Results for Round 7:
Chiefs 24 Hurricanes 27
Blues 43 Lions 10
Sunwolves 14 Crusaders 49
Reds 41 Bulls 17
Sharks 24 Stormers 10
Jaguares Highlanders CANCELLED
Brumbies 47 Waratahs 14
Rebels BYE
In what turned out to be the final round of Super Rugby, it was just a little ironic that the eagerly anticipated derbies in NZ and SA were corkers while our version (Brumbies v Waratahs) was a fizzer.
Now that the tournament has been cancelled, let’s have a look at what the Finals matchups would be and how they might play out.
Week 1 would be Sharks v Jaguares, Blues v Chiefs, Brumbies v Stormers and Crusaders v Hurricanes. So, yet again, we would have two all-New Zealand affairs and only one team from the Australian conference. The more things change …
I would back the Sharks, Blues, Brumbies and Crusaders. That would then mean Crusaders v Brumbies and Sharks v Blues in Week 2. Although the Blues have been a great story this year, it would be hard to see them beating the Sharks in Durban. Equally, the Brumbies trying to knock off the Crusaders at home would be a bridge too far.
That would leave a tantalising final of the Sharks and Crusaders. Crucially, it would be the Sharks hosting and I believe that would be the difference and they would lift the trophy. Alas, the last few paragraphs have all been ruminations. It’s in my nature after all.
The abrupt end of this troubled event has sharpened the focus on the enduring problems facing southern hemisphere rugby. In its 25th year, this globe-trotting spectacle struggles for identity and a critical mass of people who give a shit sufficiently to enable it to bask in nostalgia that silver jubilees induce.
Each union is trying to cobble together a domestic stop-gap schedule to keep the game alive. The resurrection of the North v South tradition will bring some joy to fans across the ditch. Closer to home, the outlook ain’t rosy.
Raelene Castle came out yesterday with her usual motherhood statements and assorted bon mots to try and assuage the long running angst of local rugby fans. Many media outlets were far less sanguine. The game may collapse. The rudderless ship will probably be unable to avoid the next iceberg.
Well, this rugby fan will sit back and wait. The footy season got the green light a little while ago so I can just focus on that for the foreseeable future. Oh yeah, the Six Nations also got pulled early so I suppose the Poms can claim some sort of Pyrrhic victory. Bloody hell, it was hard to write that the day after St Patrick’s Day. Thank God for Guinness.
@lynchonswan
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Brian, so many ‘what ifs?’ But for this punter, it’s a bit hard not to also ask ‘who cares?’ Rugby in Australia is in very deep do-do with nothing in sight from an administrative perspective to give one much hope.