As the competition begins a new season, it all went off with a Bang! Finally, the protagonists were let loose on the field. No more training runs or pre-season games or trials. It was ‘GAME ON’ and as I sat at Eden Park on a sun-filled evening, it was fun, it had excitement and it had a Super result.
The 2016 Super Rugby season has been promoted as #SUPERBANGBANG on social media, and while the opening act of the season certainly had the excitement levels raised for players and fans alike, entertained by the dancing girls promoting that strategy, the rugby soon took hold until two streakers disrupted play, and probably got the biggest cheer of the evening. Even the ladies seated in front of us could all laugh with big smiles on their faces.
Fans like myself lined up to see if the new Blues side were any better than the ones who struggled for the last two years. They emerged from the changing sheds clad in a new kit that reminds me of the Smurfs cartoon program, but fortunately for Tana Umaga and his men, they played like champions rather than toys in winning 33-31, even without regular captain Jerome Kaino. A great accomplishment.
Opposing them were the 2015 Super Rugby Champion Highlanders team. While basking in the glory of that epic final, the Jamie Joseph coached side are continually the quiet achievers of this competition, they walked out with a confidence and with massive support at the ground that I saw. They would not be intimidated by a vocal crowd and in this game, would indeed be the first team to score in this 2016 season. Yes, they did their very best to fight for the win, right up to the final scoring movement of the match in fact only to fall just short by only a handful of points.
She sure feels good ??? #bleedblue #BLUvHIG https://t.co/GfeZPxbDU5 pic.twitter.com/bz0oKp6XNI
— The Blues (@BluesRugbyTeam) February 26, 2016
I was present as a fan of rugby, but also too as my allegiance had changed in the last twelve months; from years of cheering on the local Blues team, I’d found the constant disappointment too much to bear and found the Southern men to be a team I could identify with. Hard working, blue collar men who turned up each week and left satisfied–win or lose. While the big city team had changed all too often, fans had long forgotten the days of 2003 and the trophies that used to decorate the Auckland headquarters.
If I were honest, it just got to me and I am probably not the only one.
The banter from other teams which saw the Auckland team as perennial under achievers. Like many, we found alternate sides to support [Landers] or joined The Warriors league team supporters club, and people like myself came along to see if that sides game had improved. Former head coach John Kirwan’s first match was also a win, so it will take far more time for Umaga to build a winning culture back at Eden Park, but it was a fine opening match and he remarked on the Blues website “The guys really stepped up the physicality in defence in the second half, and that coupled with an excellent platform and set piece ball gave us some good front foot ball.”
“They threw a lot at us but we showed enough determination and patience to wear them down. It was a brutal battle and one we are very glad to come out the right side of. It was a tremendous to get a result in front of such a big crowd. We will enjoy this and get back to the hard work on Sunday.”
Sitting among the crowd, swathed in Blue but with many pockets of Highlanders Blue, Gold and Maroon, the match had us all transfixed. The weather helped, as the sun lowered behind the West Stand, the atmosphere built and there were calls of “Go Blues” with retorts of “Let’s go Highlanders”. The scoring throughout the match was fairly even, some huge hits and the ball was spread wide quickly and just before halftime, Aaron Smith put in a beautiful chip kick that Waisake Naholo grasped onto. TRY! 20-24 at halftime.
What was missing in 2016 was the fireworks. For years, flames bellowed every time the home team scored. That might have been removed but fans still sprang to their feet and waived their complimentary Blues flags wildly, especially when Blake Gibson scored (running over Ben Smith amazingly) The action continued in the second half, with The Blues extending their lead with some penalty shots that saw them out to a 26-24 lead.
That confidence soon saw the returning Patrick Tuipulotu fight his way over the line for a dogged try and earned him the Man of the Match award. Great to see the former All Black performing after surgery, and too Rene Ranger who was the crowd favorite when he was substituted on in the second half.
It seemed like the game had been won until the two streakers upset the home sides concentration [and how could it not] and incredibly The Highlanders reacted quickly, charging almost 70 metres upfield and Ben Smith collected his second try. Replacement first-five Hayden Parker; who had missed a crucial penalty minutes earlier that would have resulted in a draw, was successful in his conversion and the result stood at 33-31. The hosts retained the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy as well (played in honour of the man who coached both franchises)
A closely fought win but speaking for myself, I was satisfied with the match as a spectacle. A fun environment to be in for adults and children, for rugby purists too and for those walk-up families and couples enjoying a night out. We all got our monies worth on a super Friday night at Eden Park that sets the scene for a fresh competition.
I’ll be watching again in round two as I am traveling down to Forsyth-Barr Stadium in Dunedin for the next match which is a replay of the 2015 final: this time the champions host the runner up Hurricanes team, and those visitors will now be more determined due to a walloping from the Brumbies last night 54-10. It should be another exciting night, and if week one of the competition continues to entertain us with close games; like the terrific opening win for the Argentinian Jaguares side, then many more fans will be cheering for a Super result.
Bang Bang!
What we learned
The ACT Brumbies scored the maximum bonus points available, and congratulations to them for that. Five crucial points that can mean the difference between a home semi final and having to travel. This may seem a basic illustration of the points scoring system, but when I tell you that the Blues and Jaguares only earned four points; yet they scored four tries, then you might ask “Why did they not accumulate five bonus points?”
Sanzaar have introduced a new bonus point scoring system in 2016, modelled on the French Top 14. It is designed to encourage teams to out-score their opponents. Most teams do try to achieve that, but the years of a consolation four-try bonus point are gone. Neither The Blues or Jaguares walk away with maximum points because respectively, the Highlanders and Cheetahs also scored four tries–meaning the winning team did not hold a three try advantage, so literally lost a potential bonus point.
The technicalities will be confusing for many, as will the conference system but it is up to the promoters of the game to explain this system. In fact, match day announcers might help fans to understand more by announcing to them “cheer on your team to score [this number] of tries to secure, or to not allow, a team to gain a bonus point. Call it a ‘maximum’ and generate excitement for your team to reach that goal, and if losing to keep the other side from winning by three tries or more.
The key to Super Rugby in 2016 is to maintain offence right up to the last minute. That is a good thing although, The Highlanders and Cheetahs may feel a little bit robbed because they have given their opponents a three point advantage. Still, it could have been worse. Ask The Hurricanes, who will wake up in Canberra with one hell of a bad ‘losers hangover’.
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RESULTS: Blues 33 Highlanders 31 | Brumbies 52 Hurricanes 10 | Cheetahs 33 Jaguares 34
FUTURE FIXTURES – Saturday 27th February. Sunwolves v Lions, Tokyo | Crusaders v Chiefs, Christchurch | Waratahs v Reds, Sydney | Force v Rebels, Perth | Kings v Sharks, Port Elizabeth | Stormers v Bulls, Cape Town
“Main photo”
