2016 Rugby Championship
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<p>not that fussed really, either way TBH...</p>
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<p>In super rugby 2013 there were 81 BPs (BP1 41 and BP2 39) after 14 rounds</p>
<p>In super rugby 2014 there were 73 BPs (BP1 38 and BP2 35) after 14 rounds</p>
<p>In super rugby 2015 there were 89 BPs (BP1 45 and BP2 44) after 14 rounds</p>
<p>In super rugby 2016 there were 80 BPs (BP1 39 and BP2 40) after 14 rounds</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="590909" data-time="1466720816">
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<p>three more teams but.</p>
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<p>takes it down to 70 if you remove the 10 BPs from those 3 teams, although as I am sure know it wouldn't be quite that straight forward, given most teams that have played them have received a BP they may not have received otherwise....</p>
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<p>I was just putting the stats up to shows the variance in previous years when it was as it had always been,and cos stats are awesome for showing stuff that is meaningless :)</p> -
<p>not my stats bro, they come from a website...I just posted them, they prove loads of stuff about stuff!</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="590914" data-time="1466721657">
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<p>Your stats aren't really relevant though.</p>
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<p>As mentioned above, it removes the situation where a loss with 2 bonus points gives the same points as a draw. I don't think that's fair.</p>
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<p>I have no issue with it. 2 points is fark all -- if you score 4 tries, and get within 7, then why the hell not? The 4 try bonus point incentivises running open rugby. The 3 try margin emphasises dominant victories. With the 4 try, losing teams are playing to get a point, rather than deny someone else a bonus point.</p>
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<p>I was OK with the 4 try, and not particularly fussed about the 3 clear try rule. We'll see how it goes though.</p> -
<p>It's probably not that relevant - the last time the competition was decided on bonus points was 2005 (NZ won, after it and SA went 3-1) while in 2004 all three teams went 2-2. Over 6 games, the likelihood is probably the same that bonus points settle the champion.</p>
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<p>nzzp is right - the systems emphasise different things (more try-scoring vs. dominant wins). Both are equally valid victories which still encourage try scoring (you still have to score at least three tries to be in contention). The new system to be strikes a better balance between try scoring and rewarding good defence - the old system is biased towards try scoring. However, a team can have what I would still consider a dominant win in terms of tries scored (3 tries to 1 or 4 tries to 2) and still not get rewarded.</p>
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<p>Without advocating even more change before this one has an effect, moving to 6 point tries and 2 point penalty goals would certainly incentivise try-scoring and reduce the likelihood of losing bonus points.</p> -
<p>In theory this new bonus points system is meant to encourage teams to play for the full 80 mins (a terrible cliche), and continue to attack or defend depending on the circumstances. Previously a team that had banked the 4 try bonus point wasn't that worried if they leaked tries in the last 20 mins because they still got the 5 points for a win.</p>
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<p>The big downside is that there is the potential for the winning team to be more negative and just kick the ball away near the end of the game. Better to be in the oppostion's half without the ball than risk conceding a late try by running it from within your own half. Watch the Top 14, it hasn't made for a better spectacle.</p> -
<p>You couldn't make most T14 games a better spectacle with strippers, it's dour rubbish</p>
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<p>I don't mind a tight, low scoring affair at all (I'm a forward for christ's sake, i fucking love lineouts and mauls), as long as there is still some endeavour and skill involved. Some T14 games i watch are just basic bash it in to the teeth, set piece, repeat, neither side willing to try much at all. Boring. It's not all games, i've watched some very good ones, but they are in the minority (qualifier, i don't watch a huge amount, and maybe i am just unlucky). </p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="590938" data-time="1466726456">
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<p>Also depends what you class as a spectacle.</p>
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<p>I reckon the England v Australia series has been a better watch than the NZ v Wales series. I'd rather watch close games than open try fests</p>
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<p>Same here! That last game was my favourite match this season.</p>
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<p>This weekends game is even more intriguing as it could prove Catogrande to be a witch and England get the whitewash!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="590955" data-time="1466728688">
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<p>This weekends game is even more intriguing as it could prove Catogrande to be a witch and England get the whitewash!</p>
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<p>Peasant 1: We have found a witch, may we burn him? (cheers)<br>
Vladimir: How do you know he is a witch?<br>
P2: He looks like one!<br>
V: Bring him forward<br>
(advance)</p>
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Catogrande: I'm not a witch! I'm not a witch!<br>
V: ehh... but you are dressed like one.<br>
They dressed me up like this!<br>
All: naah no we didn't... no.<br>
And this isn't my nose, it's a false one.<br>
(V lifts up carrot)<br>
V: Well?<br>
P1: Well we did do the nose<br>
V: The nose?<br>
P1: ...And the hat, but he is a witch!<br>
(all: yeah, burn him burn him!)<br>
V: Did you dress him up like this?<br>
P1: No! (no no... no) Yes. (yes yeah) a bit (a bit bit a bit) But he has got a wart!<br>
