Kick-off time confirmed:

Sunday 6 August, 2.00am NZT

@Stargazer said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

Kick-off time confirmed:

Sunday 6 August, 2.00am NZT

Good to see they took NZ viewers into consideration.

@Crazy-Horse Granted it sucks for us viewers, but I am sure the Crusaders won't be complaining. Playing on the highveld is hard enough, but playing there under the mid afternoon sun must surely make it even harder. A 4 pm kickoff works in the Crusaders favour.

they shoulda made k/o at 11.30am SA time to give us a more familiar viewing time.

@taniwharugby said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

they shoulda made k/o at 11.30am SA time to give us a more familiar viewing time.

Shurrup, I'm still sleeping then. 4pm suits me just fine thank you very much.

Tickets went on sale straight after the Lions v Canes game and there was a long queue to get them tickets. I don't suspect the full house signs will go up, but I reckon a respectable 50k supporters to pitch up.

@akan004 said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

@Crazy-Horse Granted it sucks for us viewers, but I am sure the Crusaders won't be complaining. Playing on the highveld is hard enough, but playing there under the mid afternoon sun must surely make it even harder. A 4 pm kickoff works in the Crusaders favour.

Do they not have lights to play night time footy? Why not 7:30pm?

@mimic that's was I was wondering. We have to suck it up and play at night to appease overseas viewers, why can't we have the favour returned?

@mimic I don't think they are too concerned about NZ viewers. Besides, a 2 am k/o or a 5.30am k/o are both equally as bad.

@akan004 530am is a hell of a lot better than 2am as far as I am concerned. And yeah it's pretty obvious they don't give a rats about NZ viewers.

An obvious question, but I'm struggling to remember any team crossing the Indian Ocean to win a Super final. Am I missing someone?

@pakman hasnt happened, only a single team has crossed the Ta$man (travelling East to West) to do so, otherwise only NZ teams beating NZ teams in away finals.

@pakman No, no team has done it since the start of professionalism. Qld Reds did it in 94 in the Super 10 comp against the Sharks.

@akan004 Highlanders beat Stormers in semi in 1999 in Capetown
Crusaders beat Stormers in 2011 semi in Capetown
Brumbies beat Bulls in Pretoria in semi 2013

I only checked teams going to SA, didnt see if any SA sides had won coming this way

@taniwharugby Chiefs did it two weeks ago. I think pakman meant winning the final. But your stats do show that it can be done.

@akan004 yeah hasnt been done in grand final, and I guess the Crusaders travel pretty good so are in with a decent shout.

@taniwharugby said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

@pakman hasnt happened, only a single team has crossed the Ta$man (travelling East to West) to do so, otherwise only NZ teams beating NZ teams in away finals.

And South African teams beating South African teams away (Sharks lost at home to Bulls)

Tickets went on sale straight after the Lions v Canes game and there was a long queue to get them tickets. I don't suspect the full house signs will go up, but I reckon a respectable 50k supporters to pitch up.

80% already sold as of Monday Morning.

Yip, apparently I was wrong, sold out signs are up.

That is good to see!

@Stargazer said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

Have the refs been announced? Hope Gardner gets this one with a neutral crew.

who the fuck physically lines up for tickets?

@Crazy-Horse said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

@mimic that's was I was wondering. We have to suck it up and play at night to appease overseas viewers, why can't we have the favour returned?

Isn't evening kick off more about Sky's domestic audience?

@pakman said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

An obvious question, but I'm struggling to remember any team crossing the Indian Ocean to win a Super final. Am I missing someone?

No.

@taniwharugby said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

@pakman hasnt happened, only a single team has crossed the Ta$man (travelling East to West) to do so, otherwise only NZ teams beating NZ teams in away finals.

Bulls beat Shatks in Durban (2007 according to @Stargazer )

Match Officials Announced for 2017
Super Rugby Final

SANZAAR has announced the match official appointments for the Super Rugby final on Saturday 5 August at Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg, between the Lions and Crusaders #LIOvCRU.
The match referee will be Jaco Peyper who refereed the semi-final between the Lions and Hurricanes. The assistant referees will be Glen Jackson, who refereed the Crusaders versus Chiefs semi-final and Marius van der Westhuizen. The Television Match Official (TMO) is Marius Jonker. The match kicks-off in Johannesburg at 1600 local time.

@KiwiMurph That's dreadful. Jonker shouldn't be employed as a TMO, that role should have gone to Ayoub (I feel dirty suggesting that). And there's no way vdW should be there instead of Gardner. Then they need to scan the crowd for someone only slightly inebriated to get a better AR than Jackson.

