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The Brumbies’ excellent win in Pretoria against the Bulls – their best performance of the season – looks like playing a significant part in shaping the final eight, making it more likely that Australia will now contribute two teams to the playoff series.
It is now only the Sharks who stand in the way of the prospect of both the Waratahs and Rebels enjoying post-season action, and with the Durban-ites now out of commission until after the International window, both Australian contenders are in control of their own destinies.
The Brumbies’ win came after they were – for the second week running – reduced to 14 men in the second half, when hooker Folau Fainga’a was shown a red card. His so-called headbutt might have been softer than Saharan butter, but Fainga’a can have no complaints on the grounds of his sheer stupidity, having no right to carry on with things after it was his own illegal clean-out that created a ruckus in the first place.
As is often the case, there was only one team in it after the send-off, and that was the Brumbies. Tom Banks’ 75m solo effort to give them the lead was outstanding, before Andrew Muirhead clinically finished things off five minutes later.
After his side’s professional win against the Sunwolves, Rebels coach Dave Wessels was understandably reluctant to look too far ahead, but two wins from their remaining four matches (Blues A, Waratahs H, Reds A, Highlanders A) will almost certainly get them there, while one win might even do the job, depending on how the Sharks fare.
The Rebels have looked at their best this season when they play directly, and Wessels and captain Adam Coleman were delighted at what was a dominant physical performance, albeit against a plucky but undermanned side. The Rebels also made a couple of promising deposits into their future fund, with man-mountain prop Pone Fa’amausili and promising flyhalf Tayler Adams making their Super Rugby debuts.
In a rare Friday night stinker from New Zealand, the Crusaders dominated a very disappointing Hurricanes side, 24-13, to reclaim top spot on the ladder. While much of the talk afterwards centred around lacklustre performances by Beauden and Jordie Barrett, the tale of this match was told up front, the Crusaders’ pack far stronger, more tactically aware and more effective as a unit than their opponent.
The Crusaders (Photo by Martin Hunter/Getty Images)
The champagne rugby was reserved for Hamilton where, in one of the best matches of the season, the Chiefs and Waratahs put on a show full of attacking intent and no shortage of skill and rapid ball movement.
There were outstanding individuals across the park. Brodie Retallick and a sharply primed Brad Weber starred for the Chiefs, while Kurtley Beale and Michael Hooper shone for the Waratahs. The Waratahs played well enough to win, but were perhaps unlucky to strike the Chiefs in one of their best performances for some time.
A match of this quality deserved more than the customary limp kick into touch after the final siren, and Damien McKenzie duly obliged, his evasion skills blowing the score out to 39-27 and denying the Waratahs a bonus point they would have felt they deserved.
In Brisbane, the Reds showed plenty of resolve but lost a close one to the Highlanders, 18-15, a game that this time next year, they will likely be winning. A dominant scrum and solid defence – Jono Lance’s covering tackle on a rampaging Liam Squire the highlight – had them right in the game, but there remains a deficiency in the halves that prevents the Reds from getting full value for their efforts.
Reds fullback Jono Lance (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Much of the kicking – from both sides – was wasteful and pointless, and it took the introduction of Aaron Smith in the second half to provide the direction and tactical awareness that other players on both sides lacked.
Similar tactical nous was shown in Buenos Aries by Nicolas Sanchez, who – in the form of his life – guided the Jaguares to yet another impressive win against the Sharks, 29-13. It is great to see the stands starting to fill up, courtesy of better scheduling avoiding club rugby, and it also serves as a reminder for Australian rugby of the fickle nature of fans, many of whom will return when they know that their side is going to provide them with value for money on the field.
This match featured a bizarre cameo by veteran South African TV commentator Hugh Bladen who, not once, not twice, but three times informed viewers that referee Paul Williams was the son of All Black great, winger Bryan Williams.
Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of ‘Bee Gee’ Williams will know that one of his defining characteristics is that he is, and looks, Samoan. If asked to nominate 100 potential countries of origin for the pasty-faced referee Williams, Samoa would not be one of them. It was an unbelievable connection to make, not the least because it simply wasn’t true.
The Taranaki native Williams, by the way, did a great job – this match another excellent spectacle complemented by a calm and relaxed referee, willing to let the players take centre-stage.
