You might think I have officially gone stark raving mad or, even worse, I've become the biggest turncoat in sport. Either way, let me explain. Yes, I have been hugely critical of the finals format and, yes, I have constantly lamented the lack of skill and quality in Australia and, outside of the Lions, the continuous decline of South African teams. But, and this is a massive but, I can honestly say I've never felt more engaged or enjoyed Super Rugby more than I have this year. My reasons, in no particular order:
The Kiwi sides - their skill level, speed, and scant regard for making the improbable probable have been great. It even led to one heated debate on my NewstalkZB show, "who's the most skilful forward in New Zealand rugby?" Dane Coles won the day, but the contenders are endless. Then there is the rugby itself. Where are all the scrum resets, the laborious time it used to take for lineouts? Rugby has a flow again. The stats tell us the time the ball is in play is up and, therefore, our enjoyment levels are up. Which leads me back to my original question: is this the best season of Super Rugby ever?
I remember when Super Rugby started in 1996. Maybe I'm looking back through rose-tinted glasses but it felt like that was the best rugby there has been.
That was until I interviewed Sir Graham Henry, the man who coached the Blues to successive titles. I expected him to proclaim that era was the best rugby he'd seen as well. Alas, no. In fact, Graham asked if I'd had one too many Vs and began to explain why rugby now is so much better. Stronger players, better skill-sets, younger players better able to make the transition not just into the All Blacks, but professional rugby in general. Quite simply, the Kiwi rugby production line has never been in better shape. We've seen that across all Kiwi franchises, even the Blues, in 2016.
So while I remain frustrated at Sanzaar's head-in-the-sand approach to a flawed competition, I have never enjoyed more Kiwi games or felt more connected to Super Rugby.
