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Opinion
Well another weekend of trans-Tasman encounters and another round of enthralling entertainment.
This obviously with the exception of the Rebels, who despite going up 14-0 early, ended up having a cricket score put on them. And the Force, who were in it for 30 minutes and started chasing.
It is sad to watch the Rebels as they simply don’t have direction. They obviously have some individually talented players, but unfortunately it requires a full squad to perform.
It is interesting to see how the Rebels seem to have a low belief which the Waratahs encountered last year. Winning is a habit, but the Rebels don’t seem to have a plan b or c and plan a, is simply not working.
The Reds also continue to slide. This is more unbelievable considering the overall talent in their squad. At home to the lowest-ranked NZ team, should’ve have given the Reds a relieving win, but again, they can’t string enough phases together and they are not taking advantage of key moments.
The Waratahs secured their first win across the ditch since 2015 and although it was against Moana Pasifika and not a NZ franchise, it will give them confidence.
The interesting element for the Waratahs is that these are games that they have found a way to lose over the past four or five years.
The Pasifika are a new team but are a good team. They have been competitive all year and will be a force in the coming two or three seasons.
Can the Waratahs secure two more wins and maybe grab a home final? Let’s dare to dream.
The Brumbies and Chiefs was always the most highly anticipated match of the round and it didn’t fail to impress.
After 27 minutes it was tit for tat rugby. When the Brumbies scored the Chiefs responded with their own points.
Both teams were pretty evenly matched going into the game, and that showed throughout.
But the Brumbies were just so clinical. I wanted the Brumbies to win but thought the depth of this Waikato unit would be to great.
Two wins from Australian teams in the land of the long white cloud was unheard of even 5-6 years ago. I didn’t see it coming.
The Force then took on the mighty Crusaders in Perth who were looking for revenge.
The Force must be one of the hardest teams in the competition to coach against. They simply don’t go away.
They are pests at the breakdown, they have a go from anywhere and are just solid, but you can’t help but feel sorry for them. They have been in pretty much every game this year and that includes the Blues who appear to be unstoppable. Then the Crusaders arrived.
After 27 minutes, the Force are up 8-5 then the Crusaders started to attack with brute force, and the exceptional skill of Richie Mo’unga who has the skill of Carlos Spencer and the measured approach of D Carter.
Yes all of the Crusaders contributed, but his touches are awesome. Unfortunately it meant the game was over by the 60th minute. Especially with silly turnovers at crucial times.
The Force tried chasing the game and as a result, gave away a lot of points. The Saders are just to good in counter attack.
The Aussie teams simply must score early in games to be a chance at the back end of the year. Our neighbours across the Tasman are comfortable when behind on the scoreboard and simply don’t panic because they know they have the points in them.
All kiwi teams are fantastic to watch. The skill level is there and their belief is astronomical.
If the Brumbies and the Tahs can secure home finals then they may cause an upset.
The Brumbies in particular, must be contenders but need to finish on the top of the ladder to get the home GF despite their great win.
For mine, the Blues are flying and the Crusaders and the Chiefs have so much more experience in finals footy.
The Brumbies and the Waratahs won’t give them an easy path though. The Reds have to get their belief back and if they can will also be a disruption, but they have the Blues, Pasifika and Crusaders in a tougher run than the Tahs and the Brumbies.
If the Force somehow make the eight, no one will want to play them.
The Drua have a tough task today against the Hurricanes and it would be great to see another victory in NZ from an Aussie conference team. It is a big ask though.
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.