What 2015 will bring

Loose Pass

06th Jan 2015, 13:37

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Six Nations favourites: Joe Schmidt and Ireland

A new year is upon us and Loose Pass kicks off 2015 with a new author, but the same old 'shoot-from-the-hip' style.

While many dread the post-festive period, the return to work, the credit card bills and the queue to return that Christmas jumper, rugby fans have reason to rejoice with the imminent arrival of the Six Nations.

The welcome return of the glorious feast of rugby that is the battle for northern hemisphere supremacy will be even more enthralling than normal with the small matter of a Rugby World Cup looming later in the year.

The Test results back in November suggested all the leading European nations are raising their game at just the right time but none as high as Ireland who will rightly enter the Championship as favourites on the back of victories over South Africa and Australia propelling them to third in the world rankings.

And with France and England both set for testing trips to Dublin in this year's Championship, Joe Schmidt's side look good value for back-to-back titles.

The Six Nations looks set to come too early for an England side that requires some refinement if they are to topple the world's best while France and Wales also have some ground to make up. And don't bet against Scotland and even Italy continuing their improvement and throwing a spanner in the works of their title rivals. The stage is set for the most competitive Six Nations in years.

As we've got the crystal ball out, let's cast an eye over the rest of the rugby globe.

Expect the usual suspects of Northampton, Saracens and Leicester to challenge for the Premiership crown and Bath to continue their resurgence by returning to the play-offs. But it will be the Saints, powered by the monster and future Player of the Season that is Samu Manoa, who will be celebrating once again at Twickenham.

English rugby's HQ will also be the venue for the first Champions Cup finale where Toulon will continue their dominance of Europe's top table but they will relinquish the Top 14 crown to Clermont Auvergne.

Glasgow will make history in the PRO12 with their first title while the Crusaders will reclaim Super Rugby supremacy and further New Zealand success will follow in an abbreviated Rugby Championship.

As for the big one? Expect the biggest and best tournament ever and the All Blacks to underline their dominance by becoming the first country to notch back-to-back World Cup crowns.

 I like this new author.............. seems to know heaps about rugby 

Stormers, Bulls and Sharks could all do well. The Lions could win some games away. 

The Cheetas are guaranteed to finish last unless they unearth new players.  Although looking at some of the hasbeen never was crew, their is not much chance.
Stormers are going to run the ball more this year than a long time. They have Kolbe, Senatala combined with other good backline players, and the pack is solid. 
Sharks could be a lucky package, but Gary Gold hopefully is not as bad as many suspect.
Bulls are also talking about playing more expansive as well. 
This year could throw up surprises with allot more away victories for all teams than last year. 

 Hahahahahahahaha you have to love this confused oak babbling on about the the over hyped wee abs and the forgetting how the crusties who got smashed by 13 Sharks on their home turf!!!
As for the mighty Boks it all depends on whether Meyer has learnt from his disasterous 2014 selections and especially whether the 38 year old wee matfiled 106 kg is given the long delayed boot.(Should NEVER have been a BOK actually.)
All eyes will be on the Mighty Stormers of course and our fortunes will rest on injuries and bent down under refs. We were robbed blind last year and one searches for a reason why this will not happens next year. The down under refs remain as bent as ever is my guess. Doubtless emails will be flying between oz and nz discussing how best to get the jarpies in 2015.
Bulle and Sharks should be fine and Lions better. What poor Naka can conjour up after the traditional parasitic raids by the bulle on the Cheetahs playing resources remains to be seen (Sharks financial woes prevented them having a go). What they have to do is shore up their defences. A task made difficult by players like the flimsy Rule (Another poor snapster Bok pick!!!) and Hendricks also not being up to scratch (He may be able to do better). I fear the EP Queens will be an embarassment but fortunately their exposure overseas will be more limited under the new format! Small mercies gratefully received.
With the player exodus raging we will see new faces again. All this makes it very hard to build a great side. Nevertheless our incredible natural talent will see us very competitive as usual. 
Expect SA sides to be shafted time and again as usual by bent down under ref. It happens with monotonous regularity. Ou cerudunce windpomp will then suggest one needs to adapt to the bent ref not realising adapting to bent refs is impossible. Its all so predictable!