- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
It’s not 2021, but if Australian rugby got its way, this weekend’s trans-Tasman round of Super Rugby is what the competition would look like come the next broadcast round.
Five games, in our time zone, with our teams, and no need for alarm clocks.
Are we ready for this? Is this what the TV networks and the sponsors want?
And should we just ignore South African Roarers this week, because, you know, in the future they don’t exist?
Maybe Harry will be the one to provide some sanity on this issue…
LAST WEEK: Digger and The Crowd 5; Nobes, Brett, and Geoff 4; Harry 3.
OVERALL: Nobes 66; Geoff 65; The Crowd 63; Digger 61; Brett 60; Harry 57.
Digger
TIPS: Hurricanes, Blues, Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies
‘Canes by plenty. Maybe.
Blues, Rebels, Eden Park, I feel that I will get this wrong whichever way I go so will just stoke the patriotism and say Bluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuues. Down the old state highway, I do fancy the Chiefs, however the Crusaders are the smart bet and seem to have their defence locked down, so I will back the visitors to get it done in the Tron. Probably.
Reds and Waratahs should be a fun game, but again recent form has me siding with the Tahs here, probably too many points for the Reds while a seemingly resurgent Brumbies side of recent weeks should (should?) be too good for the travelling Sunwolves.
Or maybe the Sunwolves will make a fool out of me again. No, the Brumbies have it for sure. Maybe.
SURE THING: It definitely will not rain on the Hurricanes this week so either BLAM will break the record this week, or Naholo will make him look silly. No in between here, it will be one or the other. You can count on it.
Nobes
TIPS: Hurricanes, Blues, Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies.
Another weird round of Super Rugby where the African conference is taking a rest, and where we have some Derbies and important games that will shape up the final contenders.
The Hurricanes will try to come back and show that what happened last week was just a bump on their road to the title, and what a better way that challenging the Highlanders on their own turf. The weather could have an impact in the outcome of the game, but I expect the Hurricanes to win this one.
The Blues will receive the Rebels and I expect them to come out after the bye week on top of this one, which will be closely watched by the franchises from South Africa who will be strong supporters.
Will Genia of the Rebels (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
The Chiefs will have their hands full when they host the leaders of the competition, although they are in high spirits after their win against the Waratahs. I think Crusaders are a stronger team.
The Waratahs must come strong against the young Reds team and hope to come back to Sydney with this game in hand. Finally, the new Brumbies will take care of the old Sunwolves.
SURE THING: Controversies off all kind in this round.
Brett
TIPS: Hurricanes, Rebels, Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies
The thing that stands out for me this weekend is no Australian Friday night game, but that is partly offset by what hopefully will be a warm, sunny Canberra Sunday afternoon.
Hurricanes not by plenty, but by a few. Maybe even a fair few, with Chris Boyd’s words after the disappointing Crusaders loss still stinging their ears. And Rebels by a similar amount, not just because they have to, but because they should. They can bed down their place among the wildcards this week, and that means beating teams you just should be beating.
Crusaders will be too good for the Chiefs. I think we all think that. But just try and think of what the build-up to Round 17 will be like – in a month’s time, remember – if the Chiefs get up?!?
Crusaders (Photo by Martin Hunter/Getty Images)
Back in Australia – but not on Friday night – the Waratahs look a bit strong in the areas that count the most, and the Brumbies should be putting away a ‘Sunwolves B’ fairly comfortably, otherwise the three games after the June break might as well be optional.
SURE THING: We say this most weeks, but this week is prime upset territory. None of my five picks are safe.
Geoff
TIPS: Hurricanes, Rebels, Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies
Only five matches this week but a very tricky round nevertheless. The Hurricanes have entered a low patch over the last couple of weeks but will enjoy a return to a dry track. On the other hand, the Highlanders field a stronger line-up this week. The Canes, but only on potential rather than form.
The Rebels have a huge opportunity to consolidate their position in the final eight, but it feels like the Blues are starting afresh, off a break, with important players returning. Happy to roll the dice and give this one to the Rebels. The Chiefs were excellent last week and will look to go on with it, but we all know that you tip against the Crusaders at your peril.
It will be fun to watch the Reds’ pack try to put it to the Waratahs, who everyone seems to agree are undersized, but who are yet to be bullied. A Reds win wouldn’t surprise but the Tahs are the better side overall, so they get the nod. In the Sunday match, the Brumbies are $1.02 for good reason.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
SURE THING: At around 3.00am on Sunday morning the switchboard at SANZAAR will go into meltdown, with hundreds of Australian rugby fans calling at the behest of Alan Jones, to express anger that there is no Super Rugby from South Africa for them to tune into.
Harry
TIPS: Highlanders, Blues, Chiefs, Reds, Brumbies
This is how it felt in Standard A in 1971. Everyone else could read. They went to kindergarten. I could only read ‘A’ and ‘I’. My mum was terribly attached to me, because of my looks and my sweetness. So, she kept me at home with her and the maid and the dog; putting me at a severe disadvantage, educationally.
There were four reading groups: the Apple group, the Banana group, the Guava group, and my group (me and the Polish immigrant, Wroclawvw).
The Apples (Nobes, Geoff) were reading The Brothers Karamazov.
I was reading my name, and almost got the middle one right.
The home teams will sweep. The Canes are not in synch. The Rebels will be too nervous. The Crusaders have to have a bad game one day. The Reds love to tackle nipples, and the Tahs have the largest nipples in the comp. The Sunwolves are tired.
SURE THING: Reading and thinking is important. In 2019, I will try to get to the Banana Group.
Brett’s note: he didn’t…
Get your votes in now – The Crowd’s tips will be revealed Friday afternoon AEDT.
Who have you got, Roarers? Who gets your tip? Got a sure thing yourself? Let us know in the comments below, and enjoy your rugby this weekend…