Super Rugby - 5 Things We Learnt From Round 11

1     With sparse crowds at many Super Rugby matches, what a pleasure it was to see 45,872 people at Newlands to watch Stormers vs Bulls. Spectator support for Western Province and the Stormers in Cape Town remains excellent. 

2     Having line markings from another sport remaining clearly visible on the grass during a Super Rugby match – as at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Saturday – is unacceptable. It caused confusion for the referee and players.

3     Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph’s decision to rest his three best players all in Round 11, rather than one by one, was more than strange – it was akin to pressing the self-destruct button. As a result, the Brumbies earned five log points and the Highlanders none.

4     If the story that Sir John Kirwan has convinced the Auckland hierarchy that he is doing a good job and is the best man to coach the Blues now and in the future is accurate, one can only wonder about their reasoning. Losing nine games out of 10, with a fortuitous solitary win, tells its own story.

5     With David Pocock, Michael Hooper, and Liam Gill all playing superbly every week as openside flanks, and Sean McMahon a consistent standout at blindside, Wallaby coach Michael Cheika faces tough flank selections in the Rugby Championship and World Cup, just as Steve Hansen will have to choose between Ma’a Nonu and Sonny Bill Williams at 12, with each in turn playing brilliantly, and Heyneke Meyer will have to weigh up the merits of the wonderfully skillful Patrick Lambie and Handré Pollard. In the course of the year perhaps they’ll all get plenty of Test game-time.