10 thoughts from the Super Rugby season ’21

It finished how everyone thought it would, with the Crusaders beating the Chiefs 24-13 in the Super Rugby Aotearoa final in Christchurch on Saturday night. But the fifth championship victory in a row was hard-won, the culmination of an entertaining, controversial and often brutal second edition of Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Along the way we figured out a few things, so here’s a list:

● The Chiefs have a coaching conundrum. It seemed like Clayton Mcmillan was thrown a hospital pass with the basketcase team at the start of the season, but he’s turned it around so well the former Rotorua policeman is now getting touted as much more than an assistant coach once Warren Gatland gets back from his British & Irish Lions gig. Really though, the Chiefs back office loaded both barrels and blew their own feet off with Gatland’s original deal because, of course Mcmillan was going to look good this year — all he had to do was win one damned game to improve on their last campaign. (Complete 180 degree turnaround on the post match attire from the Chiefs, too, last year Gatland came in dressed like a bored funeral director whereas Mcmillan had the look of a tradie uncle at a wedding wearing the one nice set of clothes he owns).

● Aaron Smith is still really, really good — pretty much repeating what has been written in for the last several seasons, but it’s astounding just how much the impending All Black centurion seems to be getting better with age. Smith was also the first leader to actually make an effort to understand the captain’s challenge laws and successfully use one in a game, so with Sam Cane out with injury and his massive influence in the All Blacks, there is at least a chance the halfback might well be called on to lead them.

● The Hurricanes are one defection away from a full on crisis. No one gave the Canes much hope this year and for good reason. While they showed an admirable amount of fight in wins over the Highlanders and an epic golden-point loss to the Crusaders, the reality is that the parts aren’t all moving in the right way to be a title contender. The Wellington crowd took to roaring with approval whenever Jordie Barrett would attempt a penalty, the first time that phenomenon has occurred in the team’s history, but that may well be short lived as the utility back is now off contract. If Barrett leaves, that’s a very big hole the Canes need to fill.

● The Blues once again flattered to deceive. Much like the Aaron Smith entry, this one could be a cut and paste from previous years. Unfortunately for the Blues, it’s on the opposite end of the spectrum as they — at first — embraced the hype being raised around their supposed title chances, then watched it all come crashing down around them as the Crusaders first defiled Eden Park then stubbed the Blues’ hopes out in Christchurch within the space of a month.

● The Crusaders need a new stadium more than any more titles. It’s really no one’s fault, but Super Rugby doesn’t really look that super when the past five finals have been played in what is little more than a building site in Addington (complete with a digger behind the north goal line for Saturday night’s big game). 2025 can’t come soon enough for the Crusaders, because that’s when they’ll have a bigger, roofed new home and presumably a licence to print money when fans flock there in droves.

● The refs need to up their game. It seemed like you couldn’t go a weekend without some sort of controversial decision, with the worst ones coming in the Crusaders’ win over the Chiefs in round two. It wasn’t just the howlingly bad calls, more the apparent denial of any accountability for the whistleblowers, and culminated with some fittingly dodgy calls in the final that benefited the Crusaders. While the champs deserved their win, it is worth noting that they were the most penalised team in the competition but up until Saturday night had somehow only conceded one yellow card.

● Super Rugby Transtasman is going to be closer than people think and not just because a couple of the Aussie teams look pretty sharp. Turns out their refs are officiating the breakdowns differently so expect the away trips to be an even tougher challenge.

● A Super Rugby Women’s comp will be good to watch. Just make it happen next year. That’s all.

● Silver Lake. If the footy was a little flat, there was this story taking a twist and a turn on a weekly basis. The financial future of the game in New Zealand has captivated many and forced a surge in Wikipedia searches for “private equity”.

● Someone at design HQ for Adidas finally grew a couple of brain cells — Wasn’t it nice to not have a hosts of COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE jersey clashes this season?!