SUPER 15 - WEEK BY WEEK

How could Eberson miss that penalty. That is like a pro golfer missing a 3 inch putt. Shocking he was too casual about it. Pity Goosen is out for a while as he looks the real deal.

shrek Wrote:

---

> How could Eberson miss that penalty. That is like
> a pro golfer missing a 3 inch putt. Shocking he
> was too casual about it. Pity Goosen is out for a
> while as he looks the real deal.


Jip you right, but I felt very sorry for him. Goosen is brilliant, our own James o Connor, but I think he should 'beef' up a bit. SA have talent galore @ 10.

BLUES vs REDS

The Reds showed flashes of championship form when easily accounting for the Blues away from home at Eden Park.

The only debatable issue arose in the last 10 minutes when the
Reds mauled their way down into the Blues’ 22 and then failed to go for a valuable 4 try bonus point when they were awarded a penalty near the Blues’ line.

Other than that it was a massive improvement from their form in the last couple of weeks with some of their returning first choice players making significant contributions to the result.


LIONS vs BRUMBIES

The less said about the Lions the better. Their spiral into mediocrity continues. They can probably look forward to being slaughtered when they go on tour next week.

To be replaced by the Kings next season?


CHIEFS vs HURRICANES

The highly efficient Chiefs march on. Despite valiant resistance from the Hurricanes and late fatigue as a consequence of their recent South African trip the home side still despatched their visitors without undue difficulty.

The 16/1 that was available in Week 2 presently looks like the punt of the season!


WESTERN FORCE vs STORMERS

The weather conspired to make it a very difficult match for both sides but the Stormers managed to end their tour with another win.

Once again it was the younger players who stepped up with all of De Jongh, Kolisi and, in an eye catching full 80 minutes, Nazeem Carr excelling.

CHEETAHS vs HIGHLANDERS

The Highlanders have demonstrated all season long that they intend to be in contention come playoff time.

In a remarkable display of fortitude they turned around a 21 point deficit to draw level in the last 10 minutes. They then survived a missed point blank penalty with 3 minutes to play which might have been game over. Instead they forged downfield again and were awarded a long range penalty which they successfully goaled to take a full 5 points from a match that they seldom looked likely to win.

The Cheetahs can probably trace their demise back to the injury which Johan Goosen sustained in scoring the try which stretched their lead to a seemingly unassailable 21 point lead. But sadly the defensive lapses which have characterised their play all season long were once again at the root of their defeat.


WARATAHS vs CRUSADERS

Another entertaining match ended the weekend’s action.

Upon review the Waratahs might concede that they could have won this match had they been able to successfully field kicks from the restart! Serial motormouth Tom Carter, who usually sledges opposition players throughout the game, was extremely quiet after being run over by Robbie Fruen and then missing more tackles than I can remember.

The general opinion will be that the Crusaders are now on a roll. That may be but they still look vulnerable considering they were run relatively close by a side that few sides have been overwhelmed by this season.

Thanks Garrick. Agree. this comp is still wide open. The team's with depth will be a force in the end. Roll on june/July for the break to see some Test Rugby/

I do think some of the refs are very poor (including some SA Refs)

The Southern Kings have appointed 2 Kiwis to coach them in S15 in 2013. With Cheeky Watson so deep into the ANC'S behind, there is huge pressure on the SARU. Watson in his own words;

All that I know is that SA Rugby has already decided that we (the Kings) will play in the Super Rugby series next year.

"We are very grateful for that. We fought long for it." said Watson.

"It's not in our hands who the other teams are that will participate in the Super Rugby series

The Southern Kings are a team surrounded in politics as it is supposed to be a "black" Super Rugby team to develop rugby in the Eastern Cape. However they have recently appointed two New Zealand coaches and the future captain Luke Watson is a white player.

While the Southern Kings team is meant to be a black team the players linked to the squad have been mainly white players which indicates that the pressure is more on SA Rugby to fulfill their promise to the SA government of putting a team into the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium which is becoming a "white elephant" in the city of Port Elizabeth after it was built for the Football World Cup in 2010.

