Expanded competition makes rugby the winner
Jacques van der Westhuyzen says not everyone will like it, but having the Jaguares and Sunwolves in Super Rugby can only be good for the game.
|||The Stormers were good, and so were the Brumbies. A few other teams, including the Sharks, Chiefs and Lions also recorded good wins in round one of this year’s Super Rugby competition. Sure, it’s early days – but some sides have clearly settled quicker than others and got their game plans and selections right, while a few, like the Kings and Bulls, seem some way off from being competitive forces.
The Bulls should come good as time goes on, but I fear the Kings are in for a tough time. Overall, the new-look 18-team competition – so heavily criticised in the build-up to the competition – got off to a good start and should again keep rugby fans interested, but then again that could change the longer the competition goes on. There will inevitably be matches rugby supporters won’t give a hoot about, but that too, is normal for any league or competition, be it rugby or football.
Including three extra teams wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but after round one it is clear the Jaguares and Sunwolves will add something extra to Super Rugby, with both sides impressing in their debut. The Kings might come good – be it this year or next – but the road getting to that point could be a painful one.
They’ve simply had too many issues off the field to deal with in recent times to have any chance of making a big impression. The team that did impress were the Jaguares. I watched them in a pre-season game against the Lions at Wits and was excited by what they produced.
Then again, Argentina (the Jaguares in different kit and name) have been on the up for some time and have also played some of the most entertaining rugby globally for a good few years now.
Yes, they might be full of Test stars, but to come back from 24-3 down and having two men in the sin-bin, to beat the Cheetahs last Friday is a phenomenal effort.
Consider they were on debut, unsure of what to expect, they were up against a team desperate to start well, and they were in very unfamiliar territory – Bloemfontein. The Jaguares are a side to be taken very seriously. They’re powerful in the set-pieces, strong in defence and they’re prepared to play.
Conservative doesn’t feature in their DNA. Look at them to grow as the competition goes on and expect them to be extremely tough to beat in Buenos Aires.
Japan’s Sunwolves may have come unstuck against the Lions in Tokyo, but they showed enough of their game to have made critics take notice.
They were impressive in many departments, particularly the breakdowns and in defence, and they, too, will grow and learn and get better over the coming weeks.
Not everyone will like it, but having the Jaguares and Sunwolves in Super Rugby can only be good for the game. And, when rugby’s the winner then there’s reason to cheer. – The Star