Super 14 review

The Super 14 2009 is over. The Bulls, crowned champions, have been the best team in a very very contested tournament where resilience has been the key.

Resilience was with all three Australian contenders, with the Waratahs losing the fourth spot to the Crusaders only by points difference. Resilience was also in the Brumbies, a very very interesting side for Robbie Deans, as the faith they have shown will be very handful come the Tri Nations and Bledisloe. Resilience was what brought the Crusaders from the 11th place in round 5 to a place in the semifinals two months later.

But above all, the Bulls have shone. Their easy game-plan, their ruthlessness at the breakdown, their superb kicking game, their deathly counter-attack game and the incredible boot of the young man who's going to lead the Springboks for a long time have put them beyond their rivals.
More importantly, they have fine tuned them as the competition went on and their form of the last month has been simply astounding.

A lot of "ifs" will have to be answered next season. Some of those "ifs" include Daniel Carter's absence, a load of injuries to a number of players in every single kiwi franchise, the change of the set of ELVs in use... To see whether the Bulls can show this year's impressive form is almost as exciting as to see whether any team can come up with the key to dismantle these Bulls' game.

Some warning should be sent to the South African franchises, though. Cheetahs, Lions and Stormers have too oft been sure wins and three sparring franchises out of five are far too many. When the Boks play the Lions, Wallabies and All Blacks, they are going to need more than two options (Sharks or Bulls) for every position. Andy Marinos may have fought for a sixth franchise in South Africa, but the truth is that the prospect of having another african franchise with less than 4 wins is not appealing for the future of Super Rugby.

But now the Super 14 2009 is over and the Lions tour is focusing all sights. What will the Boks do against this Lions side? Who's playing 15 and who's covering 3? What's the depth of this team?

Super 14 final prediction

This is the toughest call I have done.

Bulls 26 - Chiefs 23

Don't ask me, I just wish it will happen the other way around. I simply don't think it will. Our players are focused, the quality is there, they have been winning close matches, of late; but like someone said: Loftus is like the Everest... We miss sir Edmund Hillary.

Go Chiefs! Go Chiefs! Go Chiefs all the way.

About legacies

I never thought Victor Matfield was anything close to outspoken; on the contrary I thought he was a pretty decent guy, very realistic in terms of rugby, as he knows what it takes to climb on to the top.

Just the opposite of what the Watsons have always done.

That's why it's so thrilling to see him talking about legacies, or the Bulls building a Crusader-like legacy, with just less than a week to go before the final. Should you not be concentrating, talking your chances more down than up and focusing on what's surely going to be a massive game?

All odds may be in your favor, but in rugby it is tackles, not odds, what wins titles; And only after a number of titles has been won (and the key word is after) careless journos write on legacies. Duncan Johnston says Victor Matfield has gone one step or six too far... For once I agree.

There's only one legacy in Super Rugby. And it has not been a matter of winning one year or two. In Canterbury they have a culture of rugby, a culture of winning. Players have come and gone and still the culture has been mantained. The Andrew Mehrtens left room for the Daniel Carters, the Blackadders, for the McCaws, the Marshalls were substitued by the Ellises... and the important things, the things that have made of the Crusaders a successful team have been preserved.

Back to Earth, you have not won anything yet, Mr Matfield, and you would do well to stop thinking in legacies and start thinking about the Chiefs, or keep dreaming at your own risk.

Praise of the Chiefs

Astounding. Simply astounding.

How can a team start off a season by losing the first three games and then make the finals? The Chiefs have done so, by winning 10 out of the following 11 games. Their only other loss was a hard-fought game in Pretoria, which leaves the count at 10 victories and 4 losses for the Chiefs, and still counting.

What have they done today? They have used their weapons to full efect. Even without May, without Leonard and without Kahui, even suffering a bit in the set-piece. But Sivivatu was attacking from everywhere, Masaga, too. Muliaina being everywhere and Donald kicking and passing wisely. Just unlike Willie Ripia.

I said at the beginning of the season that the weak point of this Hurricanes was at 10. Well, today they lost the game there. Senseless kicking and an accurate Chiefs defense and counter-attack put the Chiefs on top.

