Crusaders hold first as South African merry-go-round continues
The Crusaders continue to set the pace in Super Rugby but the Blues and the Rebels stocks continue to rise as the eighth week of Super Rugby comes to a close.
On Friday night, the Highlanders hosted the Hurricanes in the only New Zealand derby of the round. The teams last met in Wellington in round four of the competition with the Hurricanes stealing the match in the final moments and it looked like the Highlanders might reverse that result after spending almost the final ten minutes of the return match in the Hurricanes 22 whilst trailing by only 3 points. The Highlanders had managed to build an 11-point lead over the men from the capital but some wayward kicking from Marty Banks combined with horrendous tackling gifted the lead back to the Hurricanes. Still, repeated infringements by the Hurricanes handed the Highlanders multiple opportunities to take control of the match as the game came to a close but an inevitable handling error after four lineout attempts in a row saw the final score remaining 31-28 in the Hurricanes’ favour.
The Reds, who are about to embark on an African safari, played host to the Stormers in the following match and needed to restore some confidence after only earning wins against fellow Australian conference members in their matches to date. The Stormers, half-way through their tour of Australasia, were in a similar situation, having not defeated any opposition outside of their conference. What resulted was a nil-all halftime score and it wasn’t until the Stormers were reduced to 14 men after captain Siya Kolisi was sinbinned that any points were finally scored. The Reds capitalised on the carding, scoring 14 points in Kolisi’s absence and never relinquishing the lead from that point on, ultimately winning 24-12.
Next up, it was the big derby between the Lions and the Sharks. Going into the match, neither team had yet to bank a win against any other South African team but, somewhat ironically, were still first and second in the South African conference. The Lions, losing finalists for the last three years of Super Rugby, went into the match as favourites courtesy of playing at home but it was the Sharks who emerged as the apex predator. A yellow card to Lions second rower Rhyno Herbst paved the way for the Sharks to score 35 unanswered points, with left wing Makazole Mapimpi bagging a brace. The Lions managed to score their only points of the game in the dying minutes, but it was the Sharks who had the final say, scoring on fulltime to give them a 42-5 victory.
On Saturday, fans were treated to an afternoon game in Christchurch where the Crusaders hosted the Brumbies in their first home match since the tragic shootings last month. It was an exhilarating and sometimes chaotic game at times that the Crusaders only took a hold of in the second half. The Brumbies scored first through captain Christian Lealiifano giving the Canberrians the only points in the first stanza, but the Crusaders quickly asserted their dominance once the game resumed and netted 33 unanswered points. Young Tasman outside back Will Jordan managed two tries in quick succession after Brumbies wing Tony Pulu was yellow carded for a high tackle while Jordan tried to fall over the try line in 53rd minute. From that point on, the Crusaders never looked back and earned a bonus point 36-14 win – leaving them with a six-point lead atop the Super Rugby standings.
Later that evening, the Blues hosted the Waratahs in the second Australasian derby of the day. The Blues, on the back of three straight wins, were high on belief and came out of the blocks firing, building a 17-point lead in as many minutes. The Waratahs, who beat the defending champions and then lost to last year’s bottom-placed team in successive weeks, managed to claw back to within three points after Israel Folau scored a trademark try, leaping high to catch an up-and-under placed just over the Blues’ try line. Folau’s try moved him above ex-Blues player Doug Howlett to now stand supreme as the top try scorer in Super Rugby history. The two teams traded penalties and tries after halftime but the Waratahs never quite managed to catch the Blues, with the match finishing 32-29 in the home team’s favour.
Japan’s Sunwolves – fresh off of besting the Waratahs for the first time in their short history – travelled to Melbourne in the next match of the round, hoping to finally win two matches in a row. The Rebels, however, had other ideas, and fullback Reece Hodge scored the first try of the match after only six minutes of play. The Sunwolves were guilty of poor decision making and even worst handling which saw them well behind at halftime, chasing a 28-10 scoreline. Adding insult to injury, Sunwolves goalkicking maestro Hayden Parker missed a shot for the first time this season when trying to convert Semisi Masirewa’s try in the corner, meaning his run of 28 successful kicks in a row comes to an end. Although Masirewa bagged a double shortly after halftime (to go with his three tries last week), it was Hodge who earned bragging rights with a hattrick in the 62nd minute, paving the way for a big 42-15 victory for the Rebels. This win now gives them a seven-point buffer over their nearest Australian rivals, the Waratahs.
In the final match of the round, the Bulls hosted the Jaguares in Pretoria, looking to find some consistency in their results that has been lacking in the last few rounds. The Bulls, undefeated against South African opposition this season, were the form team in the republic until a couple of weeks ago when they were crushed at home against the previously winless Chiefs. Last week saw the team return to their winning ways against the Sharks but it’s hard to given too much credit to a team that can’t secure victory over any foreign opposition so the home match against the Jaguares was the perfect opportunity for redemption. Coach Pote Human obviously had plenty of faith in his charges because he rested playmaker Handre Pollard – a decision which looked to be paying off when the Bulls had control of the match 20-10 with only ten minutes to go. The Jaguares, who last week ceded victory in the final minutes to a tiring Chiefs side, finally threw caution to the wind, however, and dotted down twice to steal the match from under the Bulls’ nose, 22-20. The end result is that we’re left with no team in the South African conference having more than four wins, and no team having more than four losses; the battle for supremacy is as close as ever.
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments