3. The rise of the Kiwis
Aussie fans may crow that they have three teams in the top six but the Kiwis are showing their greater depth since they have all five in the top nine—with the Highlanders and Crusaders (in seventh and eighth spot respectively) each having a game in hand because they have had all of their byes.
Not all of them are on the rise though.
The Chiefs have not been impressive since leaving on their overseas trip. They lost to the Force and had to put on two Houdini acts to draw with the Bulls and Cheetahs. When they got home they won unimpressively against the Rebels and lost to the Crusaders. Then the Brumbies smacked them on Anzac Day.
The Blues have been looking the least impressive Kiwi team but they had a win against a bumbling Waratahs side on the weekend and are in ninth spot; so they can’t be that bad. They are either the best of the worst, or the worst of the best, of all the Super Rugby teams this year.
Hurricanes’ hooker Dane Coles on the rampage
Supporters of every other team were hoping this would be the year that the Crusaders didn’t come back after their usual slow start, but the buggers are waking up.
Unlike the Chiefs, they got two wins in the RSA to get their season back on track, and having pipped the Chiefs in their last game they are poised to step up the ladder against the Brumbies after their final bye break on the weekend.
The Highlanders have won three on the trot and are playing the worst team in the competition next week—the Stormers.
The Hurricanes (the Waratahs of the New Zealand Conference usually) have won their last four and are the top NZ team and look in the form to merit it.
Key Trans-Tasman matchups in Round 12 are Blues v. Reds on Friday, and Crusaders v. Brumbies, and Waratahs v. Hurricanes on Saturday. It will be moving day for some teams.
