Down to 4 and not too many can deny that the 4 that deserve to be there are the 4 that are there. I had a read through my first email i wrote and bar the Sharks I think i gave wraps to all 4 teams that are being represented this weekend. I guess the Sharks results up until the final few weeks, vindicate my lack of faith in their set up. Their midfield was unsettled, their forwards were initially under strength, their flyhalf and fullbacks were also rotated constantly. So if we look at it in that context, the Sharks did very well to get where they have. Their display against the Reds, was powerful and precise, defence was unrelenting and they managed to score tries whilst at it.
Just a quick one on Australian rugby, they really have some hot players, but they dont have the depth to field 5 strong teams, the same can be said in some sense about the SA conference. In my mind the thing with Australian rugby is that there are only a handful of never say die players. The ones that come to mind are Horwill, Ashley-Cooper, Pockock, Polota_Nau and Sharpe. Its hardly like the old days, when there was Gregan, Mortlock(whenever he played against the ABs i was like no man!!WHY?!! because he was that guy), Larkham, Roff, Burke, Tune, die hards that did not understand the word lose. They have good players, but they are so thinly spread in all the 5 teams it will take a while before they are a force again. Liked what happened at the Brumbies though, but I, like most of you reading was wondering when the honeymoon would end, and it almost didnt...then it did. They will be a forcee in the Rugby Championships coming up in a few weeks, its only like 30 players they need. Good coaching setup. I was very dissapointed with the Tahs, they should have given a better account of themselves.
SA rugby, is in a pretty good place. I am not going to harp on about the National team set up. But SA was fortunate to win against England, i think we would all agree on that point. That kick and chase rugby and try and bully them tactic that was employed as usual can easily be countered. Ive said this before about Heynecke's Bulls, if you have a team that can match their forward, they are pretty much a non-entity! The Lions had a good Currie Cup but unfortunately continuous injuries plagued their season, unfortunately they dont have the depth that teams like the Stormers/Sharks have and so a few key injuries and boom there goes your season. The Cheetahs too were also an interesting side, a joy to watch, once again they will most probably struggle to hold on to some of their stars. Goosen is the answer to SA no 10. I have much respect for Morne Steyn, he plays to a pattern, but he is a good player, if you watch him, he makes his kicks and if he was allowed to take on the line he would do an ok job, he wouldnt strike fear in many opponents, but no one in SA at the moment bar Goosen will. Peter Grant, what more does this quiet, steady 80%+ kicker have to do to get a look in to that Bok 10 jersey, definitely one of the reasons why the Stormers topped the log. Speaking about the Stormers, many people want to tell me that the Stormers were plagued by injuries this year. Duane and Schalck were the most notable omission during the year. Yes Koster and Karr were also injured, but truth be told they were fringe players at best for the Stormers. Bekker was also injured for a few games, Joe Pietersen here and there, but if we look on the whole every team had its injuries but bar the 2 aforementioned elder statesmen and ofcourse the loss of Jacques to Japan, they didnt have an insurmountable hurdle to overcome to get to the playoffs. All this being said, SA has players to burn. Loosies as usual its like a clone factory, bigger and 'badder' each year. Backs, talent in abundance, that Lions Scrummy, Bandesio, Cheetahs Van Zyl, if its a kicker you want who can get the line going look no further than Jantjes. Whitehead for the Sharks really impressed me as did JP Pietersen playing some of his best rugby, Habana, seems back to himself, not trying too hard but working bloody hard as usual.
NZ rugby, my Blues, just couldnt buy a win could they, I wont blame injuries, I just think there was something amis there. Hurricanes made me smile, was really impressed with them, a proper bunch of no names (with respect)but they played as a unit. That seemed to be the thread with most of the NZ teams, they played as a unit, the Sharks and Stormers also have a similar mindset, Mitch tried to get the Lions to buy into this mindset, but clearly they werent feeling him too much. Highlanders were their industrious selves once again. In my mind the NZ conference was by far the toughest because there were no cheap points, even the Blues as toilet as they were, you couldnt easily write them off.
The last 4, Sharks and Crusaders have much momentum. Stormers scraped home against the Rebels. We will never know the answer, but I doubt they would have been able to score 4 try bonus point if they had needed it, judging by their performance against the Rebels. The Chiefs are now in finals footie. They couldnt have asked for better man mangers than Dave Rennie and Wayne Smith, if you doubt that look at what they have done to date and how they have played. But its the Crusaders they are playing against. Can i remember a playoff that the Crusaders werent involved in? These playoffs are tough to call. People expect the Saders to just pitch up and take home the points, but you dont finish at number 2 on the log just by making up the numbers. The Chiefs pack has been able to hold if not pip the Saders pack the whole year and their backs may have the edge on the Saders back too, but the Saders have experience, they have 2 of the best players in the world in DC and Richie in the mix. The Saders know how to play at this end of the season. Last week they were calculated in their dismissal of the Bulls, they hardly got into top gear during that game, but i guess they didnt have to. The week before they also gave some of their stars an early shower, so they are due a massive performance and they will need it later today.
The game in Newlands is pretty interesting. The only team that has been able to dismantle the Stormers has been the Crusaders. Their defence is as airtight as sealed presidential bunker. But they lack creativity, but who cares, 14wins in 16 games i guess speaks for itself (if winning is all you watch this beautiful game (when its played by people that make it worthy of the term beautiful)for. The Stormers have had an extra week off, heal wounds, watch the Sharks weekend escapades. The Sharks have had to travel afar, they have momentum and can score tries as well as defend.
My Call...Saders and Stormers final (i'd prefer a NZ v Sharks final ofcourse)
Perhaps this could be the year the Arsenal of rugby get some trophies in the cabinet ;)
