the "other" semifinal

My blood boils when I read the predictions at www.rugby365.com . If you read the predictions, only one out of ten has given the Waratahs as winners. Why? I read the poll in the website about what will be the final and

• around 40% believe it is going to be Sharks. Crusaders
• aorund 40% believe otherwise, it is going to be Sharks vs Hurricanes

I mean, what the f....

The you come down to reasonings, like Steve Farrell tries to do and... oh! surprise!!! his prediction is that the Sharks will win by five!!!

Ok, I am no Waratahs supporter, but ademittedly, few teams have shown the consistency that the 'tahs have shown during this season. Not the Sharks, for sure. I feel that I must give some realistic data over the Waratahs chances to go to the semifinal.

1. Since 1996, only 4 times out of 24 (17%) a Super Rugby semifinal game has been won by an "away" team.
2. From 2003 on, no team has won an "away" Super Rugby semifinal.
3. In 2008 the both Waratahs and Sharks have won every single game at home, but only 3 out of 7 games played away.
4. Their game in Sydney earlier this year resulted in Sharks second loss of the season by 25-10
5. The Sharks have managed to win just three times (out of ten games) against the Waratahs.

I think this semifinal will be very very very close. Both teams are excellent at defending but I think the Waratahs have a better attack. I don't expect a clear winner but in the end, the home soil can be a decissive factor.

Of course, the Sharks have their own chances but what I think is nonsense is this absolute certainty of certain media in the Sharks triumph.

The Sharks make the semifinals

Low-scoring Sharks managed to dish 7 tries against the Chiefs and gathered a 47 - 25 win that pushes them ahead the Stormers and the Hurricanes for the third place in the 2008 Super 14 semifinals.

Thus, the semifinals will be Crusaders - Hurricanes and Waratahs - Sharks.

Sharks bonus-point win in the last minute

The Sharks managed to get 5 points out of their match against the Cheetahs with two tries in the last minutes.

Sharks 33 - Cheetahs 14

Super 14's fourth round

In short: the Sharks defeated the Blues.

A bit more ellaborated: Electrical start and astounding effort by the Sharks at the breakdown gives them the victory over a good Blues side. The Crusaders won and are leaders.

A bigger overview: Round four featured the clash of two of the three undefeated teams. After an impressive first ten minutes, the Sharks were leading 12-0 and their ability at the breakdown set it 19-0 before the Blues scored a penalty go to make it 19-3 at halftime. In the second half the Blues tried hard but the Sharks were again superb in defense and at the breakdown and only by a miracle, they didn't get a bonus point. The Blues looked close to it, to come back but at the end the game only lasted 80 minutes and the Sharks won. Both teams were brilliant. The Crusaders suffered to win at Perth, the Waratahs contested and triumphed against the Brumbies for the best aussie team and the Hurricanes extended their winning strike to three games against the Highlanders.

It was a nice round but for the loss of the Blues. The loss, however, is not a bitter defeat. It's the defeat of a team that offers signs that will get better and better. The breakdown is the area that needs more improvement, whereas the physical condition of the team is perhaps the best of the competition. The Crusaders are a very very very serious team and their bonus-point victory at Perth is going to give Carter and co some real under-pressure minutes to build. The Sharks seem to have less talent than the two New Zealand sides but to handle it very wisely.

Blues, Crusaders and Sharks on top of table

With 3 wins out of 3 matches, Blues, Crusaders and Sharks are still the leaders of the Super 14 with the only difference between them being the four-tries bonus points gathered: three for the Blues, two for the Blues and one for the Sharks.

After their 3rd-week victories, the Hurricanes and the Brumbies have looked impressive and seem the main threat for the 3 above.

French first five eighths Frederic Michalak (he destroyed us oming off the bench on October the 6th) seems to have perfectly found his place in the South African team, and has scored for second straight week. Meanwhile, Blues backs Rocokoco and Toeava had a monster day against the Cheetahs, and certainly the Blues are the top scorer team with 45,7 points per game and top try scoring team with an average of 6 tries per game. On the other hand, the Crusaders have only allowed their oponents 7 points per game.

On the opposite side are the Highlanders. The Otago franchise failed, for third straight week, to gather a win. While young Vainikolo looks certainly promising, it is the more experienced players of the team the ones who have to step up. Next week Dunedin will host the Hurricanes in a must-win game for the Highlanders.