Super 14: Week 6 results

The Bulls started their tour with a 9-14 win over the Hurricanes. Matt Goddard (i will do a post on the ELV’s) gave no fewer than five yellow cards and one red card to put the Bulls down to 14 men after flank Deon Stegmann was sent off for a dangerous tackle.
This win keeps the Bulls at top of the log.

The Sharks moved into second place with a 22-10 win over the Western Force. After last week’s loss to the Reds they bounced back and completed their most successful overseas tour ever. JP Pietersen got his fifth try in six matches to move to the top of the try-scoring standings. The defeat sees the Force slip to 11th place.

The Waratahs suffered a second consecutive loss when the Crusaders beat them 17-13. It is the Crusaders first win in five matches. The win sees the Crusaders jump from 12th to seventh place on the table.

The Chiefs stormed through the Blues with an emphatic 63-34 demolition. The Chiefs are becoming a great contender for a Semi-Final spot.

The Lions defeated the Brumbies 25-17 in a nail-biting clash after a huge loss to the Stormers a week earlier. The Lions thus move up to 13th place from….. 13th place.

The Cheetahs ended their tour with a 32-8 loss against the Highlanders.

Super 14 Week 6

HURRICANES vs BULLS
Unless the Bulls strike an early blow, they could be chasing the whole game, and in this event, you’d have to back the Hurricanes.  The Bulls are the only team that have not lost a match so far this year. That’s the positive for the Bulls. The negative is that they do not have a good record away from home. The best ever away tour for the Bulls was in 2007 ,they won the tournament that year, but they still lost to the Hurricanes.

Hurricanes by 7

HIGHLANDERS vs CHEETAHS
Dumb and Dumber.  Highlanders have never lost to the Cheetahs in the Super14 and the cheetahs have gotten progressively worse since captain Juan Smith bowed out with injury.  This is probably the Cheetahs’ best chance of picking up a win but the Highlanders will ultimately come away with a narrow victory

Highlanders by 5

CHIEFS vs BLUES
This one is a little difficult to predict as both sides are so unpredictable.  The Chiefs have looked the better of the two teams although the Super 14 log may dispute the point. Their are a few exciting battles that will happen on the field and that could possibly turn the match for the Chiefs.  Given the Blues history in Hamilton and overall we think the Blues will edge it.

Blues by 5

WARATAHS vs CRUSADERS
Last week was another difficult week for the Crusaders and I only got 0.5 points.  The Waratahs cost me poitns by loosing to the Brumbies. But I’m sticking with the Waratahs again due to the fact they’re at home and they’re hosting the struggeling Crusaders.  Its a rematch of last year’s Super 14 final but with a difference. No home advantage for the Crusaders, no Dan Carter and also no Richie McCaw. 

Waratahs by 7

FORCE vs SHARKS
Matt Giteau is one of, if not the best number 10 in the world at the moment!  Francois Steyn moves in to wear the number 10 jersey where he will have to try contain Giteau. Force has a big problem and that is their playing record at home.  They have a real good odds for play off contenders if only they could win all their home games. Now is as good a time as any to start. The Sharks had been the best defensive unit in the competition. They’ll need to be sharp on this occasion, or they will throw the game away.

Force by 5

LIONS vs BRUMBIES
It’s not been a good week for the Lions. One of their coaches has been suspended, another coach is talking of resigning at the end of the season and they are coming off the back of a 56-18 thumping by the Stormers.  The Brumbies have stuttered throughout their campaign but they’ll be too good for the struggeling kittens. 

Brumbies by 12