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Round 6 has concluded with some cracking derby matches, some upsets and a number of red cards, all in one match!
So how did it all wash up?
The Australian Conference
The Rebels opened up for the Australians on Friday night, suffering their third straight loss at home to the Lions in a disappointing effort.
After establishing an early lead, the Rebels allowed complacency to set in and as the Lions fought their way back into the match the Rebels panicked, committing a number of unforced errors and allowed their lead to dissipate.
They created more than enough opportunities to win this match but simply could not convert and were overrun with only a few minutes left on the clock. It seems the biggest hurdle for this team at the moment is themselves and their mental application as the talent is certainly there to do better.
The Force were next up in the wee small hours of Sunday morning, facing the Bulls in Pretoria and getting pipped at the post by a solitary point in a heartbreaking loss.
The Force looked far better on attack, causing the Bulls many problems on defence and looked a far more committed side than in previous rounds. Unfortunately, their discipline let them down, conceding a whopping 22 penalties to the Bulls’ 10 including two yellow cards. It is the obvious area of improvement for the Force heading into next week, however I suspect it is now too late to realistically push for the playoffs.
The Brumbies headed to Sydney to take on the Waratahs looking to carry on their strong start to the season. But they were unable to prevail, going down 28-13 in my pick for the match of the round.
There was plenty of feeling from both sides as tempers flared throughout the fiery encounter. The breakdown was a real war zone and the defence willing, and in the end the Waratahs defence was too hard for the Brumbies to penetrate.
The Brumbies will be disappointed with being out-muscled by the Waratahs at times and 31 missed tackles will be a sore point for the coaching staff in an area the Brumbies have excelled this season. A minor setback, the Brumbies still lead the Australian conference and it appears the bye has arrived at the right time.
The Waratahs have dispelled fears surrounding their form with their best game of the season and playing the style of play that saw them secure their first title in 2014. The defensive aggression had returned and the continuity in their play was back as they ran the Brumbies ragged in the first half, setting up their victory.
Israel Folau looks to be well back in form with a number of damaging runs and the confidence seems to back in the Waratah ranks, an ominous warning to their upcoming opponents. The challenge now will be to maintain this form week in, week out as they search for their second title.
The Reds had the bye and are back into action this weekend.
The New Zealand Conference
The Highlanders and Hurricanes opened the round in Dunedin in a tense match between two high flyers in the New Zealand conference, with the Hurricanes running out winners by seven points to remain unbeaten.
Both teams struggled to get into the match in the first half, perhaps the nerves of the occasion telling, as they struggled with fluidity and a number of unforced errors to see a half-time score of three all. A far cry from the expected torrent of tries many were suggesting.
Both teams settled into an entertaining second half which saw the Hurricanes’ greater experience see them through at the end in a nail-biting finish, particularly on defence.
I feel both teams need to work on patience with the ball in hand, with a number of promising attacks being let down with one too many passes or white line fever. The Hurricanes have certainly set themselves up well with five wins on the trot, four of those away from home, and with a host of home games to come the opportunity is there for them to place themselves in the playoffs.
The Highlanders still remain in touch with the leaders but having now lost two games at home, strong performances overseas will be paramount for them to remain in playoff calculations.
The Crusaders secured a thumping win at home over the Cheetahs, signalling that this machine is starting to crank into gear. But it was far from an 80-minute performance with a disjointed and error-filled first half.
However, the Crusaders’ pressure and dominance in territory and possession eventually told on the Cheetahs when a yellow card to fullback Willie le Roux for a high tackle close to the line effectively signalled the end. The Crusaders went on to cross four times during that 10-minute period.
A solid win for the misfiring Crusaders and an important confidence boost as they now head to South Africa. They are in need of a strong tour after an uninspiring start to their 2015 campaign.
The Chiefs rounded out the New Zealand teams for this round, suffering a one-point loss in diabolical conditions against the Sharks in an ill-disciplined and scrappy match.
The Chiefs were well below par and struggled for any cohesion with a number of regulars out and poor decision making. Their usual handling skills deserted them and they probably asked too much of themselves in the conditions.
Of more concern was their inability to utilise their one-man advantage, and while the conditions explain some of that, the Chiefs’ brain trust won’t be overly happy. They return home this week and while they are still in a good position they will not want to drop any further behind the Hurricanes in the New Zealand conference.
The Blues had the bye this week and will be back among it this weekend.
The South African Conference
The Lions kicked off for the South African teams on Friday night in Melbourne with a gutsy come-from-behind win over their hosts, the Rebels.
After conceding early points and an early yellow card, the Lions looked up against it, but in a sign of their determination and never-say-die attitude they fought to the bitter end and secured the winning try a few minutes from full-time.
The Lions are now two from three on the road and with the underwhelming Reds in Brisbane they are a very real chance of returning to South Africa with three wins on the road and will prove difficult opposition on home soil. It still appears that the playoffs will be beyond this team but I suspect they will turn over a few more yet.
The Cheetahs began their tour in Christchurch and after a solid first half, where they weathered the Crusader onslaught and managed to score two good tries, they capitulated under the pressure in the second half after a yellow card to talisman Le Roux. They conceded six tries in the second forty.
The Cheetahs certainly did not have the rub of the green from the referee but they fell to pieces in that second half and the balance of their season does not look promising.
The Bulls cranked back into gear after the bye and managed to scrape past the Force at home by the barest of margins, a solitary point. A win is a win but it was a far cry from the Bulls’ more promising performances before the bye, and we will see if this was simply rustiness from having a break.
Lacking cohesion and accuracy, the Bulls stumbled their way through the match, helped more by the boot of young star Handre Pollard and ill-discipline from the visiting Force. We know the Bulls are capable of more and there is nothing like the visiting Crusaders next week to help provide motivation to pull their socks up.
The Sharks kept their season alive with a tough one-point win over the Chiefs in Durban. An ill-tempered affair played in terrible conditions, the Sharks lost two of their more experienced players in the first half to red cards, both players who should know better, and had to see out the majority of the match with 13 men.
The Chiefs also lost a man to a red card early in the match for a 14 on 13 man affair. It seems the secret to the Sharks’ success is to play out matches with a man down (if you can recall the 14-man effort against the Crusaders last year) as this seemed to galvanise the team.
A previously porous defence was shored up as they restricted the Chiefs to a sole try and took all of their opportunities off the boot of Pat Lambie to secure a much needed win. Sure, the conditions were a great leveller, but it was still a much needed win and keeps the Sharks alive in South Africa.
The Stormers had the bye this week.
So essentially a third of the way through the season, the playoff aspirants appear to be the Brumbies and Waratahs from Australia, Sharks, Stormers and Bulls from South Africa and the Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders and Chiefs from New Zealand.
In terms of players, I thought Israel Folau had an excellent match along with Michael Hooper, and Tola Latu looks a quality prospect. Lopeti Timani continues his good form and Adam Coleman looks a good player.
Warren Whiteley must be the most underrated player in South Africa while Le Roux oozes class, Pollard continues to go from strength to strength while Tendai Mtawarira made an excellent comeback from injury.
Ben Smith is in imperious form while Ma’a Nonu is thriving back home in Wellington, Nemani Nadolo is a one man wrecking ball and Sam Cane is having a great year.
Who were your best players from the round and thoughts on your team in general?
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.