The Brumbies vs Chiefs Game
This game if going to be difficult to predict. We have a case here of tw teams wioth different characteristics and playing styles. Lats year th Chiefs and Brumbies contested the finals - but the team of the Chefs this year did niot play well and found it very hard to get into the play-offs.
This year the Brumbies beat the Chiefs comprehensively and the quyestion is really whether that victory will be repeated on Saturday. I think the problem for the Chiefs remains their weakish Tight 5. Their line out performances this year was weak - and in an effort to cancellate that deficiency they moved Retallick to the no 5 position in line outs. The results remained dubious at best.
On the other hand the Brumbies lost one of their key players (Moore) as a result of injury.
So what is the likely outcome? The NZ supporters will scream murder - but I think that the Brumbies is going to win this one. Unlike the previous round robin game - this one is in Canberra and the Brumbies will have home game advantage and definitely an upper hand in their forwards. I forexast a narrowish win by the Brumbies by a margin of about 9 points.
Sharks bs Highlanders
In the Round Robin round the Sharks were comprehensively beatebn by the Highlanders in the game In Durban. Would the outcome will be different in the play-offs? It si not sure whether that would happen and even the composition of the Sharks team is up in the air.
They have a serious deficiency in the backline with Steyn and Pietersen and the forward tussle will be influenced on whether Mtawarire is available. The oosie combination proved their downfall last time around - with especially Alberts being very poor.
The Highlanders definitely have the upper hand among the backline and will use that as a weapon. The question remains - how effective would that be?
Even though my heart hopes for a Sharks win - I have my doubts about that one. They may just find the going to be the same as last time around - when the speedier Highlanders players played havoc with the defense of players like Steyn and Alberts in particular.
This is a toss up - that will b won by either of the two sides by a margin of less than 10 points. If Steyn is retained at flyhalf and Alberts at 7 - the Highlanders will find a very happy hunting ground on Saturday.
