Super Rugby 2012: Preview and Predictions – Round 14, part 2

Last Saturday I went with a bunch of mates to Newlands for the Stormers vs Waratahs game. It was a great night out, although more because of the talking of the toot, atmosphere and drinking of the tasty beers than the actual rugga on display.

You can’t drink in the stands at Newlands which inevitably means you smash a couple of beers before the game kicks off, miss the last minutes of the first half as you scamper to the bar. Down a few beers at half time and then make your way back to the stands to find you have missed the first 10 mins of the second half. All this downing of beers can get the better of some fans, either that or this guy really did find the rugby that boring.

Good times from last week aside, let’s smash some predictions in our faces, half time at Newlands style, as we look at the next four games.

Super Rugby 2012 round 14, Sat 24 May

Brumbies vs Reds

The Reds welcomed back Quade burglar Cooper to the side last week against the Lions as they picked up the expected 4 try bonus point win. Quade lasted for the first half and showed one or two moments of skill but wasn’t quite on the same page as most of his team mates and passed to no one, a few times. It was hilarious. Scrumhalf Will Genia had a very good game but the Reds did look a touch vulnerable when the Lions kept the ball through phases.

Super Rugby 2012: Preview and Predictions – Round 14, part 1

Only five more rounds of the round robin stage of the tournament to go and nine sides can still technically make the play-off stages. Exciting times ahead and no mistake!

Ok, realistically it will take some very specific results and situations for the Hurricanes and Reds to make the top 6 but the Reds actually have a better chance of finishing 3rd given the already complained about ‘one team from each conference must be in the top 3′ rule. They play in a crunch match this week against the Brumbies, which they absolutely have to win to stand any chance of finishing as the top Aussie side but more on that later.

Onto matters that are far more interesting now as we look ahead to whether the Bulls can beat the Chiefs to go top of the log and heap some pink pressure on the Stormers. Let’s have a closer look at the first 3 games.

Super Rugby 2012 round 14, Friday 25th May

Chiefs vs Bulls

This game is critical for the Bulls for a few reasons. Firstly, a win here will boost them to the top of the log (although possibly only until Saturday), secondly, it give them a far better shot at a home semi-final and lastly, it will fill them up with invaluable confidence and momentum as they head home for their last remaining games. One of their players of the season so far, Juandre Kruger, is being rested but otherwise it is an unchanged side.

The Spear

It seems good ol’ Jay Z can’t get through the week without someone taking the piss out of him. Love him or hate him, one quality Zuma definitely lacks is the ability to laugh at himself.

This time he has turned to the courts, to get artist Brett Murray’s ‘The Spear‘ painting removed from the Goodman Gallery, because of what he has described as an attack on his dignity.

Check out Zapiro’s take on the “The Spear” painting controversy.

For more Zapiro cartoons, check out the Times Live website.

rennton

 

Super Rugby 2012: Preview and Predictions – Round 13, part 2

It may or may not be obvious that I am not a huge soccer on TV, fan. I do sometimes enjoy soccer live but enjoy playing it even more, in fact our side of 30 somethings recently won gold in our Action Soccer league. Pretty sweet eh? Hell yeah it was! But I just can’t get into watching a full season of the English Premiership. The diving and then rolling around irritates me and the lack of goals frustrates me but more than anything, I can’t stand the way players can swear and remonstrate with the ref like little douchebags.

This season though, I definitely got wrapped up in the last few rounds of the Premier League, especially when it looked like it was going to come down to the last day of the season. In case you don’t follow or care about this, move right along to the predictions but if you do, you probably heard about or watched the Man city vs QPR game. Basically they needed to win the game to win the league.

They were 2-1 down into injury time and it looked like Man United would once again lift the trophy but then Man City said, “FiretrUCK that SHITake and scored 2 goals in the last 3mins of injury time to win the league, for the first time in like 60 years. Drama, action and well, more drama. Nice one, Man City. Maverick thumbs up.

