Thread Tools

**dudeabides** · 04-01-2010, 06:46 PM

A preview of the upcoming weekend matches:

Quote:

Round 8 of the 2010 Super 14 season is ripe for upsets as six of the bottom seven teams meet six contenders sitting in the top half of the standings.

While the fifth-placed Brumbies are sitting idle with a bye, the teams around them all have the chance to push on with matches against lowly opposition. Also resting up are the win-less Lions, who know any boilovers will see them stranded further adrift towards the bottom of the table.

Opening the round on Friday night are the desperate Hurricanes, coming off four losses in a row, who host the Crusaders in our Game of the Week.

Following that New Zealand derby, rock-bottom Western Force take on the second-placed Stormers in Perth. The improving Force gave the undefeated Bulls a run for their money at ME Bank Stadium last week so they'll hold some belief of getting a result, but it's their competition-worst attack against the leading defence of the Stormers that makes the visitors hot favourites.

Boosting the Force after their resilient defensive display against the Bulls are the returns of Wallaby backrowers David Pocock and Richard Brown after the pair were injured in Round 1.

Classy flanker Pocock slots straight back into the starting XV while Brown is on the bench. James O'Connor drops back to fullback as Ryan Cross moves inside Mitch Inman in the centres, while Scott Staniforth resumes on the wing after his short-term deal was extended. Mark Bartholomeusz replaces suspended left wing Nick Cummins.

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has been forced into changes of his own due to injuries to prop Wicus Blaauw and fullback Joe Pietersen. JC Kritzinger replaces Blaauw while Sireli Naqelevuki comes onto the wing, with Gio Aplon moving to No.15.

The table-topping Bulls continue their Australasian tour on Saturday at Eden Park against the up-and-down Blues.

The Blues need to string wins together to match their decent performances, earned on the back of some stellar showings by the Super 14's form player in outside centre Rene Ranger. Tony Woodcock has been replaced in the starting side by Charlie Faumuina due to a neck injury, while Luke McAlister is on the bench after a string of injuries limited the playmaker's game time this season.

The Bulls, ominously, are unchanged as Jaco van der Westhuyzen prepares to earn his 50th cap off the bench. Five of their six straight wins came on home soil before their battle in Perth last week, so the champions are no certainties to claim their first ever win in Auckland.

In the round's second New Zealand derby, the Chiefs welcome the Highlanders to Waikato Stadium desperate for points.

The Highlanders have been off the pace this season and might be even further behind the pack without Israel Dagg's contributions from fullback. The seventh-placed Chiefs will be keen to capitalise on this home encounter with their fourth win of the season.

The Chiefs will have to overcome injuries to wing Sitiveni Sivivatu, flanker Tanerau Latimer and hooker Aled de Malmanche, with Dwayne Sweeney, Luke Braid and Hika Elliot their respective replacements. Mike Delany comes in at fly-half, pushing Stephen Donald out to No.12 and Jackson Willison out of the starting side.

The Chiefs have problems of their own, with vice captain Jamie Mackintosh out with a long-term injury known as 'turf toe'. He is replaced in the front row by Chris King, while inside centre Jason Shoemark, wing Fetu'u Vainikolo and flanker Alando Soakai come in for starts in the other changes from their win over the Lions.

The Waratahs, perhaps the unexpected members of the top four, host the Cheetahs on Saturday night with five points firmly in their sights.

It will be a night of milestones for the Waratahs, with Al Baxter set for his 100th cap, Lachie Turner becoming the youngest player to notch 50 appearances for the New South Wales outfit, and Dean Mumm captaining the side for the first time in place of the injured Phil Waugh.

Highly rated flanker Chris Alcock has the chance to impress in Waugh's sizable boots, while Ben Mowen starts next to him in the scrum as a replacement for Wycliff Palu, who has a hamstring strain.

The Cheetahs are the last team to leave home soil this season, and with only two wins from that favourable early draw, they're going to struggle to make an impression in Sydney. In their changes, fullback Hennie Daniller replaces Springbok Riaan Viljoen, and scrumhalf Tewis de Bruyn moves up from the bench in a swap with Sarel Pretorius.

Wrapping things up on Saturday is the only match in South Africa this week, where the Sharks host the Reds. The Queenslanders have been performing above expectations under Ewen McKenzie's tutelage and but for an undeserved last-minute defeat to the Waratahs would be sitting in their place in the top four.

The Sharks, though, have put two wins together after a horror start to their campaign. They're back at home after a five-week Australasian sojourn and veteran wing Stefan Terblanche is making his 100th appearance for the franchise.

