Injuries, intrigue and surprises
Show us someone who successfully picked last weekend’s results, and we will happily bend a knee and hail a genius. Super Rugby keeps firing out the upsets. It’s great isn’t it? Instead of getting distracted during one-sided affairs, to the point where we find ourselves picking lint from between the sofa cushions, it’s nice to be glued to the TV set like a rattlesnake staring at its prey. Just eight rounds to be played until the playoffs. Enjoy it while it lasts. 1. The injury to All Blacks and Chiefs fullback/first five-eighth Damian McKenzie has created a mega-storm of comment in mainstream and social media. Let’s appreciate that for what it is; passionate Kiwis getting amped before the big World Cup circus in Japan.
All Blacks selector Grant Fox hinted just two No 10s might be named in the 31 squad now that McKenzie is a goner. Fox also admitted that strategy was ‘risky’. Too right it is.
Suggestions former AB Aaron Cruden could be rushed back from France to join the Chiefs as a potential World Cup bolter didn’t impress their coach Colin Cooper much, either. He shut that right down. Regardless, the topic of who will replace McKenzie isn’t going to be buried in a hurry. 2. Don’t forget about the race for the All Blacks’ blindside flanker spot. With incumbent Liam Squire yet to register a single minute for the Highlanders because of injuries, his team-mate Shannon Frizell is probably the pick of the No 6s at the mid-way point of the competition. 3. Meanwhile, it is still unclear when All Blacks tighthead prop Owen Franks will return from a sore shoulder. It’s difficult not to be concerned at the prospect of him managing a wound going into the World Cup. Franks, with 106 test caps, was in excellent form prior to being sidelined during the Brumbies game on April 6 and is still waiting to have a second scan to determine what the issue is.
Whatever the problem, it must be painful. Franks is cut from a different type of rock than the rest of us. 4. Super Rugby has been providing topdrawer entertainment in terms of unpredictability. But it will pay to gently lift the handbrake when talking about a potential upset in Christchurch. No dice on this one.
The Crusaders are searching for their 25th consecutive win at home, so expect them to deliver the usual packages of doom to the Lions – who will be without monster hooker Malcolm Marx – when they waltz into the Garden City for a re-run of last year’s final. 5. That’s not to suggest the Lions don’t deserve respect. Their 23-17 win over the Chiefs on Good Friday was all the more memorable because coach Swys de Bruin had earlier returned home, for what was reported to be a ‘‘nervous condition’’ brought on by his team’s earlier unconvincing performances. Coaching, eh? It can be a cruel gig. 6. Of course the Chiefs contributed to their own demise in Hamilton. Their error-rate, exacerbated by being out-gunned at the rucks and pushing passes, was ridiculously high. Their clash with the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday night will be the game of the round for New Zealanders, regardless of their location. We’ll go with the Canes to win this one. They might be running a bit rough, but they are still mopping up competition points.
7. No Ben Smith in Tokyo.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger will have planned well in advance to rest his co-captain, enabling him to commit to his second All Blacks’ rest week rather than play the Sunwolves. 8. The South African conference is extremely tight. Just four points separate the top-placed Bulls from the lowest ranked side, the Stormers. Their matchup in Cape Town on Sunday morning will be absorbing. As will the Sharks versus Waratahs, who should welcome back rough diamond hooker Tolu Latu following a six-week ban, for the fixture in Sydney. 9. NZ Rugby revealed some interesting statistics in its annual report for 2018. While it exceeded an average of 195,000 live viewers for domestic Super Rugby regular season games, increasing live attendances continues to be a challenge. Last year the crowd attendance at regular season games was below the 2017 average of 14,552.
10 Still no David Pocock for the Brumbies.
Wallabies back rower Pocock has played just 138 minutes in three games this season because of concussion and a calf muscle injury he suffered at a Wallabies training camp in January.