Super 14 Week Two: What to Expect

A look at the key factors from the second week of the tournament, and what to expect from all involved.

All Blacks MIA

Richie McCaw, Brad Thorn, Leon Macdonald, Conrad Smith, Andrew Hore, Mils Muliaina, Sione Lauaki, Ali Williams, Joe Rokocoko, Rudi Wulf, Jimmy Cowan, Jamie McKintosh, Ma’a Nonu, Tony Woodcock, Jerome Kaino.

Unfortunately for New Zealand fans, this is not a Test match starting 15, it a list of the All Blacks either out with injury or sitting on the bench. 

After Graham Henry preferred not to use his famed rotation policy in 2008, the marquee players of the kiwi franchises have had a destitute beginning to the season.  Throw in maternity leave, mixed form and away games for every team barring Wellington, and it this could be a poor genesis for the New Zealand team.

For Canterbury in particular, already under scrutiny with Robbie Deans and Dan Carter away from the might machine, the loss of their three key All Blacks will make them a wounded target for a Brumbies team at home, whom has made no changes from last week.

Enter the Afrikaan...

The Reds were the only Australasian team to play a South African team in the first week. And this week the Force (V Cheetahs) and the Blues (V Bulls) are introduced.  The Reds continue their run as having the most daunting beginning to the season, playing the Stormers in Cape Town.

The Force will need an improved showing against a physical Cheetahs team looking for only their second win in Australia. Juan Smith's men then travel to take on a travel weary Reds, who are returning home. So a couple of fortuitous wins could see them well placed with six home games to finish the season.

The Bulls, after ruling in 2007 and disappointing last year, looked to be the goods against the Reds, but will find the freewheeling Blues a step up in class.  Both have injury concerns, but we shall see if the blue blooded faithful could expect a better season this year.  However, the Blues have won nine matches against the Bulls.

Shark attack

The Sharks return home after a strong comeback against a fellow South African powerhouse, the Stormers, and are being talked up as a genuine title threat.  They face last year’s bottom dwellers the Lions this wee. Look for the Natal based franchise to be two from two.

They then go on a four match road trip, but face the Chiefs, Blues, Force, and Reds all after they return from gruelling away games themselves.

They then have six home games against most of the competition heavyweights, with an away game to the Cheetahs their only sojourn away from their fortress at Durban. 

To top this off, they are the last team to take their bye in Week 11.  So they will be fresh for a likely semi-final appearance.

Surely, such a glittering draw will see them be deadly propositions for South Africa’s second title.

To be neutral or not?

Controversy was raised and conversation detoured away from rugby and to the issue of non-impartial refereeing. We hope that the officials give a balanced week this week, and let us talk about the players and games.

Stu Dickenson from Australia will again referee the Waratahs, probably the most scrutinised performance of the round. 

No team was as heavily penalized at the tackle as the Waratahs, but despite giving a warning NSW early in the match regarding their infringements, he continued to only award free kicks against them at the ruck. 

Meanwhile the Hurricanes were the holiest team of the first round, being only penalized once for the entire match.  The pre-competition favorites might need to play dirty to compete this year....

May the try fest and the tippers nightmare continue!

Every team scored at least two tries. Six teams collected four try bonus points. In sum, 45 tries scored in just the first round of competition, more than any other opening round in Super Rugby, ELV’s working perhaps?

Also, four teams won away from home, and all but one team (Reds) collected a losing bonus point. If the rest of the season plays out like this, there won’t be any tipping records broken.