Sunwolves facing mission impossible

1 Could the Sunwolves do worse than pray for a burst of nasty weather at the Cake Tin?

It’s a fair question. Last weekend the Crusaders scored two early tries against the Sunwolves in Christchurch, and looked quite flash. That was until Mother Nature cleared her throat and spat showers of hail and rain down on AMI Stadium, galvanising the men from Tokyo to click into top gear.

Eventually the Sunwolves lost 33-11, but their defensive resolve in the slush was to be admired. Yes, the Hurricanes will probably beat them on Friday night. Snaring the bonus-point shouldn’t be taken for granted. 2 Can the Jaguares make it a triple treat?

The Jaguares have got bottle, no doubt about that. Recent victories over the Brumbies and Rebels, both in Aussie, mean we are looking at their upcoming fixture against the Blues at Eden Park through a different lens. At the start of the season this fixture could have been slipped into the ho-hum section of the rugby calendar. Not any more. The Blues must win this. Captain Augi Pulu might even start for the Blues, having been bracketed at halfback following a lengthy absence due to injury. If you are a Blues supporter any good news should be welcomed. 3 Remember David Havili?

Last year Havili was outstanding at fullback for the Crusaders. A dominant force at the back, he crucified opponents’ silly enough to direct kicks his way and was fearless under the high ball. It was enough to earn him five All Blacks’ jerseys - three in tests. Havili has been quiet this season. Maybe the fresh air in Canberra, where the Crusaders meet the Brumbies, will help him find the missing piece of the puzzle for 2018. 4 Will the running of the Bulls be welcomed by the Highlanders?

New coach Aaron Mauger had earned himself his fair share of goodwill credits at the Highlanders this year, with just two losses in seven games. In Pretoria he will try to outfox his old All Blacks’ mentor John Mitchell who is likely to urge his boys to back their fitness and try to run the Highlanders off their feet at altitude.

5 What would the permutations be quarterfinals were staged this weekend?

Here’s what the draw would be, as documented on the official Super Rugby website. QF1: Lions v Bulls. QF2: Hurricanes v Chiefs. QF3: Crusaders v Rebels. QF4: Waratahs v Highlanders. if the

TTTVGiven some teams have played seven games, and others eight, this is a very loose indicator as to where the Super Rugby log is at. Clearly the NZ teams (apart from the Blues) are in good health.

And the fact the Lions have yet to travel to NZ won’t be lost on anyone.