Australia v. Ireland: PreJudgement

The marquee game of Pool C sees two-time RWC champions Australia face off against Webb Ellis under-achievers Ireland in a rematch of their thrilling 17-16 win in 2003.

Tri Nations PreJudgement: Australia v South Africa ANZ Stadium, Sydney

The Tri Nations is finally here and after a fantastic and eventful SupeRugby tourney, its time to see if the International  coaches can capitalise on good form and use the correct combo's leading up to the IRB Rugby World Cup.

SupeRugby Round 15 Prejudgement:

15 Weeks into the 2011 SupeRugby tournament and we still can't clearly see who's our top six will be. Eight teams are playing for these six places and and two look guaranteed, The Reds and Stormers. The interesting fight is coming from the Bulls, Sharks, Highlanders and Waratahs. Anyone who slips up could see the dream slipping up too. There is no doubt that the Sharks are under serious pressure and the Highlanders need to rejuvenate their season. The Bulls are looking awesome and the 'Tahs are slowly but surely sneaking in. This week is crucial.

Hurricanes v Force (Palmerston North)
The Hurricanes have come from a weeks rest and will be looking to secure only their 4th win of the season. They are languishing at the bottom of the NZ conference and a bonus point win will take them level with the Chiefs (who have a bye). The Force are missing James O'Connor but will be looking to secure a good away win against their NZ counterparts. Look out for Sam Wykes and Hosea Gear. South African born Mark Swanepoel will be starting at 9 for the Force.
PreJudgement: Hurricanes by 5

Highlanders v Lions (Dunedin)
The Highlanders must be licking their lips ahead of this encounter, I just don't think that it will be that easy for them. The Lions have shuffled their backline around a bit and have an awesome mix of youth and experience. The Highlanders have however got great players and leaders in key positions if you look at Cowan, Thomson and Mackintosh. Watch out for those three as well as Taute, Vermaak and Strauss for the Lions.
PreJudgement: Highlanders by 4

Brumbies v Stormers (Canberra)
Wow, am I looking forward to this game. There has been an interesting shuffle in the centres as Johann Sadie gets dropped for Jaque Fourie, and Jean de Villiers is on the bench. There are still a few worries at flyhalf but we all saw how well Dewaldt Duvenhage handled that last week, should he be required to move there. The battle will be upfront but the backline is going to reap the rewards of this game. Keep an eye on Christian Lealiifano, Juan de Jongh and Nick Koster at 8th man.
PreJudgement: Stormers by 13

Sharks v Waratahs (Durban)
A must win for both teams. The Sharks desperately need to win and the Waratahs will be looking to put the south Africans to bed early. Its the Waratahs first game in South Africa so it will be interesting to see how they will go for the full 80 minutes. I have not been particularly blown away by the Waratahs play latley but they are sneaking up the log. Look out for Beale, Mvovo and Daniel.
PreJudgement: Sharks by 4

Bulls v Cheetahs (Pretoria)
I would like to base this on the fact that the Cheetahs are the Bulls' bogey team but sheesh the Bulls are looking hot (It really pains me to say that). The Bulls will be looking to keep the pressure on the Sharks, Highlanders and Waratahs and walk away with 5 points here. The Cheetahs have been awesome of late and the Ebersohn twins have been great to watch. This could be a gem of a game. Awesome to see Dustin Jinka on the bench for the Bulls! We used to play at the same club together...we were only separated by about 16 teams...but it was the same club!
PreJudgement: Bulls by 3

Reds v Crusaders (Brisbane)
The Reds can't be bumped off top spot this week but they sure as hell are going to be tested this Sunday. Brisbane must be about to boil over in anticipation of this clash. The Crusaders are pretty much fielding a full strength team and the Reds are looking good too but I am yet to find a teamsheet for Sundays game. Keep an eye out for Sonny Bill Williams, Richie McCaw and Kieran Read. The Reds will need Genia, Cooper and Ioane to fire on all cylinders.
PreJudgement: Crusaders by 4

SupeRugby Round 12 PreJudgement:

I am not sure how the Bulls will be feeling having a buy this week. They will either welcome the break or will be chomping at the bit to start securing bonus point wins again. The Blues will be looking to extend their lead on the log. We are spoilt for choice regarding good games this week but there is no doubt that all eyes will be on the Stormers v Crusaders game at Newlands on Saturday. 

