Super Rugby power rankings
Match of the round this weekend is not difficult to pick.
1. Chiefs
Beat Drua 50-17. Record: 8-0. No change. Table position: 1
The status quo remains for the Chiefs, who appear the smartest and most complete team in the competition. Their clash against the Crusaders in Hamilton on Saturday night will be highly anticipated. Can they operate at the same level with some expectation on their shoulders?
2. Force
Beat Highlanders 30-17. Record: 3-5. Up 11. Table position: 8
The Force’s victory over an under-strength Highlanders team who lost three players to the sinbin in the first half was their first over the southerners in a decade. It also moved them above the Drua into the final playoff place with six rounds remaining. Not bad for a team with only three wins for the season.
3. Blues
Beat Waratahs 55-21. Record: 5-3. Up 4. Table position: 5
Business as usual for the Blues against an Aussie side at Eden Park, with Zarn Sullivan picking a good time to shine as Stephen Perofeta’s replacement at fullback. Sullivan scored a try in each half due to his strength and pace near the tryline and will be getting a lot more game time from now on due to Perofeta’s shoulder injury which may make him touch and go for the World Cup. Prop Nepo Laulala was another All Blacks casualty with a calf injury.
4. Brumbies
Bye. Rebels 43-27. Record 7-1. Down 1. Table position: 2
The Aussies are still clinging to second place despite their bye but may face a reality check in Wellington when they play the Hurricanes on Friday night.
5. Crusaders
Beat Rebels 43-27. Record: 6-2. Up 1. Table position: 3
A game of squandered opportunities which finally came good for the Crusaders when they scored their bonus point try in the 82nd minute via Dallas McLeod after a typical Richie Mo’unga blindside switch. They’re generally at their best when they play the best teams, though, and they don’t come much better this year than the Chiefs. Quentin Strange, Cullen Grace, David Havili and Jack Goodhue all made returns from injury.
6. Hurricanes
Bye. Record: 6-2. Up 3. Table position: 4
The Canes face a potentially pivotal game against the Brumbies on Friday – win and they will overtake the Crusaders into third, a position they will maintain should the red and blacks lose to the Chiefs on Saturday.
7. Reds
Bye. Record: 3-5. Down 5. Table position: 6
Fresh off their bye (and prior to that a meritorious win over Moana Pasifika), Brad Thorn’s men face the resurgent Force in Brisbane on the round’s graveyard shift of a 9.35pm Sunday kickoff.
8. Fijian Drua
Lost to Chiefs 17-50. Record: 3-5. No change. Table position: 9
There’s no disgrace in losing to this Chiefs team but the Drua again looked second best at set piece time late on. However, they scored probably the try of the match through Ilaisa Droasese early in the second half and will be looking forward to hosting the Blues in Lautoka on Saturday afternoon, when the weather forecast is for a potentially unpleasant 30 degrees Celsius.
9. Rebels
Lost to Crusaders 27-43. Record: 2-6. Up 2. Table position: 11
Made a good fist of staying with the Crusaders for as long as they did.
10. Waratahs
Lost to Blues 21-55. Record: 2-6. Down 6. Table position: 10
Another Aussie side to raise the white flag on arrival in New Zealand (the Brumbies also did it against the Crusaders), the Waratahs rested various Wallabies stars for this in the knowledge they had no chance against the Blues at Eden Park. Afterwards, coach Darren Coleman freely admitted it had been forced from on high and that it was detrimental to the integrity of the competition but that they (and us) had to “suck it up”.
11. Moana Pasifika
Bye. Record: 0-8. Down 7. Table position: 12
A welcome reprieve of a bye for Moana, who host the Rebels at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday afternoon still hoping for their first win of the season. They may just get it.
12. Highlanders
Lost to Force 17-30. Record: 3-5. Down 2. Table position: 7
Woeful in Perth and with a potentially difficult match against the Waratahs in Sydney to come this weekend. Coach Clarke Dermody has told his players, who were missing Aaron Smith and Folau Fakatava, to have a look in the mirror. They may need to do more than that.
SHARE ME