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Super 14 power rankings
Stephen Samuelson | April 1, 2009
The race for the finals is down to 10 teams with only six competition points separating fourth and 10th place and crucially all but the Crusaders have had the bye.
1. (1) Sharks- Ladder position: 1 (Last week: 1 - 7 wins, 1 loss)
The Hurricanes were supposed to test the Sharks but the Wellington-based side was blown away in the second-half. A Sharks title is looking inevitible.
2. (2)Chiefs- Ladder position: 2 (Last week: 3 - 5 wins, 3 losses)
Were given a fright by the Lions but kept their composure to nail yet another bonus-point win. They have a week off and can cement their high-flying status with a win against the Cheetahs next week.
3. (3) NSW Waratahs- Ladder position: 3 (Last week: 2 - 6 wins, 2 losses)
How do they do it? The Waratahs were great for 10 minutes against the Stormers and still came away with the win. If you are a betting man, go for the "unders" in Saturday's match against the Bulls.
4. (6) Crusaders- Ladder position: 5 (Last week: 7 - 4 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses)
The Crusaders are winning ugly like a certain team from Sydney, but when you already have seven Super rugby titles under you belt, critics call it momentum. They have the bye this round, which should see them slip down the ladder.
5. (4)Bulls- Ladder position: 4 (Last week: 4 - 5 wins, 2 losses)
RugbyHeaven is still resisting a big "told you so". But as you can see by their slipping position on the ladder, it is not far away. That said, they are more than capable of beating the Waratahs.
6. (5)Hurricanes- Ladder position: 6 (Last week: 5 - 4 wins, 3 losses)
The Hurricanes have been the big disappointment of the season. A game against the Force in Perth used to count as a gimme four points, but with Piri Weepu out, the Canes may struggle.
7. (9) ACT Brumbies- Ladder position: 8 (Last week: 10 - 4 wins, 3 losses)
All things being equal, the Brumbies have a better run in than the Blues and Highlanders, but following the tragic death of Shawn Mackay, winning and losing is rather trivial. Good luck to them.
8. (7)Blues- Ladder position: 9 (Last week: 8 - 3 wins, 4 losses)
Heading into the last round, the Blues had the best attack and worst defensive record in the Super 14, which pretty much sums up their season.
9. (8)Highlanders- Ladder position: 7 (Last week: 6 - 3 wins, 4 losses)
Unlike the Blues, the Highlanders can be proud of their season, but with only two home games remaining out of six, the match against the Reds should be the apex of their season.
10. (11)Force- Ladder position: 10 (Last week: 12 - 3 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses)
Are the Force beginning to throw their weight around? A great win against the Reds last week and if they can dish out the same treatment to the the Hurricanes on Friday night they'll be in the mix to claim fourth spot for the finals.
11. (12)Lions- Ladder position: 12 (Last week: 13 - 2 wins, 5 losses)
They may not be winning but they are certainly giving some of the high flyers serious headaches. May yet cause an upset or two this season.
12. (11)Stormers- Ladder position: 11 (Last week: 9 - 2 wins, 5 losses)
They lost too many games at home and unlike last season, they are not winning away. They pushed the Waratahs last week and now face the difficult proposition of playing a sombre Brumbies team on Saturday.
13. (12)Reds- Ladder position: 13 (Last week: 11 - 2 wins, 5 losses)
The self-declared entertainers are living up to their name, but only for opposition fans. If it was not for the result against the Sharks, Queensland could be called Australasia's answer to the Cheetahs.
14. (14)Cheetahs- Ladder position: 14 (Last week: 14 - 0 wins, 7 losses)
If it was not for their loss to Queensland in Brisbane, the Cheetahs could lay claim to being South Africa's answer to the Reds.
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