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Four rounds gone and there is good news and bad news for every Super Rugby team.
Blues
The good news is the Auckland boys have figured out how to get the ball, keep the ball, and win all the statistical battles. They pass more than any other team, which makes for pretty rugby. And have beaten defenders 80 times!
More good news: the Blues have world-class international stars with a wheelbarrow full of All Black caps. Also, they have an internationally renowned and knighted coach who believes in himself, believes in his structures, and welcomes the challenge.
The bad news is the Blues lost at home to a previously winless young team with only a couple of Test caps, and now they face teams (the Hurricanes, the Waratahs, and the Chiefs) who can’t be accused (as some Auckland scribes regrettably did to the Lions) of ‘just making up the numbers’.
The other bad news is there is no way the Blues will qualify.
Reds
The bad news is Queensland does not have a knighted coach, although Richard Graham was an internationally-capped sevens back. The Reds have also conceded more penalties than anyone else.
The good news is the Reds have a lot of really good players (19 internationals). Also, they have fantastically vivid uniforms; there is no chance they will be confuse their mates with the opposition. Finally, the Reds lead the league in lineout steals.
Force
The bad news for the Force is they have lost three in a row. But the good news is their next opponents, the Rebels, have forgotten their famous win in Christchurch already.
More good news: the Force can carry a rugby ball. They have done 450 times this season. Ben McCalman has run with the ball almost 50 times himself. But the bad news predominates: the Force are getting outmuscled.
Rebels
The good news for the Rebels is they play the Force. The bad news is the Rebels pass badly, knock on a lot, concede penalties, and don’t kick enough, forcing themselves to tackle (and miss a lot). This match is pivotal for both Australian teams in their race to leave the Reds alone at the bottom.
Lions
The good news is they finally won a game, in New Zealand, of all places. Also, they are a happy bunch who play hard and seem to enjoy the moment.
The bad news they are going to war with the Crusaders now, after making what seemed like 200 tackles in Albany. Their bigger bad news is they have no real game breakers, and thus have to rely on scarce opportunities to score.
Sharks
They have a lot of big, beefy Springboks. That’s the good news. Big Boks Willem Alberts, Frans Steyn, JP Pietersen, and Bismarck du Plessis bring a lot of attitude and experience.
But the bad news is the only Sharks who have really performed up to expectations are the nice youngsters: Pat Lambie, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Marcell Coetzee.
Cheetahs
The bad news for the poor-tackling Cheetahs is they host the Sharks just when the Sharks’ big bullies are in a bad mood. The good news is Willie le Roux and co. know how to score tries (three a game).
Crusaders
The good news for the Crusaders is they will feed the Lions to Kieren Read, Sam Whitelock, and other superstars this week. The bad news is they really cannot afford to lose many more games if they hope to qualify.
Bulls
The bad news: they have a bye just when they found form. Score-all-four-ways Handre Pollard is the best news for the Pretoria team, but their pack is also waking up.
Generalised bad news to all: the Crusaders and the Bulls started slowly; probably won’t end slowly.
Highlanders
They have the best tricksters in the competition: the Smiths and the impossible-to-find Malakai Fekitoa. The bad news is rugby still actually requires possession, which can be nice to have from set pieces.
Waratahs
Winning without playing near their best; that’s the best news a team can have. The bad news is sport is about habits and if the Tahs fall into bad habits, the better teams will expose them.
Chiefs
The Chiefs lost: that’s the bad news. Oh, and they travel all the way to Africa to play an extremely physical Stormer squad that is healthy.
Augustine Palu won’t make the same mistakes again: that’s the good news, along with the Chiefs’ incredible skills at running, offloading, and breaking the line. The game in Cape Town will be one to watch.
Stormers
They have the most wins in the competition, but the good news is few are taking them seriously. This will allow the boys from Cape Town to surprise some teams with the level of accurate ferocity, pinpoint kicking, and physical fitness they have achieved.
The bad news is it’s really difficult to strangle the Chiefs; the Stormers may need to score tries this week to win.
Hurricanes
There is no bad news for the mighty Hurricanes, who blew through South Africa unbeaten, and take on the bad news Blues after a rest. I can find no fault with the Canes this year.
Brumbies
The Brumbies are playing smart, tough rugby, and will welcome back David Pocock soon. The only bad news for them is Scott Fardy’s shoulder; he is instrumental.
What good and bad news do you see?
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.