The Wrap: Super Rugby hits pause button just as things hot up

Round 14 of Super Rugby always shaped as a transition point from routine, week to week play, into that critical zone where individual matches can define a season; and so it proved, particularly for fans in Wellington, Sydney and Pretoria.

A shame then, that just as this soup has deliciously come to the boil, it is now set aside; not for tasting again for another month. And as if to emphasise the point, Michael Cheika, Steve Hansen and Allister Coetzee quietly snuck into the spotlight with their initial squad announcements.

More on the Super Rugby ladder later – the permutations are fascinating but ultimately simple enough to deconstruct – but first to events which, for the most part, left tipsters scratching their heads.

It was if the Hurricanes and Highlanders shook on a deal before their match in Wellington to ignore the rain, both sides full of dry weather intent, delivering rugby of far higher quality than what anyone might reasonably have expected.

The Highlanders were a tad unlucky, it seemed like every penalty they received was within a metre of the touchline, not providing a territory gain. But they hurt themselves by being less efficient at the tackle than usual, and then, after clawing themselves back to 20-20, failing to use possession well enough to maintain momentum.

Around the 60-65 minute mark they missed opportunities to cement field position (notably coinciding with Lima Sopoaga being replaced), from which they never recovered, the Hurricanes expertly stitching up possession and territory in the final ten minutes.

While Ardie Savea’s try came uncomfortably late, a Hurricanes score of some kind always seemed inevitable; fair reward for a side which played like they had a point to prove, and for a special player who played like the All Black he has just become.

Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson said that his side “wanted to have a go tonight”; no need for a lie detector there, here was a side playing with pace and aggression, itching to offload, almost unrecognizable from the Waratahs of previous rounds.

The Chiefs seemed rattled, uncomfortable with the Waratah’s physicality, almost as if they were expecting the storm to pass, waiting for their turn with the ball. Instead, their tactic of not contesting the breakdown only gifted the Waratahs fast ball, which in turn, served to boost confidence and belief that they could match and better the Chiefs at a high tempo game.

This was best exemplified by Michael Hooper’s second try, directly from a kick-off, triggered by a Nick Phipps bust and superb interplay between supporting players running onto the ball at speed; as good a team try as any scored this season.

How ironic then, with the Waratahs finally playing to their potential and looking every inch a finals side, that they may turn out to be all dressed up but not invited to the finals ball.

What else can the Jaguares surprise us with this season? Perhaps a game where they keep all their players on the pitch, don’t throw ridiculous 10m forward passes to nobody, and provide a hint that backs and forwards actually introduced themselves to each other before the match?

It’s hard to argue with the two red cards issued by Nick Briant; these were reckless, low acts, poorly disguised as clean outs, which have no part in the game. But the 70th minute yellow card to Tomas Lezana seemed harsh in the extreme, and proved to be the dambuster.

The Kings have now won two more games than most people thought possible. In reality however, any side that plays well over half the game with 15 against 13 yet falls further behind on the scoreboard, lacks merit. That it took 15 against 12 to finally make the difference really says it all.

Blues fans were left with that strange feeling of coming away happier with a loss to the Crusaders than they were with last week’s win against the Force; indeed this was close to their best performance of the season, purposeful in attack and resolute in defence.

This game, another worthy spectacle from two sides in the wet, could have gone the other way and no-one would have begrudged the Blues. Skipper Jerome Kaino announced himself ready again for test rugby, and amusingly nailed the key moment just before the Crusaders finally iced the match; exasperatingly (and correctly) pointing out “obstruction over there, offside here, and you’re going to penalise us?”

Despite the cold it was a nice evening for Cricket in Canberra, the Brumbies declaring at 66 for 5. And while Rebels coach Tony McGahan was happy to bank his win, 27-22 against the Force, this won’t be one of those matches fondly recalled in future years over a beer and a fireside chat.

The Stormers continue to underwhelm, scrapping to a seven point win against the Cheetahs at home. They will make the finals but on the evidence of their last month, are not genuine title contenders.

