2013 spXV overall standings, fixtures and review for final hopefuls

standings
1 brumbies - 45pts
2 chiefs - 44pts
3 bulls - 41pts
4 reds - 44 pt
5 blues - 41pts
6 crusaders - 38pts
7 cheetahs - 36pts
8 waratahs - 34pts
9 hurricanes - 33pts
10 stormers - 30pts
11 sharks - 29pts
12 rebels - 24pts
13 kings - 20pts
14 force  -19pts
15 higlanders - 16pts

fixtures
brumbies - waratahs, blues, hurricanes, rebels, force
chiefs - hurricanes, crusaders, bye, hurricanes, crusaders, blues
bulls - highlanders, sharks, cheetahs, kings, sharks, stormers
reds - cheetahs, stormers, rebels,bye, waratahs
blues - crusaders, brumbies, highlanders, sharks, cheetahs, chiefs
crusaders - blues, chiefs, waratahs, highlanders chiefs, hurricanes
cheetahs - reds, kings, bulls, stormers, blues, bye
waratahs - brumbies, rebels, crusaders, force, reds
hurricanes - chiefs, bye, brumbies, chiefs, highlanders, crusaders
stormers - rebels, reds, kings, cheetahs, kings, bulls
sharks - force, bulls, bye, blues, bulls, kings
rebels - stormers, waratahs, reds, brumbies, higlanders
kings - bye, cheetahs, stormers, bulls, stormers, sharks
force - sharks, higlanders, bye, waratahs, brumbies
highlanders - bulls, force, blues, crusaders, hurricanes rebels

so these are the matches left where points are up for grabs.

brumbies
look set to easily take out the comp as No1. they should beat all their remaining opponents with the waratahs and blues being their toughest challenege, but a challenege the brumbies are more then capable of taking care of.

chiefs
two tough matches with the crusaders, and matches with the canes and blues sums up the rest of their seaspn, but their current 2nd place will see them easily make the finals and prob on top of the NZ conference.

bulls
have 6 games remaining 4 of which are against the cheetahs, stormers and sharks twice. should win all those matches, but the stormers might be one hurdle too many.
shoudl top the SA conference and finish 3rd.

reds
start their SA tour against the cheetahs before facing the stormers and they should win both matches, stormes game could be a problem if deano calls in his wallaby soldiers though which im thinking hes going to do.
but the bye they have will come in handy and they will be faves for their other two matches against tbhe waratahs and rebels.

blues
6 matches remaining, which include the crusaders, cheifs, brumbies and a SA tour against cheetahs and shakrs. very tough ask for the blues and they will need to string together some good performances to make the finals, something they havent done anywhere near consistently enough in 2013.
they have done well for 2013 though, but i dont expect to see them come finals time.

crusaders
they have 6 matches left in 2013, two of them are  against the chiefs as well as facing the waratahs. im expecting them to win all their remaining matches to comfortablly make the finals.

cheetahs
one of spXVs feel good stories this season, some champagne rugby sees them sitting pretty just outside the top 6.
but even though they have a bye in their pocket, i think their good fortune has started to run out. they have 5 matches which include facing the reds, stormers, bulls and IMO they will lose those matches. they also have a touhg match against the blues which is 50/50 but slightly in their favour, so based on those, i cant see them making the final 6.

waratahs
spXVs giant killers have made some real good progress in 2013, IMO theyre the most improved team from 2012.
but of their 5 remaining matches, three of them are against heavyweights brumbies, reds and crusaders and that just might be three giants too many.

hurricanes
no chance of a finals, 5 teams left to play including the chiefs twice, brumbies and crusaders. they have been far too hot and cold this season and when 80% of the games remaining involve the current top 6, its just too much to ask for a team with no form.

stormers
IMO stormes have a very good chance of making the finals. of their 6 remaining games, they face the kings twice and the rebels, thats three games that should be logically declared money in the bank.
they also have three matches against the reds, cheetahs and bulls and IMO they have a very good chance of winning all those matches.
reds will be the toughest challenege, but with a little luck, robbie deans should be calling in all his wallaby players soon, so that would be a huge bonus for the stormers.
they are currently 9 pts outside the top 6, and with their remaining fixtures, plus the remainign fixtures of other teams, stormers have a very good chance of cracking the top 6 in 2013 come finals time.

IMO the rest dont have any chance of amking the finals, their current position and remaining games all but assure that.

 Wow - good write up Sasu. Have been thinking through some of this as well and you did a great job getting it all in one place.

Agree with most of what you said, but I think the Chiefs will end up 5th or 6th and lose in the first round. You have them losing both Crusaders games, I also think they will drop at least one of the Canes games as well (probably the first one with all the current injuries) and I think the Blues could also take them out. Defense is just not any good and Cruden looks like he may go down at any time as he is always week to week and having to sit out practice.

I like your call on the Stormers - ballsy. They may just pull it off with both the Reds and Bulls games being at home. With Liebenberg coming back, Fourie at loosie will help win the breakdown. Grant's return also appears imminent. Vermuelen will be a big loss however.

End of year positions:

1. Brumbies 

2. Reds

3. Bulls

4. Crusaders

5. Blues / Chiefs

6. Stormers / Blues / Chiefs

Brumbies and Reds will both lose in the semi's to Crusaders and Bulls. Bulls to host Crusaders for the finals.