Heineken Cup Preview - Harlequins v Munster

Generically, the only way the 'new kid on the block' can prove themselves is by taking on the old grizzled veteran in a scrap and earning their respect – so long as they don't take a complete hiding.  The clubs in the English Premiership already hold Harlequins in the highest regard as they completed their resurgence under Conor O'Shea to dominate the league last season and defeat the grumpy old ex-champions, Leicester, at Twickenham, with a team of young whippersnappers to boot.  But have they earned the respect of their continental counterparts?  It's arguable that they haven't, having not challenged for honours yet or fully banished the memories of (sorry for the 'B' word) Bloodgate on the European stage.  To the average Frenchman or Irishman, who doesn't watch much of the English Premiership, he probably still views Harlequins as – to put it nicely – a bunch of Will Carlings (or was that worse?).  Of course, this is far from the truth – Quins now play a game that is the envy of their peers with breathtaking ambition, precision and power that not only wins matches but entertains as well, with the unflashy Chris Robshaw and Mike Brown leading the way.  But now they have to prove this on the big European stage.  And who better to do it against than one of the big daddies of European rugby – Munster.

Harlequins have been at the top of the English game, realistically, for the last year and a half, but they've suffered their first little hiccup under Conor O'Shea as the reigning Premiership champions suffered 3 league defeats on the bounce (although they did win the LV= Cup in between).  I don't think anyone believes the bubble has burst, but Quins fans will be praying that O'Shea hasn't let any self-doubt worm its way into the minds of his exciting young side.  The London side will be aware of their need to play their high tempo game and not get dragged into the kind of dog fight that the Munster pack might relish, and to do that they need to ensure that they have a solid platform in the set piece.  The selection of Rob Buchanan over Joe Gray is a surprising one, but the hooker's physicality will be important and, if he hits his lineouts, will prove to be a smart move.  But it is the back row with most important jobs – breaking the gainline and securing the kind of quick ball that makes Danny Care a nightmare to defend against.

Munster have qualified for the Heineken Cup quarter finals for the 14th time in 15 seasons as they look to continue their love affair with Europe's premier competition, but their joy here hasn't been matched by the same level of success on the domestic circuit, where they lie 11 points adrift of the play-off places in the obscurity of mid table.  The traditional Munster side has had a gargantuan pack fuelled with aggression, and minimal flair outside – unless you count the cultured boot of Ronan O'Gara.  But that's changed recently, with the pack losing a bit of its outright grunt, despite the return of Paul O'Connell, and the backline getting some genuine X-Factor in the shape of Simon Zebo to complement the power and directness of Casey Lualala and James Downey.  Ronan O'Gara may have looked about as solid as a damp twig during Ireland's Six Nations campaign but the veteran is still a big time player and he'll realise the need to get the ball to the likes of Zebo in space if Munster are to genuinely threaten the hosts – and it's up to the Munster pack to earn that front foot ball.

And so, on Sunday, the new kid on the block has a chance to show what they're made of.  And the old grizzled veteran can't wait to find out.

Harlequins Team News

English champions Harlequins welcome back England captain Chris Robshaw after he was rested for last weekend's defeat by Gloucester.  Quins, who have lost three games in a row, have Danny Care and Nick Evans in the 9-10 slots while England men Mike Brown and Joe Marler also start.

Starting Line up: Brown; Williams, Lowe, Casson, Monye; Evans, Care; Marler, Buchanan, Johnston, Kohn, Robson, Fa'asavalu, Robshaw, Easter.
Subs: Gray, Lambert, Collier, Matthews, Guest, Dickson, Botica, Hooper.

Key Player

Chris Robshaw.  The England and Harlequins captain had a superb Six Nations on a personal level, even in the defeat against Wales, but he did look tired and laboured by his standards on his club return against Saracens.  Hopefully the week off will have done him the world of good and he can get back to doing what he does best – everything.  Topping the carrying, tackling, offloading and turnover charts on a regular basis, if he performs like we know he can then he can simply outwork and outrun his opposition off the park.

 

Munster Team News

Two-time champions Munster welcome back Ireland wing Simon Zebo after injury.  Lock Paul O'Connell is another recent returnee from injury and will captain the side in Doug Howlett's absence.

Starting Line up: Jones; Hurley, Laulala, Downey, Zebo; O'Gara, Murray; Kilcoyne, Sherry, Botha; Ryan, O'Connell (capt); O'Mahony, O'Donnell, Coughlan.
Subs: Varley, Du Preez, Archer, O'Callaghan, Butler, Sheridan, Keatley, Dineen.