At Loftus, the Bulls were shown to be one-dimensional pretenders by an outstanding Lions who, having never won before in Pretoria, smashed that bogey to the tune of 56-20.

Not for the first time this season, this was utterly compelling rugby from the Lions, ambition to play a true up-tempo, 15-man game matched by their ability. They are now within reach of securing home advantage right through to the grand final where no-one, and I mean no-one, will fancy their chances against them in this mood.

With the Bulls bubble somewhat deflated, they are now back into a ruck with the Stormers and Sharks; essentially three teams fighting for two playoff spots. The Bulls and Stormers will fancy winning all three matches after the break, whereas the Sharks have a nasty date with the Lions looming. They will be feeling the most vulnerable.

The trans-Tasman situation is actually a lot simpler than it appears. For the final wildcard spot, it appears that 49 points will definitely qualify, 48 points will probably qualify, and 47 points will likely miss out.

Which, if true, means that the Chiefs, Highlanders and Hurricanes can all make it by winning two of their last three matches, assuming a bonus point or two thrown in.

Conversely, for whichever team doesn’t top the Australian conference, the Brumbies or Waratahs will need to win all three of their matches to take a wildcard; a single loss by either will almost certainly confirm spots for the three New Zealand teams above, plus the Crusaders.

It remains possible for all of the New Zealand sides to win twice and the Australian sides to win all three, in which case any bonus points eked out in the final weeks will settle the difference.

One match stands out as pivotal. Assuming that they beat the Blues in Round 15, the Hurricanes have it in their power to decide everything by travelling to Sydney and beating the Waratahs. Which, if this weekend is anything to go by, is only marginally more preferable to playing the Lions.

Michael Cheika got in first with his Test squad announcement; one assumes that the delay until Sunday for the All Black’s squad was to allow Steve Hansen time to hone his philosophical musings about tall trees and young saplings making better All Blacks, or something like that.

Allister Coetzee steered well clear of wordplay, instead playing the straightest of bats at his announcement; “I was appointed to win Test matches and I believe that we have chosen the best possible, available squad to do that.”

It would have been far more fun if he’d read out the names of Kings squad instead, but in truth he does have a very strong line-up. For South Africa, selection is the easy part, Coetzee’s real challenge is to choose, and commit to, a style and method of play that both he and his team believe in.

Predecessor Heyneke Meyer dabbled in what we can now call ‘Lions rugby’, only to bottle it when the pressure of a world cup became too much to bear. In that light, it will be fascinating to see if Coetzee allows his players to express themselves.

New squad announcements are always exciting; some players demand their selection through consistent, high level performance, like Dane Haylett-Petty, Elliot Dixon and Faf de Klerk, and others, like Joe Powell, Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Bongi Mbonambi, are picked more on suspicion that they will benefit from exposure to the environment, on their way to making themselves quality Test players in the future.

My personal highlights are Nathan Harris, who had a promising All Black career cruelled by a serious foot injury in Chicago, but now, 18 months later, has shown in just two Super Rugby appearances that all of his rehabilitation has been worth the hard slog.

For Australia, Sekope Kepu is an inspired selection; Cheika has not gone overboard on overseas based players, but facing a rejuvenated England, he cannot afford to yield an inch in the front row.

And Lions flanker Jaco Kriel, who has been such a dynamic presence for three Super Rugby seasons now, that it is only proper that he finally receives an opportunity on the international stage.

While the discussion and chatter around the newcomers and surprise selections is understandable, once the visiting teams arrive – England, Wales and Ireland – focus will quickly shift to the players who will actually take the field, and the combinations and match-ups that will shape each Test series.

The outer layers of each squad will be peeled away, and it is obvious already that each starting XV will still represent a solid core of experienced Test players in all three of the home nations.

So what is taken away on one hand; a Super Rugby competition building nicely towards an exciting climax, is given back on the other; another chance for the tri-nations powers of the south to reinforce their dominance over the best of the north.