Hurricanes v Blues (Wellington)
The more I look at the team sheets the more I fear for the future of the Hurricanes coaching staff. The only real weakness I can see on the Blues team would be Stephan Brett's kicking. They have an extremely solid tight five and loose trio along with a fantastic backline. No Corey Jane for the Hurricanes but, he isn't having the best season ever.
PreJudgement: Blues by 17 

Rebels v Reds (Melbourne)
The Reds will need the Crusaders and Hurricanes to help them out if they want to go top of the log. They will be looking to secure 5 points in Melbourne on Friday and bounce back from their loss last week. Will Genia and Quade Cooper are the only two players to start in every game this season and the Australian half back pairing will be looking to tear into the SupeRugby newbies.
PreJudgement: Reds by 9

Lions v Cheetahs (Johannesburg)
The only South African derby of the weekend and the more you look into it better it gets. The Cheetahs are looking to build on their brilliant performance from last week while the Lions are looking to put their get only their second win of the season. These head to heads are mouthwatering : Brussow v Grobbelaar, Johnson v Strauss, Pretorius v Kockott, Burger v Mapoe. Dylan des Fountain makes his SupeRugby debut for the Cheetahs and I am looking forward to seeing how he gets on. This might be closer than initially thought.
PreJudgement: Lions by 5

Chiefs v Highlanders (Hamilton)
The Highlanders could end up outside the wildcards at the end of the weekend if they don't beat the Chiefs. They take on their third derby in three weeks and travel to Hamilton to take on a team that could shake them around a bit. Adam Thomson returns and will be looking to pick up where he left off two games ago.
PreJudgement: Chiefs by 9

Waratahs v Force (Sydney)
A tough game to call but the Waratahs are desperate to win to move above the Sharks and the Highlanders (should they lose). Players to keep an eye on will be James O'Connor, Willie Ripia, Kurtley Beale and Luke Burgess.
PreJudgement: Draw

Stormers v Crusaders (Cape Town)
What can I say about this game that hasn't been said already? We are all looking forward to the possible Springbok v AB centre pairing pre-world cup showdown. I think Lionel Cronje might be out of his depth in this fixture and I also think that all the hype has been on the #12 &13 match up, but Israel Dagg will be the danger man for the Crusaders.
PreJudgement: Crusaders by 5

Sharks v Brumbies (Durban)
A desperate game for both teams. The Brumbies are just looking for log points to brighten up their gloomy season but the Sharks, on the other hand, are fighting to stay in the running to be Champions. They are coming off an extremely poor performance against the Stormers and will be looking to prove to themselves and their supporters that they are worthy title contenders. A welcome return for longtime injured flanker Jean Deysel at 7 for the Sharks.
PreJudgement: Sharks by 11

SupeRugby Round 10 Recap:

The Bulls and Waratahs failed to secure victories and put pressure on the Sharks. The 'Tahs are 6 points behind the Sharks but I think that is it for them this season and the Bulls can pack it in too. The Sharks are going to have to keep their wits about them this week to beat the stormers in Newlands. The Reds and the Highlanders are looking awesome this season and I think the Reds will take it. The Highlanders have done so many teams a favour by showing the likes of The Reds, Stormers and Sharks that the Crusaders can be beaten. We are in for one of the best SupeRugby finishes ever seen this season.

• As expected, the Blues ran out winners on Friday against the Rebels. The Rebels challenged the NZ team late on in the first half and trailed by 6 at half time. After the break the Blues stepped up their game and put the game to bed. Danny Cipriani has proved to be a problem on defense and that channel was attacked during the game. The Blues have moved to second on the group log and lead the NZ conference. Blues winning 40-23

• The Highlanders did what many thought was impossible, beat the Crusaders. The Crusaders were missing a few players and who they weren't missing they benched. Poor coaching in my opinion but it could be argued as rotational as well as blooding new players. I think you need to secure wins whenever you can...Lets hope this doesn't bite them in the ass later. Having said that, the Highlanders were awesome. Tony Brown was brilliant and he deserved the recognition for this win. Highlanders win 26-18

• The Reds took the dismal Waratahs at home on Saturday and manged to secure the most wins on the trot for the Queensland franchise. The Waratahs held the lead briefly in the first half but never capitalised. I am sure they were warned about 1 player and they did not stop him, Quade Cooper got all the 19 points for the Reds! Not only that but it was a full house too, a try , conversion, penalties and a drop kick. Reds winning 19-15