Key Player

Paul O'Connell.  He's been out so long that we seem to have forgotten that, on his day, he's one of the finest locks in Europe.  He's a veteran of 2 Lions tours and trying to get back enough fitness and form to force his way into the reckoning for a third, so he'll have that extra 1% of motivation on a personal level to push his beloved Munster into the semi-finals so he has another chance to showcase his abilities.  He will have identified the lineout as a potentially fragile area for the hosts and so he will be wanting to get stuck in to disrupt the Quins set piece as much as possible, starving them of a decent platform.

Key Battle

Danny Care v Conor Murray.  Two players with Lions squad ambitions will go head to head in a match up that may determine who gets the last spot on the plane, with Mike Phillips and Ben Youngs seemingly assured of a place.  Care is certainly the sharper operator around the fringes of the two, with his electric acceleration keeping the fringe defences honest, but Murray seems to have the better service and game-management.  The key will be who has the best day at the office in getting their dangerous outside backs good, clean, front foot ball, so both 9s will have to be on top of their game on Sunday.

Prediction

Quins are going through a bit of a sticky patch in the Premiership at the moment but Munster aren't exactly setting the world alight either.  The Irish province have a fantastic European pedigree but I feel that the Stoop is a tough place to win and this Harlequins side just has too much class in their ranks.  Quins by 8.

Heineken Cup Preview - Saracens v Ulster

Saracens have been in the news again this week for bringing live wolves into a talk on defensive duties given by defence coach Paul Gustard.  The idea was to lend character to the idea that Sarries must adopt the same mentality as a pack of the wild canine;  working together, relentlessly pursuing, never easing up (marking territory on a frequent basis was left out).  I personally quite liked that touch, but there are a number of critics who rolled their eyes and complained about yet another publicity gimmick from the Fez Heads; one to be added to the well-broadcasted team-building excursions (with the Munich beer festival and a ski resort being recent destinations), rent-a-crowd allegations and those self-produced, ear-destroying 'songs' that get belted out at every opportunity at home games.

But there is nothing gimmicky about the way Sarries are going about their rugby at the moment.  Traditionally low on tries and entertainment, the London side have picked up their game with an injection of pace, tempo and invention, perhaps coinciding with their move to the 'perfect' pitch an Allianz Park.  Some of their displays – most notably against Leicester and Harlequins – have been so packed full of power and precision that it would provide a severe challenge to any of Europe's finest, with Mako Vunipola bullocking over defenders and Owen Farrell pulling the strings intelligently from fly half.  The Sarries game is based on momentum and, once they get quick ball, their big men can be very hard to stop.

Ulster will be well aware that they're entering the Wolves' lair when they arrive at Twickenham on Saturday – but it's not exactly like they lack teeth themselves.  In Craig Gilroy they have one of Europe's most elusive runners and Ruan Pienaar remains one of the game's canniest operators from scrum half, whilst their pack boasts such big, aggressive units as John Afoa, Chris Henry and Dan Tuohy.  If they can drag Sarries into a slow-ball arm-wrestle between the fatties, they will begin to frustrate the men in black and will be able to get their own fliers onto the front foot – and the hosts will not be keen to have the small but agile Ulster backline running at them whilst they're in retreat.

The wolf pack is ready, and the gimmicks are over.  Let the hunt begin.

 

Saracens Team News

England fly-half Owen Farrell moves to 10 with Charlie Hodgson on the bench as Saracens welcome last year's beaten finalists Ulster to Twickenham.  Brad Barritt and Schalk Brits both return for the English league leaders.

Starting Line up: Goode; Ashton, Tomkins, Barritt, Strettle; Farrell, Wigglesworth; Vunipola, Brits, Stevens, Borthwick, Hargreaves, Brown, Fraser, Joubert.

Subs: Smit, Gill, Du Plessis, Botha, Wray, De Kock, Hodgson, Wyles.

Key Player

Mako Vunipola.  The young prop whose face looks like it's made of old leather will have a stern test of his abilities when he comes face to face with the powerful John Afoa.  Vunipola's carrying of late has been nothing short of blockbusting and he will have to make sure that he wins the yardage battle against his equally mobile opponent, whilst anchoring the scrum effectively.  A difficult task but one he has already proven well capable of.

Ulster Team News

Ulster have made three expected changes to their starting line-up, with Ireland international Luke Marshall replacing Stuart Olding at inside centre after recovering from concussion.  New Zealander John Afoa returns at prop and Iain Henderson on the blind-side.  Fit-again winger Tommy Bowe is named among the replacements after a lengthy absence with a serious knee injury.

