Highlanders v Rebels
Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Kick-off: 5:30pm Melbourne time.
Well kiddies, it appears ol’ Unca daz is a master in the use of reverse psychology. For those who have just joined us, last week I made the utterly predictable and safe announcement that the Rebels would not beat the Brumbies.
Lo, and behold; the unpredictable buggers only went and proved me wrong!
To be fair though, the first half against the Ponies was as shambolic as I have seen the Rebels in 4 years of Super Rugby. The crowd were booing every kick by half-time and there was a great deal of wailing and gnashing of teeth in the stands. Somehow though, the Ponies refused to take the hint and decided to lose instead.
I can see how Jason Woodward got MoM for his record breaking 28 points, including a flawless display with the boot, but for mine, it was impossible to look past Mitch Inman.
Wait! I know what you are thinking. “Here he bloody goes again. Why doesn’t he shut up about Inman and just get a life”?
Because I don’t want to. But this time, I think I’m well within my rights to trumpet the big unit. Hell, look at what the bloke did; the equal most tackles on the team with 15, one linebreak, seven runs for 49m, one offload, three tackle busts and only the TRY OF THE FREAKIN’ YEAR!
Ok, maybe not the try of the year, but I told you the bloke could sidestep! Only after intensive off-season training, which consisted of running sprints while someone fired a rifle at him. Teaches you to duck and weave, that does.
Ok, so Luke Jones, Woody and Mitch made the most hallowed of honours – inclusion in the FoxSports team of the week. Rightly so.
A big week for the boys. First young Kingston decides to keep seeing stars for another week after a nasty head knock; Colby pulled up a bit sore and will miss a week and The Gallopin’ Giraffe himself, foundation Rebel Hugh Pyle, announces he is leaving the Rebels at the end of 2014 to chase his dream of playing pro-rugby in Europe. France to be exact. Well, Paris specifically.
Not one to miss an opportunity to completely mess with a winning team, Coach Tony has made additional changes above and beyond the forced replacements. Sean McMahon comes back for Colby and Japanese International Male Sau replaces Tom Kingston.
Shota Horie will make his first start of the season with Pat Leafa hooked to the reserves bench, and prop Toby Smith returns to the pack which means Max Lahiff will be propping up elsewhere, possibly the Dewar comp.
Jordy Reid and Alex Rokobaro sit on the pine alongside Angus Roberts, and let’s be honest here, most Rebels fans would be happy for two of those three to get a run. Can you guess which of those three is not like the others? I’m not telling.
The Fearless Prediction
So what of the Highlanders? Well, they are a Kiwi team, they are sitting one spot higher than the Rebels and Aaron Smith will get his 50th Super Rugby cap. Apart from that, I can also tell you they lost the unlosable game at the Stockade in the final round last year. What else? Ah, who cares? It’s Green and Gold Rugby. You want to know more about the Highlanders, read another website, or visit the forums.
So, my fearless prediction is now due. I feel that playing the reverse thingie may be tempting fate, so I am gonna reverse the reverse psychology. Rebels to make it back to back, win off-shore for the first time ever and thump the ‘Landers by a whopping 3 points.
Hey Gagger, where’s that bottle of the sponsors brew you promised me for writing this crap? Man’s not a bloody camel.!
Have a good week, tipsters!
