north v south club rugby

risteard7

I recently started watching and following rugby but i'm far from an expert. My question is how would the northern hemisphere club teams compare against the southern.

How would leinster's Heineken cup winning team or Clermont last year fare out? My guess is they would be well behind??

Podge_irl

They are difficult to compare as they are entirely different entities. The S15 teams play in a shorter tournament and in different conditions.

I'd back Leinster of 2011-12 against anyway frankly but they're just not comparable.

Digifriendly

risteard7 wrote: »

I recently started watching and following rugby but i'm far from an expert. My question is how would the northern hemisphere club teams compare against the southern.

How would leinster's Heineken cup winning team or Clermont last year fare out? My guess is they would be well behind??

When I saw the title I thought it was Ulster club sides in AIL compared to their southern counterparts. I guess however if we compare northern hemisphere teams i.e. those in HEC with those in Super 15 it is likely the southern hemisphere sides would come out on top. The game in Super 15 is a different animal altogether with most matches being played on hard grounds therefore it tends to be faster. It would probably depend on where the game was played and in what conditions. Clermont at home against any top Super 15 side would be very interesting indeed.

Swiwi.

Podge_irl wrote: »

They are difficult to compare as they are entirely different entities. The S15 teams play in a shorter tournament and in different conditions.

I'd back Leinster of 2011-12 against anyway frankly but they're just not comparable.

I'd rate Blues of 96/97 with their host of AB legends and the undefeated Crusaders of 2002 as the best NZ super teams. I don't think Leinster of 2011-12 would have beaten those Blues teams of 96/97, it was all but an AB team at times (Brooke x2, Fitzpatrick, Michael Jones, Olo Brown etc).

Pointless debate really, though, as you say.

matthew8

Out of all the European teams, Toulon and Clermont would really be able to contend in the Super 15, considering they're practically Southern Hemisphere teams anyway. There are plenty of other NH teams that could really hold their own, and if a French or English conference was added they wouldn't look out of place, in fact the French might have the best conference. So really, on the whole, there's not much of a gulf in quality.

However, I think that Super 15 games are of a far higher quality and more entertaining competition than the Heineken Cup, and this is simply because the top 3 rugby nations in the world have focused all their best players into 15 teams, while the European competitions have less talent and more teams.

Buer

Le vieux renard wrote: »

Pointless debate really, though, as you say.

You know when you're beat! Matt Leek, Eddie Hekenui, Fosi Pala'amo, Harry Vermass, John McWeeney, Johnny Hepworth...you antipodeans cannot live with those boys (which is probably why you flogged half of them to us).

LeinsterDub

matthew8 wrote: »

Out of all the European teams, Toulon and Clermont would really be able to contend in the Super 15, considering they're practically Southern Hemisphere teams anyway.

They maybe full of imports from down south but they don't play anything near to Southern hemisphere rugby

matthew8

LeinsterDub wrote: »

They maybe full of imports from down south but they don't play anything near to Southern hemisphere rugby

It was just a tongue in cheek comment at all their imports. Besides I don't think the Super 15 teams as a whole have an identity or style of play. Toulon would be absolutely nothing like the Reds for instance but if they were to play against some South African teams their styles of play wouldn't be so different.

Hagz

I'd love to see it. The best NH club v the best SH club would be very enjoyable, but the way NH rugby is going, the best NH club might as well be a SH club:pac:. It's very difficult to know to be honest. Whilst the SH teams are undoubtedly the more skilful, the NH teams are a lot more structured with an emphasis on set-piece.

Then of course, whoever referees the game would have a big bearing. I'd back the side that's playing in it's home hemisphere tbh.

Lelantos

http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/17/marseille-edge-toulon-36-35-in-bizarre-half-football-half-rugby-match-3887556/
Never mind NH v SH, this happened on France, rugby v footie, Toulon v Marseille!