Waratahs to play Blues in Super Rugby finals

Great performance by the Tahs! Well done - at last they are playing with self belief.

A lot? Must have passed me by.

Have you watched the Tahs last three games Naki?

Why?

I know they were favourites. That did not stop a lot of roar posters predicting an upset and the tahs not making the semis. I know a lot posted afetr the Bulls loss that was the Tahs out.

Who thought the Waratahs would lose two home games to a stuttering Highlanders side and one of the weakest sides in the competition? The Waratahs were heavy favourites with the bookmakers for both fixtures.

Alcock is really good and Waugh should be told to retire next year. However I prefer Robinson as Pococks backup. Robinson outplayed McCaw when the reds played the crusaders.

Eric finally someone else agrees. Alcock should be pococks back up at RWC, he looks the goods. Another SA but we will claim him

I hope it is a draw and they have to play double overtime!

Naki the stats say otherwise. If you average the results of home conference matches Bulls and Tahs are equal on points. You might say that having easier home conference matches gives them an advantage in terms of less intense matches but they have not been easy, the local derbies have been very tough and the Tahs have had a lot more injuries than the Bulls. It could be argued te bulls had an easier ride.

It is not a simple matter of how many players have been used. It is a function of the number of players injured x the number of matches missed. Tahs have had more top flight players injured for a long time. Horne - almost all the season Palu - More than half Mitchell - from memory close to half. TPN - a good 3rd. Most of the Reds injuries have missed only a few matches.

i realy think the tahs can win this! they have been brutal lately and blues have been very ordinary go the tahs

PeterK, re the Tahs injury claim, I think I heard that Qld had used 37 players, and the Tahs & Brumbies 35 or 36. All teams suffered injuries in this brutal comp. David Lord's column said NSW needed Phil Waugh on the paddock for 80 minutes to beat the Brumbies. I reckon they'll need Allcock on for 70/80 minutes to beat Auckland. Phil Waugh is not only an inhibiting captain, he is holding out a far better player in Allcock.

Peter your fooling yourself the Tahs are not better than the bulls at all. They have had an easy ride pal and you know it

when I adjusted for 2 home conference games by averaging them Tahs finished equal with Bulls but ahead on points differential. So Tahs are in the best 6 teams.

That's true but if you look at the Tah's opponents in NZ and RSA, they are all top teams - Crusaders, Blues, Bulls and Sharks - all teams but Bulls are in the semi finals. That means it was harder to beat them especially in their home ground. I agree Aus. conference is weaker than others but this is how it is so no point saying "they are not deserved" or "flaed system".... Life is not fair in general!!

What if they beat the Blues, Bayboy?

If it was a flawed conference system then how on earth did the Blues make it. They lost 4 from the last 5 and look just as ordinary as the Waratahs. If anything bonus points are the flawed system. Blues and Bulls same wins yet there is a 6 point difference. 4th to 7th. I think you kiwis should be so lucky. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.

The reality is Warren you know deep down that the 6 best teams are not in the finals. The Waratahs do not deserve their spot and can only thank the flawed conference system. Their record shows they can beat All Comers in their own conference in Australia, however they could not win a match outside of Australia and the only foreign teams they did beat were the Chiefs(10) , Lions(14) and Highlanders (8) and all three games were at Sydney.

I am one eyed Naki, blind though in some opinion but the competition is what it is and whether we like it or not deal with the outcomes. What ifs, what should be and on and on can be brought up however the better sides will overcome poor refs and other issues with none greater than what the Crusaders have had to deal with and still dealing with. I for 1 have enjoyed the local games, Aus-NZ and SA and with an extra two spots in the finals up for grabs it has become a better competition. The Highlanders had their chances, not beating two of the bottom sides at home, the Force and the Lions then losing to the Waratahs so realsiticaly although the Tahs have had the possibly easier run the Highlanders could have been well their if they had won those games against "inferior" competition?