Darwin
AKA Dingo_Darwin
- Joined
- May 30, 2007
- Messages
- 6,154
- Country Flag
- Club or Nation
I'll give this a crack:
South Africa:
1. Sharks
2. Bulls
3. Stormers
4. Cheetahs
5. Lions
New Zealand:
1. Chiefs
2. Crusaders
3. Blues
4. Highlanders
5. Hurricanes
Australia:
1. Reds
2. Waratahs
3. Brumbies
4. Rebels
5. Force
In terms of South Africa I feel that Jake White is going to make a big impact at the Sharks, especially as he has the type of players that suit his simple (yet very effective!) game-plan (the likes of Bismark du Plessis, Alberts etc...). I'm not sure how the Bulls will go without Morne Steyn, but Pollard is an exciting prospect. It was a 50:50 call in my mind between the Stormers and the Bulls for the number 2 slot - if Etzebeth had been fit to start the season I would have had the Stormers ahead of the Bulls. The Cheetahs had a very good year last season but I'm not convinced they can back it up. I have no idea about he Lions so they will be ranked last by default
In the Australian conference I expect it will be pretty close between the Reds, Brumbies and Waratahs for the top spot. The Reds have a pretty stable squad, with their only major loss from last season being Digby Ioane (who is a big loss). The Waratahs have an excellent squad on paper yet again, and if Kurtley Beale fires they could beat any side on their day. I feel the Brumbies may drop down a few spots this season without Jake White at the helm, though having a fit David Pocock will be a big boost. Neither the Rebels or the Force look very good, but the Rebels look less bad than the Force....
The NZ conference should be pretty competitive, with the Chiefs and Crusaders again the top two sides. I give the Chiefs the edge at the top as they have an incredibly deep squad, and the Crusaders may find it difficult without Dan Carter for most of the season (though they always seem to find a way to win). I see both the Blues and the Hurricanes as potential playoffs contenders, however I see both as potential wooden-spooners in the NZ conference too. The Hurricanes should be very competitive as long as they manage to keep their key players on the park. They don't have a lot of depth in key positions - if one of Perenara, Barrett or Conrad Smith gets injured they could be in for a very long season (though Marty Banks may prove to be a good backup for Barrett). The Blues have plenty of talent, but then again so did the Highlanders last season! The question is whether they have the chemistry as a team, and whether some of their senior All Blacks (e.g. Nonu and Woodcock) decide to actually try in Super Rugby this season. On paper the Highlanders are by far the worst of the NZ sides, but I would actually be surprised if the get last in the NZ conferance this season. They have enough talent scattered through the squad to cause the odd upset, and given the lack of superstars (hopefully) Joseph should revert back to the game-plan that was relatively successful when he originally took over. The Highlanders aren't really playoff contenders, but I suspect they will finish around 9th/10th, ahead of either the Blues or the Hurricanes.
South Africa:
1. Sharks
2. Bulls
3. Stormers
4. Cheetahs
5. Lions
New Zealand:
1. Chiefs
2. Crusaders
3. Blues
4. Highlanders
5. Hurricanes
Australia:
1. Reds
2. Waratahs
3. Brumbies
4. Rebels
5. Force
In terms of South Africa I feel that Jake White is going to make a big impact at the Sharks, especially as he has the type of players that suit his simple (yet very effective!) game-plan (the likes of Bismark du Plessis, Alberts etc...). I'm not sure how the Bulls will go without Morne Steyn, but Pollard is an exciting prospect. It was a 50:50 call in my mind between the Stormers and the Bulls for the number 2 slot - if Etzebeth had been fit to start the season I would have had the Stormers ahead of the Bulls. The Cheetahs had a very good year last season but I'm not convinced they can back it up. I have no idea about he Lions so they will be ranked last by default
In the Australian conference I expect it will be pretty close between the Reds, Brumbies and Waratahs for the top spot. The Reds have a pretty stable squad, with their only major loss from last season being Digby Ioane (who is a big loss). The Waratahs have an excellent squad on paper yet again, and if Kurtley Beale fires they could beat any side on their day. I feel the Brumbies may drop down a few spots this season without Jake White at the helm, though having a fit David Pocock will be a big boost. Neither the Rebels or the Force look very good, but the Rebels look less bad than the Force....
The NZ conference should be pretty competitive, with the Chiefs and Crusaders again the top two sides. I give the Chiefs the edge at the top as they have an incredibly deep squad, and the Crusaders may find it difficult without Dan Carter for most of the season (though they always seem to find a way to win). I see both the Blues and the Hurricanes as potential playoffs contenders, however I see both as potential wooden-spooners in the NZ conference too. The Hurricanes should be very competitive as long as they manage to keep their key players on the park. They don't have a lot of depth in key positions - if one of Perenara, Barrett or Conrad Smith gets injured they could be in for a very long season (though Marty Banks may prove to be a good backup for Barrett). The Blues have plenty of talent, but then again so did the Highlanders last season! The question is whether they have the chemistry as a team, and whether some of their senior All Blacks (e.g. Nonu and Woodcock) decide to actually try in Super Rugby this season. On paper the Highlanders are by far the worst of the NZ sides, but I would actually be surprised if the get last in the NZ conferance this season. They have enough talent scattered through the squad to cause the odd upset, and given the lack of superstars (hopefully) Joseph should revert back to the game-plan that was relatively successful when he originally took over. The Highlanders aren't really playoff contenders, but I suspect they will finish around 9th/10th, ahead of either the Blues or the Hurricanes.