(P3 points at wart)<br>
V: What makes you think he is a witch?<br>
P2: Well, he turned me into a newt!<br>
V: A newt?!<br>
(P2 pause & look around)<br>
P2: I got better.<br>
(pause)</p>
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P3: Burn him anyway! (burn him burn him burn!)<br>
(king walks in)<br>
V: There are ways of telling whether he is a witch.</p>
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P1: Are there? Well then tell us! (tell us)<br>
V: Tell me... what do you do with witches?<br>
P3: Burn'em! Burn them up! (burn burn burn)<br>
V: What do you burn apart from witches?<br>
P1: More witches! (P2 nudge P1)<br>
(pause)<br>
P3: Wood!</p>
<p>V: So, why do witches burn?<br>
(long pause)<br>
P2: Cuz they're made of... wood?<br>
V: Gooood.</p>
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(crowd congratulates P2)<br>
V: So, how do we tell if he is made of wood?<br>
P1: Build a bridge out of him!<br>
V: Ahh, but can you not also make bridges out of stone?<br>
P1: Oh yeah...<br>
V: Does wood sink in water?<br>
P1: No<br>
P3: No. It floats!<br>
P1: Let's throw her into the bog! (yeah yeah ya!)<br>
V: What also floats in water?<br>
P1: Bread<br>
P3: Apples<br>
P2: Very small rocks<br>
(V looks annoyed)<br>
P1: Cider<br>
P3: Grape gravy<br>
P1: Cherries<br>
P3: Mud<br>
King: A Duck!<br>
(all look and stare at king)</p>
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<p>V: Exactly! So, logically...<br>
P1(thinking): If he weighs the same as a duck... she's made of wood!<br>
V: And therefore,<br>
(pause & think)<br>
P3: A witch! (P1: a witch)(P2: a witch)(all: a witch!)<br>
V: We shall use my largest scales.<br>
(V jumps down)</p> -
<p>I preferred the old system for Super rugby. Not that the new one is bad, I just don't buy the argument that it somehow means teams will "play for the 80"</p>
<p>The threat of losing is what will keep teams playing and if they are that far ahead that a couple of tries against them doesn't matter I don't think any bonus point system is going to change that.</p>
<p>The other reason I don't like it is because Im automatically suspicious of any changes SANZAR makes to "fix" the product which apparently so broken despite producing the Top 3 test teams in the world over the last decade or so (give or take a few fluctuations).</p>
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<p>With the shorter rugby championship game I'm not sure what system would be best. Don't think the old one was broken. Do we even need bonus points? Why not just a count back on for and against between the teams that are tied on the table?</p> -
<p>All Blacks preparation for the RC: Counties Manukau and Northland<br>
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<p><strong><span style="font-size:18px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A Game of Three Halves returns</span></span></strong><br>
<br><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">allblacks.com 24 Jun 2016</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The All Blacks will again take on two provincial sides, Counties Manukau and Northland in August, as part of their preparations for the Investec Rugby Championship, it was announced today.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The ‘Game of Three Halves’ training matches will be held at ECOLight Stadium in Pukekohe on the evening of Friday 12 August, with the first ‘game’ kicking off at 5.30pm.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The All Blacks will play 40-minute training matches against each provincial side, with the two provincial teams also playing a 40-minute match.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The matches will be played as the provincial sides prepare to kick off their 2016 campaigns for the renamed national competition, the Mitre 10 Cup.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It will be the second time Counties Manukau have hosted the All Blacks for the hugely-popular event, with previous events in Auckland and Wellington attracting thousands of fans.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Tickets for The Game of Three Halves are available from the Counties Manukau RFU offices at ECOLight Stadium or online from iticket.co.nz. Ticket prices start from $7 for the embankment.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Counties Manukau Steelers Head Coach Darryl Suasua can’t wait for the occasion.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“The opportunity to take on the All Blacks and Northland at home in Pukekohe is exciting for our community and our players. It will be an honour to play and host the All Blacks again and we are really looking forward to this.â€</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen said: “The training matches against provincial teams are great for our build-up and we are grateful for the opportunity to play Counties Manukau and Northland. It should be a great night.â€</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Northland Taniwha Head Coach Richie Harris said: “Many New Zealand boys dream of one day playing for the All Blacks. Our national provincial competition has always been part of the pathway into Super Rugby and into the All Blacks. This is a rare opportunity for our players to play against the All Blacks, possibly the next best thing to playing for our national team.â€</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The All Blacks will be in Auckland as part of their preparations for the Bledisloe Cup and opening Investec Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday 20 August.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The opening round of Mitre 10 Cup will kick off the same week, with Counties Manukau taking on North Harbour on Thursday 18 August and Northland playing Manawatu the following night.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://files.allblacks.com/NZRU_Media_Releases/2016/2016_MITRE_10_Cup_Draw_FINAL.pdf'>Click here</a> to view the Mitre 10 Cup draw for 2016.</span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.allblacks.com/Fixtures/2016'>Click here</a> to view the Investec Rugby Championship draw.</span></span></p>
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<p> <br><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.allblacks.com/News/29367/a-game-of-three-halves-returns'>http://www.allblacks.com/News/29367/a-game-of-three-halves-returns</a></p>