Starting Line up: Payne; Trimble, Cave, Marshall, Gilroy; Jackson, Pienaar; Court, Best, Afoa; Muller (capt), Tuohy; Henderson, Henry, Williams.

Subs: Herring, Black, Lutton, Diack, McComish, Marshall, Olding, Bowe.

Key Player

Paddy Jackson.  The young fly half acquitted himself pretty well in Ireland colours after a shakey start this Six Nations, but on Saturday he will be up against the much-vaunted 'wolves' of the Saracens defence, who will be looking to take every opportunity to make him panic and make a rash decision.  His coolness under pressure and ability to play a smart territorial game will be critical to Ulster's chances at Twickenham.

 

Key Battle

Schalk Brits v Rory Best.  The Saracens hooker is hitting the kind of form that made him such a threat for his first couple of seasons in the Premiership, using footwork Jason Robinson would be proud of and running a lineout with the best win-percentage in Europe.  Best, meanwhile, has been off his game throwing-wise and Ulster have a record of only 74% in the lineout department this Heineken Cup, and if the Irish province are to gain any sort of foothold in this game then they need make sure their set-piece is up to scratch. 

 

Prediction

Schalk Brits v Rory Best.  Ulster picked up a great away win against Leinster last weekend and will be full of confidence, but Saracens are in fantastic form themselves and have 'home' advantage.  They'll have to get used to playing on a normal pitch again after looking so sharp on their artificial turf, but that won't bother the Premiership leaders and I think they'll pip a bruising encounter.  Sarries by 5.

Heineken Cup Preview - Clermont Auvergne v Montpellier

It hasn't been the happiest couple of months for French rugby.  Billed as pre-tournament favourites prior to the start of the Six Nations, Les Bleus slumped to defeat after depressing defeat, earning themselves the wooden spoon and only saving face with an unconvincing win in their final fixture against Scotland.  They weren't helped, of course, by Philippe Saint Andre displaying all the rugby nous of a hollow watermelon when it came to team selection, but it was still so difficult to see how a side so stuffed-full of talent could perform so badly.  And what makes it all the more mystifying is the fact that, arguably, the French club sides are the strongest they've been for years.

Clermont seem to have been the best-team-never-to-win-the-European-Cup for the last 3 years, with some serious talent and experience dotted around their team.  Sitting comfortably in second spot, the French champions of 2010 seem to have a knack of utterly dominating teams without looking like they are even trying.  After a dominant group stage, where they ended with 6 wins from 6 (4 of them very comfortable), they are the resounding favourites to go through to the semi-finals with their brand of "total rugby", executed by forward-led brutality and rapier-sharp back play.  However, Clermont haven't won the French title since 2010 and have never even made the final of the Heineken Cup – underneath that flash, confident exterior, there must be a genuine concern that the French giants struggle to produce the goods where necessary.

Montpellier, meanwhile, are the relative 'new boys' when it comes to the French elite in the domestic leagues, setting the League alight in the 2010/11 season before falling at the last hurdle in the playoff final against Toulouse.  They're sitting comfortably in the playoff spots at the moment, but haven't managed to find any consistency and, with this being just their second European campaign, they are pretty wet behind the ears when it comes to Heineken Cup pedigree.  That said, they have a powerful pack that loves confrontation and a smart fly half in Francois Trinh Duc who can cause any side a headache on his day, as well as fair amount of fleet-footedness in the backline, with Lucas Amorosino in particular capable of unlocking even the stingiest of defences.  They may be underdogs, but you can bet Montpellier won't be leaving anything on the field on Saturday.

The national side may not be at the heart of the country's pride at the moment, but these 2 clubs have plenty of Gallic flair and honour to unleash at Stade Marcel Michelin.  Clermont may be favourites but, then again, the French haven't exactly been sticking to the script lately, have they?

Clermont Auvergne Team News

Clermont will be without their points-machine Brock James, who is ruled out with a torn thigh muscle, so Ludovic Radosavljevic will deputise, with former France fly-half David Skrela on the bench.

Starting Line up:  Lee Byrne; Sitiveni Sivivatu, Aurelien Rougerie, Wesley Fofana, Napolioni Nalaga; Ludovic Radosavljevic, Morgan Parra; Thomas Domingo, Benjamin Kayser, Davit Zirakashvili; Jamie Cudmore, Nathan Hines; Gerhard Vosloo, Julien Bardy, Julien Bonnaire.

