Reds v Sharks / Tahs v Stomers

Got a feeling the saffa contingent will be competitive this weekend vs the most followed two aussie teams...

I think Tah's will take this although will be suffering a little jetlag but this should be overcome by elation of solid victory last week. Word is too that Folau about to re-sign long term with ARU/Tahs - it seems that having travelled to SA it has opened his eyes to the benefits of playing a global game vs working-man's NSW/QLD game of inter-suburban rugby league. My tip is he will stay and only become more and more dominant in this code. Furthermore I hope he whispers in the ears of some other top RL players to join the code.

Reds v Sharks-  havent seen the ref but after recent posts this week and NZ's atrocious track record reffing we can only hope for a FAIR and unbiased display from officials... Last year's game in Semis was marred by Kaplan favouring the Sharks by numerous favourable interpretations stopping the reds from being allowed to come back to vistory (I get the impression that Kaplan wouldnt be assigned to this game again...) Additional was the absence of QC in dubious circumstances thanks to sanzar pettiness and obvious conspiracy....

All up both should be crackers and here's hoping referees DO NOT RUIN the spectacle and may the better team/s win - which is of course the Reds and Tahs..... respectively....

 I hope we get a break from the rereeing incompetence as well.

But I am sorry to say the Sharks areout of time, out of mid-fielders, out of gas and out of luck. The same goes for the finals this year after such a run of injuries. Andit seems the Reds are the chosen ones. Oh spew!

redsman

Rest assured the referee will be incompetent - it is Glen Jackson.

I do not give the Sharks a chance to beat the Reds - they have run out of reserve backline players and that means that the Reds backline should be superior.  Not so sure about their forwards though - but the Sharks also had injury problems there and it may just be in favour of the Reds as well.

Insofar as the Waratahs - Stormers game is concerned I wrote earlier that the Stormers is likely to be better up front than the Waratahs - but their backline is a defensive mess.   They have three very weak defendes in their backline, namely De Jongh (with a miss tackle record of 25%), Aplon who is even weaker and Pietersen in their backline.   Add to that Jantjies who cannot tackle to save his life - and the Waratahs win is assured.   It is very likely that all four player mentioned as weak defenders will in fact play - so my money is on the Waratahs to score a number of easy tries on Saturday.

I have watched the game reffed by Kaplan repeatedly and cannot see one example where his reffing in fact benefitted the Sharks to such an extent that it could have costed the Reds a win.   In fact he was fair in that game and I do differ from you in that case.

Jackson is a different case and he is not competent - however, home game sentiment may play a role in his case and he is likely to make mistakes favouring the Reds as well.   So you can be happy to have him as a referee,

RE Tahs/Stormers matchup - Tahs forward pack pretty solid and will test young 'bruno' aka elizabeth... Timani easily as big and kane douglas is pretty raw unit himself. Points towards a good clash up front. I'm hoping for Israel to bring it again and set alight the Tah backline like he did last week.

In reference Kaplan debacle last season - I can assure you that a number of 'interpretations' close to Shark's tryline in second half did indeed help the sharks hold off Red's momentum that COULD have changed the outcome of the game... Nonetheless it is all history now and hopefully Reds will make ammends by dealing with a seemingly understrentgh sharks outfit......