The new Super 14season, what are the expectations

[Gavin]

Hurricanes to win most of their matches, top the league at the end of the season, then lose to a more composed team in the semi or final. The Hurricanes in the Super14 are like New Zealand in the World Cup and Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup.

 

[bates]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Woldog @ Dec 11 2008, 09:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Reds will win all their games, only three points will be scored against them the entire season and that's because Matt Dunning will come on for that game and kick a field goal from 68 meters out.[/b]

I'll buy you a beer at teh end of the season if this is the case.

 

[Vambo]

It'd be great to see the mighty Reds actually win more games than they lose but I won't be holding my breath and will be watching more in hope as usual.

 

[jawmalawm24]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gavin @ Dec 12 2008, 12:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hurricanes to win most of their matches, top the league at the end of the season, then lose to a more composed team in the semi or final. The Hurricanes in the Super14 are like New Zealand in the World Cup and Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup.[/b]

Thats exactly how I feel both about the Hurricanes and Lions. Wellington are always up there but can never quite get it together in the big games.

 

[Flux]

Hurricanes to win it.

Say we are gonna win and we are gonna win! :bana:

 

[Steve-o]

Expect the Sharks to be very strong next season, they'll get a semi final spot atleast imo. But it's great that the Bulls and Stormers are right up there with the Sharks, very good for SA rugby.

 

[nik]

A lot of ABs in the Blues. They probably will have one of the best tight fives in the comp, they have some good backs. However they lack a good 1st 5, half back, openside flanker and no. 8 (i think Jerome Kaino might play there).

Hurricanes and Chiefs always have solid teams, but they need to be firing right from the word GO. Chiefs have a good back line but not too sure about their pack in the coming season. Hurricanes have talent, class and experience all over the park.

Crusaders will keep on winning I think. They still have McCaw, and they have more than capable replacements at 1st 5. Watch out for Colin Slade. After all Canterbury did win the AirNZ cup.

Highlanders will be an interesting team to watch. I think they will play their rugby like the Hawkes Bay do with Peter Russell as assistant coach and Matt Berquist at pivot. Player to watch is Jayden Hayward(sp?) from the 'naki

 

[Flux]

If you look at the Hurricanes' forward pack, there's only 2 positions that can't be filled by All Blacks (blindside and lock), but those two positions will probably be filled by two promising players (Jeremy Thrush and Victor Vito). Sure, some of the players are fringe players, but everyone's talking about the Blues' forward pack when the Hurricanes' warrants a mention imo.

You've then got Piri Weepu at halfback, the All Blacks' first choice centre pairing, Hosea Gear and David Smith (or Zac Guildford) on the wings and Cory Jane at fullback. The only thing we're really lacking is a decent first five. Fingers crossed Willie Ripia is good enough to pull strings at first five or else we will be looking at another year of 'what ifs'. If not we could always push Weepu out to first five again and start Alby Mathewson.

That Wellington made the finals, Hawke's Bay made the semis and Taranaki made the quarters also bodes well imo.

 

[Fushitsusha]

A decision on Giteau's future should be made within the next week... http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/news/gi...9189758790.html

It appears to be not if, but rather when will Giteau be returning to the Brumbies... next year would be sweet, but I guess we can wait until 2010... :bravo:

The Brumbies would have no excuses not to make the finals with Andy Friend in charge and a team like this -

1. Alexander
2. Moore
3. Shepherdson
4. Kimlin
5. Chisholm
6. Chapman
7. Smith
8. Hoiles
9. Holmes
10. Giteau
11. Fainifo/Ashley-Cooper
12. Ashley-Cooper/ T Smith
13. Mortlock
14. Rathbone
15. Gerrard

 

[ChiefsFan]

Well, the Chiefs won't be short of talent... Their front row is lacking a bit, but that's partially due to all four of their best props not being in the team this year (two gone overseas, two injured).

de Malmanche, Elliot, Taumalolo, O'Neil, Lynn, Messam, Latimer, Lauaki, Leonard, Donald, Sivivatu, Bruce, Kahui, Masaga/Anesi, Muliaina.

I feel the need to state that that backline could well be the best in the tournament.

 

[DaKine]

Hard to say, a lot of new players being brought into many of the squads.

As SA teams my top 3 are:

1. Sharks (fantastic Currie Cup Win)
2. Stormers (they have the talent but need the wins)
3. Bulls (I hate them but Matfield is back I think)

Top 3 NZ are:

1. Blues (Like one of the previous posters suggested, they have a lot of AB players and Ali Williams is back).
2. Crusaders (They are without Deans and Carter but Richie is a team by himself, also, Thomas Waldrom is awesome).
3. Chiefs (The addition of Hika Elliot helps).