The Reds' exemplary scrum-half Will Genia, the stand-in skipper and driving force for their attacking verve this season, received some big praise this week from Wallabies legend George Gregan. Gregan told Australian media he thought his heir apparent has "better skills" and, at 22, the potential to be a better player than he was.

Upsets on the cards in Super 14 | Rugby Union | Super 14 2010 | Rugby News | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 04-02-2010, 06:11 PM

Western Force v Stormers:

Quote:

The Western Force are off the mark for 2010 after fly-half David Hill dropped a goal after the hooter had sounded to stun an under par Stormers side with a 16-15 win. It was a deserved win for the Perth franchise who scored the game's only try, but looked to be ending with just a losing bonus point to show for their efforts. But No.8 Matt Hodgson made a huge carry to establish field position, allowing replacement scrum-half Justin Turner find Hill who delivered the goods with a well-struck drop-goal which split the posts.

This was the Stormers' first match of the Australasian leg of the Super 14, and they failed to spark despite coming into the game with five wins from six matches. Peter Grant kicked them ahead after four minutes, but they failed to build on that score and were behind nine minutes later as David Pocock finished an excellent move.

It was a brilliant try, James O'Connor and Scott Staniforth combining to create space for the returning openside who touched down. O'Connor converted, but two Grant penalties either side of the break edged the visitors back in front.

A 65th minute O'Connor effort put the Force back into the lead, but Grant stayed cool to nail his fifth penalty to re-establish the Stormers' lead and they then set about defending their territory. Stern defence seemed to have seen Schalk Burger's men home, but after missing a long ranger just a minute earlier, Hill stepped up to send the locals into ecstacy.

Stormers shocked as Hill Forces issue | Rugby Union | Super 14 2010 | Rugby News | Scrum.com

Crusaders v Hurricanes:

Quote:

Ti'i Paulo dealt a major blow to the Hurricanes' play-off chances with a controversial last minute try secured a 26-26 draw for the Crusaders.

The Wellington side led 26-21 with five minutes remaining, but after surviving five minutes of sustained pressure and with the hooter having sounded a cascade of bodies flopped at the Hurricanes try line. South African referee Jonathan Kaplan went upstairs to determine if there was any reason why he should not award a try and whether the Crusaders' ball carrier was on his feet going over.

Television Match Official Glenn Newman confirmed the ball carrier was on his feet and that he could not give any reason not to award the try. Dan Carter missed the touchline conversion as the hosts left with a share of the spoils, but it will undoubtedly be the Crusaders who will be the happier side after a thrilling encounter.

They raced into an early lead with George Whitelock crashing over for the opening try after three minutes, following a powerful burst from Robbie Fruean. Carter missed the conversion, but made up for it with a penalty that took his Super 14 total to 999 points.

And he passed the 1,000 benchmark with a second penalty, joining Stirling Mortlock in the four figures club. A desperate try-saving tackle by Cory Jane denied Sean Maitland another Crusaders try, but two ex-Hurricanes combined to give them a deserved second as Fruean fed Zac Guildford scoring and Carter converting to make the score 18-0 after 26 minutes.

The 'Canes came back into the match with their big, fast men getting on to the ball with Hosea Gear and Victor Vito prominent. And they got back into it at the end of an enthralling passage of play as Nonu crossed after a sweeping back move and a fine solo finish from 30 metres.

Vito and Gear combined for another try as Conrad Smith supplied Jeremy Thrush with the ball and he finished well for Willie Ripia to convert. Piri Weepu took over the kicking after Ripia was replaced, and he landed four penalties after the break as the Hurricanes sensed victory.

Carter had landed one kick in reply, but with the win in their sights the 2008 champions fought back to deny them at the death.

Paulo breaks 'Canes hearts | Rugby Union | Global | Rugby Match Pack | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 04-03-2010, 10:03 PM

Waratahs v Cheetahs:

Quote:

The Waratahs climbed to the top of the Super 14 table with a 40-17 victory over the Cheetahs in Sydney.

At a wet and windy Sydney Football Stadium the home side took a deserved lead through the boot of fly-half Daniel Halangahu and they came close to stretching their lead when a clever chip through from Berrick Barnes was scrambled away by the visitors. Halangahu doubled his side's lead midway through the half with his second penalty and their continued dominance was rewarded with the first try of the game through centre Rob Horne who dotted down after a smart break.

Further pressure at scrum time allowed Halangahu to edge his side further ahead but Cheetahs fly-half Naas Olivier reduced the arrears almost immediately with a penalty after the Tahs were penalised for obstruction at the re-start. But back came the Waratahs with Benn Robinson burrowing over on the stroke of half-time with Halangahu's conversion putting the hosts in firm control.

