Ali's Choice
Jimmy Flynn (14)
There are only four teams which I feel can realistically win the Super Rugby title this year. And unsurprisingly they make up the current top four. They are the Blues, Reds, Stormers and Crusaders. Despite some good performances from teams outside the current top four, I think one of these teams is almost guaranteed to win the title.
But which team do you think will win the title, and why?
I think the Crusaders will win. For the sake of disclosure I am a Crusaders fan. But that dosen't mean I always feel we will win the title. Over the past two seasons it has been pretty obvious that we were not as good as the Bulls and that we were not going to beat the Bulls in Pretoria to win the title. However, despite the fact that the Crusaders currently lie fourth on the table, I strongly believe they will win this tournament. For these reasons.
Firstly, I think they have the best squad. Injuries are starting to take their toll, and losing Dagg and Maitland for potentially the rest of the home and away season will be a big loss as our attack will lose much of its potency and our backlines will lose much of its speed. But overall, even accounting for injuries, I think the Crusaders have the most balanced squad, followed closely the Blues. They have potent backs, smart halves and a strong, workaholic pack which does well in the set piece. They also have the right mix of youth and experience, of enthusiasm and class. They’ve got plenty of players who have won titles to be able to draw on their experience come finals time, but enough players who haven’t to mean that as a squad the hunger is still there for success. We’ve got enough world class players such as Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Owen Franks and Brad Thorn to complement our 2nd tier and rookie players.
Secondly, due to the earthquake forcing the Crusaders out of AMI Stadium for the entire season, they’re probably the best travelling team in the comp. Out of necessity they’ve had to learn to play every week away from the comfort and familiarity of their home stadium. And this should bode well for them should they fail to overhaul the Blues and force their way into the top 3. Given their brave performance against the Stormers in Cape Town Sunday morning, I don’t think the Crusaders will fear playing a final anywhere. Although in saying that, the high veldt has been unkind to them in recent seasons.
Lastly and most importantly I think there is now a title-winning level of self-belief in this squad. Having seen the Crusaders win seven Super titles, I feel that there is the self belief required to win such a tough comp as the S15. The Bulls have shown this self belief in recent years. I haven’t seen this self belief in a Crusaders team since their last title in 2008, and it was especially evident during their great run in the late 1990s and early 00s. But it was evident once again against the Stormers on Saturday night. They simply weren’t going to let the Stormers win, despite the fact that they were playing in Cape Town, in front of 50,000 spectators, with no reserves left and forwards playing in the backline.
But which team do you think will win the title, and why?
I think the Crusaders will win. For the sake of disclosure I am a Crusaders fan. But that dosen't mean I always feel we will win the title. Over the past two seasons it has been pretty obvious that we were not as good as the Bulls and that we were not going to beat the Bulls in Pretoria to win the title. However, despite the fact that the Crusaders currently lie fourth on the table, I strongly believe they will win this tournament. For these reasons.
Firstly, I think they have the best squad. Injuries are starting to take their toll, and losing Dagg and Maitland for potentially the rest of the home and away season will be a big loss as our attack will lose much of its potency and our backlines will lose much of its speed. But overall, even accounting for injuries, I think the Crusaders have the most balanced squad, followed closely the Blues. They have potent backs, smart halves and a strong, workaholic pack which does well in the set piece. They also have the right mix of youth and experience, of enthusiasm and class. They’ve got plenty of players who have won titles to be able to draw on their experience come finals time, but enough players who haven’t to mean that as a squad the hunger is still there for success. We’ve got enough world class players such as Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Owen Franks and Brad Thorn to complement our 2nd tier and rookie players.
Secondly, due to the earthquake forcing the Crusaders out of AMI Stadium for the entire season, they’re probably the best travelling team in the comp. Out of necessity they’ve had to learn to play every week away from the comfort and familiarity of their home stadium. And this should bode well for them should they fail to overhaul the Blues and force their way into the top 3. Given their brave performance against the Stormers in Cape Town Sunday morning, I don’t think the Crusaders will fear playing a final anywhere. Although in saying that, the high veldt has been unkind to them in recent seasons.
Lastly and most importantly I think there is now a title-winning level of self-belief in this squad. Having seen the Crusaders win seven Super titles, I feel that there is the self belief required to win such a tough comp as the S15. The Bulls have shown this self belief in recent years. I haven’t seen this self belief in a Crusaders team since their last title in 2008, and it was especially evident during their great run in the late 1990s and early 00s. But it was evident once again against the Stormers on Saturday night. They simply weren’t going to let the Stormers win, despite the fact that they were playing in Cape Town, in front of 50,000 spectators, with no reserves left and forwards playing in the backline.