• The Force notched up back to back wins on Saturday against, believe it or not, the current SupeRugby Champions. The Bulls are having a season to forget and will no doubt be loving the fact that they are at home this week. I don't think their fans will be too receptive to them this week though. The Bulls got most of their points when James O'Connor was in the sin bin but looked extremely pedestrian and one dimensional. It was great to see Matt Dunning back on the park for the Force. Force win 26-21

 

• The Sharks looked great on Saturday with Patrick Lambie directing the backline again. His kicking was a little off but everything else was brilliant. The Sharks and Highlanders were head to head leading into half time at 13 points a piece. However, after the 55th minute it was one way traffic with he sharks dotting down 3 more times. The Sharks were in desperate need of a bonus point win in the hunt for a wild card spot. This win pulls them away from the Bulls and Waratahs. Now for the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday! Sharks win 40-24

• All I can say is, the poor Lions! They are always in the mix but just can't seem to push themselves over the edge. I honestly think that they will be the comeback kids of the season in the 2012 SupeRugby competition. They were only, seemingly, out of contention in the 53rd minute when Dwayne Sweeney ran in for a converted try and trailed the visitors by 31-16. Then in true Lions spirit fought their way back to within a point in the 72nd minute. They were however not able to close it out for a win and lost their 9th game out of 10. The Chiefs winning 34-30

There is a pretty clear picture as to who will be in the play offs later this year but don't tell the Waratahs that. Right now it is just going to be securing that place and fighting for higher positions in the play offs. there were two outstanding players this week for me, deciding which one will get the award will be tough. both Tony Brown and Quade Cooper were instrumental in their teams derby wins this weekend.

Player of the Week: Tony Brown
Team of the Week: The Highlanders
WTF of the Week: Greg Clark unhappy with Jake White's move to Brumbies.                                                             "Personally I'd like to see an Aussie in charge"
                               Anyone is better than what they are currently doing there...
Ouch of the Week: Drew Mitchell

Kurtley Beale Signs for the Melbourne Rebels

After Five years with the Waratahs, Kurtley Beale has decided to move. This move has surprisingly been signed with the youngest SupeRugby franchise, Melbourne Rebels.
After less than a weeks negotiations with the Rebels, Beale put pen to paper and will be strutting his stuff in the dark blue instead of the light blue of the Waratahs.
It is rumored that the Rebels are also after James O'Connor's signature which will create an interesting decision for Rebels Coach, Rod Macqueen, as to who starts at flyhalf and fullback with the likes of Cipriani, O'Connor and Beale. 

SupeRugby Round 8 Prejudgement:

This weeks games will define the season for many of the teams. A win for the Reds, Stormers or Crusaders will almost secure a play off place, wins for the Sharks and Highlanders puts them back into the knock out wild card qualification. A loss for the Brumbies or Hurricanes and their season would be pretty much over.

Highlanders v Cheetahs (Carisbrook, Dunedin)
The Cheetahs are hopefully going to be concentrating on the game and not coming home! It's the South Africans last touring game before they head home. SupeRugby Round 8 kicks off with the Highlanders as the favorites for this game, with the opportunity to move higher up the ladder into Wild Card Territory.
PreJudgement: Highlanders by 12

Crusaders v Bulls (Fraser Park, Timaru)
Game of the weekend number 1 and with Dan Carter sitting out with a hamstring injury, Matt Berquist gets a start at flyhalf for probably the most exciting backline ever fielded. The Bulls will fancy their chances against the Crusaders with Carter not available as well as coming off a win last week. Morne Steyn didn't win too many fans with his drop kicks last week but as boring as it is to watch, it wins games and adds three points.
PreJudgement: Crusaders by 9

Brumbies v Hurricanes (Canberra Stadium, Canberra)
Wow, this could go one of two ways, riddled with errors, bad kicking and poor hands or it could be the game of the season. Both teams need a win (more than oxygen right now) and with the talent they both have available to them lets hope we are in for a quality 80 minutes. I think The Hurricanes might find the trip too much to deal with as the Australian capital is a tough place to visit.
PreJudgement: Brumbies by 12