Back to 2006 memories for the 'canes as in the final 5 minutes an old foe came back; the fog. Bad omens for a team that had everything to win the Super 14, but this year they came up short. Again.

Congratulations, Chiefs. Robbie Deans predicted a Hurricanes-Crusaders final. I hope he'll be right in at least one name of the two finalists.

Super 14 semifinals prediction

Chiefs 24 - Hurricanes 26
Bulls 17 - Crusaders 14

And that's all I have to say.

Praise of the Crusaders

Having started the season with just a win in the first five rounds, no one expected the Crusaders to be able to claim a spot in the top four. Having suffered cruel injuries to almost any senior player (Franks, McCaw, MacDonald, Thorn, Ellis, Laulala...) early in the season, what were the real chances of the Crusaders to make way through to the semis?

Todd Blackadder's team has been able to do so. Youngsters like Colin Slade or Ryan Crotty have been inmense. Veterans like Kieran Read have glued the team together. And wins over every major foe (and a sole loss to the Cheetahs) in the last 8 weeks have put them where we all wanted them to be.

Congratulations, Crusaders. Robbie Deans has spoken of the resilience of the Brumbies. Fighting against everything to keep their hopes alive. He has not spoken of you, guys, who have done as well as the Brumbies until round 13, and have bettered what the Brumbies achieved in the last round.

Now, how valuable was the last-second goal kick by Leon MacDonald against the Cheetahs? Or how much is worth the fourth try scored against the Hurricanes in Christchurch?

Wonderful job, boys. And remember you have already beaten the Bulls this season.

Praise of the Lions

Not for the first time this season the Lions surprise me. Despite having lost to the Waratahs, they have shown commitment and a will to win the match as if their own chances of classifying were at stake.

The final minutes have been a nail biter. After trailing 17-28 at half time, they were able to come back and take the lead, just to allow the decisive try to the Waratahs with 5 minutes left. A final penalty put the Lions within 5 meters of the aussie line and indeed they seemed they had scored a try when referee Marius Jonker called for a forward pass...

But it was not the end of the story. For three times the Lions put their hearts in the scrum and asked the ref to call for a free kick in their favour... After three resets the Lions loosehead prop (or was it the hooker?) lost his foot in the scrum and the ball was freed for the Waratahs backs to kick it out. The Waratahs won 38-33.

Sharks and Crusaders will have to fight if they want to match the 'tahs.

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."

Aussies impressed me!!!!

Both Waratahs and Brumbies have been on the very razor's edge for the past three weeks. I did expect and in fact I did predict both teams to be out by now but the real truth is that they are still in the hunt for the playoffs.

With the semifinals cut-off at 41 points (or perhaps 42), both teams need a bonus point victory to have any chance to get through it, but they are capable of doing it.

Specially difficult is the task for the Brumbies, as no team has bonus-pointed a win in Hamilton this season, and the Chiefs are looking really powerful. But the Waratahs could very well get a win, and even a bonus point victory, after their unexpected feat of beating the Sharks at home.

I now think that Bulls, Chiefs, Hurricanes and Crusaders will get classified, but the aussies are still there, which is amazing... Amazing.

Super 14 round 13 Predictions

With the blues of knowing that Leon MacDonald will be gone by June still inside me, I will be a bit hard on the Reds Prediction today. So sorry, guys, I like you above any other side in Aus, but the Crusaders need the points and Leon's last game in Christchurch is well deserved a biased prediction.

Apart from that, Hurricanes and Chiefs could get both classified this week if both score 4 tries and the Chiefs win by seven points or less. The other two must-see are Brumbies-Blues and Sharks-Waratahs. Expect a win for the home side in both games, although with unpredictable Blues, who would dare?

