have to nominate one of the remaining bench players who is then unable to take part. Pretty much all teams were guilty of this at some stage during the season however, I would suggest that the Cheetahs with Os Du Randt and Ollie Le Roux have been the biggest benefactors of this loophole.

[.X.]

The problem is there would be no way of enforcing the rule Burgs. How do you make a rule that is for the safety of the players, but has to be followed "in the spirit of the game". While it is a loophole - all coaching staff would be silly not to use it to the benefit of their teams.

Im not saying that its right or wrong, but why be the only team not doing it, because of admirable sentement. Nice guys(teams) do finish last. And that is exactly what will happen to any teams that refuse to exploit the rule as it is currently written.

[Burgs]

Totally agree that while it is there that it should be exploited Exile, just saying it is one they should tighten up on in the laws in the future.
You have a seven man bench, you should only have seven interchanges (exluding blood rule).
That is another one I noticed exploited by the Cheetahs, if you are back on the bench and not being attended then you must be ready to return to the field. Os sat on the sideline for about five minutes before subbing back onto the match. Pretty sure that is covered in the existing rules but the match official on the interchange wasn't pulling his weight. Against the Tahs I think it was?

[shasta]

The focus seems to be more on 10 man rugby than constantly firing to the backline to make everything happen and I think the Super 14 is also showing this.

No you're not off the mark sage.

One twist to this trend is that the NZ teams, in particular, have learned to punish any mistakes made with territorial kicking even more severely than they have in the past. To their credit the two coaches in the S14 who've, in the main, resisted the trend to the 10 man game most are J Mitchell and E McKenzie.

[MysticBalls]

At the start of the season, they were pausing the "CROUCH & HOLD -- ENGAGE" too long for scrum engagements, causing many pedantic penalties to be given (especially with young or new refs). Ref Fourtein seems to be the best now at minimizing the pause and allowing the packs to engage with limited re-setting of scrums or penalties. Any views on this?

Also the immediate wheeling of the scrum seems to be more prevalent as a tactic, once the ball is fed.

I don't believe I've seen as many clearing kicks from inside 22, not reach the sideline as this year. Is the torpedo kick responsible?