Kurtley Beale played a starring role in the Tahs' victory over the Rebels earlier this season. Source: Mark Evans / News Corp Australia
THE focus quickly returns to Super Rugby this weekend after Australia and South Africa announced squads for the June Test series, and New Zealand conducted an All Blacks camp.
Round 15 looms as another blockbuster with key derbies on both sides of the Tasman and perhaps the game of the round in Pretoria.
Read on for a full preview of round 15!
Blues v Sharks
5.35pm EST Friday, North Harbour Stadium, Albany, Fox Sports 2HD
A fine opener to round 15 of Super Rugby sees the Blues take a home game away from their Eden Park fortress and up the road to North Harbour Stadium in Albany.
It's good to see the Auckland-based franchise recognise the outer limits of their region but then again, this is the same team that is winless on the road for 14 games.
They've also lost nine in a row against the Sharks in an incredible run all the way back to 2005. Worried yet, Blues fans?
It's not all bad news however as inspirational skipper Luke Braid is finally fit and returns to a powerful backrow alongside Jerome Kaino and Peter Saili. The backline lacks experience but has talent, meaning Ma'a Nonu will need to assert his dominance from inside centre.
Making their way to Albany are the Sharks who are probably still riding the high of last weekend's incredible victory over the Crusaders.
Sharks fly half Frans Steyn set up a wonderful try in Christchurch last weekend. Source: AFP
Coach Jake White has made just one forced change in promoting Jacques Botes for the suspended Jean Deysel, whose 16th minute red card in Christchurch started amazing events at AMI Stadium.
White will probably have already rated the tour a success having secured nine points from a possible 15 but a win this weekend would be the perfect launching pad for their run home back in the Republic.
Rebels v Waratahs
7.40pm EST Friday, AAMI Park, Melbourne, Fox Sports 2HD
After sitting through an amazing 80 minutes in Christchurch last week, you could have been forgiven for expecting the Reds-Rebels clash to lack a little drama. Wow, how wrong we all were.
The amazing TMO decision reversal that saw Ed O'Donoghue red-carded and the Rebels kick a match-winning penalty in Brisbane had everyone, including Rebels skipper Scott Higginbotham, in disbelief but it also provided Tony McGahan's side with the mid-season lift they needed to fill the role of the giant-killer.
Out of contention for the semis, the Rebels have the ability to disrupt the semi-finals aspirations of a few teams beginning with the Waratahs this weekend.
Michael Cheika's side came to Melbourne at exactly the same stage last year and were sent back to Sydney with their tails between their legs having been outplayed 24-22.
The short-passing skills they showcased against the Reds could well worry the Waratahs although the loss of halfback Luke Burgess may stifle that game plan.
Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.
The Waratahs, too, are coming off a victory having beaten the Lions at Allianz Stadium last Sunday. The short turnaround may play a part in their fortunes though Cheika has been able to call on Jacques Potgieter and Alofa Alofa, who both enjoyed lighter workloads from the bench last weekend.
They also defeated the Rebels in their earlier meeting this year, winning 32-8 in Sydney on the back of a fine second-half from Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau.
The Rebels will be far tougher to topple at AAMI Park however and there looks to be few points between these sides either way.
Bulls v Brumbies
3.10am EST Saturday, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Fox Sports 2HD
Shock losers in Bloemfontein last weekend, the Brumbies face another dangerous game in Africa against the improving Bulls.
Having been the third African side to return from Australasia without a win, the Bulls have since recorded derby victories over both the Cheetahs and Stormers to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Far more comfortable at their Loftus Versfeld fortress, the Bulls produced probably their best performance against the Cape Town-based side two weeks ago while the bye allowed them to rest a few weary bodies from an eight-game stretch.
Christian Lealiifano is still searching for his best form since returning from injury. Source: Getty Images
There's further good news with skipper Flip van der Merwe back in the side following a three-week suspension while Jacques-Louis Potgieter slots back into No.10 in place of Handre Pollard.
While it's been the ruin of many a poor boy – excuse us, The Animals – Loftus Versfeld should hold few fears for the Brumbies.
Just 10 months ago they came to the daunting Pretoria venue and walked away with a classic semi-final victory thanks to a last-gasp try from Tevita Kuridrani.
They'll also be all too aware they could slip down to third in the Australian conference with another loss but this is also a team who is yet to suffer back-to-back defeats in 2014.
