Highlanders’ home advantage dented in S12 ratings

Media Release -- March 30
Highlanders’ home advantage dented in Super 12 ratings

The Crusaders are expected to beat the Brumbies by six points in their round seven match at Jade Stadium on Saturday night, according to the Massey Super 12 ratings system.

The match is a key encounter in this year’s series because both teams have figures in so many Super 12 finals in recent times.

The Crusaders have the best overall rating in the competition and according to statistics should win the game by six points.

The weekly Super 12 results are analysed for the ratings by Massey University 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 Super 12 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.

As a result of last weekend's games, the Bulls, Reds and Stormers ratings and home advantages experienced significant, but compensatory swings. All dropped their rating points but picked up home advantage points.

``The Brumbies also dropped a few rating points (- 3.6), but more than picked them up with a significant home advantage rise (+ 6.7),’’ Massey Professor Hugh Morton said today.

The Highlanders yet again suffered a double whammy, down 1.6 points in both rating and home advantage. And the Cats continue their woeful run at the bottom of the ratings table, even dropping some of their home advantage.

Big movers up the ratings this week have been the Chiefs and the Sharks, both up four places. The Bulls lost seven places and the Stormers three. The top three remain unchanged, the Crusaders, Blues and Reds respectively.

Latest Super 12 ratings:

After Week 6

Team Rating Home advantage

Blues 29.8 -2.0
Brumbies 16.2 24.9
Bulls 6.2 12.9
Cats 0.0 4.9
Chiefs 19.1 -1.1
Crusaders 35.4 -13.5
Highlanders 9.6 20.0
Hurricanes 10.1 12.7
Reds 22.2 6.8
Sharks 17.6 **
Stormers 9.9 3.6
Waratahs 17.4 11.2

Ends

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