Crusaders 34 - Reds 16 (A try by Leon MacDonald included, of course)
Lions 23 - Highlanders 18 (This end of season tour is meaningless for the Highlanders)
Chiefs 32 - Hurricanes 28 (This is unrealistic, I know, but I want the Chiefs to get 5 points)
Brumbies 25 - Blues 23 (Do not be mistaken, 4 points are not enough for the Brumbies)
Sharks 18 - Waratahs 13 (With this, all hopes by any Australian franchise should be over)
Bulls 24 - Cheetahs 16 (And thus the Bulls would also get through)
Stormers 14 - 11 Force (Believe it or not, this is the hardest match to predict. Both are teams with more rugby than their position suggests but their internal problems have hindered them throughout the season. I don't know who shall look harder for a win)

And the table would look like this for the last round:

1. Chiefs 42
2. Hurricanes 41
3. Bulls 41
4. Sharks 39
5. Crusaders 37
6. Brumbies 36
7. Waratahs 33
8. Blues 32

Which would mean that Sharks and Crusaders would find themselves fighting in Durban against the Bulls and in Auckland against the Blues at the same time for a place in the top four. I think the Crusaders will grab it.

Please, think a bit

At the beginning of the Super 14 season we were shocked to see so many New Zealand players, specially All Blacks players, hit by injuries every once and again. Form was generally poor by kiwi sides and in round two, the only win by a kiwi side was against another kiwi side. Meanwhile, the South African franchises were all happy to see both Bulls and Sharks in command.

Three months later, kiwi players have tended to recover from injuries and gained some form and little by little kiwi sides have popped up to the Super 14 table, and now it seems it is the South Africans who are getting numerous injuries. The Springboks coach, Peter de Villiers has just asked what the prospects of playing in the all-important Lions series are for a number of injuries.

And in the meantime, nonsense talk about the Super 15 has been going on. They all want more games and more money and there are two silly ways to get it: the South African way which would require to start even earlier, say, in January, and the Australasian way which would require to extend the Super 14 until July and even play international tests at the same time that the Super 14 is being played.

So, do you guys realise that will only increase the number of injuries? How many games per season you want your players to play? Please, think a bit.

Super 14 round 12 predictions

Last week was much of the same thing. Was ever a harder Super 14 season to be doing predictions?

So, it is more for you, loyal readers of the weekly predictions here at Ka Mate Ka Mate, than for anything else that I keep posting my predictions this week.

This week's about consistency. Hurricanes should defeat a non-consistent Blues team; that would almost secure them the payoffs. But the Blues have been performing like a wave: one hill and one valley. Will the Hurricanes unleash the real power of the Blues to their fate? Don't worry about the Sharks or the Bulls. They shall win. The Stormers vs Chiefs game could be the one to watch, as the classy Stormers arrive in home after an ill-fated tour. But the Chiefs, even in the defeat at Loftus, have shown they are a fearsome team and they are certain a much better SA tourists than they were in the past. The Brumbies and the Waratahs need wins. But they also need bonus points. They may get wins, but I'm not so sure about bonus points.

So, to the facts:

Hurricanes 34 - Blues 27 (I would only ask for both teams to get 4 tries. The outcome of the game, I really don't care)
Lions 18 - Crusaders 24 (McCaw is not playing, Laulala is also out and the Crusaders need all their firepower to get a bonus point from Jo'burg)
Cheetahs 16 - Waratahs 23 (This is the warm-up for the real Waratahs exam next week. Beware Waratahs or the Cheetahs could very well bite you out of the playoffs)
Reds 25 - Brumbies 18 (This is the end of the story for the Brumbies)
Sharks 33 - Highlanders 23 (The real question is: will the Sharks get 5? They need it)
Bulls 27 - Force 15 (The Bulls and the Hurricanes are my picks to host both semifinals)
Stormers 22 - Chiefs 40 (This win is 50% of the playoffs road for the Chiefs. They deserve it. They really do.)

Therefore, the table after this round would look something like this:

1. Hurricanes 38
2. Chiefs 37
3. Bulls 37
4. Sharks 35
5. Waratahs 32
6. Blues 31
7. Crusaders 31
8. Force 28
9. Brumbies 28

Blues are out of it. It could be a tough day for New Zealand franchises.

The Reds totally outsmarted the Blues and the Auckland franchise is out of the playoffs contention.

It is alarming the ease with which the Reds dismantled Blues display. It should make the Blues coach think.

