All last year’s conference winners lose their first matches
The most remarkable result of the first round of Super Rugby and the first of our Tuesday Top Five is that the Waratahs, Crusaders and Sharks all lost their first game at home against relatively easier opponents
The reigning champions, the losing finalists, and the dominant South African team of 2014, all lost their first game comprehensively, and with no excuses.
Both the Force and Cheetahs earned a four-try bonus in their game and overcame some important absences in their lineup.
The losses of the best three teams of the 2014 season came from historical wins by their opponents: the Rebels won their first ever match outside of Australia, the Force registered their first Round 1 success in their ten years of Super Rugby life, and the Cheetahs won their starting game for the first time since 2007.
Although, a loss in the first game is not as serious as one later on, it is always good (sorry Tahs, Saders and Sharks supporters), to see some changes in the pecking order and not always have the same teams at the top.
And the three winning teams deserved the top spot in our Top Five list for having done so playing away.
