Preview: S14, Round Two, Part Two
What do you get when you put galloping Waratahs, wounded Brumbies, a New Zealand team on safari and a South African coastal derby all in the same room? A Saturday filled with another round of Super 14 action, that's what!
What do you get when you put galloping Waratahs, wounded Brumbies, a New Zealand team on safari and a South African coastal derby all in the same room? A Saturday filled with another round of Super 14 action, that's what!
The Chiefs will be on the warpath at Waikato Stadium against the Waratahs after losing their opening game to the Blues. We won't mention how badly.
The Brumbies, still licking their wounds from last weekend's other drubbing, will hope they have the manpower to hold off a disappointed Highlanders outfit.
The Stormers hope to catch a big fish on their away trip into Shark-infested waters, while the Blues will be looking to silence the Lions' roar at Ellis Park.
Chiefs v Waratahs, 19:35
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 19:35 (06:35 GMT)
The Chiefs will have their hands full against the Waratahs as they look to put a dismal first round away loss to the Blues behind them.
If any team felt the true impact of the new Experimental Law Variations (ELVs), it was the Chiefs – who got scalped in the second half.
The pace of the game under the ELVs proved too much for the visitors as the Blues found another gear to turn around an 8-11 half-time deficit.
A strong Chiefs line-up couldn't match the hosts' sustained pressure up front and noticeably tired over the closing stages, allowing Joe Rokocoko and Ben Atiga to score from scrum moves.
The pressure is now firmly on the hosts as memories of last season's horror start will no doubt be weighing heavily in their minds.
However, Chiefs coach Ian Foster has refrained from pushing the panic button just yet, and has instead selected the same forward pack that was made to look ordinary at Eden Park
The Chiefs will need to improve by a huge amount if they're going to have any chance of success in this one. Without a decent platform, the Chiefs backs will struggle against a 'Tahs backline that looked impressive on their last outing.
The Waratahs on the other hand, are looking to establish some winning momentum after galloping past the woeful Hurricanes in Sydney last week.
Some slick work by the backs produced a couple of good tries but carelessness cost a couple of others and a forward pass on the game's last play denied the Waratahs a four-try bonus point that would have been well deserved.
The Waratahs will want to be more composed on attack and continue to prove that their woeful 2007 season was a blip.
Super head-to-head: Winger Sitiveni Sivivatu will no doubt want to celebrate his 50th game for the Chiefs with a win and a few tries if he can help it. League convert Timana Tahu will want to make sure his successful baptism into Super Rugby continues with a win, and, yes, a few tries if he can help it.
Prediction: With the same Waratahs line-up set to enter Waikato Stadium on Saturday, there's no reason why the three T's (Lachie Turner, Timana Tahu and Lote Tuqiri) can't terrorise, torment and threaten the Chiefs' try-line just like they did against the 'Canes. Waratahs to win by 8 points.
Chiefs: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Viliame Waqaseduadua, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Callum Bruce, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Sione Lauaki, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Kevin O'Neill, 4 Jono Gibbes (c), 3 Ben Castle, 2 Tom Willis, 1 Simms Davison.
Replacements: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 Ben May, 18 Toby Lynn, 19 Faifili Levave, 20 Tom Harding, 21 David Bason, 22 Lelia Masaga.
Waratahs: 15 Lachie Turner, 14 Timana Tahu, 13 Ben Jacobs, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (c), 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Dan Vickerman, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Adam Freier, 1 Matt Dunning.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Benn Robinson, 18 Will Caldwell, 19 Beau Robinson, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Sam Harris, 22 Alfi Mafi.
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Touch judges: Phillip Bosch (South Africa), Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Assessor: Kim Eichmann (New Zealand)
Brumbies v Highlanders
Canberra Stadium, Canberra, 19.40 (08.40 GMT)
The Brumbies and Highlanders will be looking to bounce back from opening round defeats to the Crusaders and Reds respectively.
The once mighty Brumbies were humbled 34-3 in Christchurch and it was shown how much they'll miss stalwarts George Gregan and Stephen Larkham this year, as well as the injured Stirling Mortlock who is still out for a few weeks.
To add to their woes, experienced midfielders Adam Ashley-Cooper (ankle, six weeks) and Gene Fairbanks (neck, four weeks) have also joined the long queue at the doctor's surgery.
The two-time Super Rugby champs will have moved onwards since last week's trouncing and coach Laurie Fisher will no doubt have rectified what went wrong against the Crusaders.
Brumbies players such as new half-back combination Christian Lealiifano and Joshua Holmes, would have only benefited from the loss and the feel of the pace and volume they need to be at for the Highlanders game.
Speaking of which, the Highlanders have also been robbed of a key player in the form of winger Lucky Mulipola who was not so lucky after breaking his arm and will be out for 8-10 weeks.
The injury just adds to the southerners' misfortune after the Reds were awarded two tries in which the grounding of the ball was difficult to determine.
Their nervy, error-ridden 16-22 loss to the Reds in Brisbane offered enough encouragement though and the Highlanders finished strongly to claim a valuable losing bonus point.
The Highlanders got good value from their forwards and it won't take a rocket scientist to figure out where they will be targeting the Brumbies on Saturday.
A win over their hosts would be the ideal build up to the team's first home game this season, against the Waratahs on March 1.
Super head-to-head: The Highlanders forward pack needs to mix control with power against the Brumbies and who better to lead from the front than hooker and skipper Jason Macdonald. The Highlanders skinhead will need to control the scrum and the line-outs to perfection. His opposite number Huia Edmonds will also have to make sure his side sees more ball than Macdonald's shiny head.
Prediction: Canberra, so long a graveyard for visiting teams, hosts what promises to be a tight, tense affair. The Highlanders have a good recent record against the Brumbies, beating them in 2005 and 2006 before a 20-29 loss at home last year. Tough call this one, but if push comes to shove and a shove lands up with another injured Brumby – we going to go for the Highlanders by the smallest of margins. Highlanders to win by a point or two.
Brumbies: 15 Julian Huxley, 14 Mark Gerrard, 13 Tyrone Smith, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Francis Fainifo, 10 Christian