Media Release March 9
Blues, Brumbies and Chief make gains in Super 12 Ratings
The Blues, the Brumbies and the Chiefs all made gains in the Massey Super 12 rugby ratings last weekend.
Unfortunately for them their gains were all cancelled out by almost equal sized reductions in their home advantages.
The updated ratings are prepared each weekend by Massey University Professor Hugh Morton.
Another large reduction in home advantage befell the Sharks (down 11.6), only partially offset by a 5.1 increase in
their rating.
The Reds gained 7.7 on their rating, losing only 1.6 points on their home advantage, a 6.1 net gain
Improvers in both dimensions last weekend were the Highlanders (rating up 1.6, and home advantage up 6.1 to be clearly
the best home performers currently, a net gain of 7.7), and the Waratahs (rating up 3.5 and home advantage up 1.7, for a
net gain of 5.2.
Competing for the worst home performers in recent weeks are the Sharks, Crusaders and Stormers.
The top four contenders on combination appear to be the Blues, Brumbies, Crusaders and Waratahs in that order.
The weekly results are analysed for the ratings using a computerised adjustive rating system, similar to the
PriceWaterhouseCooper rankings for cricket.
Over the whole competition a lowly rating can be offset by a high home advantage.
In the last four Super12 seasons the three highest average ratings have been Brumbies 28.6, Blues 26.7 and Crusaders
25.2, while the three lowest averages have been Cats 7.4, Bulls 8.6 and Sharks 13.4.
Super 12 Ratings after round three:
After Week 3
Team Rating Home advantage
Blues 40.7 -3.3
Brumbies 28.3 17.2
Bulls 17.7 5.0
Cats 0.0 16.9
Chiefs 22.9 -4.1
Crusaders 40.8 -11.7
Highlanders 13.5 33.7
Hurricanes 17.2 18.8
Reds 27.4 1.2
Sharks 20.4 -14.6
Stormers 29.7 -10.6
Waratahs 35.9 -5.2
Ends