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As another weekend of Super Rugby draws to a close there are so many things to talk about ranging from the good to the bad to the downright ugly.
There are only 7 rounds left in the standard season so while there are still plenty of points on offer, teams really need to be making their move for the finals now before it’s too late.
World Series Rugby kicks off
It’s worth mentioning that this weekend also saw the opening match of World Series Rugby as the Western Force started things with a win.
There’s a huge amount still to figure out about this competition and what the future holds for it, but while the Western Force were getting a win, the Rebels were getting embarrassed by the Crusaders.
The RA will not like having to face questions about whether there really should be just three teams in Australia and Twiggy Forrest will do all that he can to make things uncomfortable for Castle and her team.
At the same time SANZAAR should be wondering what they can do to make the competition more appealing to fans – from marketing to the conference structure – there are huge issues that SANZAAR need to figure out.
World Series Rugby might not be a genuine threat but it will stir the debate for sure.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
McKenzie getting closer to scoring the perfect No.10
Earlier in the season there was debate around how well Damian McKenzie was going to perform full time in the No.10 shirt.
Running in the open spaces that No.15 gave him he was a consistent threat that tore defences apart. Having to manage entire games though was going to be a different challenge but he has really shone.
This was evident in this weekend’s loss against the Jaguares (and my aren’t the Argentinians running well!) when despite being on the losing side his performance was impressive.
He’s still got a way to go to threaten Barrett for the All Blacks No.10 jersey but Hansen will be happy to see the smiling McKenzie getting better and better.
(AAP Image/ David Rowland)
Who’s more scared – Cheika or Castle?
The Wallabies are looking at a very scary 2018. They have a three-match series against an in-form Ireland and then the Rugby Championship before heading north for another Spring tour.
Before they get on that plane to Europe they could very well have lost the majority of their games and be looking at some brutal numbers.
This weekend would have caught both the Wallabies coach and CEO of the RA’s eyes and for all the wrong reasons.
Still no wins against a Kiwi side, the Rebels looking like boys, the Tahs unable to beat a weak and out of form Blues side in Sydney and key player Will Genia going down injured.
These losses to Kiwi sides is getting out of hand and it is now hard to see where the drought breaking win is going to come from this season.
The fact that they keep losing is going to upset Raelene Castle as she looks to try and build confidence in a brand while all evidence suggests its staggering around blindly.
The way the Aussie teams keep losing will frustrate Michael Cheika – week in week out performances that just go to highlight the gulf between the two rugby nations.
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
How many tacklers does it take to stop Ben Lam?
No one knows – it hasn’t happened yet. The guy is in some incredible form and while there is a lot to admire about his pace and wonderful running lines, his power cannot be overlooked.
In the process of scoring his second of three tries on Saturday four Lions defenders and the sideline couldn’t stop Ben Lam for getting another five pointer.
Even more concerning is the fact that he might not make the starting line up of the All Blacks!
But this does raise a broader topic – so often this weekend there were some horrific impressions of tackling that made it look like some players were playing touch rugby instead of contact.
Add to this the fact that often there were some serious mismatches where defences had five forwards lining up against eager backs (yes Tahs we’re looking at you!) and it makes you really question the quality of defence coaching at some teams.
(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
Too many teams kicking the game away
In the helter-skelter game of Super Rugby where the running game is the envy of the rugby world, the power of the kicking game is often forgotten.
This weekend we saw some great examples of how some teams can turn the boot into a real weapon while for others it’s not just missing from their arsenal, it’s an actual weak point that costs them points.
When the Sharks took on the Highlanders, their first try came from a great box kick that was perfectly weighted, was well chased by runners and led directly to the South Africans’ opening try.
On the flip side we saw the Rebels replacement No.9 Michael Ruru kick for no good reason straight down the neck of some hungry Crusaders who then promptly ran the ball back and within 30 seconds were scoring one of many tries in the second half.
Of course seeing No.10s carve up defences and leave them chasing ghosts gets us all excited but scrum halves and fly halves across the whole competition could do with sharpening up their kicking game as we reach the final few weeks of the competition.
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.