Too many ifs as play-offs loom large

It’s simply amazing how quickly time goes by – especially when we are not always having fun. Here we are again on the eve of the Super Rugby play-offs, which are due to take place next weekend.

And again in a similar situation to last year, the Lions remain the sole hope to grab the silverware, with a few reservations added into the mix.

As last year, this time the Lions are again missing their regular captain Warren Whiteley.

Last year a calf injury against Ireland kept him out until the week of the final.

This time it’s his groin and again he has a remote chance of recovering in time for a possible final if the Lions make it that far.

But even if the Lions repeat their heroics of last year when they beat the Highlanders and Crusaders at home in the playoffs, they could again be faced with an away final and we all know how big those odds are.

But before just assuming it would be a Lions versus Crusaders final a lot can happen before we get there, as both could also go down before even dreaming about a final.

But if the Crusaders lose to the Hurricanes tomorrow morning the Lions could host the final. There are just too many ifs. After all we still have the Sharks and the Stormers also contesting the play-offs.

We could even have a Lions versus Sharks quarterfinal next weekend even if that possibility is a long shot.

And hopefully the Stormers have learned something from the embarrassing hammering they received from the Chiefs at home last year.

But when sanity prevails and we start working this thing out with our under-utilised brains and not our hearts, we somehow know the Sharks and Stormers would have to upset the applecart if they want to get further than the last eight.

Which brings us to the emotional game in Port Elizabeth tonight – the last time the Kings and Cheetahs will be playing a Super Rugby game.

Somehow I think there could be a better solution than just to wave our goodbyes to them.

We all know they are going to struggle to survive in the Pro12.

For the first few years at least, because to find your feet in a new competition, against totally different opposition and also on wet, heavy fields would take more than just a season to settle down.