Super Rugby: 5 Things we learned from Round 2
- 781
1 If you punch an opponent in the face, you deserve a red card and suspension, and perhaps your team should add a fine and non-selection. Hayden Triggs gave his Blues teammates a nigh impossible task of winning their game against the Stormers with 14 men when he was sent off in the 24th minute.
2 The ‘high octane’ game envisaged by SANZAR Game Manager and referees’ boss Lyndon Bray is not taking place, the primary cause of which remains pedestrian, time-consumingscrums taking far too long, with way too many collapsed scrums, too often ending in penalties, with referees at times guessing who is at fault. If rugby is to bolster spectator numbers and TV viewership in established rugby countries and to spread the appeal of the game internationally, and to deserve its share of the ‘commercial dollar’, this blight on the sport needs to be addressed.
3 The loudly heralded entry of Karmichael Hunt into Super Rugby hit the pause button after he was served with a ‘Notice to Appear in Court’ on allegations of supplying cocaine, and withdrawn from the Reds team for their game against the Force. The former NRL and AFL star was courted for some time by Reds coach Richard Graham, and made vice-captain of the Reds before he had even played a game. Much has been expected of Hunt by the Reds, and he has been touted as a possible 2015 Wallaby. Perhaps it’ll all work out and he’ll be back in rugby soon, but we learn again that all is not always as it seems.
4 David Pocock reminds us that there are individuals whose presence or absence can be decisive to their team’s fortunes. His imposing performance in the Brumbies thrashing of the Reds last week, and his unavailability through injury in their defeat to the Chiefs this week, are indications that the Brumbies chances of winning the competition depend to a fair extent on Pocock recovering quickly and then remaining injury-free.
5 On the evidence of the first two rounds of the 18 regular-season rounds, there are six young players who have shown that they have what it takes to be future stars: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs flyhalf/first five-eighth, 19 years old), Sean McMahon (Rebels flank, 20), Scott Barrett (Crusaders lock, 21), Jesse Kriel (Bulls fullback, 21), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Sharks lock, 22), Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders centre, 22).