Subs:  Ti'l Paulo, Vincent Debaty, Daniel Kotze, Julien Pierre, Alexandre Lapandry, David Skrela, Regan King, Jean-Marcellin Buttin.

Key Player

Wesley Fofana.  Arguably the most gifted runner in Europe, the French centre has a Houdini-like ability to wriggle through gaps that simply aren't there.  He's Clermont's chief attacking weapon with a nose for an opportunity and the pace and footwork to exploit it – the fact he was shunted out to the wing for his country was just another sign of Philippe Saint-Andre losing his marbles.  How often Clermont can get the ball into his hands may play a big part in the outcome of the game.

Montpellier Team News

Scotland's back-row Johnnie Beattie looked to be returning to his best form towards the end of the Six Nations campaign, but he will only make an appearance from the bench as Alex Tulou is preferred.

Starting Line up: Lucas Amorosino; Timoci Nagusa, Thomas Combezou, Santiago Fernandez, Yohann Artru; Francois Trinh-Duc, Benoit Paillaugue; Yvan Watremez, Agustin Creevy, Maximiliano Bustos, Mamuka Gorgodze, Thibaut Privat, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Alexandre Bias, Alex Tulou.

Subs: Rassie van Vuuren, Nahuel Lobo, Barry Fa'amausili, Mickael Demarco, Johnnie Beattie, Eric Escande, Paul Bosch, Pierre Berard.

Key Player

Francois Trinh-Duc.  With the way Clermont are playing, there's every chance that the visitors may end up starved of possession – and so it is critically important that Trinh-Duc makes the most of whatever he gets.   Montpellier will be looking to their fly half to pin the hosts back whenever possible and silence the home crowd and, if any gaps do present themselves, pull the trigger quickly and effectively.

Key Battle

Jamie Cudmore v Mamuka Gorgodze.  Think physical – like two very angry rhinos crashing into each other – and double it, and that's probably about the level of intensity you can expect when these two collide on Saturday.  Of the two, Gorgodze is the more natural ball carrier, acting like a 1-man-pack at times, requiring at least 3 men to being the huge Georgian down – there's a reason that he's nicknamed Gorgodzilla.  Cudmore, though, has never been one to fringe away from confrontation, and he'll be relishing his job on Saturday to put down Montpellier's danger men before he can get the visitors onto the front foot.

Prediction

Montpellier are a thoroughly capable outfit but they would have to really pull the cat out of the bag to turnover Clermont at their fortress, the Stade Marcel Michelin.  The hosts looked so good in their group games and the worrying thing is that they still looked like they were coasting – and they've been in explosive form in the Top 14 too.  I can't see anything but a comfortable Clermont victory in this one.  Clermont by 12.

Post Six Nations Lions XV - Tighthead Prop

Rucked Over is getting rather excited about the end of this season.  European Cup finals, playoffs, and above all, Lions selection!  Today we take a look at who will be wearing the tent-sized number 3 shirt...

Tighthead Prop

The Lions are blessed in having two world-class operators in this department in Adam Jones and Dan Cole, with Jones demonstrating why he is viewed as one of the world’s finest set piece operators in the Six Nations and Cole showing off a flanker’s ability over the ball and a history of being a pain in the backside to the Australian scrum.  These 2 could really complement each others’ game in the Test squad, despite the stark contrast in appearances – with Jones having arguably the world’s hairiest head and Cole’s cranium resembling a well-weathered Ostrich egg. 

But behind these 2 there’s potentially a slightly worrying lack of depth.  Scotsman Euan Murray has the pedigree of touring with the Lions in 2009, but his set piece work and his tackling looked underpowered throughout the tournament, whilst Mike Ross has become one of the first names on the Irish teamsheet but struggles to have an impact away from the scrum.  A couple of other names have been bandied about as potential tourists, including Matt Stevens – the Saracens coach Mark McCall has been singing his praises – but unless the Lions fancy handing 9 points to the Aussies on a platter, it’s probably safe to assume the penalty machine will be staying put this summer.

So, without further ado, who’s heading down under with the Lions this summer?

TEST STARTER: ADAM JONES.  The great big Yeti produced a monumental second half to the Six Nations to throw himself right back into the drivers seat for a test spot this summer.  The big man saved his best display until last, demolishing the England scrum in Cardiff and helping lead Wales to a famous win, and he seems to have completely recovered from injuries and a loss of form earlier in the year, where he quite frankly did not look fit.  I still have my concerns on what else he offers around the park but, for now, he has got one hand on the number 3 jersey.