By the way, today could be a terrible day for the New Zealand franchises. At this very moment, the Blues are down 5-31 in Albany while the Brumbies have just scored a try in Wellington.

Good luck, 'canes.

Super 14 round 11 predictions

It's predictions time at Ka Mate Ka Mate...

And it is hard times in Sydney and Durban. No matter what happens, Bulls, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Brumbies and Crusaders will look to put miles ahead of Sharks and Waratahs who may well be wondering what would have happened if their last week's games (bonus-point losses for both teams) would have been played after a bye and not before a bye.

But so to the facts,

The Bulls and the Chiefs meet in Pretoria, where the Bulls have not lost a game this season. The Bulls have done a bit of what Rassie Erasmus claimed to be the key to put his Stormers into the playoffs during the pre-season: make your home ground a fortress, so it is not going to be easy for the Chiefs not to be bullied at Loftus. I claim that whoever wins the match will play home advantage during the semifinals. The Hurricanes and the Brumbies face each other in Wellington in a sweet moment for every team, and neither team can afford a loss. Crusaders and Blues need a bonus point win, and while the Blues play at home and have shown their attacking power, the Crusaders play away and they need to remember how to score tries if they are to get classified.

Highlanders 22 - Stormers 13 (a meaningless game that should, however, cement some All Blacks contenders' hopes. A win for the Highlanders)
Western Force 33 - Lions 19 (The Force are 18 points away from the playoffs and this is their only easy game remaining. They'll get 5)
Blues 42 - Reds 14 (While the Reds can be a formidable foe, ask the Sharks, the fact that they are playing for nothing will sort things out. Besides, no return home for Braid leaves this match spicyless)
Hurricanes 28 - Brumbies 26 (This would be the match of the week, should any of those teams not be a bore)
Cheetahs 23 - Crusaders 30 (Either bonus point or DEATH for the Crusaders)
Bulls 25 - Chiefs 19 (I would love the Chiefs to win, but they have lost to the Waratahs, the Crusaders and the Sharks, and only been able to defeat the Blues. They have trouble with the big teams)

So, I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of round 11 the table looks something like this:

1. Bulls 33
2. Hurricanes 33
   
3. Blues 33
   
4. Chiefs 32
5. Sharks 31
6. Crusaders 31
7. Waratahs 28
8. Brumbies 28
   

Who will make the playoffs and who won't

Only a few weeks ago no one would have bet on:

• The Bulls or the Sharks in risk of not making the semifinals.
• The Crusaders with real options of making the semifinals.
• The Chiefs on top of the table.

And this is how the picture is right now, with just 4 games to go (except for Waratahs and Sharks, with only 3 games remaining).

First of all, given the fact that both Waratahs and Sharks have been playing for ten succesive rounds without a bye and both have lost their last week's game, had not it been fairer if they had rested last week?

But, that's not the subject, although it could take a high toll to both Durban and Sydney at the end of the season. What are the chances of every contender to the title?

1. Chiefs. The Chiefs have got it right since round 3. 28 points in 6 rounds must be a kind of record and have deserverdly lifted the Chiefs to the number 1 spot. But two are the Chiefs main foes, now: a hard calendar, with games in Pretoria and Cape Town and two finals in the final weeks against Hurricanes and Brumbies is the first, and their own ghosts of the past is the other. Last year they were also in a run when suddenly they fainted. This year, things look much better for them, with better play, a better position in the ladder, but still, the hard calendar lies ahead. The Chiefs would need at least 10 points to classify, which inevitably means two wins. Wins at Cape Town and against the Brumbies are a must, while everything would smoother if they manage to win at Loftus Versfeld next week. I think the Chiefs will end with 41 points and possibly, fighting for the 4th place.
2. Sharks. All of a sudden, the Sharks numbers are not right. With a bye next week, their worst enemy could be the lack of chances to gather points. With Highlanders, Waratahs and Bulls visiting the once so strong Durban's fortress, how many points can the Sharks get? 15 points would see them classified, but, can they get three victories? 2 wins and a loss could see them getting less than 10 points (they have 31 now and will have 31 next week), and Waratahs and Bulls will surely be desperate for a win. The Sharks-Bulls game in the last round will be the most exciting game of the season for sure. I predict the Sharks to end with 41 or 42 points fighting for the 4th place.
3. Bulls. The Bulls are possibly the team with the easiest path to the top. Three games at Loftus Versfeld could be enough for them, making the last game in Durban less relevant. But if for any reason they lose one of their three home games, they would come to the last week with less than 40 points and praying for a win. That means that the game against the Chiefs will be a final for the Bulls. If they get this one, the Force and the Cheetahs won't look so threatening and they could seem themselves already classified with 42 points with one game to go. My prediction is that the Bulls will end in first-second place with 43 or44 points.
   
