New Zealand Conference - How strong are their teams?

We have now watched the New Zealand teams playing anongst themselves and showing some real flair - especially in respect of backline play.   However, there are serious question marks the moment they play teams from the other franchises.   Lets look at the teams in more particular when they played against other franchises:-

The Chiefs

Their first game against the Cheetahs they won with ease - after struggling aginst them in the first 60 minutes.  In the last 30 minutes they were very good and they ultimately won with ease.   However, their performance was ot really convincing at all.   If the Cheetahs had a game against the Highlanders and a week later played the Chiefs it could have been a ,uch more difficult game for them.

They then lost against the Stormers - who up to that game showed woeful form, but it must be admitted they put up a great battle and could have won the game.

This was followed by a scrappy win against the Kings.

There is no doubt that the Chiefs are the strongest team in the New Zealand Conference - but they really are not unbeatable.

The Crusaders

The Crusaders had a field day against the Bulls and Kings and they did exceptionally well in games they played thus far against foreign teams.

The problem with the Crusaders is they play a shoddy game - too many handling  errors and too many balls lieing around loose on the field of play.   If that continues against stronger teams they are going to be punished severely.   They are on the road against the Stormers and the Sharks over the next two weeks and I really give them no chance of winning those two games.

The Blues

They really looked good against New Zealand teams and they lost against both the Bulls and the Waratahs.  Not a very god advertisement against the foreign teams they meet.   matter of fact they seems to be out o depth against those teams and would struggle to bat any foreign team outside of New Zealand.

Likely to slip out of contention sooner rather than later.

The Hurricanes

Have not played any foreign teams yet and the first such opponent will be th Kings.  If they do not beat the Kings convincingly - I am sure they will beat them, the emphasis is on convincingly -they are going to be in for  a rough ride in future.

The Highlanders

They are pathetic and deservedly on the bottom of the log.   I said repeatedly that they might a mistake by contracting the rugby geriatrics and my point has been proven already.

Summary

At present it seems that of all the New Zealand Franchises the Chiefs are really the only certain team to be around in the semi finals and final.  The Crusaders can prove me wrong, but losses against the Stormers and the Sharks could be very detrimental to their case. 

 Mike, never write the Crusaders off like that. Never say "you give them no chance of winning!" They are not a championship side for nothing. Sharks and Stormers will need to be on their game 110% to beat them. The Rebels game proves nothing for the Sharks. I wanted a tougher game where we beat them well but because of great structured play. Sharks need to fine tune their strengths. We gained nothing today structure wise.

This game was unstructured bullshit and the Rebels just didnt pitch as the Sharks did in the first 40 last week..I just hope this doesnt give the Sharks a false sense of security on just how good they really are. We will need to improve a lot for the Crusaders in 2 weeks.

Very pleased with the 5 points for the Sharks but would have preferred a 35-10 score line or something where we actually had to work for our tries through total rugby. Not the opposition just not tackling!

The pathetic Rebels is no measuring stick...glad to see the Sharks firing but this could well be a delusion when it comes to NZ sides...I very much doubt it if both the Stormers and Sharks get passed the Saders in Christchurch...they are always a possibility if not a probability...they can win it by coming in both the front door or back.

I really hope the Sharks demolishing of Rebels does not  create a false sense of confidence?

Seb and boklogic

The Cruader bit was just a bit of needling of the New Zealand memebrs of the site.  However, you must remember that both games are for them away games and that is going to be problematic for them

There are two issues here though.  The performance of the Rebels can best be descibed as rubbish - but there is another issue here.  The forwards of the Sharks was really impressive and there is one issue that I always say.   If the Crusaders struggle against opposing forwards -they do have problems in using their very mobile backline.   I was seriously impressed by young Pieter-Steph du Toit -he made a huge difference to the Sharks tight five - also  Cooper was a vast improvement on Burden.   I think that improvement would make a huuge difference in forward performances.  Without Steyn to jeopardise backline play - there was a noticeable improvement in backline play as well.

Insofar as the Stormers game this coming Saturday is concerned - there is a bit of fine-tuning needed.   I think that the next sub-paragraph may indicate why I said so.  I would play Fourie at 6 and not Kolisis.   The other uncertainty is when will Etztebeth be back.   Initially itwas said that he would be back by Apriil - but ine theneverything has gone quiet.  If he is at practice on Monday - it is a certainty that he would play on Saturday.   Lets hope he is ready and will be back on Saturday.   If he is back - the Crusaders would not even get scraps from line-out play.   I am saying this because their line-out play has been average and in some respects poor.    I think the Stormers have an excellent chance to beat the Crusaders at home - hence my comment.

There i one thing that bothr me about the Crusaders and that is their tendency to let balls lieing around loose at times - especally through ball handling errors.   Another factor is their wild passing from time to time.   An intercept cost them dearly in the Hurrcanes game and there was another one yesterday as well.  The errors normally stem from pressure.  

The other issue is that it is certain that Carter will not be in the touring party and there are question marks about the injuries to Dagg and Reid.   If either or both of the latter two is not around - the Crusaders are going to be without two major assets they can hardly afford to lose.   Without Dagg and Carter the rest of the backline (with the possible exception of Zac) is really not up to standard - despite the tries scored in a game against a side even weaker than the Rebels.

In the

I see they are both home games in Durban and Newlands but still Crusaders are lurking and dangerous...this conference system is the most senseless and illogical format...wish the old one was reintroduced again. Under fixtures...sarugby.com,365rugby and planet do not say away game or not unless the first mention side is home which is the new language today???

Seb

Go to the official of Rugby Super 15 and when it comes up go to fixtures.  It gives all info on the games to be played - eg venue and times as well - and it also indicates the teams who are having byes in specific rounds.

to be honest mike if reckon the NZ conf is monsterously strong. if one looks at the game pattern an how they play there skill levels are light years ahead of our own and the aussies. that being said they do tend to lose shape some times and tend to run is from everywere which can in tight affair backfire but apart from that there game pattern is as close to perfect under the new laws and how a team is meant to play the game.

our local teams needs some work to compete skills and speed wise. there match tempo is far better than ours