SA teams continue to baffle
Here’s a Chris Boyd quote that captures the continual frustration with South Africa’s Super Rugby sides. ‘‘The games that have mattered to them – I say that loosely – but the big games they’ve played really well in. The games that they would’ve appeared to have been strong or medium favourites to win, I think they haven’t been quite so good.’’
The Hurricanes coach was talking about the Lions, specifically, and prior to his team’s 28-19 win over them at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night. But it’s a point that you could make more broadly about all of South Africa’s sides.
Good on them for being able to rouse themselves occasionally. The Bulls beating the Hurricanes in round one, the Lions’ 29-0 win over the Waratahs in Sydney or the Sharks’ impressive 38-12 victory over the Highlanders yesterday, for example, were all very worthy. But where’s this rugby the rest of the time?
The Sunwolves face a variety of challenges, while travel will always take a lot out of the Jaguares. Australia’s teams, despite the constant crowing from over there, aren’t actually very good, but these South African sides can play.
They have size, pace and guys with good kicking games. They’re well coached and very able in the set pieces. But year after year, they’re not mentally strong enough to produce the results their talent suggests they should achieve.
The Sharks’ win over the Highlanders sees them sit third in the South African conference – and eighth overall – but you assume the Lions will still be the team to make the playoffs from that group. The Jaguares are looking slightly ominous in second, though, thanks to their triumphant trip to Australasia.
It’s one thing to beat the Rebels and Brumbies, but to follow that with wins over the Blues and Chiefs – 23-19 in Rotorua on Friday – really was something.
Elsewhere, Australia’s woes were compounded by the Crusaders and Blues.
A few Rebels fans probably felt they were well in the game, at 13-10 come halftime, only to end up on the end of a 55-10 hiding. The conference system means someone from Australia will end up in the finals and, for the time being, that team remains the Waratahs.
They hold a four-point lead over the Rebels, despite Saturday’s 24-22 loss to the Blues.
The Stormers beat the Bulls 29-17 in the remaining game from week 12.