With the Bulls and the Blues letting us down last week, it was only a moderately successful Round 9 as far as predictions were concerned.
Both the Blues and Cheetahs are on a bye this week.
With that, let’s go straight into the previews for Round 10…
Chiefs vs Saders
This is another one of the very few games that the Crusaders could actually lose this season. The Chiefs are still a very unpredictable team, but having won their last 3 games, they are starting to gain a bit of momentum.
You’d still have to be a real gambler to go against the Crusaders, however. Even though they’ve lost Dan Carter, they still seem to be able to do more than enough to win games. Saders by a few in this one.
Reds vs Force
As always, derbies are never easy games, and it won’t be any different in this one. The Reds haven’t had the greatest season, but have just come off a bye and should be raring to go.
The Force have been sliding a bit in recent weeks, and it seems to be mainly their home form letting them down. Nobody seems to have an answer as to why they perform so poorly at home, so it is just as well that they are the away team this week.
Force to edge a close one here – the quality of their players should shine through.
Waratahs vs Lions
This should be the easiest game to call this week. You just do not see the dismal Lions winning any of their away games, even though they had a strong first half last week against the Crusaders.
The Waratahs are clicking nicely into gear right now, and it is a great time to be doing so. Another win here will just cement their place in the top 4.
Tahs to take this quite comfortably – SuperBru players, get your margins up for this one!
Brumbies vs Sharks
The Brumbies pulled a real surprise by beating the Blues last week. Not many people expected them to get the win in Auckland. Admittedly, it was against a poor Blues side who will be grateful for the bye this week.
The Sharks keep winning, which is a good thing, but you just wonder how long they can continue to play like they have and still keep on winning games. They have players in their backline who can do real damage, but they do not seem to be using them properly.
This is a critical game for the Sharks, because if they lose, they will fall back into that chasing pack of 6 or 7 teams. That is something they do not want, especially with games against the Saders and Tahs coming up. You still feel that they should have enough to take this one, however. Sharks to win with a bonus point here.
Bulls vs Highlanders
What can you say about these two teams? They are both rather poor and their log positions show it. The Bulls are having a nightmare season after being the flagship SA team for the last 3 years. They still have the players, but none of them seem to want to play for their current coach.
The Highlanders are still very poor, and their close result against the Sharks last week is misleading. The Sharks played very badly, and would not have gotten away with it against most other teams in the competition.
This might not be a popular choice, but I feel the Bulls should take this. They cannot possibly miss as many tackles as they did against the Canes last week. Habana might be the difference in this game.
Stormers vs ‘Canes
The game of the weekend. Both sides are bang-on-form and both play such an exciting brand of rugby. There is rain predicted in Cape Town this weekend, but the neutrals will be hoping that it stays away so that the runners in this game get to showcase their skills.
The Stormers played an awesome first half against the Cheetahs, but their failure to put them away will not have gone unnoticed by the Canes. A second half like last week will see the Hurricanes walk away with a win here.
The Hurricanes looked awesome against the Bulls, but you just wonder how much of it was actually down to their own genius. The Bulls unwillingness to tackle allowed the Canes to gain in confidence and play rugby that they would not have been allowed to, had it been a closer game.
Such a tight game to call, and one that could hinge on the bounce of the ball or a ref’s call. I’m going to go with the Stormers, simply because of home ground advantage and the visible growing belief of their players.
Tweet
go stormers, semis yours for the tkaing this year
i say Bulls to go down again, finally that kopper stamp crap has been showed up for the crap that it is….ugly rugby
can’t say I disagree with these. That said, head says Bulls, but my heart tells me the Highlanders will beat them.
Mortlock ruled out against Sharks
17 April 2008 (07:49)
Stirling Mortlock © Gallo Images
The ACT Brumbies will be without captain Stirling Mortlock for Saturday’s crucial Super 14 game against the Sharks.
The Canberra Times reports Brumbies medical staff have ruled Mortlock out as a precaution after he suffered concussion against the Auckland Blues last weekend.
The Brumbies and Wallabies captain sustained the injury after he came into contact with Auckland hooker Keven Mealamu’s knee.
