Pulver predicts 3 Aussie Super finalists

Adrian Warren
January 28, 2015, 11:40 am

Australian Rugby union chief executive Bill Pulver has boldly predicted three local teams will make this year's Super Rugby finals.

Last year, Pulver predicted an Australian team would win the competition and NSW Waratahs delivered on that, earning their maiden title.

Australia has had two Super finalists on a few occasions, but Pulver's optimism for 2015 is based on the performances of the five franchises last year and the quality of their recruiting for the coming campaign.

"2014 was the strongest year of Super rugby we've ever had, we won more games in 2014 than ever before," Pulver said at the Australian Super season launch in Sydney on Wednesday.

"If you look through the five squads, there's been some very interesting new players coming forward this year and I have no question they are all going to perform well again.

"I think the real prediction is that in a finals series where you only have six teams Australia will get three in the finals series this year and that would be a superb outcome."

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who also coaches the Waratahs, didn't feel Pulver's prediction would put added pressure on his defending champion side and the other Australian franchises.

"That's the marketing department working overtime," Cheika said with a chuckle.

All five Australian teams will play a trial match this weekend, with the season starting on February 13.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...per-finalists/

Yeah, but which three Bill??????

The three he's propping up of course!
otherwise it would be a waste of money.

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Originally Posted by MI5_Dog

The three he's propping up of course!
otherwise it would be a waste of money.

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Pessimist, the Force look better than they ever have at this point in the season and I think they might crack it this year.

Gigs! spit, spin round three times and throw salt over your shoulder! I don't want anything to jinx them

So.... I thought as much. Normally by this time of year every man and his dog has picked their team with unrealistic predictions of big wins, finals appearances etc. This year nothing, bupkiss, f*ck-all. Could it be that most of us are harbouring hopes of REAL success this year and by doing something different we might get a different result?

At first I wasn't a fan of our draw because we have so few home games to start off but now I think we have a really good draw.

Both South African teams we play at home will be on their last game of a 4 game tour (bruised, beaten and wanting to go home). We will be fresh off our bye. This is the norm, but it yielded us 9 points from our two home games against SA opponents last year.

Both NZ teams we play at home will be on their way back from South Africa. Again they will be tired and bruised and will have lost time traveling east across time zones.

Our away game against the Reds will be in round two were a lot of their players will be out injured. Likewise when we face the Brumbies in Round 4 or 5 they will have a few out. We are also pretty fortunate to have a fairly healthy squad at this point (knock on wood).

Get on the Force to top the Aussie conference.

Force > East Coast plodders

How many wins are we targeting? 10?

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Originally Posted by WFDom

How many wins are we targeting? 10?

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I'd be planning on 11, I can't remember a time when a team with 11 wins missed the finals.