4. Hurricanes. Beware. The Hurricanes can get to the first place. They play the Brumbies and the Blues at home, the Chiefs in Hamilton and the Reds in Brisbane. They should be targetting both games at home and the one in Brisbane, for a total amount of 14 points. For them, getting the most of their upcoming fixtures at home is life or death. Neither the Brumbies nor the Blues will be easy victims, but the Mackay mourn alone won't be enough for the Brumbies and the Blues... well, the Blues look fearsome. I think the Hurricanes will end with 42 or 43 fighting with the Bulls.
5. Blues. Oh, God. The Blues have stolen the Chiefs the label of being the most powerful and the most vulnerable team of the Super 14 this season. They have the advantage of playing three games in New Zealand and one in Canberra, but their rivals won't be easy at all. Hurricanes, Brumbies and Crusaders could spoil their bid to the playoffs. Their first game against the Reds will surely give them 5 points but, how many points can get them out of the last three? A win in Canberra won't be easy, but a win in Wellington seems even more difficult. The Blues could see themselves in the last round with 37 points playing in Auckland an all or nothing game against the Crusaders. Nothing less. You cannot miss the last week!!! I predict the Blues will fall short of the playoffs, with 38 points at the end of it.
6. Waratahs. Oh, God (bis). The Waratahs do have 27 points and will have 27 points next week, which is a burden almost too heavy to wear. The loss to the Force could have come at a heavier loss; they are now 14 points away of the playoffs with only three games remaining. And their try-scoring ability is not their best quality. They could get 9 from Bloemfontein and Jo'burg, but do you see them getting 5 or even 4 from Durban? Even 13 points in three games would not be enough. I predict the Waratahs to finish with 37 points out of the playoffs just like the Blues.
7. Brumbies. The Death of Shawn Mackay has made the Brumbies click. Now they share something in common which is greater than the colors they defend. They are now together in a quest to offer their lost teammate their affection, their love towards him. This is what permitted them to defeat the Bulls last week and make them a hard foe, if not the hardest of the foes. Expect the Brumbies to win every game when decided by close margins. But their toughest game will be next week at WestPack stadium, against the Hurricanes. Only 4 wins will be enough for the lack-of-bonus-points Brumbies, but I don't see them getting close to it. I can see them gathering 10 or 12 points and ending with the Blues and Waratahs or perhaps a bit better, 38 or 39 points, but not enough to get to the playoffs.
8. Crusaders. Cheetahs, Lions, Reds and Blues. All away, none at home. Expect the Crusaders, the hot team of the competition to win their three games coming to Auckland and perhaps reaching 39 points before coming back to New Zealand. Then, in one of the strongest rivalries in the history of Super 14, both teams might play a game with the winner getting a place in the playoffs. I'll be bold and concede the victory to the Crusaders, ending thus with 43 or 44 points and, oh surprise, on top of the ladder.

Then, this would be my predictions for the ultimate standings

1. Bulls, 43
2. Crusaders, 43
3. Hurricanes, 42
4. Chiefs, 41
5. Sharks, 41
6. Brumbies, 39
7. Blues, 38
8. Waratahs, 37
   

I think that Waratahs, Brumbies and Blues won't make the semifinals, but they could drag some teams with them out of the playoffs. This is the toughest of the calls, but I'm sticking to it.

