SANZAR are set to approve a Top 6 playoff for the Super 14 Series from next year.
Personally I think this is fantastic news, and while the structure has yet to be announced, it’s likely that a rest week will reward the first and second placed teams, while affording a shot at glory to the 5th and 6th placed teams.
Looking at this years table and you see that while the Hurricanes finished 4th on 41 points, the Stormers missed out also with 41 points on their For/Against margin. The Blues in 6th place on 40 points were 6 points clear of the pack led by the Chiefs on 34.
2007 and it’s the same story – places 2 to 6 have just 2 competition points between them, then it’s a further 8 points to 7th.
2006, yep you guessed it, a three way tie for 4th position ; the Bulls made it based on +65 point For/Against over the Sharks who had +64. In 2006 7th was only 2 points adrift before the mid-table divide to 8th.
Prior to that it was the Super 12, so less games played by all, and a final 4 was appropriate. Historically looking at the impact this would have had since the 2006, it’s hard to argue against.
