Super 14 round 14 predictions

Well, I kept myself out of any rugby for a few hours and now I feel I am ready to do the predictions.

At the time I am writing this, I don't know what my predictions will exactly be, but I am certain of various things: The Sharks are too tired. The Bulls are rampant. The Chiefs will win. The Waratahs will win as well. The Crusaders are a better team thant the Blues.

So, let's start:

Chiefs 24 - Brumbies 17 (Thus comes to an end the resilient Brumbies campaign)
Lions 18 - Waratahs 33 (bonus point, yes, for the Waratahs)
Blues 22 - Crusaders 26 (I cannot predict if the Crusaders will get a bonus point. I will say they won't)
Reds 20 - Hurricanes 35 (No mercy)
Force 13 - Highlanders 15 (Who cares?)
Cheetahs 17 - Stormers 14 (Any more injuries for the Lions tour?)
Sharks 17 - Bulls 23 (With this, the Bulls will claim top spot of the table, and will have a good shot to win the title)

If all this happens, the four graceful teams will be:

  1. Bulls 46
  2. Chiefs 45
  3. Hurricanes 44
  4. Waratahs 41
  5. Crusaders 41
  6. Brumbies 38
  7. Sharks 37
Now, beware. If only the 'tahs can't score 4 tries in Johannesburg or the Crusaders manage to score 4 tries against the demoralised, unable to defend Blues, the Crusaders shall classify:

  1. Bulls 46
  2. Chiefs 45
  3. Hurricanes 44
  4. Crusaders 42
  5. Waratahs 41
  6. Brumbies 38
  7. Sharks 37
I would also like to quote Spiro Zavos, when he reminds us all that this nail bitter is only due to the fact that teams qualify independently of the nation where they are from:

"SA Rugby killed off an excellent proposal to have six teams in the finals by insisting that each of the SANZAR partners have two teams in the finals. This nonsense was rejected by the ARU and the NZRU. If the two-team policy was in place all the drama that is coming up this weekend, with the last match between the Sharks and the Bulls probably deciding who is in or out, would be lost."

2 comments:

Nursedude said...

I think this has been a really wide open Super 14 season. Even if the Bulls get the number one seed after the last games this coming weekend, I don't think there is a really dominant team in the last 4. The Highlanders sure played a good game against the Hurricanes in the last round.

sesenta y cuatro said...

You are totally right, but there's one thing that may decide the winner. The Bulls have been impressive at home throughout the tournament...

If they manage to end first, who would be able to defeat them in either a semifinal or a final?