Cowan's guilty

Glen Moore can be annoyed by Cowan's behavior yesterday at Eden Park.

When you are a skipper, you don't turn your own free kicks into penalties against you.
When you are a skipper, you don't talk more to the referee than you do to your teammates.
When you are a skipper, you don't let your team one man down for illegal, nonsense, shoulder charges.

Even with a normal skipper, the Highlanders would have lost yesterday's match. But having Cowan as skipper can do Highlanders more harm than good. He loses his focus and that does not make for a good skipper.

Good day.

Super 14 round 10 predictions

This is a tough week to predict. Not that the past was easy, either (did anyone bet on a Cheetahs' 25-point victory over the Sharks?) but I must confess this time I don't know where to start.

Firstly, would you risk predicting any outcome of the North vs South game? I like the Highlanders, I want them to win, but... do you trust the Blues, either for the good or for the bad? Pat Lam seems confident that he's finally found the recipe for his Blues, but the Highlanders are full of confidence after, let me remind you, three wins in a row. Besides, the once most powerful first row in New Zealand, the Blues' first row, seem now weak against the Super 14's best-fit first row, in which Newland, Mackintosh and Hall feature. However, the Blues play at home. But the Blues have not performed well at all this year at Eden Park. Who can tell???

Secondly, will the Cheetahs strike twice in a row? They have a clear 2009 record: 100% of wins at home, and 0% wins on the road. The thing is, all their upcoming matches are at home. Besides, the Chiefs always struggle in SA. Can anyone bet on a Cheetahs loss at home after they dismantled the Sharks? But the Chiefs look certainly impressive. They managed to defeat the Reds in Brisbane with apparent ease, the same Brisbane where the Cheetahs were severely punished.

What would you expect of the Sharks against the Crusaders? Can the Bulls prove Heineke Meyer right when he predicted three wins out of five games for his former franchise during their australasian tour?

I'm going mad. This is what I think:

Blues 28 - Highlanders 31 (Berquist, Vainikolo, Bowden, Shoemark, Smith, Dagg. If one manages to learn the names of the any team's backs and they feature in the game, they have a chance to win)
Brumbies 21 - Bulls 16 (Fear the new-look, dry, Brumbies)
Hurricanes 18 - Stormers 12 (I would not bother to watch this game. Both sides are playing horribly)
Red 27 - Lions 21 (Did I ever tell you I like these Reds?)
Waratahs 31 - Western Force 18 (From time to time the Waratahs like to remind us how damn good they are. I have the feeling that this is going to be one of these times)
Cheetahs 12 - Chiefs 24 (After the feat, comes the relax)
Sharks 15 - Crusaders 11 (My kingdom for a red and black try!)

Colin Cooper, you should learn from the Cheetahs

The Hurricanes coach blasted the Super 14 calendar when his sided had so little time to recover after a trip to SA followed by a game in Perth.

Wonderful. Then, what should the Cheetahs, whose seven starting games have been played outside Bloemfontein, think about the calendar?

No complains, mister, as the calendar is not specially difficult for the Hurricanes. The conference system, if ever the SANZAR reaches an agreement over that matter, will certainly ease travel troubles which, I swear, are not bigger for the kiwis than are for the saffers.

Super 14 round 9 predictions

Chiefs and Crusaders have a bye this week while Sharks and Waratahs will seek to extend their lead. Hurricanes and Western Force play a crucial game for both teams whereas the Brumbies certainly play for more than a single win after the painful death of Shawn Mackay.

Blues 44 - Lions 21 (Last train for the Blues. Can they get on ?)
Western Force 18 - Hurricanes 23 ( It could be the other way around, but I want the Wellingtonians to win)
Cheetahs 12 - Sharks 20 (The Sharks will win in Bloemfontein, but not easily)
Highlanders 32 - Reds 19 (One team is going up and the other is going down)
Brumbies 20 - Stormers 10 (The Brumbies have been struck twice in two years with terrifying health issues over their players. Best of lucks to them)
Waratahs 14 - Bulls 12 (This is going to be the match of the week)

Shawn Mackay

I have no words.
Rest in peace.