Back to Super Rugby though and four, count them, four more games on Sat and one on Sunday for good measure, let’s take a closer look.

Super Rugby 2012 Round 13, 19 May

Reds vs Lions

No matter how much I want to believe that the Lions are capable of an upset, I just don’t see it, which is probably because they aren’t. They played one of their worst games of the season last week and will do well not to lose this by a cricket innings score. It is not like they are not creating chances and in fact their forwards are quite competitive but their backs can’t seem to catch a ball or have any idea of what to do when given space and time. It is sad that the Lions will probably bail out of Super rugby but sheesh kebab, it’s not like they seem able to compete at this level anyway.

David Thorne’s friendly neighbour

Another classic from our favourite Aussie…

[Thanks Vince]

rennton

Super Rugby 2012: Preview and Predictions – Round 13, part 1

Only a few more rounds to go until the mid-season break, which I am sure injury hit sides, like the Lions and Highlanders, are massively looking forward to. If only they got points for the  four weeks of not playing like they do in the bye weeks…

It looks more and more likely that the Cats option will not happen and even more likely that the Lions will be making way for the Kings. I have many issues with this whole fiasco but something that I read recently, makes no sense at all and that is that SARU have announced that will only guarantee the Kings one season in Super Rugby. In 2014, The Kings the bottom side will have to play a relegation game against the Lions side knocked out.

Huh? The whole point of pushing the Kings into Super Rugby was to develop the game in the Eastern Cape, bring in some much-needed income and get the many players, who played school boy rugga in the area and then left, an incentive to return, to play top-level rugby.

How the FiretrUCK does SARU expect them to do all of this in one season?  What if half their side gets injured in the first few weeks next year? If you are not going to give the Kings a fair chance of cementing their place in Super Rugby why are you even bothering in the first place?

Bit of rant I know but I am three draughts in… yehooo! My advice: if you are going to include the Kings, first let them play Currie Cup rugby for a few seasons and then give them a proper chance.

Boom! You’re welcome.

Geez, enough already I hear you say. Fair play indeed, let’s accept the way it is for the time being as we smash our way into the first 3 games.

Super Rugby 2012 Round 13, 18 May 2012

Hurricanes vs Brumbies

The Hurricanes are coming off a very good victory over the Highlanders in Dunedin in a toit affair that they snatched with some Julian Savea magic. They still have a shot of making the play-offs and will be hoping to bank a further 4 points against the injury hit Brumbies side. Look out for Samoan flyhalf, Tusi Pisi getting his first start of the season. Being Samoan, he will more than likely start a fight be an aggressive player, so should be easy to spot.

Super Rugby 2012: Preview and Predictions – Round 12, part 2

Back at work after an awesome day off. I feel refreshed and relaxed. I reckon we should all have a midweek break from work. It .. it just feels right. I will write it a letter to parliament to see what I can do.

Speaking of letters to people who only have their own interests at heart, I see SARU have still not got back to me about the Kings issue, damnit! It looks more and more likely that the Cheetahs and Lions will be given the option to merge back to the Cats for next season. Now this may not be ideal for either side but is better than the alternative of dropping out altogether.

At least if the merge did happen, the Cats would have ample squad depth for next season. Of course the logistical stumbling block of playing half the games in Joburg and half in Bloem plus the question of whether both unions would be keen to share the spoils could well lead to some unhappiness and probable legal battle shenanigans. Would be nice of SARU to finally come to some decision either way though, GOSH.

Back to Super Rugby played this year though as we look to the next 4 games.

Super Rugby Round 12, 12 May 2012

Rebels vs Crusaders

The Rebels showed good fight and spirit to score 5 tries against the Bulls last week but shrugged off the need to tackle or defend as an all round bad idea. Kurtley Tache Beale had a fine game and looks set to continue at flyhalf with bosom buddy, James Bieber O’Connor out for the forseeable future. It is in the forwards, however where the Crusaders will smash the Rebels and Tache may find it far tougher to dance his way through the Crusaders’ defensive line.