Not always Super but it’s rarely dull
If the Blues thrash the Sunwolves, are they just rearranging the chairs on a sinking vessel? Why was the homophobic Israel Folau not given a public reprimand by the ARU? And can the Highlanders heap more misery on the Aussies in Dunedin? There is rarely a dull moment in Super Rugby.
1. What happens if the Blues beat the Sunwolves in Tokyo?
It would insult no-one’s intelligence to say the Blues should win this match, and by a handsome margin, to extend the Sunwolves’ winless run in 2018. But so what if they do? What does it really mean? The reality is the Blues are placed second-last heading into this round, their playoff hopes pirouetting at the end of a frayed rope. There’s a danger a bonus-point win at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium would divert attention from the real issue, which is whether this team is simply in a holding pattern.
If that’s the case, it’s hardly good enough. Blues chairman Tony Carter and his board members have some decisions to make. Super Rugby teams are like any other business, they like to plan ahead. It’s paramount they prove to their players that their organisation is doing the best for them. Which, in turn, puts the heat on Carter and co to decide whether to offer coach Tana Umaga a contract extension, or to go to the market and seek alternatives.
And does NZ Rugby have a role to play in trying to blow life some back into the Blues, a club that hasn’t made the playoffs since Pat Lam guided them to fourth place in 2011? Any assistance would be appreciated, surely. This story isn’t over by a long shot.
2. What must the Chiefs do to cane the Hurricanes?
What a game in Napier last weekend when the Hurricanes somehow ran down the Sharks after the final hooter. That they did it without Beauden Barrett destroyed any ideas about them being reduced in intellectual grunt if their star playmaker isn’t there.
But don’t dismiss the Chiefs. They are in with a chance to win in Wellington. Sam Cane and Brodie Retallick will be shovelling lumps of coke into the visitors’ boiler, and when the gravy flows from their brows, their fellow soldiers know better than not to muck in.
That could be the key for the Chiefs. Compete for everything on the ground, and limit referee Jamie Nutbrown’s reasons to award penalties.
3. Can Israel Folau remain focused on the field, after creating a firestorm of controversy off it? Israel Folau says gay folk are ‘‘destined for hell’’. Really? Australian Rugby Union chief executive Raelene Castle hasn’t helped matters much by dancing around this simmering issue. Yes, we know the ARU are desperate to re-sign Folau, arguably their most prominent player, but Castle’s reluctance to criticise the big fullback isn’t a flash look. So much for her being a straight shooter.
Sports people say they like to do their ‘‘talking on the field’’. Castle and her ARU mates no doubt wish Folau left it between the white lines. 4. Can the Highlanders make it 34? The four Aussie teams have one collective goal; they all want to snap the horrible drought against their Kiwi counterparts. They are now up to 33 consecutive defeats against the New Zealand teams, and Brumbies coach Dan McKellar doesn’t want the Highlanders to add to this collection of scalps.
McKellar says the Brumbies have to earn the respect of their trans-Tasman mates, which makes sense. It’s hard not to get the feeling even the Brumbies’ worst enemies in Australia will want them to win in Dunedin. This losing run is getting ridiculous. 5. Is this make or break for the Jaguares? The Jaguares have continued to disappoint since joining Super Rugby in 2016. Already they are in trouble, with just two wins, and their upcoming road trip, which starts against the Rebels in Melbourne, could really spit them out. The excursion to the Victorian capital is followed by away games against the Brumbies, Blues and Chiefs. Good luck with that.