Force v Waratahs (Perth Oval, Perth)
James O'Connor has been moved to fullback for this encounter to give Willie Ripia his first start at flyhalf this season. Ex Force centre and wing Ryan Cross has hit out at his old team mates for not closing out games. I am sure this will add some extra niggle to Saturdays game.
PreJudgement: Waratahs by 7

Stormers v Reds (Newlands, Cape Town)
Game of the weekend number 2. The build up to this game has been awesome. Everyone is wondering which backline is going to come out winners come the final whistle. Quade Cooper v Peter Grant , Digby Ioane v Bryan Habana , Duane Vermeulen v Scott Higginbotham. Just looking at those match ups should excite you as a rugby supporter. Such a tough game to call.
PreJudgement: do I have to say something.... Stormers by 5

Sharks v Lions (Kings Park, Durban)
A number of changes for the Sharks this week sees John Smit and Eugene van Staden starting at prop with Gerhard Mostert replacing the injured Hargreaves. This has opened the door for Ross Skeate's return to SupeRugby after a two year stint at French side Toulon. The Lions will be looking to kick the Sharks while they are down but they have had their fair share of problems with many missed kicks. The Sharks are coming off three losses on the trot but I can assure you that they will not settle for anything less than a bonus point win.
PreJudgement: Sharks by 15 

SupeRugby Round 6 Recap:

With four teams winning with a score of 40 or more points if you didn't watch an interesting game of rugby this weekend you weren't watching SupeRugby! The Stormers put 51 points past the Force.The Crusaders and Rebels both stormed (sorry about that) to comprehensive victories over the Sharks and Hurricanes respectively. Both the Stormers and Crusaders have put themselves in great positions to qualify at the top of their conference this early.If they carry on playing like they have this past week nobody will argue that statement either.
Right, here we go...

• The Rebels destroyed, and that is a nice way of describing the Hurricanes performance, their visitors from Otago on Friday by 42-25. It was an inspired performance and they are proving to be the most unpredictable team this year. Read my write up here.

• The Reds brought the Cheetahs back to earth with a thump as they beat them 41-8. Quade Cooper is in sublime form and was clearly in the mood to show off his skills with no look passes and a crazy cross field kick-pass to Digby Ioane behind their own try line, which nearly resulted in a try for the Reds. 

• The Chiefs lost a home derby versus the Blues in a rather uneventful game in terrible conditions. The game saw three tries with two going to the Chiefs. The Blues try came from makeshift centre Jared Payne who, I must say looks very comfortable at 13.

• The Australian derby was between the ACT Brumbies and the NSW Waratahs which was won in the last move of the game by a try from Sitaleki Timani of the Waratahs. The game looked destined to be a draw but the Waratahs had different ideas. With the lead changing five times in 80 minutes you would expect it to be close. The Brumbies however didn't capitalise on Tom Carter's 64th minute yellow card, they only added 3 points off the boot of Matt Giteau.

•  The Stormers finally slept well on Saturday evening after having played to their potential against the Force at Newlands. The Stormers more than doubled their tries scored this season in one game by running in six against the Australian franchise. A brace of tries from Deon Fourie & Jaque Fourie were sights for the sore eyes of the Newlands faithful. Jean de Villiers & Andries Bekker added 5 pointers too. James O'Connor was the only contributor for the Force with a try, conversion and three penalties.

• The Bulls ran in three tries to the two of the Lions as they beat the visiting team by 30-23. The Bulls are still not firing on all cylinders and are not looking at all like the championship winning side that they were in 2010. The Bulls start the away leg of the tournament next week as they take on the down and out Hurricanes and will be looking to start the tour with a win.

• By far the best game of the weekend (Rebels v Hurricanes came close) the Crusaders crushed the Sharks at Twickenham by 44-28. There were at total of nine tries scored of which five were scored by the Crusaders who are in the best from I have ever seen them in. An unbelievable display by Dan Carter , Sonny Bill Williams and Robert Fruean.The Sharks fought back valiantly but leaked too many points before half time. A mention must go to Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira who was out there to prove a point and did. He scrummed well and was running like a backline player.

What a great weekend which saw the first ever SupeRugby game played outside of South Africa, Australia or New Zealand. Twickenham is the proud owner of the Northern Hemisphere's first ever glimpse of SupeRugby, and what a spectacle the Crusaders and Sharks put on.

Player of the Week: Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira
Team of the Week: The Melbourne Rebels
WTF of the Week: Jacques -Louis Potgieter (He was just poor against the Crusaders)