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Peter Witts
May 15, 2009
Article from: The Australian
No one likes being proven wrong. Well men don't anyway.
It’s against our sense of being a bloke!! Wrong?! It’s like the Fonz - it’s even difficult to SAY I am wrong to someone. Or yourself. Go on, try to recall the last time you told your family/wife/partner you…were…wrong.
But geez I hope I’m wrong this weekend.
As wrong as a wrong thing from wrong land as my mate SJ might say.
As wrong as Tah Man. Or the Brumbies horse thing mascot. Or South African referees. No, not that wrong. Nobody can be that wrong.
But I have bad feeling I won’t be wrong when I predict that no Aussie team will make it to the final four of this year’s Super 14.
I just can’t see it happening.
For me, despite all the speculation, the mathematical analysis and the clear fact that this year’s competition is the closest in Super 14 history – probably all Super rugby in fact – I expect the top of the table to remain the same at the end of the weekend as it is going in.
That is, The Bulls, The Chiefs, the Hurricanes and the Crusaders will fight out the finals.
Urggh. Gawd. Strewth. Awful prospect isn’t it, but let’s break it down.
First up, unless the Chiefs suddenly have a relapse and become the Chiefs they used to be, the Brumbies’ remarkably good season will end on Friday afternoon amongst the cow bells of Hamilton. Brendan Leonard, the best half back in New Zealand, is back for the Chiefs, and at home, they will NOT return to their old mercurial days and they will probably put on a bonus point win at that. (Hope I am wrong part one).
That gives the Tahs the chance they need of course, and won’t it be fascinating to see if they find a way to actually score four tries if they get the news that the Brumbies have lost. But can the NSW boys do it? Can they score the tries they need? Strangely and tragically enough, I think they WILL. I say tragically because chances are it won’t help them.
Oh the humanity.
When the Tahs look back at the season which might have been, I think they will point to their awful performance at ANZ stadium mid season against an under strength and struggling Crusaders as the moment it all went awry.
Not only did NSW blow several tries that night, thus depriving themselves of winning momentum and of course the points, they also played the Christchurch team back into form. Nice one. But more of that post mortem stuff next week. The body is still warm for now. (yep, I really hope I am wrong part two).
The Crusaders, meanwhile, will switch into “oh yes, we remember how to win close games near the finals” and beat a determined but nevertheless embarrassed Blues team. Similarly the Bulls will travel to Durban and beat the unpredictable Sharks, probably with a bonus point, to ensure the ladder looks the same as it does now.
Oh, I almost forgot. The Hurricanes will declare at none for 45 with 20 to go in Brisbane against the Reds. (Hope I am wrong again). The Force will be even angrier than the other Aussie teams, as their bonus point victory against the terrible Highlanders will ensure that only diabolical refereeing decisions will have denied them a top four chance.
What do you reckon?
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...016231,00.html
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Originally Posted by travelling_gerry