BENCHER:  DAN COLE.  The ‘Polar Bear’ has become the cornerstone of the English pack and, although he won’t want to relive the surprising struggles he and the pack went through in Cardiff, has become known for his powerful scrummaging and superb turnover work at the breakdown, where he is like an extra flanker.  Jones’ performances in the Six Nations have wrestled the starting position off him for now, but with plenty of rugby to go before the opening test match, Cole still has a shot at winning it back.  If the first test was tomorrow though, he’d have to settle for a spot on the bench.

DIRT TRACKER:  MIKE ROSS.  The big Leinsterman had an average Six Nations but he’s a reliable presence for his country and his province, and is the most likely of the contenders to do a solid job for the midweekers.  Hopefully he can rediscover some of the ‘bump’ that made him a powerful presence with the ball in hand last season, and he just edges out Murray, who had a poor Six Nations by his standards.

Who would get into your Lions squad as tighthead?

Super XV Big Match Preview - Sharks v Crusaders

When I was 18, I went on my first 'Lads' holiday to Dublin to watch a European Cup Quarter Final.  My father had also arranged to go with some of his mates on the same weekend.  Thankfully, our two groups managed to stay well clear of one other – I'd convinced myself that the reason for this was that my old man didn't want to embarrass me, but in reality I've come to realise he didn't want an acne-ridden adolescent and his chums slowing him down on what transpired to be a fairly intense pub crawl.  I say, fairly intense, I mean roughly 24 pints of Guinness in a single day (impressive).  When we returned home, and upon seeing my dad's stomach swollen up like a Guinness-filled water balloon, my mother hit the roof and reeled off just about every health implication imaginable that would be associated with drinking the average weekly intake of a small Irish village in a single day.  At this point, my father leapt onto the internet, printed off a fact sheet, and smugly announced that there were less calories in a pint of the black stuff than there were in a pint of 'healthy' freshly squeezed orange juice.  Yes, this was the moment I was introduced to the irrelevant statistic, and I've been a fan ever since.

The Sharks will certainly be hoping that their previous record against the Crusaders will be proven to be an irrelevant statistic post their match in Durban on Friday night.  The stat which is being reeled off to anyone who will listen is that out of the 16 matches played between these two sides, the Sharks have won just 2.  That's right, a win ratio of 12.5%.  They can try to console themselves that those 2 wins came in Durban, but even that is of little comfort when you consider that the Crusaders have won the other 4 played there, and in fact their last victory against the Kiwi side was way back in 2007.  No matter how much you try and ignore the statistics, they are pretty overwhelming.

But the stat that the visitors will be concerned about in the build up to the game is that so many of their experienced campaigners and star All-Blacks seem to be dropping out of the side due to injuries, sabbaticals (McCaw) or pesky new-born children (Carter).  The Crusaders are now without Corey Flynn, McCaw, Kieran Read, Carter and Israel Dagg (although he returns to the bench), but the absence of their international stars didn't seem to bother them against the Stormers last week, when a phenomenal rear-guard effort and strong performance in the set piece saw them snatch a superb 19 – 14 win.  Quite how much this bodies-on-the-line display will have taken out of the Crusaders may well be a key factor in this game.

The Sharks, meanwhile, have enjoyed a restful week off following their demolition of the Rebels the previous week.  The Crusaders, though, will be a far tougher nut to crack and their last outing against a top side – the Brumbies – ended in a humbling as they were blown away by the pace and precision of their inventive opposition.  That said, the Sharks still sit top of the South African conference with only one loss, despite several stuttering performances which may in part be due to a couple of their big runners – in the substantial shapes of Jean Deysel and Willem Alberts – suffering injuries.  They'll need to generate their momentum from somewhere if they are to end their awful run against the Crusaders on Friday.

But all these statistics are rendered pointless come Friday evening when the referee blows his whistle.  These 2 sides both know they have 80 minutes to smash into each other and change that one statistic that truly matters above all others – the one in bright lights on the scoreboard.

 

Sharks Team News

Sharks coach John Plumtree has made several changes to the side that thumped the Rebels a fortnight ago.  The only change to the Sharks pack that played the Rebels before their bye is Jannie du Plessis starting at tighthead prop and Wiehahn Herbst dropping down to the replacements bench with Ryan Kankowski.   In the backs winger Lwazi Mvovo's hand injury means that JP Pietersen moves across to his wing with Odwa Ndungane taking up the other wing, whilst captain Francois Steyn moves back to fullback with his spot in the centres being taken by Meyer Bosman.