Highlanders v Crusaders
3.35pm AEST Saturday, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Fox Sports 2HD
Just when the Crusaders looked like stamping themselves as the team to beat in Super Rugby, they go and lose at home - to a 14-man Sharks side that had never won in Christchurch.
Instead of travelling to Dunedin as the top-ranked team in New Zealand – and possibly overall – Todd Blackadder's side is now faced with a tricky clash against the tricky Highlanders.
Blackadder has reacted to that shock 30-25 defeat by dumping his entire front-row, as well as recalling All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg and halfback Andy Ellis.
Richie McCaw must rally the Crusaders after last week's defeat to a 14-man Sharks. Source: AFP
The Highlanders jumped above the Crusaders when they ground out a tough 18-16 victory away to the Hurricanes and will fancy their chances of ending a three-game losing streak against the men from Christchurch.
They are boosted by the return of flyhalf Lima Sopoaga, while gun young centre Malakai Fekitoa has been cleared to play after spending the week and the All Black training camp in a moon boot.
Hurricanes v Chiefs
5.35pm AEST Saturday, Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Fox Sports 2HD
The return of two star All Black No.10s headlines a massive New Zealand conference clash in Wellington.
Hurricanes young gun Beauden Barrett hurt his hip in his side's upset loss to the Highlanders last weekend, but has recovered in time for this crunch encounter.
The Chiefs are set to get a massive boost in the frame of Aaron Cruden's return from a thumb injury, which has sidelined him for the past six weeks.
The defending champions haven't exactly struggled in Cruden's absence – they still stop atop the Kiwi conference and third overall on the Super Rugby ladder – and have afforded themselves the luxury of naming the World Cup-winning playmaker on the bench.
That means Gareth Anscombe will again don the No.10 jersey, with coach Dave Rennie reshuffling his backline to allow for the return of winger Asaeli Tikoirotuma and centre Charlie Ngatai. Tim Nanai-Williams switches to fullback and Tom Marshall drops back to the bench.
The past four matches between these sides at Westpac Stadium have been decided by six points or less and with so much on the line – the Hurricanes trail the Chiefs on the ladder by just four points – another tight encounter looms.
Force v Lions
7.40pm AEST Saturday, nib Stadium, Perth, Fox Sports 2HD
A disappointing loss to the Stormers saw the Force drop out of the top six, but they have a great chance to bounce back on Saturday night.
The Lions are winding up their four-game tour of New Zealand and Australia and while they have been far from easybeats on tour they will surely be feeling the toll of all that travel.
They have also lost five straight games to the Force, with their solitary victory coming way back in 2007.
The Force's renowned defensive wall finally cracked under immense pressure from a fired-up Stormers, but they'll back themselves to shut-out a kick-heavy Lions attack.
Ben McCalman looks to be leading the charge to wear the Wallabies No.8 jersey. Source: Getty Images
And Michael Foley's men will be buoyed by the knowledge that their impressive season hasn't gone unnoticed, with five players earning selection in the Wallabies squad to face France.
Included in that number are front-rowers Pek Cowan and Nathan Charles who should be feeling sky-high ahead of a stern challenge against the big Lions pack.
Skipper Matt Hodgson, another Wallabies call-up, will be leading from the front as always as the Force chase an eighth win for the season.
Stormers v Cheetahs
1.05am EST Sunday, Newlands, Cape Town, Fox Sports 2HD
The battle to avoid the wooden spoon hots up this weekend as Stormers and Cheetahs face off for the second time in five weeks.
Just one point separates the 12th-placed Cheetahs from their 13th-placed South African rivals and while wins have been hard to come by for both sides this season, they were both last-start victors in round 14.
The Stormers scored three tries in a 22-8 win over Western Force last Saturday and have received a further morale boost following the inclusion of leaders Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers.
The Cheetahs' defeat of the Brumbies last week was probably more of a surprise than the Stormers' win but with Johan Goosen finding form and Willie le Roux running freely it's one they will be confident they can repeat.
Expect another strong showing from Heinrich Brussow who was this week recalled to the Springboks squad following a tough few years with injury and non-selection.
The Cheetahs have retained the same starting team that defeated the Brumbies but the Stormers are deserved favourites to overturn the 35-22 loss they suffered in round 11.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Tahs’ tricky task; Bulls await Brumbies
Dengan url
http://ikhlasngeblog.blogspot.com/2014/05/tahsa-tricky-task-bulls-await-brumbies.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Tahs’ tricky task; Bulls await Brumbies
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Tahs’ tricky task; Bulls await Brumbies
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar