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Preview: S14, Round Seven, Day 1
Thursday 27th March 2008 Preview: S14, Round Seven, Day One - Rugby News, Results, Fixtures and Features from Planet-Rugby.com
We've reached the half-way mark in the 2008 Super 14 and with it brings three more matches that will either make, break or confirm the participating teams' chances of making the play-offs.
The city of Wellington plays host to the table-topping Crusaders in what should be a cracking derby encounter as the visitors put their unbeaten record on the line against the Hurricanes coming off their bye and a confidence-boosting win in Canberra two weeks ago.
The Hurricanes have the physical game and strong runners to take the Crusaders on and will be looking to become the first side to beat the six-time Super Rugby champions in this year's competition.
The Cheetahs will continue their quest for an elusive first win in this year's tournament when they meet the Waratahs in Sydney. Aside from heavy losses against the Blues and the Crusaders, the Cheetahs have lost four of their six matches to date by six points or less.
The Western Force, who continued their winning away form over the Highlanders last week, return to Subiaco Oval to face a Stormers team that will be looking to make amends for their last-gasp 14-17 loss in Auckland last week.
It was the Stormers' first defeat in three tour matches and they will be determined to finish their overseas trip on a high.
Hurricanes v Crusaders
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, 19:35 (06:35 GMT)
Coming off the bye after dishing out a record 33-15 home defeat to the Brumbies in Canberra two weeks ago, the Hurricanes will prove a difficult assignment in their seventh-round match against the Crusaders.
The Crusaders arrive at Westpac Stadium to play their first New Zealand opposition of the year, and are unbeaten after six rounds having beaten the Waratahs 34-7 last week.
There's always an edge when these two teams meet, and that should be no different this time round with plenty at stake once again.
Besides the obvious rugby warfare set to take place in the race to winning the title, another battle looming for all to savour will be both teams' personal battles for a look-in towards All Black selection.
There is no doubt that New Zealand coach Graham Henry will have his notebook out to dot the 'i's and cross the 't's for the forthcoming Tests against England and France in June.
The All Blacks will be out to seek revenge after what happened in Cardiff at the World Cup last year and this Super 14 match will be a big step towards securing a place in Henry's squad.
The breakdown battle promises to be a good contest with Chris Masoe and Richie McCaw going head to head, but once again the Crusaders tight five will make McCaw's job that much easier.
That means lock Jason Eaton must stand tall against New Zealand's two in-form locks, Ali Williams and Brad Thorn, who have been the pick of the second rows in this competition.
Danger for the Crusaders lies in the Hurricanes' mobile backline and the men in red and black face a tough task against a team that punish any mistakes from anywhere on the field with their lethal counter-attacks.
The Hurricanes have been doing the damage like a silent assassin in this year's tournament, hardly making any noise in their six rounds played.
They recovered from a poor opener against the Waratahs and have posted four straight wins since then; some have been good in patches (the Chiefs match springs to mind), some downright ugly (Highlanders) and the most recent, against the Brumbies, fairly complete.
The Crusaders are the competition's form team at the moment, winning easily if they can, coming from behind if necessary (as against the Force) or grinding the opposition down before piling on points late in the match, as they did against the Waratahs.
They deserve to be eight points in front of the pack going into the weekend.
Another major concern for Hurricanes' fans is that their team have only beaten the Super Rugby giants three times in fifteen meetings, those twelve losses including defeats in the semi-finals of 2003 and '05 as well as the fog-bound 2006 final.
And, to make matters worse, they have tasted success just once in their last nine encounters.
Super head to head: We're spoilt for choice on this occasion and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why - just take a look at the two line-ups! Even the benches are packed with class. To win a game of this magnitude, you have to have quality ball to play with. The battle between Andrew Hore and Cory Flynn should be as good as gets with both players in fine fettle at present. Hore's ill-discipline has come close to costing his team in previous rounds and the All Black will need to control his foul play as well as he controls the line-outs. Flynn's mobility around the park has served him well and with a fast-paced encounter - and counter-attacks - expected, the Crusaders' hooker will need to have his running shoes on. So the big question remains: Which number two will end up as number one in Graham Henry's books?
Prediction: Tough call to make considering what's at stake. But with the Crusaders looking like potential title-winners with every game they play, and the Hurricanes blowing hot and cold in their previous performances - the safe bet would be putting money on the men from Christchurch. Don't put your house on it though, the Hurricanes will be sure to give their visitors a run for their money. Crusaders to win by seven points.
The teams:
Hurricanes: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Ma'a Nonu, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Tamati Ellison, 11 Shannon Paku, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Chris Masoe, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Craig Clarke, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 John Schwalger.
Replacements: 16 Hikawera Elliott, 17 Tim Fairbrother, 18 Jeremy Thrush, 19 Scott Waldrom, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 Tane Tu'ipulotu, 22 Hosea Gear.
Crusaders: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Scott Hamilton, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Kade Poki, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Andrew Ellis, 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 Richard McCaw (c), 6 Kieran Read, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Ben Franks.
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Michael Paterson, 19 Nasi Manu, 20 Kahn Fotuali'i, 21 Caleb Ralph, 22 Sean Maitland.
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Josh Noonan (New Zealand)
Television match official: Kane McBride (New Zealand)
Assessor: Kim Eichmann (New Zealand)
Waratahs v Cheetahs
Sydney Football Stadium, 19:40 (08:40 GMT)
The toothless Cheetahs currently lie in thirteenth place on the table, only above the winless Highlanders, and will start as sizeable underdogs against the Waratahs in Sydney.
The Cheetahs have been the unluckiest team in the competition this season, with five of their six games being lost by narrow margins. They are winless hitting the halfway mark, but could easily have been near the top of the log.
The Waratahs remain a team it is difficult to make your mind up about, but against most average opposition they normally win in Sydney, and this Cheetahs team qualifies as average opposition.
Even more average has been the Cheetahs' defence - which can be best described as being diabolical, especially in one-on-one situations.
Their lack of commitment in the tackle is undoing all the positives of their attacking play, and although attacking flair makes for entertaining viewing, it is defence that wins championships.
It's for this reason that under-fire Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie must be relieved that he now has several innovative midfielders who will hopefully ignite what has often been a stagnant attack.
There were always going to be difficulties with the Waratahs relying on two of their most inexperienced players - Kurtley Beale and Lachie Turner - to provide the necessary direction.
However, the return of Sam Norton-Knight from injury offers some much needed experience at full-back.
Friday's clash is also crucial in the context of the Waratahs' semi-final hopes, but the off-field dramas surrounding McKenzie's future as coach may just affect the team's performance.
As has been well documented, McKenzie was issued a pre-season ultimatum by senior management with only a semi-finals berth good enough to keep his job beyond 2008.
And, after the heavy loss to the Crusaders last start, speculation surrounding his tenure has only intensified, with current 'Tahs attack coach Todd Louden now rumoured to be among the candidates to take over the reigns.
Another coach feeling the pressure will be Cheetahs' coach Naka Drotske and after six losses on the trot, he has subsequently rung the changes in hope of gaining his team's first win of the season.
The Cheetahs will again be without skipper Juan Smith (knee) while the loss of lock Barend Pieterse and tighthead prop Kobus Calldo (both with calf strains) is a major blow for the visitors.
Super head to head: After six losses from six attempts, even the most optimistic supporter would be hard-pressed to single out a Cheetahs player to make a name for himself against the seventh-placed Waratahs. Out of the losing bunch, number eight Duanne Vermeulen has been the most consistent and faces another bruising clash against the hosts' sole try-scorer against the Crusaders last week, Wycliff Palu. Also keep an eye out for Dan Vickerman who will be looking to make biltong out of his former compatriots and especially opposite number Rory Duncan in the tight exchanges.
Prediction: The Cheetahs will put up a fight like they did against the Brumbies last week - they may even lead again at half-time - but ultimately will fall, and fall hard. The Waratahs to win by fourteen points.
The teams:
Waratahs: 15 Sam Norton-Knight, 14 Lachlan Turner, 13 Ben Jacobs, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (c), 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Dan Vickerman, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Matt Dunning, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Al Baxter, 18 Will Caldwell, 19 Beau Robinson, 20 Josh Valentine, 21 Daniel Halangahu, 22 Rob Horne
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Hendrik Meyer, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Duanne Vermeulen, 7 Darron Nel, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Rory Duncan (c), 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Bees Roux, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Falie Oelschig, 21 Conrad Barnard, 22 JW Jonker
Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Brent Murray (New Zealand), Damian Mitchelmore (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Wayne Erickson (Australia)
Western Force v Stormers
Subiaco Oval, Perth, 20:00 (11:00 GMT)
After a successful two-match away leg in New Zealand, the Western Force have returned home looking to cement their place near the top of the Super 14 table with a win against the Stormers.
This one promises to be an absolutely cracking contest as two of the form teams of the competition go toe-to-toe.
The Stormers are coming off a nail-biting 14-17 loss to the Blues last weekend, but things are looking promising for the Cape Town-based franchise.
They've picked up ten valuable points on tour thus far and will be confident that they can halt the momentum of the impressive Western Force, who cruised up to fourth place (19 points) at the end of Round Six with a 36-28 win over the last-placed Highlanders in Queenstown.
Brilliant away form and a glut of imminent home games have made the Western Force the firm favourite among the Australian teams to make the Super 14 play-offs.
And if they maintain their momentum, the Force also look poised for stronger representation when the Wallabies are selected after the competition with the likes of loose forward Richard Brown and centre Ryan Cross pushing into calculations.
Four wins from five away games was more than anyone in Perth dared hope for - but the comforts of a home clash with the Stormers at Subiaco won't guarantee the Western Australia side anything.
The corresponding portion of last season actually brought the Force's first ever home win, followed by two more - a sequence which if replicated would take the side to the brink of a Super 14 final.
But overall the Force's home form could best be described as patchy - winning three, losing nine and drawing one over their three-season history.
A lot could also depend on how the Stormers are feeling now that they have hit their fourth match on tour.
The Stormers will regret the loss to the Bulls in the first round, just as they will lament not punishing an undercooked Blues outfit last week.
They are nearing the halfway stage of the Super 14, but another loss to the Force could be the end of their play-off chances. However, a win will give them great confidence as they head back to Cape Town for five home games.
The Stormers won 26-25 on their last visit to Perth in 2006, but were soundly beaten 22-3 at Newlands in 2007.
Super head to head: Western Force flanker David Pocock's influence at the tackle points will need to be doused by the blonde hulk that is Schalk Burger. "Bam Bam" Pocock, a man-child on debut at 18 for the Western Force in 2006 but now a fully fledged Wallaby contender at 19, is packed with 103kg of power and pace. Pocock has all the ball-handling skills to match his opposite number and will get a taste of a different kind of Burger that he'll want to chew up and spit out in a hurry.
Prediction: Even in defeat in Auckland last week, the Stormers showed that under coach Rassie Erasmus they have developed into a highly polished unit capable of taking on and beating anyone almost anywhere. But the Force have done the same, so this one is hard to predict. We going to take a gamble and go for the Stormers on this one - just! The Stormers to win by five points or less. They still doubt us..even at home..prove them wrong boys, prove them wrong.
The teams:
Western Force: 15 Cameron Shepherd, 14 Scott Staniforth, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Scott Daruda, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Chris O'Young, 8 Richard Brown, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fava, 5 Nathan Sharpe (c), 4 Tom Hockings, 3 AJ Whalley, 2 Tai Mcisaac, 1 Pekahou Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Luke Holmes, 17 Troy Takiari, 18 Sam Wykes, 19 Tamaiti Horua, 20 James Stannard, 21 Lachlan MacKay, 22 Nick Cummins
Stormers: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Gcobani Bobo, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Sireli Naqelevuki, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Luke Watson, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Ross Skeate, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 JD Moller.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Brock Harris, 18 Adriaan Fondse,19 Robbie Diack, 20 Conrad Hoffmann, 21 Tony Brown, 22 Gio Aplon.
Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Geoff Acton (Australia)
Television match official: Steve Leszczynski (Australia)
Assessor: Brendan McCormick (Australia)
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