The round finished in Cape Town where, in the ultimate irony, Stormers’ winger Raymond Rhule was shown a red card for his involvement in a tackle. The loss consigns the Stormers to the 2018 ‘if only’ brigade, and while the Lions retain top spot in the South African conference, it is evident that they are over-reliant on the attacking line-out maul, and not a shadow of the electric attacking side of the previous few seasons.
The Wallabies squad for the three-match series against Ireland will be named this week, live on Fox Sports, and while it would take a brave man to claim insight into Michael Cheika’s mind, it now seems that some reasonable assumptions can be made about who will comprise the 23-man matchday squad for the first Test in Sydney.
While there are many who rate Cheika more highly as a coach than as a selector, he is a man who places trust in players who have character, who have done a job for him in the past, and who he knows are likely to handle what is a significant step up in class and intensity.
He has also, however, shown that he isn’t afraid to reward consistent performance and effort at Super Rugby level, providing he feels those other factors are in evidence. Hence fans should expect to see continuity in selection from 2017, with just a sprinkling of new talent.
Due to the retirement and absence of Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota Nau, hooker is one position where there is an opportunity for a bolter. 2017 debutant Jordan Uelese has missed the bus a little this season and it feels like Tolu Latu has the inside running. Brandon Paenga-Amosa is highly regarded and Rebels’ coach Dave Wessels is not the only fan of the energy and brutal defence that Anaru Rangi provides.
With James Slipper absenting himself, prop seems relatively straightforward: Sekope Kepu and Scott Sio to start, with Taniela Tupou and either Alan Ala’alatoa or Tetera Faulkner to finish.
Sekope Kepu (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Adam Coleman, Rob Simmons and Izack Rodda are the three best locks, with Rory Arnold needing more consistency and discipline before he can resurrect his Test career. New Wallabies in 2017, Matt Philip and Blake Enever remain promising development options at this stage.
Pooper is a lock at 7 and 8, but with Cheika favourite Ned Hanigan unavailable, the blindside flanker position is wide open. Current Wallaby Lopeti Timani was impressive in a 20-minute cameo against the Sunwolves but has had limited opportunities this season. Waratah Michael Wells is a serious possibility but it might be the Reds’ Caleb Timu who trumps them all.
Part-time Fresian Nick Phipps remains the man many love to hate, but at this stage, no other halfback has done enough to put their hand up to be Will Genia’s understudy. And fly-half Bernard Foley will surely be one of the first names written on the team sheet.
Cheika has made it clear that Israel Folau will start at fullback, which means that Kurtley Beale is an automatic choice at 12. Outside centre thus becomes a hotly contested position, with Tevita Kuridrani, Reece Hodge, Samu Kerevi and Curtis Rona all having claims.
Kurtley Beale (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Kuridrani is the incumbent but has looked out of sorts this year. Kerevi’s defence is improving and I expect him to get the nod, with Hodge – valued for his boot, particularly penalty touch-finders – likely to be pushed to either the wing or the bench.
There seems to be a lot of depth at winger, but closer examination throws up question marks about all of the leading contenders; Marika Koroibete (kicking game), Sefa Naivalu (carrying niggly injuries this year), Henry Speight (bus conductor defence), Taqele Naiyarovoro (agility on defence), Izaia Perese (inexperience) and Dane Haylett-Petty (pace, not his true position).
With eight tries in Super Rugby, Jack Maddocks has thrust his name forward, but he appeals at this stage as someone who will benefit from introduction over a spring tour rather than a white-hot series against the world ranked number two side. Tom Banks is in a similar category and, despite some whispers from Sydney, I don’t see Cameron Clark coming from the clouds to claim a spot.
There is a remarkable amount of positional utility among the backline contenders, which makes the selection of the bench a bit of a raffle but, barring injury, this is the 23 I expect to see named for the first Test in Brisbane on June ninth:
My Wallabies team for June Tests vs Ireland
Sekope Kepu
Tolu Latu
Scott Sio
Adam Coleman
Rob Simmons
Michael Hooper (c)
Caleb Timu
David Pocock
Will Genia
Bernard Foley
Kurtley Beale
Samu Kerevi
Marika Koroibete
Reece Hodge
Israel Folau
Brandon Paenga-Amosa
Alan Ala’alatoa
Taniela Tupou
Isaac Rodda
Lopeti Timani
Nick Phipps
Tevita Kuridrani
Izaia Perese