Well howdee there to you all, sorry for my absence, i promise its not because my dear Blues have been giving me...the Blues, i missed a good few games this year with weddings etc. over the weekends but i think that has all settled down now and my couch, remote, telly and me are going to continue our annual love affair :)
This Super rugby has thrown out a few names and games. I have to admit i thought the NZ teams would be suffering from a RWC hangover and they would be by far the worst conference but I am beyond impressed with the talent and competitiveness of all their teams bar the Blues. I haven't paid much attention to the Australian derby games, but from what I see, the Brumbies have been quite competitive which means I have to eat my hat and admit that Jake might actually infact be a a good coach. Its a team of very few names, yet look at them topping the Australian conference...for the time being ofcourse :)
I hate this conference system, its really bollocks, last week the top Australian team had a negative points difference fewer points than the team in position no 4 yet they were guaranteed a spot in the playoffs were the competition to end then, as it stands they will just sneak into 6th, what the powers that be are doing is incentivising mediocrity. I do believe that the Australians may not have enough teams to field 5 teams really but i guess i am preaching to the converted.
Back to rugby, my take on this competition is as follows, Chiefs, Canes, Cheetahs are playing the most attractive rugby out there they make the game entertaining to watch and they seem to be having fun. The Chiefs just look like a good side at the moment, playing to their potential. One cant deny the influence of coaching in this team, Dave Rennie and Wayne Smith are a great combination for the franchise. they have done some good work and got their forwards well balanced and their backs are just insane. What they have also done well is they have made sure they have depth. In the first week they lost their 2 front line props enter Taumololo the leading try scorer ...in the whoooole competition and his newphew Taimefuna who has scrummed just about everyone into the ground. They are committed to the cause as a team and know when to do what, they look like they will be in the top 6. Aaron Cruden is just on another level at the moment he is making the right decisions most of the time and he has confidence aplenty, i guess the youngster on his inside is also assisting him and SBW and Kahui on his outside. Like Robbie Robinson is a great no 15, then they bring this guy Andrew Horrell, from where, from the school of talented NZ backs thats where...
The game between the Canes and the Cheetahs has to be up there in terms of the most entertaining (regarding running rugby) that has been played thus far and it highlights why they are up there in my teams to watch play list. Both teams have no names, but they play for each other, have characters (well the Cheetahs more so) and they never ever call time until the whistle sounds. what more can you ask of a bunch of professionals? give those men a Bells!!
Then there is the middle tier, the tier where the teams play winning rugby, those teams are the Bulls, Stormers and the Saders. The saders showed last weekend that they are indeed a smart team and well coached their running lines and speed of play was a great indictment on the astuteness of that team and its coaching staff. they really studied the Stormers defence and worked on ways to legally ask questions and have the Stormers infringe. It was a good game of chess to watch. I watched the Bulls against the Saders the week before, and it was then where i realised that this Bulls team is a title contender too. They have some insane youngsters bred from the biltong fed factory of loosies, CJ Stander what is that kid? Chilliboy is finally showing you all what i saw in him many moons ago...haaa, regular game time can do much for a players game and confidence. Still not overly convinced about Spies though, he is playing much better than last year yes, but he should be a beast man... Bulls are hot, Stormers need to learn to attack more, they will be tested now after losing 2 of their front line locks and the midfield general, JdV. Lets see how they hold up...
The Highlanders float between the first grouping and this one. They have game, they have excitement, they can play winning rugby too
The next tier is the promise so much but deliver nothing but me switching off the telly before the game ends. In this team is the Lions and my Blues, my 2 top teams :)
Let me start with the Lions, i have always maintained that they are a good currie cup side, because the team stays together after the Super rugby campaign because none of the players get called up to the Boks. Which is also their downfall in the Super rugby comp. They lack big game players who can provide that x-factor or calming influence when its needed. Their biggest issue this year has been their hard luck with injuries. They just keep losing players at certain periods of the season so they can never gel as a unit, but i guess its the nature of this comp, people will get hurt.
The Blues, i dont think their season has been as bad as it seems, the loss to the Rebels is the only one i can bemoan them on. Last week against the SHarks, we was robbed i tell you, but as the saying goes, look at the scoreboard. But I am convinced they are almost there, but you know how it is, when it doesnt go well with you you try harder and fail even more spectacularly, decision making is key. They will get it right, the signs are there...or is that wishful thinking?
The refs and their assistants have been pretty toilet this year. I dont like to harp on about refs etc but this year they have been particularly useless and the breakdown rule has also been a hack, the part where the approaching player cant go past the ball and place his hands on the ground before grabbing the ball, you tell me what influence that will have if you are an approaching player cleaning out the ruck?
Anyway...
Highlanders v Blues....If I had to go on performance, id call Highlanders, but i have a feeling, call it blind allegiance, but this could be the game that defines the Blues season...they have nothing to lose now
Reds v Stormers...another tough call, a full Stormers team id say Reds have no chance but now they do, they have Harris back at 10, Duane is no captain, but we will see how he goes, Reds cos they are at home
Canes v Crusaders...Saders
Tahs v Rebels...Tahs
Sharks v Chiefs....hmmm another tough call, Sharks just came home, won their last game, will be on a high, they might well pip the Chiefs in the sharks tank
Bulls v Brumbies....Bulls, but not an easy game for them
bye for now
