The What a Lad League: Round 16 Review
Championship Glory, Sibling Rivalries, and Final Standings
Super Rugby Pacific Round 16 marked the ultimate curtain call for the regular season, bringing a dramatic finish to our high-stakes first-past-the-post competition. Unlike traditional leagues that carry into multi-week bracket finals, this league crowns its champion straight off the final regular-season table. Every position is officially locked in, the trophy has a home, and the wooden spoon recipient has been officially condemned.
To see how the Super Rugby experts play the game (James & Tom Marshall, Johnny McNicholl, Tino Nemani, Quentin MacDonald, Ben Searle, Jake & the Stats Man), navigate to the leagues menu and select the “What A Lad” League, or click HERE.
Round 16 Matchup Reviews
Jakeabernethy14’s Team vs. jmacsmen’s
Result: 555 – 388
The championship-defining fixture. Heading into the final weekend, Jakeabernethy14’s Team was on the precipice of absolute greatness, needing a big performance to lock away the title. Standing in his way was Johnny McNicholl (jmacsmen’s), a team perfectly capable of playing the ultimate, heartbreaking spoiler.
Jake left absolutely nothing to chance, executing his selection game plan with military precision. His squad put together a breathtaking, clinical performance to breach the 550 threshold, scoring exactly 555 points to collect a season-defining Attacking Bonus Point. Leading the charge for the newly crowned champion was a majestic 79 points from back-rower Christian Lio-Willie, a brilliant 70 from center Dallas McLeod, and a classy 50 from flyhalf Josh Jacomb.
Johnny McNicholl’s side completely faltered under the immense pressure, bottoming out at a dismal 388 points. The tactical decision to start Treyvon Pritchard backfired spectacularly with a 1-point return, and while Sam Darry (57) and Zarn Sullivan (34) fought to keep things respectable, the absolute absence of starting front-rowers completely tanked his momentum. With this emphatic victory, Jakeabernethy14’s Team finishes 1st overall with 68 competition points and is officially crowned the “What A Lad League” Champion!
What a Lad vs. Rams nation
Result: 479 – 403
The league’s namesake franchise, What a Lad (James Marshall), did everything in his power to keep the pressure on the top spot until the final whistle. Squaring off against Rams nation, he ground out a solid 479 points to handle their business comfortably. While the victory was anchored by Patrick Pellegrini’s excellent 78 points from flyhalf and Tom Wright’s 53, the real fireworks were left rotting on the bench. In an absolute coaching disasterclass that will haunt him all summer, What a Lad left center Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (54 points) on the bench.
Rams nation put up a proud fight to post a baseline of 403, heavily driven by a vintage 55 points from back-rower Rob Valetini and 44 from scrumhalf Kyle Preston off the bench. Unfortunately, he simply lacked the high-end scoring depth required to mount a genuine upset, with winger Mac Grealy offering up a catastrophic 5-point performance. While What a Lad takes the regular-season closing win, Jake’s bonus-point explosion in the parallel match means he must settle for a proud, clear 2nd place overall on 62 points.
Searleytalkssport’s Team vs. qmix02’s Team
Result: 442 – 391
A high-tension, anxiety-inducing battle at the foot of the table. Heading into this round, Ben Searle (searleytalkssport’s Team) was firmly anchored to the bottom tier, effectively playing for nothing but basic human dignity and a statement win to close out a long season.
He did exactly that, stringing together a gritty 442 points to edge past Quentin MacDonald’s (qmix02’s Team). The wooden-spoon outlaws were lifted by a magnificent performance from Johnny McNicholl, who went completely nuclear for 81 points in the starting XV. Prop Allan Alaalatoa (41) provided the necessary tight-five grunt to hold the line.
Quentin’s side was completely blown away by a massive, game-winning 113-point masterpiece from Sevu Reece running riot for Searley. Quentin tried to return fire with Mills Sanerivi (35), but a tragic, comedy-grade 1-point outing from Joey Walton sealed his fate at 391. Because qmix02’s Team finished within 51 points of Searley, they agonizingly missed out on a losing bonus point by a single point. The victory lets Ben Searle finish the year on a high note, even if their place at the absolute bottom of the table was already mathematically sealed.
Tojos Troops vs. onit26’s Team
Result: 427 – 394
A highly competitive mid-table clash to close out the year. Tom Marshall (Tojos Troops) secured his position in the upper crust of the league by navigating a tricky encounter with Tino Nemani (onit26’s Team), winning 427 to 394. Tojos Troops relied on a balanced team effort, getting a vital 48 points from lock Jeremy Williams, a sharp 43 from Max Jorgensen, and a strong 40 from prop George Dyer in the engine room.
Tino’s squad put up a massive fight to stay in the hunt until the final whistle, heavily supported by an outstanding 64-point clinic from Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa and a destructive 57 from winger Filipo Daugunu. In the end, their 394-point total kept them within the 50-point margin of defeat. This earned them a highly respectable Losing Bonus Point, allowing them to finish tied on competition points with qmix02’s Team in the final standings.
Round 16 Fantasy Facts
Round MVP: Sevu Reece (113 points) – Searleytalkssport.
Best Free Agent: Seru Uru (94 points) - Reds.
Super Sub: Lachie Anderson (63 points) - Searleytalkssport.
The Bench Nightmare: Qmix started Nathan Hastie (12), leaving Ryan Lonergan (36 points) on the bench.
The Table:
Written by Harrison Dale