Given the appointments last week (and hearing earlier that Gardner had been named to ref club rugby in Sydny this weekend) I was expecting those appointments.

Still doesn't make it any less of a joke.

And this is SANZAAR's reasoning. What a joke.

MATCH OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED FOR 2017 FINAL
SANZAAR has announced the match official appointments for the Super Rugby final on Saturday 5 August at Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg, between the Lions and Crusaders #LIOvCRU.
 
The match referee will be Jaco Peyper who refereed the semi-final between the Lions and Hurricanes. The assistant referees will be Glen Jackson, who refereed the Crusaders versus Chiefs semi-final and Marius van der Westhuizen. The Television Match Official (TMO) is Marius Jonker. The match kicks-off in Johannesburg at 1600 local time.
 
Commenting on the appointments, SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos said, “SANZAAR congratulates Jaco Peyper and all the match officials selected to this year’s final. The match official selection is never easy as we have a very dedicated group of officials who week in week out perform very professionally and to very high standards.”
 
“The selection criteria for all match official appointments for the last two years follows a clear tournament policy - as agreed by the SANZAAR Executive Committee and the tournament’s stakeholders – that such appointments be merit-based.”
 
“This policy is written into the tournament protocols and appointments are made according to this policy on a weekly basis and is also the policy used for the finals last year as well as this year.”
 
“This merit-based policy was reflected with the appointment last year of New Zealand referee Glen Jackson to referee the Hurricanes versus Lions final in Wellington. SANZAAR stands behind the policy and believes the best referees should be available to officiate the best matches,” added Marinos.

Apologies for going off topic but @booboo I thought it had as much to do about the international audience? If I am wrong and it is for domestic purposes, I say fuck that and give us more day time games. It seems like the players aren't being given the best conditions to excel in. I know it is a different scenario to Super rugby, but maybe a few more of those passes would have stuck in the third BIL test if it was played in the day time.

@SammyC

Crusaders chances just dropped 25%.

I have no issues with Jaco. He's always tried to be fair to both teams and will no doubt do a good job again on Saturday. Good appointment.

@Crazy-Horse said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

Apologies for going off topic but @booboo I thought it had as much to do about the international audience? If I am wrong and it is for domestic purposes, I say fuck that and give us more day time games. It seems like the players aren't being given the best conditions to excel in. I know it is a different scenario to Super rugby, but maybe a few more of those passes would have stuck in the third BIL test if it was played in the day time.

It's all about money.

We want Super Rugby the trade off is the majority of games get played 7.30.

It's been reported on numerous occasions and stated by people like Tew that Sky pay more (apparently significantly so) to have the gsmes in prime time.

Jack is a reasonable ref.

But just for appearances sake surely you go with Gardner who at the very least is as capable and has the added bonus of not being from either of the countries involved.

Another thing. Jaco will no doubt be aware of the criticism and the suggestion that he's not neutral. Wouldn't that be a good motivation for him to try to be as neutral & good as he can be this Saturday? Unless he's really biased, of course. I have more of an issue with vdW and Jonker, although they are still better than van Heerden and Veld (remember that Blues game in SA).

Having said that, I find it incomprehensible that they use the argument that Jackson was the ref last year in Wellington to justify the appointment of Peyper. Two wrongs don't make things right. You should always go for the most neutral ref if there is a good & suitable one available, in this case Gardner.

Anyway, I think the travel factor & altitude will be a more important reason for a possible Crusaders' loss, than the refs.

@Stargazer said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

I have more of an issue with vdW and Jonker,

Bonkers Jonker. Really? For a "super" final?

Is the reward for being a shit ref a comfy chair and making decisions while watching tele? I would qualify (as did Ayoub).
I'm going to apply.

@mariner4life said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

who the fuck physically lines up for tickets?

The online ticketing agent Computicket.co.za gets given the bulk of the tickets to sell, but a few are also held by the stadium. The the guys queuing up most likely had already checked online and seen it was sold out. Its always just been this way in S.A for some reason.

It's not altitude so much as attitude. If the Saders turn up in the right frame of mind,they will win.

@booboo said in Lions v Crusaders - Super Rugby Final:

Jack is a reasonable ref.

But just for appearances sake surely you go with Gardner who at the very least is as capable and has the added bonus of not being from either of the countries involved.

The appointments smack of SANZAAR being arrogant or incompetent or both

That's great, the only non south African ref is a hometown ref..

RiP Crusaders