So what now? Drop the Lions? It will be a very sad day. Over a 100 years of history, the 1st SA winner of Super rugby in the 90th's .How do you get players to sign contracts if they not sure they will play S15 next year? How do you get sponsors? I see only one sollution, a merge between the Cheetahs & Lions, like we had before, called the Cat's. Was that a success? No, POLITICS IN SPORT, BUGGERS UP EVERYTHING. VIVA CHEEKY, VIVA......JOU BOKS

Best way to sort all of this out is that at the start of the season SANZAR announce that the team that comes bottom will be relegated and will be replaced by a team from the same country of the team relegated.

OR how many players would you consider for the Boks from that poor Lions team?

mr hawaii Wrote:

---

> OR how many players would you consider for the
> Boks from that poor Lions team?


There is a few players I rate, but not Bok material. My Bok team

J Pietersen/ Frans Steyn
Aplon/ Habana/JP Peterson
De Jong/ De Villiers/ W Olivier
P Lambie/M Steyn/ P Grant
Hougaartd/F du Preez/ J Vermaak
J Du Plessis/ Beast/ C Oosthuizen/W Kruger/ D Greyling
Bismarck/ Chilliboy/ Strauss
Bekker/ Bakkies/ J Kruger/ Etzebeth/Flip v/d Merwe
Schalk Burger (capt)/Brussow/Jaques Potgieter/Elstadt
Willem Alberts/Spies/Duane Vermeulen

chicken 'n chips Wrote:

---

> Best way to sort all of this out is that at the
> start of the season SANZAR announce that the team
> that comes bottom will be relegated and will be
> replaced by a team from the same country of the
> team relegated.


I think there should be a promotion / relegation match - but the authorities will not have one because if an SA team does end up at the bottom, it is almost certain the EP Kings / Southern Spears / Watson & Watson will lose - and then what do they do? Stuff merit - AA rules (td)

HURRICANES 11/20 vs BLUES 16/10

A NZ derby kicks off a full card this weekend. Amazing what a difference a week makes! Last week the Blues were 4/10 shots at home to beat the Reds and, as suggested they might, lost.

Suddenly – against probably only marginally weaker opposition – you can get 16/10!

Yes – the Blues are pretty awful and they are away from home but I am curious as to why they should suddenly be a 300% worse proposition than they were last week! The difference really isn’t that pronounced.

Looking at the matchup : Neither side offers a front row of any substance. The Blues would have had an advantage but Mealamu and Woodcock are injured. The locks are adequate although Williams for the Blues has yet to snap out of his post World Cup torpor.

The Hurricanes appear to have the edge in the backline although if Ranger and Nonu were to fire things might be different.

On balance of probability it looks as if the Hurricanes should win it but 11/20 shots they most certainly are not in my book.


REBELS vs BULLS

We now find out whether the Bulls are simply bullies in their Pretoria playground and whether they are paper tigers away from home.

Talk about a gentle introduction to touring! They bump the Rebels; hardly the most daunting assignment on the planet.

Although the Bulls are often rattled by the Australian style of play they would need to be pretty inept if they were unable to put this crowd away.

I wouldn’t be in any hurry to take 2/11 so I suppose you are pretty much forced to gamble the -11,5 if you fancy the visitors. And if you have anything other than a very short memory this season then you might find the stress of that kind of bet more than you can stomach.


CHIEFS 1/16 vs LIONS 10/1

I don’t wish to sound unkind but I almost hope the Lions will get trashed. It’s no more or less than they should expect. Or deserve.

The Chiefs should be eyeing this as a 5 pointer although I note they have taken the gap and elected to rest a couple of their leading lights.

This could be either a good or bad thing for the visitors as the standins would probably want to send their coaches a positive message with likely playoffs looming for the Chiefs.

It’s impossible to fancy the Lions.


BRUMBIES 8/10 vs WARATAHS 11/10

The first of the Australian derbies and likely to be hotly contested. It could go either way. The betting is an accurate reflection of the relative chances of the two sides.

