Five flashpoints from Super Rugby’s third round
5. Come on Ackers! Nobody doubts the ability of the Lions to go all the way in Super Rugby, but sending a second-string side to Buenos Aires for the second year in a row has bitten the Lions on the backside, again. There are no easy games in this competition and while you have to have one eye on the need to rotate players, it should not come at the cost of a defeat. 4. Bosch the future? In 1975, a Transvaal flyhalf called Gerald Bosch booted the Springboks to a series win over the All Blacks in South Africa. Now we have a new Bosch on the scene and he could be even better than Gerald, who now lives in Brisbane for those old enough to care.
Curwin is an outrageous talent and after just two minutes of the Sharks’ game against the Waratahs he came on for injured Pat Lambie and proceeded to score 27 points, scoring a try and not missing a single kick at goal.
3. Aussies lost in the Outback
What has happened to the Australian challenge? The Waratahs are supposed to be their best team, but in a fortnight in South Africa have shipped a whopping 92 points in games against the Lions and the Sharks. Former players and media experts in Australia have long been arguing that the country does not have the rugby union talent to spread across five franchises and a diluted challenge is the result.
2. Don’t take your eye off the ball
The Cheetahs nearly lost to the Sunwolves because they totally underestimated an opposition that came to Bloemfontein, having copped major hidings in the opening two rounds.
We as media have been bored to tears by coaches saying that no team can be disrespected, that there are not easy games in the competition, etc ... And yet the Cheetahs, coming off an heroic performance against the Bulls, just did not show up against the Sunwolves.
1. Singing in the rain
The champion Hurricanes lost to the Chiefs in Hamilton in a game played in torrential rain, yet the skill levels of the two teams remained something to behold. Us South Africans tend to give the Kiwis too much respect, and are often beaten before we take the field against their sides.
But there is no way we can do anything but marvel at the entertaining game these sides produced in atrocious conditions, exhibiting handling in the downpour that our teams battle to manage in the sunshine. It is getting boring to say the Kiwi teams set the standards but that is the reality.