No real Super Rugby title contenders have emerged yet, says Crusaders fan Tim Cronin from RugbyShirts.net
After five rounds of this year's Super XV we still have surprisingly little idea about who the real title-contenders will be, with almost every team having struggled for consistency to date.
It was an interesting week for us here in Christchurch; we got press passes for the staff at our own website and with those in hand we were present at Crusaders training as they prepared for their clash against the Bulls, facing increasing pressure to get their campaign underway whilst dealing with the continued fall-out from Zac Guildford's battle with the bottle.
Having seen the intensity with which they operated with during the week it was no surprise to see them perform against the Bulls, and were it not for a nervous first 20 they could have won by an even bigger margin than the 41-19 final scoreline. But despite that compelling performance there remain plenty of questions about the champion red and black side, and whether their consistent, dependable squad have enough flair and x-factor to go all the way this year.
The Chiefs have been the best of the New Zealand sides to date, and did well on the weekend to bounce back from their loss against the Stormers to snare some valuable points from their African tour. The Blues started with a hiss and a roar but were beaten up by the Bulls in their last outing, and it will be interesting to see whether their young side can bounce back from that, or whether the memory of Pierre Spies and his brutish mates man-handling them will haunt them for the rest of the season.
The Highlanders have been disappointing to say the least. Amidst much fan-fare regarding the signing of prominent All Blacks like Ma'a Nonu, Tony Woodcock and Brad Thorn the Dunedin-based side sit winless on the bottom of the table, with their lack of depth having been exposed early on. The Hurricanes are having an uninspiring season as well, displaying signs of genuine potential in the midst of woefully ho-hum performances.
Across the ditch the Brumbies top the table and are the competition's only unbeaten side. Jake White has create a cohesive, hard-working team, but I wonder whether they have the depth and experience to carry this form over for the entire season.
The Reds are hot and cold, leaning heavily towards cold on the weekend just been when they lost to the Force, while the Waratahs have failed to live up to their pre-season hype. I've said it before and I'll say again – the Force and the Rebels are rubbish and really aren't worth mentioning.
Things couldn't be more different in Africa, where their sides, for the most part, have all performed encouragingly. The Bulls looked head and shoulders better than anyone else in the competition when they dominated the Blues at Eden Park, only to be ripped apart by the Crusaders, but I'm sure they will bounce back and feature at the business end of the season. The Sharks and the Stormers have enjoyed up and down form, but have the personnel to ensure they'll be there or there-abouts at the end of the year too.
The real surprise package is the Cheetahs. They showed plenty of heart last year without displaying the ability to sneak over the finish line, but this year their fortunes have changed. They schooled the Highlanders the week before last, and made it two-in-a-row on the road with a one-point win over the other 'Tahs in Sydney this weekend, suggesting that this side which has promised a lot in recent years may well be coming of age.
The final South African side is the Southern Kings, who have played with courage and passion in their first year in the Super XV. They'll lose more than they win this year, of that there is no question, but if they're the worst that South Africa has to offer the game is in good shape in the Republic.
So all in all no-one has really dominated the early stages of the Super XV. The New Zealand sides have, in general, been good without being great; the Brumbies are the best of the Aussies but have question marks over the depth in their squad, while the Africans look solid but have yet to achieve consistency. The only thing that can be said with any real assurance is that this year's competition looks set to be a tightly fought, evenly matched one.
Tim Cronin is a Rugby fan and full time writer based in the rubble of the Canterbury Crusaders’ home town, Christchurch. Tim is a part of the Pukeko Sportsteam, where his role is watching, writing, and complaining about all things rugby.