Despite recovering sufficiently from the set-back, club doctors weren’t prepared to take any risks with the outside-centre. Mortlock has a bad history of head knocks.
Last season he missed three Super 14 games after suffering concussion. Mortlock is likely to make his return against the Lions at Canberra Stadium next weekend.
His absence against the undefeated Sharks couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Brumbies. The team must beat the second-placed Sharks to ensure its Super 14 finals aspirations remain in tact.
His unavailability will see Adam Ashley-Cooper shift to outside-centre while Francis Fainifo will return to the starting XV on the wing.
They are expected to be the only changes to the run-on team when coach Laurie Fisher names his side later on Thursday.
Hi Rob!
Have been scarse ’cause I got an unexpected visitor from London….none other than my beloved daughter…so good to have her home…even if just until Sunday!!
I also like above predictions…but think the ull have no hope with out Fourie.
😳 “Bulls”
Comment 3 of 4, posted at 17.04.08 12:37:19 by Charlie
just as rob called it
You not getting me with the Bulls prediction this week Ghost!
i don’t see the sharks getting a bonus point here
As long as Ludeke and his empoyers cntinue to deny reality, they will continue to fall apart.
Frans Ludeke, FUT.
( Fucked Up Twice )
it makes me wanna cry but i only see one bonus point more coming fot the sharks this season and thats against the cheetahs
😆 i told all my bull friends at the start of the season that this would happen when FL was appointed. a few of them told me no don’t worry he will pull it off. (just didn’t specify wat he would pull off obviously)
Hi Me2!
PTA – nice to see you here.
ness guess who i am on the sharks site! u helped me out the other day lol
I am also a Pretoria Shark. Or, at least, I was.
These days I’m a Sevenoaks Shark 😉
I am going with my own feelings again…I have dropped too many places… 😉
oh – and a big fat huge warm WELCOME TO SHARKSWORLD to you, PTAshark!
i wish i could go to floptus this weekend and watch the…….not rugby……protest lol
Me2… get your daughter to sign up with us.
We need to get more UK folk, then we can have an official Sharksworld meetup in Londres.
PTA – why, have you changed your nic on the Sharks site?
ah thanks rob! on the sharks site i was watarota! i used to blog there a lot a long time back but stil visit the site at least once a day but don’t post often. now i moved to pta from durbs and i’m loving this amazing super14 winning atmosphere here
where in PTA do you live, PTAshark?
Hi Watarota (you devil you). 😉 Had lots of chats to you.
i live in the wonderboom sinoville area! don’t ask me how to spell it all cus i’v only been living here 2 months! and where u guys live?
Saders by 5-10
Force by 5-10
Tahs by 10-15
Sharks by 5-10
Landers by 0-5
Stormers by 0-5
Going to go and get some lunch. PTA – nice chatting to you again. Was good to see you again at Loftus.
ok i changed my nick so no one gets confused lol
did you really? 😉
ah – in the North. That’s deep Blue Bull country. I hope you have a black and white flag in your garden.
Wata- we’re still 😕
Bulls stand a chance but I’m not risking my GSPs on them.
For extra points…Blues to lose their bye vs Cheetahs by 10.
well i’m stil bargening with the guy at the nearest robot to try and get the price down lol. i had a huge one in durban but my sister stole it wen i left durban
why not just paint your roof? 😉
i wouldn’t bet my 2 year old jocks on the bulls winning anything except a wooden spoon to shove up FL rear end lol
hey thats a dam good idea! EXCEPT the ppl i live with will pack my bags and kick me out before i even get half way done
i’m moving to the sharks and stormers need to help each other blog! see u there
here we go
Game 59: Reds v Force: Force by 13
Game 60: Chiefs v Crusaders: Crusaders by 21
Game 61: Waratahs v Lions: Waratahs by 34
Game 62: Brumbies v Sharks: Sharks by 2
Game 63: Bulls v Highlanders: Bulls by 11
Game 64: Stormers v Hurricanes: Hurricanes by 14
just think, we the sharks, have been playing [email protected] thus far and still not beaten, if we played better we would have been right up there with the saders, clearly we are a good and strong team. The saders must think that we might actually beat them even if its only by a point or two. GO SHARKS!!!