I thought the Waratahs put up a good effort against the Crusaders last week although they never really convinced me that they BELIEVED in spite of staying in touch for periods of the game.

This week they have plenty to play for as they remain just in touch for a playoff spot.

I have no strong opinion on this match so shall call it a coin toss.


SHARKS 5/10 vs HIGHLANDERS 18/10

I have been a fan of the Highlanders all season long. I like their ‘heart’ and I also feel they play an attractive brand of rugby.

This week they meet the Sharks – whom I note are claiming to be in their umpteenth ‘rebirth’ phase. The only statement they have yet to make this season is to tell us the following : From here on every match is a final!

Well – there might be wildcard opportunities but they are not likely to catch either the Stormers or the Bulls on current form.

I see that they have opted for a bit of pace amongst the loose trio. Good thinking. Both Alberts & Deysel have been lumbering and nothing more this season. Their centre pairing looks vulnerable and one has to question why they are choosing this match to experiment when Pietersen was reasonably effective when paired with Whitehead.

The return of the Beast may be no big deal as their front row has been one of the few parts of their setup which has been OK ( rather than outstanding ) this season.

On paper they look promising but somehow it just has not happened when it has mattered.

The Highlanders had not announced their team at the time of writing but they have already gotten past the obstacle of ‘first game off the plane’ and have had a full, teetotal week to rest and plot. Other than Haskell they should have pretty much their full squad to choose from. And a buoyant mindset!

It becomes difficult to resist the temptation of 18/10 so I give the nod to the visitors.


CHEETAHS 1/3 vs WESTERN FORCE 5/2

Brussow vs Pocock should provide entertainment! The Cheetahs are bound to run it and the Force sometimes manage to lift their game. But the emphasis is on the word ‘sometimes’.

I have to confess that I find the Force pretty impotent as an attacking..er....force. They also seem to be something of a retirement home for ‘has been’ players peppered with Australian journeymen. In fact – a very diluted version of the Sharks although even more lacking in cohesion.

Surely the Cheetahs cannot lose this one. Had they beaten the Highlanders last week ( which they should have! ) they would have been 1/6. Comparatively 1/3 looks fair.


CRUSADERS 2/11 vs REDS 9/2

The Crusaders sure seem to frighten the hell out of the oddsmakers.

The Reds are on the rise and each week sees the return of yet another suspended or previously injured player. This week is no different with the Faingaa twin returning to the bench

I expect this side to give the home side a go.

The Crusaders are improving all the while but remain less than ‘good things’ to overhaul the Chiefs; which suggests that 4th might end up being their best possible finishing position by playoff time. A grinding extra round of playoffs accompanied by possible travel places their winning the competition at high risk with return matches against both of the Chiefs and Highlanders still to come. Small wonder their skinny price of 5/2 is suddenly not moving despite two goods wins following their shortening to that level.

If you don’t believe me then I won’t quote either Barcelona or Real Madrid in the Champions League as examples!

Because they are at home I will give the nod to the Crusaders but it might not be an act of madness to back the Reds on the handicap with a start of 11,5.

Thanks Garrick. Excellent as usual.

The Hurricanes beat the Blues 1st time out (away from home)The Blues have problems and I cannot see them beating the Canes at home, although, history tells a different story, but if you lack confidence in rugby, you are ......Canes 5

Garrick, nou trap jy op my tone, We now find out whether the Bulls are simply bullies in their Pretoria playground and whether they are paper tigers away from home.

The Pienkies will klap the rebels by at least 15..

Lions vs Chiefs. ????? Are we in S15 next year? Have I got a job? Eish... must be terrible 'working' like that. Impossible, YES, NO, MAYBE? Cannot see the Lions win this 1. Too much political crap, but this team has the ability to upset a 'weaker' Chiefs side....can't see it though....hoping

Cheetahs 'B' team vs Highlanders

Plum, what now. Hope they can come back and play some winning rugby, but, got little confidence in the Sharks

Cheetahs A team to beat the Force and beat them well

and the Saders to put the Reds to bed


O my word.....Brumbies vs Tahs....kicking contest....who cares