What we learned from Super Rugby in 2019

Another Super Rugby season is over and once again the Crusaders are crowned champions. As eyes turn to the Rugby Championship and the World Cup, here are some things we learned from the 21-week season featuring teams from New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, South Africa and Japan.

ROBERTSON'S MOVES

Scott Robertson can coach ... but dance? — Robertson has made a strong case for inclusion in any coaching group which takes over when New Zealand All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen steps down after the World Cup. Robertson has guided the Christchurch-based Crusaders to the Super Rugby title in each of his three years in charge. He has celebrated each of those victories by break-dancing on the pitch ... which only goes to show he's better at planning moves than busting them. Robertson also won three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders as a player. The 44-year-old Robertson breaks the mold of New Zealand coaches who are often poker-faced and taciturn. A surfer with a mane of blonde hair, Robertson lets his emotions hang out in the coaching box. The next All Blacks coach? Maybe. The next winner of Dancing With the Stars? Not likely.

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson performs a break-dance as celebrates his team's 19-3 win in the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

JAGUARES LOCKED IN

Argentina's Jaguares showed this season they belong in Super Rugby. They struggled in their first three years to cope with the tournament's unique travel demands, and with injuries. But under new coach Gonzalo Quesada they developed an efficient and enterprising style which carried them to the final for the first time. Quesada said the Jaguares should be proud of their achievements, and the 19-3 loss in the final was not a reflection of the difference between the two teams. The critics say the Jaguares are more-or-less a national team playing in a provincial competition, but it would be impossible for Argentina to sustain a Super Rugby team if it couldn't call on its best players. The Jaguares made several breakthroughs this season, winning away from home regularly, achieving a 4-0 record against Australian franchises and hosting matches in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

RUGBY DOWN UNDER

Crusaders Richie Mo'unga takes a penalty shot at goal during the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

Super Rugby took the temperature of Australian rugby and found it not in the best of health. Again, only one Australian team — the Canberra-based Brumbies — qualified for the playoffs. The other three franchises didn't make the top 10. The Melbourne Rebels placed 11th, the New South Wales Waratahs 12th and the Queensland Reds were 14th. That follows an international season in which the Wallabies lost nine tests. And there's no reason for optimism that these are short-term problems. Rugby's administration in Australia seems bereft of ideas. Inattention to player development means there doesn't seem to be a pipeline of new talent. Meanwhile, the other football codes in Australia continue to grow and prosper, squeezing rugby's television ratings and its sponsorships.

OH, TMO

TMO = Too Much Officiating. The interventions by Television Match Officials in decision-making, often without being called on and frequently to no good purpose — have been one of the hot talking points of the season. TMOs are meant to be heard from only when the on-field referee and assistants need help to reach a decision, most-often in determining whether a try has been scored. But this season TMOs just couldn't keep out of the conversation. Their interjections were constant. Fans despaired as scoring plays were too frequently subjected to minute and unnecessary review. To make matters worse, the TMOs were prone to making errors.

Crusaders Codie Taylor dives across the line to score a try as teammate George Bridge is airborne above him during the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

WORLD CUP TIME

As an appetizer to this year's World Cup, the Super Rugby was just right — not too overpowering, just enough to whet the palate. As hopes of a global season fade, Super Rugby remains the best provincial rugby competition in the world, graced by many of the world's best players. Super Rugby is unique among all sporting competitions — played over 18 conference rounds — before playoffs — across four continents and almost a dozen time zones. Now to see players like Matias Orlando, Emiliano Boffelli, Pablo Matera, Beauden Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Cheslin Kolbe, Siya Kolisi, Marika Koroibete, Will Genia, Yu Tamura and Kotaro Matsushima in action at the World Cup.

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Jaguares Matias Moroni leaps over Crusaders Mitchell Drummond during the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

Jaguares Agustin Creevy reacts during the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Jaguares in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

Ryan Crotty, right, is held aloft by teammates as he celebrates their 19-3 win over the Jaguares to win the Super Rugby final in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, July 6, 2019. (AP PhotoMark Baker)

Utah appeared to find a loophole in the NBA's player participation policy, but the league sent a message Thursday by hitting the Jazz with a $500,000 fine.

The NBA also docked the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for holding out Pascal Siakam and two other starters in a Feb. 3 game against the Jazz.

The policy was put in place in September 2023 to try to discourage clubs from purposely losing in order to improve their chances with the draft lottery. This year's draft is considered the strongest in several years, possibly incentivizing clubs like the Jazz to position themselves for a high pick.

The Jazz did not play stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter of recent close games. Both played three quarters in recent road games against Miami and Orlando. The Magic rallied from 17 points down to win 120-117, but the Jazz defeated the Heat 115-111.

Jazz coach Will Hardy was asked after the game at Miami whether he considered playing Markkanen and Jackson in the fourth quarter.

“I wasn’t,” Hardy said succinctly.

Hardy said Thursday night after a loss to Portland that he was following the advice of the team’s medical staff.

“I sat Lauri because he was on a minutes restriction,” he said. “So if our medical team puts a minutes restriction on Lauri, I’ll try to keep Lauri healthy.”

In fining the Jazz said, the NBA said in its release “these players were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement the competition committee and team owners will work "to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct.”

“Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games,” Silver said.

Silver likely will further address the topic when he meets with the media Saturday during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

“Agree to disagree ...,” Jazz owner Ryan Smith posted on social media. “Also, we won the game in Miami and got fined? That makes sense ...”

The NBA fined Utah $100,000 last season after the Jazz rested Markkanen in multiple games.

He and the recently-acquired Jackson are the building blocks for the Jazz to try to get back into contention. They traded with Memphis on Feb. 3 for the two-time All-Star and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.

Jackson, however, will be out for the foreseeable future. He will undergo surgery over the NBA all-star break to remove a growth from his left knee, discovered by an MRI in a physical following the trade. Jackson averaged 22.3 points in 24 minutes per game after joining the Jazz.

Utah has prioritized player development with younger players on its roster at the expense of chasing wins. The front office is motivated to hold onto a first-round pick in this year's draft that is top-eight protected. Falling outside the bottom eight in the standings means Utah would lose that pick to Oklahoma City.

A number of teams, including the Jazz, would seem to have a great interest in securing a high selection for this year's draft.

One of those top prospects plays just south of Salt Lake. BYU's AJ Dybantsa is considered a likely top-three and potentially franchise-changing pick along with Duke's Cameron Boozer and Kansas' Darryn Peterson.

But it's also a deep draft where simply getting into the lottery could mean still getting a shot at a difference-making player.

The Jazz, 18-37 entering Thursday night's game against Portland, will miss the postseason for the fourth year in a row. This comes after a six-year stretch in which the Jazz made the playoffs each season.

Under the direction of CEO Danny Ainge and his son and team president, Austin, the Jazz ultimately are trying to return to the glory days when they didn't just make the playoffs. The John Stockton-Karl Malone teams in 1990s were regular championship contenders, making the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998.

Freelance writer John Coon in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

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Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy watches play during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)

Utah Jazz center Jaren Jackson Jr. (20) is defended by Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)