spXV predicted final top 6 rundown,,,

1     Chiefs - 58 (highlander, crusaders, hurricanes)
2     Stormers - 54 (lions, cheetahs, rebels)
3     Brumbies - 49 (force, waratahs, blues)
4     Crusaders - 51 (hurricanes, chiefs, force)
5     Bulls - 49 (cheetahs, sharks, lions)
6     Hurricanes - 45 (crusaders, bye, chiefs)
7     Sharks - 45 (bye, bulls, cheetahs)
8     Highlanders - 44 (chiefs, reds, bye)
9     Reds - 44 (rebels, highlanders, waratahs)

the way i see it there are only 9 teams in contetion of a finals spot, as the cheetahs who sit on 10th have 36pts. assuming there are no massive upsets like the blues over bulls, rebels over crusaders and lions over sharks the top 6 should be rlatively easy to work out, if has a way of throwing a spanner in th works though, lol.

IMO chiefs stormers bulls and crusaders are all gonna make it into the top 6. theres enough of a gap between them and the rest to take advantage of key 'should' be easy wins remaining in their fixtures

brumbies/reds will make the finals via the leader OZ confernce clause and as a result will sit in 3rd place (which is completely bullshit BTW).

but the last place for 6th will be the most heavily contested place as the shraks, highlanders, hurricanes, reds/brumbies all have a chance.

the hurricanes and highlanders have too many matches going against them, with the chiefs and crusdaers or in the hurricanes case, both and no bye is gonna change that.

IMHO, the reds and the sharks are going to have to battle hard to round out the top 6, but the sharks will be hardout cheering for the higlanders to beat the reds and make their run easier.

at the moment i would sayits a 50/50 toss up between the sharks and reds, but im tipping the sharks to come through.

final 6,,,
1 chiefs
2 stormers
3 brumbies
4 crusaders
5 bulls
6 sharks.

 Crusaders have it tough - I think they will lose to either the Chiefs or the Hurricanes 

Bulls have a very good chance at going undefeated the last three games with bonus point games likely against Lions and Cheetahs.

Gotta think the Bulls get the 4th spot by a couple of points

1 chiefs
2 stormers
3 brumbies
4 crusaders
5 bulls
6 sharks

I said at the mid way point of the Season the Sharks would finish in the playoffs. And I still think they can. The easiest 4 points this weekend will help that.

That seems like the most likely order for the final six, although I would like the Stormers to steal no1 from the Chiefs! GO STORMARS!!

@oimatey,

im a hurricane supporter hard, but there is no logic to saying the crusaders might lose to the hurricanes. the crusaders chiefs game will be close, but thats still a 50/50 game.
crusaders are without carter, dagg and read, but they still have the experienced loose forward combo of McCaw, todd and g whitelock, they dont have i dagg, but s maitland gets a chance to press his claims back into the team and while carter is always a loss, tom taylor is the crusaders form no10.

the hurricanes on the other hand have lost c jane, v vito and tj perenara. hurricanes have great depth without vito there, j lam, f levavem b shields and k lowe are all in fantastic form. jane is being replaced by  a leiua and he is adequate at spXV level, but tj perenara is the biggest loss, cos his replacment eaton is too sparatic with form.

IMO its not wether crusaders will win, its how much they will win by, then again, i said something similar about the rebels, lol.
 

also the sharks would need to beat the bulls, otherwise the reds might just beat them to it.

sharks vs bulls and reds vs highlanders are going to be big finals format changers for both the sharks and reds.
 

Sasuke - read your last post where you said there is no logic but the reasons you gave reinforce how this game is anything but a sure thing for the Crusaders. I give them the edge since they are at home, but I reckon those are some big losses on their side. I hear you about the Canes having players out, but as a S15 team I would much rather face what the Bulls have left with only one contender in the mix out of the last three. Crusaders have two contenders to deal with and we know Chiefs will be gunning for home field advantage.

Just think odds are better that the Bulls come out on top and I hope they do - do not want Stormers to have to face the Crusaders in the playoffs.

@oimatey,

i guess theres no logic to my no logic comment, LMAO :P

they are big losses for the crusaders, but im sure u would remember last years stormers/crusaders game when the crusdaers suffered more injuries in a game then i have ever seen before and they still came out trumps, im expecting more of the same against the hurricanes.
ive been supporting the canes all my life, so im a realist when it comes to games against the crusaders, no team has played the crusaders more then the hurricanes and the win loss ratio aint pretty, :(

i hear what ur saying about final placings, but i think finishing on top of the conference is just as big a deal, cos i cant see anyone but the crusaders beating the chiefs at waikato.

sasuke, in that game against the Stormers, the Stormers were severely depleted in key positions, but you are right, Crusaders is almost impossible to beat at this stage of the comp.