I left the Hurricanes out of the top 3 because I don't know if their flankers are good enough.

 

[cyRil]

Has anyone got pics of the new kits?
I've seen a part of the new Crusaders kit which looks predominantly black (?), and the full Chiefs kit (which I am delighted is disgusting compared to last seasons, seeing as I shelled out £50 for it in May!)

 

[DaKine]

You call them kits ey?

 

[cyRil]

What's with the 'angin grey away kits? :vomit:

 

[Flux]

Remind who got in the ABs end of year squad, Scott Waldrom or Latimer? The Hurricanes' loose forward trio will continue to be one of the best in the competition in my slightly biased opinion.

Got a close up look at the Crusaders' new kit recently, as my little cousin got it for Christmas (I don't know what's wrong with his Hurricanes one!) and it is mainly black. The back of the top is pretty much fully black.

 

[DaKine]

Indeed, but Jerry will be missed. Who do they have for Fly Half? I hope they don't use Piri, he doesn't look comfortable there.

 

[Flux]

You're right, take Jerry out of any team and he'll be missed. However, if Victor Vito can fulfill his potential in the 15 man game I'm not too worried. That's a big if though.

Flyhalf will presumably go to Willie Ripia. Personally, I don't think he's as good as some would like to think. Watching him play for Taranaki this season I don't think he did much to set the world alight. In saying that, he was playing behind a very average Taranaki forward pack and I thought that our backline was the best it had looked in years. Go figure. I'd like to think he was the reason our backline looked better this year and that with a better forward pack he'll do better. I suppose time will tell.

However, I think Jayden Hayward, who played at second five for Taranaki, will end up being a better player. He's actually a flyhalf, but I'm not sure if he wants to revert back there or stick to where he's made his name so to speak.

If the Hurricanes end up having to push Weepu to Flyhalf then we're in deep trouble. Like I said, if we had a decent flyhalf I think we could actually run away with the competition.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Im hoping the Stormers can atleast make the semis this year. Last year was heart breaking with that twat Earl Rose booting the ball out in the last seconds.

Im hoping the Lions can do better, they have much,much better depth. I read this morning, Pretorious is finally fully fit for the first time since super 14 2007. Fourie is back as is Willemse after his flop spell for Biarritz. Also Jannes Labuschange, a Springbok on that great day at Murrayfield in 2002 B) has came out of retirement. They have a decent basis to be a mid table side rather than the usual whipping boys which im afraid to say will be the Cheetahs and the Reds.

 

[Boggle]

I really do hope the Lions improve their game as well this year, they're too much of a good side to suck so much.
I mean what team goes and wins the Super 10 then from there on out simply finishes as shitty as they do.

96 = 10th
97 = 5th
98 = 12th
99 = 11th
00 = 4th
01 = 3rd
02 = 11th
03 = 12th
04 = 12th
05 = 11th
06 = 13th
07 = 12th
08 = 14th

that's got to be the worst out of all our teams, not including the Cheetahs (who have only been part of Super Rugby for 4 seasons)

I'm excited at the prospect of perhaps getting a semi this year with the Stormers, we played out of ours skin last year and I think deserved to get into a semi more than the sharks (who are a great side, but were simply going through the motions the entire tourny, then got their asses royally handed to them in the Semis)

also hoping for another great showing by the Sharks this year, none of that 2008 rubbish, I want the 2007 squad back, play it like you mean it boys.

so this year I'm expecting either the Sharks or the Stormers to get a semi spot, along with an Aussie team and 2 NZ teams like before, not entirely sure who though, the Saders should always be in their, but they've gone through a lot of changes in losing Deans and Carter, so I'm gonna go with the Blues and Hurricanes and probably the Warratahs or Brumbies for the Aus team.

 

[Fushitsusha]

The Waratahs have lost Vickerman and Elsom and that'll make a huge difference. They'll also be without Dunning for the season, and Kepu for most of the year.

I see the Force continue on their trend of starting the season strongly and then finishing outside the top 7.

I'd like to see the Reds improve again but they'll be without Horwill for a while, and they've lost Moore to the Brumbies. Expect Hugh McMeniman to get injured within the first few weeks.

Although I'm biased I'm predicting the Brumbies to finish the best out of the 4 Australian teams, and hopefully not finish 5th or 6th again. Getting Stephen Moore was a huge sclap, and the promotion of Kimlin and Alexander to the starting XV should improve the pack. And if Mortlock and Rathbone stay fit they'll have a pretty strong backline. Andy Friend and Owen Finegan have already made a big difference with the team, and hopefully they can elevate the Brumbies back to the level Canberrans expect from them.