I’m not sure if it’s because of the endless cheering and shouting that ensued every big hit and line break or if it’s because I stayed up to watch the South African games live, but I am well and truly exhausted after Round 1 of Super Rugby.
Imagine how the players feel!
In a weekend that had tipsters pulling out hair while the bookies bought new shoes, I was impressed with every game I saw, mixed performances and away-win upsets alike.
I know it’s been echoed endlessly this entire week, but I’ve got a lot less sympathy for the losing teams than some other Roarers and journalists have displayed, as I’ll highlight with a brief weekend synopsis.
The Rebels, true to my last article, executed their game plan with aplomb and recorded a much-deserved win outside of Australia for the first time in their short history. Furthermore, it was against the all-conquering Crusaders. Very positive signs for a Melbourne team that have always had good intentions, but poor application.
Next up was a complete romping of the Reds at the hands of the Brumbies. The Reds’ biggest fault was giving away needless penalties that Nic White could hastily kick into the corner, allowing the perfect platform for the Brumbies’ outside backs to score off.
That loss can’t be attributed to any particular new recruit, though others have tried, but moreover an ill-disciplined forward pack.
The Hurricanes outclassed the Lions and it was a difference in the backline that caused this. The Lions were spoilt with possession and opportunities, but the coaching staff will lament not having quicker, more agile outside backs. It was a great win for the Hurricanes, but the score doesn’t really do justice to how close the Lions should have been.
The Chiefs performed spectacularly, as one would expect, even without Aaron Cruden and Liam Messam there to guide the team. Damian McKenzie filled the fly-half void with ease, looking more like a seasoned Super Rugby veteran than a 19-year old on debut. The Blues had some good kicking practice, but are missing some spark. They stayed in the game through a six out of six haul of penalty goals, but never looked like winning it.
The Sharks and Cheetahs game was potentially the most entertaining of the round. Never thought I’d say that! Free-flowing, running rugby from both teams for the majority of the match was a sight for sore eyes. To the disappointment of the Sharks, the Cheetahs have been the best South African team for running rugby in recent years, and it was a battle they only just lost, but positive signs from the Sharks new coach Gary Gold.
I thought the Bulls and Stormers fixture would be much closer and more entertaining because of the rivalry between the two teams and the desire to get off to a winning start. But the Stormers ran out to a healthy lead late in the first half and it was a game of kicking from there on out. Nonetheless, a good win for the Stormers.
Lastly, the most exciting second half of the round (not even the Force fans could’ve enjoyed that first half!) was staged between the defending champions (don’t tell Michael Cheika I called them that) and the Western Force. And boy what an upset! The Force played like a team possessed, smashing into every collision, taking chances and dominating the rucks with the most underrated backrow in the competition. A well deserved win indeed.
The only thing that can top that round will be the increase in tempo from all teams this week – how mouth-watering!
Chiefs vs Brumbies
The Chiefs and Brumbies are both looking to stamp their mark as best in the competition early, and bragging rights will be justly awarded to whoever takes this one out… for now.
The backlines are both as dangerous as you’ll find in this tournament, so the battle to me lies up front. With David Pocock re-injured (yep, that’s not a typo) and IRB Player of the Year Brodie Retallick set to wreak havoc off the bench for the Chiefs, Brumbies have every reason to be a little scared.
Hard to pick, but my gut says the Brumbies will take the points from this match.
Rebels vs Waratahs
Seeing Will Skelton and Lopeti Timani lock horns should be worth the price of admission alone. It’ll be interesting to see how the Rebels’ confidence from their win shows in this performance, and the Waratahs, now angered by a first-round and unexpected loss, will not be an easy beast to tame.
I’m tipping the Waratahs to win by enough to let Sydney-siders forgive the first round, but I say that with as much confidence as a pimple-prone teenager delivering a speech in front of his year 9 classmates.
Bulls vs Hurricanes
The first South African performance will come when the Bulls take on the Hurricanes in Pretoria. The Bulls, admittedly like most other teams, don’t like losing twice in a row, and the fact that the Hurricanes just beat their compatriots the Lions means the home ground advantage is good for sweet nothing to the men from Wellington.
The Bulls have the bigger forward pack with a knack for never losing lineouts and having a fair understanding of how to win a scrum. The Hurricanes have a dangerous backline bolstered by the run-on return of Ma’a Nonu.
The average speed of the Hurricanes ranges somewhere between the fastest in the competition and the Jamaican 100-metre sprint team, so this game can go either way depending on the conditions. I’d like to say the Hurricanes have what it takes to win another one while visiting South Africa, but the Bulls have proven me wrong before.
Highlanders vs Crusaders
The hardest pick of the round. Do you back the team that hasn’t played a match yet, with 7 new faces to the 23-man squad? Or do you back the perennial slow starters who didn’t win at home and now have the task of travelling away? All I’m sure of is the damaging runs soon to be produced by Robbie Fruean and Malakai Fekitoa take a whole backline to stop.
Highlanders to win by an unconvincing margin in an entertaining fixture.
Reds vs Force
Playing at home with the injection of James O’Connor and Adam Thompson, anything less than a gutsy performance which results in a losing bonus point must nearly mean the end for Reds coach Richard Graham. Of course, every team goes in hoping to win, and the Reds have every chance to if they gel as a team, as opposed to shining as a bunch of individuals, but the Force will be oozing confidence they don’t often possess and I can’t see them losing to the team that managed a lone penalty goal last week.
Force by a try; more if Sias Ebersohn remembers how to convert goals.
Stormers vs Blues
The Blues haven’t looked like a premiership-winning team for some time now, but with more All Blacks exposure to Charles Piutau and Patrick Tuipoluto, as well as more caps under the belt for sharpshooter Ihaia West, expect the Blues to bounce back with a point to prove.
With all of that in mind, they don’t have what it takes this week; the Stormers should get up by a few points.
Sharks vs Lions
Both teams are trying to recover from losses to patch up their 2015 season hopes. The Lions are hungrier than ever after finally claiming a few scalps last year. They still haven’t imposed themselves on the competition, but a win here will raise eyebrows.
The Sharks, previously touted as the likely winners of the South Africa conference, were a shadow of the team I thought they’d be, but don’t often lose twice in a row. The defence of both teams will be huge and hard to crack, but the Sharks have the better battering rams in order to do so.
Sharks to win and the Lions, I strongly recommend, to go looking in the stands for someone with pace.
With a dreadful start to the tipping competition, I’m not expecting another game to go my way this week, but that makes it all the more exciting for when I’m getting noise complaints from my neighbours for screaming at the TV too loudly and frequently.
In a week mixed with upsets, close calls and whitewashes, the only certainties for this weekend are a bevy of brilliant matches and that the Cheetahs have a bye!
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