Okay, it seems I have been doing a lot of posting in this forum - my daughter tells me that I am long winded, boring and obsessive - then again rugby has long been something of an obsession, you do not coach the game for more than 20 years unless you are obsessed (or possessed!) The long-windedness is a genetic thing, and the boring thing comes with advancing years! Here are my thoughts about Week 7 of the Super Series: Interesting weekend coming at us – some big derbies and a couple of season defining match-ups to look forward to. Lets take a quick look: Friday, March 28: Crusaders v Hurricanes AMI Park, Christchurch - Kick-off: 08.35 SA Time Season definer coming up! Whoever loses will not be heading for a slot in the finals. Saders lost their first two versus Chiefs and Blues, then won two versus Stormers and Rebels. They were lucky against the Stormers, and acknowledged the fact! Scoring just 6 tries so far this season the mighty Saders have looked a little wonky so far. Their forwards have done well in the scrums, but their backs have not pitched for the season yet. Hurricanes are an interesting team – they have scored no less than 16 tries so far this season, but have had some bad stumbles along the way, including a thumping by the Highlanders last weekend. (They did finish very well, but too little too late, and some say the Highlanders took their foot off the pedal.) The Saders are my favourite non-SA side, but I worry that the Canes are going to win away from home this time. Brumbies v Rebels Canberra Stadium, Canberra - Kickoff: 10.40 SA Time The Brumbies top the Aussie log at the moment, with four out of five this season. Wins against the Force, Canes, Tahs and Stormers, and a season opener loss versus the Reds. Gave the Tahs a rugby lesson. Rebels gave the Cheetahs a hiding in their first outing of the season, but got thumped by the Force, had a close run against the Crusaders, and then took another on the chin from the Tahs. Rebels biggest problem is a leaky midfield that resembles a storm water drain – and the Brumbies will be coming straight at that soft spot! I would not bet against the Brumbies for this one! Saturday, March 29th Blues v Highlanders Auckland, - Kickoff: 08h35 SA Time The Highlanders produced their best display of the season in the first half of last weekend’s thumping of the Canes, but they have never been a side that travels well. The Blues have not been great this year, some brilliant play out wide, but their scrum has creaked, and creaked, and then creaked some more. I don’t see this as one of the weekend’s big games, and will go with the homeside (Blues) for a win. Reds v Stormers Brisbane – Kickoff: 10h40 SA Time This could be another season definer! Oh Boy, the Stormers management knows how to shoot their team in the foot! The last week of a very difficult tour, a host of injuries and some very close losses, and their boss decides it is time to shuffle the coaching staff around! What sheer stupidity by one of the blazer wearing idiots who administer the game and ride the gravy train! The Reds have had a bad tour to SA, and their discipline problems have not dissipated! (Yes, I know Stuart Berry is out of his depth, but that did not stop the Reds from transgressing at every opportunity.) James Horwell is leaving at the end of the season and his captaincy has been poor if not downright silly! Instead of reading the riot act to his players about their discipline he has chosen to question the referee’s decision at every opportunity. Time for a change there I think. Two teams that are struggling! That could just give the game the boost it needs – Stormers want to finish with a big one and show their bosses a finger, whilst the Reds will want to start winning again. My Stormers heart says that the Reds will shade this one – just! Bulls v Chiefs Loftus, Pretoria. Kickoff: 15h00 SA Time. After a loss to the Force the Chiefs arrive in SA facing a resurgent Bulls outfit. I have always had the greatest respect for the Chiefs, and they will always make a fist of it, but…….. The Bulls are not playing anything other than ugly rugby, but they are winning, and winning well! It would take a brave man to bet against the Bulls at home! Sharks v Waratahs Kings Park, Durban: Kickoff: 17h05 SA Time The Sharks are a little shell-shocked after their loss to the Bulls last weekend. Losing 23-19 is not a thumping, but the way they lost was a little worrying for any Sharks supporters. They tried to play the Bulls with Bull’s style rugby and it did not work! Pat Lambie is out for the season, Reinach for about 8 weeks, so Jake has shuffled the squad. Fred Zeilinga gets the nod at 10, which surprises me as Frans Steyn did a great job there just two weeks ago! Zeilinga only has a single Sharks cap, as a sub versus the Kings last year, and I am not sure that he is ready for the big stuff. Then Jake surprises us some more, Mvovo goes to fullback and Marais drops to the bench? Why? Mvovo has been impressive on the left wing this season and Marais has been safe and sound at the back (mostly) so I am a little puzzled by this one. Then JP is switched from right to left and Odwa comes in on the left. This seems a bit odd to me, without knocking Odwa. JP is one of the best left wings in the world, so why is he being played out of position? More surprises: Alberts goes to lock while the Windhoek born Bresler is not even on the bench! Bresler is not the best lock in the country, but he provides lineout ball and a bit of aggro too, whilst the Sharks have consistently used Alberts as their heavy artillery in the loose. alberts and Coetzee have been one of their strong points in the loose trio, Kanko has been the weakness! Then the biggest surprise of them all – Keegan Daniel gets called back from the wilderness outpost Jake sent him off to live in at the beginning of the season. Okay, he is only on the bench, but he is not one of Jake’s favored few! The Tahs have looked better this year, until they ran into the Brumbies a week ago. Lots of Wallabies in the team, but it remains to be seen if they can recover their mojo. I would give it to the Sharks, despite all the Jake-shuffles. (You might guess that I am not the biggest Jake fan in the world, or even in South Africa, or even in our suburb, or even…) Thats my bundle for now - I am off to find my daughter and bend her ear for an hour or two about respect for her elders.....
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 09:52:20 +0000
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