SARrugby.com

If you look at the log you would notice that the Reds are sitting in 3rd place even though they should be sitting in 6th. What this new format has done is to ensure the Aussies get an extra game and a home game to boot. If this was a league format then these guys should have been in 6th position playing the Crusaders this weekend but what it has done is that two teams that are stronger than them have to both lose out on a home game and to add on top of that,  travel half way around globe. 

If we had a rugby administration with a spine we would have have seen the Bulls vs Sharks this weekend and Crusaders vs Reds. 

For the Semis it would have been Stormers vs Sharks / Bulls and Chiefs  vs Crusaders / Reds. 

The team that beat either the reds or crusaders will have to fly all the way back to SA for a semi.

If the Crusaders and Reds win then the Stormers have to play the Crusaders when the Reds were clearly the weaker team.

The best of all is that it was apparantly SA who pushed for the home QF for the conference winners, now its costing our sides!

I have in principle two problems with the format.   That teams are not playing all the opposing teams and the one issue is the combined log as outlined above.  There should not be guaranteed places for teams on the combined log.   The presnt weakness in the system should be done differently by guaranteeing every country at least one play-off spot - but not necessarily a home play off game.   That could be at least a spot between no's 3 and 6 on the log.   That would mean that in the case of this year - the Reds would be number 6 on the combined log - not number 3 as the case is at present.

Although South Africa proposed the system - they were supported in it by Australia and the latter would never agree to any change prior to 2016.   The fact that the Reds with 58 points on the combined log is really a bad situation.   If the Sharks beat them on Saturday - they have to fly back to SA to play the Stormers.   If they beat the Stormers - they would have to fly to New Zealand to play the Chiefs or Crusaders the next week.   That is a real impossibility to expect from players in a team - they cannot possibly even compete in the Final - leave alone winning the trophy.

I agree with Mike.

At least one team from each conference should be included in the top 6, but accordingly placed by their point totals.

The thing that bugs me, is the Reds could have one of the easiest routes, when they should have the toughest because of their point total. That is not the way it should be.

 Hey guys its all about money.

Soon we will be like the bladdy Yanks/Canadians and have to play the final (best of seven series to sort out a winner.)

Money, Money makes the world go crazy.

We can all moan as much as we like but at the end of the day we all knew what the permutations were when it started out. The fact that this system was pushed implemented and fully encouraged by all the SA muppets who are our rugby administration makes me even more pissed.

Maybe the fact that the Sharfks and the Bulls are playn away will put some common sense back into this pathetic format. To be fair guys the only way that SARU will listen is if both SA teams lose this week and then the Stormers lose.

Damn we do some dumb things - cant wait to see what else they got planned for our Bokkies

Arthur John,

You will never see a best of 7 series in Rugby.

You're right about it being all about the money though.