Prop Al Baxter celebrated his 100th Super Rugby appearance with his first try soon after the break and the bonus point was in the bag just two minutes later when Kurtley Beale intercepted a loose pass before racing away to score. The Cheetahs, who were repeatedly punished for missed tackles, rallied in the last ten minutes with WP Nel forcing his way over from close with scrum-half Tewis de Bruyn adding the extras.

The Tahs responded with the fifth try from replacement Josh Holmes that was converted by Barnes but the Cheetahs had the last say with a well-worked try from Corne Uys with the conversion from de Bruyn bringing the curtain down on the game. The Waratahs face a daunting trip to the Crusaders next weekend while the Cheetahs continue their away leg against the Brumbies.

Blues v Bulls:

Quote:

A round of upsets continued at Eden Park on Saturday as the Blues became the first team to topple the Bulls this season, the hosts coming out 32-17 winners. The Bulls enjoyed an unbeaten run on home soil before struggling past the Western Force in Perth last week, and the trip to Auckland proved a bridge too far as they succumbed to tries from Isaia Toeava and Joe Rokocoko, plus 22 points from Stephen Brett's boot.

The backs scored the points but it was the forwards, led by heroic front rowers Charlie Faumuina and Keven Mealamu, who laid the foundations for the win. The Bulls scored the first try of the match after speedy No.8 Pierre Spies picked up a loose ball on halfway and made good yards towards the left hand corner. A few phases later the ball was cycled right where Spies had repositioned to eventually slam the ball down backwards over his head while being tackled in the corner.

Toeava responded soon after to help make it 16-11 at half time thanks to Brett's sideline conversion. The Blues' No.10 out-kicked his points-machine counterpart Morne Steyn, who missed a number of kicks despite landing his first drop of the season.

The undisciplined Bulls had Pedrie Wannanburg sin-binned not long after coming on in the second half, and they survived his absence fairly well before a suicidal quick line-out led to a turnover on their own line. The ball spread to Rokocoko for a try in the right corner, extending a lead the Bulls would fail to make a dent in.

Elsewhere on Saturday, the Sharks continued their revival with a narrow 30-28 win against the Reds in Durban. Second half tries from Odwa Ndungane, Jacques Botes and JP Pietersen carried the hosts to victory but the Reds came away with two points thanks to their own four-try haul through inspirational Quade Cooper, a brace from Will Chambers and Greg Holmes.

The home side trailed 21-9 early in the second half after Cooper and Chambers had put the Reds in control but the Sharks battled back into the contest to lead 30-21 with a little over ten minutes left in the game with scrum-half Ruan Pienaar weighing in with three conversions to add to his hat-trick of first half penalties. However, the Reds raised their game again with some fine work from Digby Ioane setting up Holmes for his score that was converted by Cooper who was again in superb form and also added the extras for the three previous scores. But they were unable to overhaul the Sharks and follow up their win over the Cheetahs last weekend.

The victory was the Sharks' third in a row after opening with five straight defeats but their reward is a by next week while the Reds, who climbed to fifth in the table as a result, face the Lions in Johannesburg.

Highlanders v Chiefs:

Quote:

The Highlanders missed a chance to upset the Chiefs at Bay Park as replacement flanker Tim Boys dropped a pass with the line in sight late on, leaving the Waikato outfit with a 27-21 advantage. The Chiefs' new midfield partnership of Mike Delany at flyhalf and Stephen Donald moved out to No.12 worked a treat as the pair cut through the up-and-in Highlanders defence, helping their side to a three tries to two victory.

The Highlanders did get off to a bright start and their scrum caused problems, with and without the feed. Kenny Lynn scored in the corner after bustling through two Chiefs front rowers and Fetu'u Vainikolo scored one of the tries of the season, taking a high kick on halfway before launching a counterattack featuring many of his fellow Highlanders backs and wrapping around to finish it off out wide.

Donald split those first half efforts with a try of his own to keep the Chiefs in touch at half time, and further scores by Sione Lauaki and Sona Taumalolo in the second half helped take the Chiefs into a six-point lead.

As the Highlanders rolled the dice, Mat Berquist had some luck when his low kick through bounced off a Chief and straight back into his grasp. He released a slightly wayward pass that would have had Boys in untouched, but the flanker's missed catch denied Israel Dagg the chance to kick for the win.

Waratahs hit the top spot | Rugby Union | Super 14 2010 | Rugby News | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 04-04-2010, 04:53 PM

How the top of the Super 14 table stands after 8 weeks:

1. Waratahs 28 pts.
2. Bulls 28 pts.
3. Crusaders 25 pts.
4. Stormers 24 pts.

Reds, Chiefs and Brumbies are all 3 points behind the 4th place club.