Starting Line up:  Francois Steyn; Odwa Ndungane, Paul Jordaan, Meyer Bosman, JP Pietersen; Patrick Lambie, Cobus Reinach; Keegan Daniel (captain), Marcell Coetzee, Jacques Botes; Franco van der Merwe, Pieter-Steph du Toit; Jannie du Plessis, Kyle Cooper, Tendai Mtawarira.

Subs: Craig Burden, Wiehahn Herbst, Anton Bresler, Ryan Kankowski, Charl McLeod, Riaan Viljoen, Louis Ludik/S'bura Sithole.

Key Player

Patrick Lambie.  The baby-faced fly-half may look like he has just walked off the set of Sesame Street but he is a dangerous operator from 10 for the Sharks.  With the team yet to fully click this season, aside from their rout of the hapless Rebels, there's extra pressure on Lambie to bring his powerful runners into the match on the gainline and get the Sharks the go-forward that they desperately require to pose a threat.

Crusaders Team News

Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder makes four changes to the starting team that defeated the Stormers at Newlands.  Ben Funnell replaces the injured Corey Flynn at hooker, whilst Andy Ellis returns to half-back, with Willi Heinz moving to the bench. Zac Guildford moves to the left wing to replace Johnny McNicholl, who fractured his right fibula against the Stormers, with Adam Whitelock selected on the right wing.

Starting Line up: Tom Marshall; Adam Whitelock, Robbie Fruean, Ryan Crotty, Zac Guildford; Tyler Bleyendaal, Andy Ellis; Luke Whitelock, Matt Todd, George Whitelock (captain); Samuel Whitelock, Luke Romano; Owen Franks, Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett.

Subs: Codie Taylor, Joe Moody, Dominic Bird, Jordan Taufua, Willi Heinz, Telusa Veainu, Israel Dagg.

Key Player

Robbie Fruean.  The big centre has yet to fully hit his stride this season but the Sharks will know that, when he's on his game, he's a nightmare to defend against, with the speed, strength and footwork to break any line.  With so many of the Crusaders' stars out of action, Fruean will be relied on to provide the X-Factor to break down what is sure to be a stingy home defence.

 

Key Battle

Marcell Coetzee v Matt Todd.  The young Shark is the latest in a long line of ultra-physical flankers that the South Africans seem to reel off the production line on a frighteningly consistent basis, but he has more to his game than just aggression and brute force.  Quick around the park and sharp over the ball, Coetzee has made waves at both Super Rugby and International levels, and Matt Todd – filling in for Richie McCaw whilst the legendary All Black is off sipping cocktails in the sun (presumably) – will have to be at his best to shut down his influence.  The Canterbury man has impressed in McCaw's absence, scoring a key try last week, and if the Crusaders are to get the win he will have to be disruptive as an ADHD toddler on a sugar binge at the breakdown.

 

Prediction

You write the Crusaders off at your peril – as I realised after last week – and both sides look to be missing key individuals.  But despite the abysmal record the Sharks have against their opponents, I think that Durban is an incredibly tough place to win and I can see the Crusaders pack potentially struggling in this encounter.  Despite partially expecting to once again have my prediction embarrassed by the Kiwi outfit, I'm leaning towards a Sharks win.  Sharks by 6.

 

Let's see what else is happening this weekend in Super Rugby:

Blues v Highlanders:  It seems every week I expect the Highlanders to break their duck and every week I'm wrong.  That's not going to stop me having another go though, as the Blues have hit a sticky patch themselves lately, so I think we'll see a narrow away win.  Highlanders by 4.

Brumbies v Kings:  The Brumbies host the Kings in a home game which they should win comfortably, despite not looking quite as smooth as they have in previous weeks.  The Kings have surprised many with how competitive they've been, but I still expect a comfortable home win.  Brumbies by 20.

Hurricanes v Waratahs:  The Canes and the Tahs have both been pretty inconsistent this year, and on paper this one certainly looks close.  The Waratahs have hit a little bit of form of late but they've look a bit dodgy away from home, so I'm going to go for a narrow victory for the hosts.  Hurricanes by 5.

Force v Rebels:  This is an intriguing match between two of Aussie rugby's basement sides.  The Force, on paper, look shorn of star quality this year, despite some standout performances from Alfi Mafi, but the same can't be said of the Rebels, who just disintegrated on their tour of South Africa.  Despite their confidence being at an all-time low, I imagine that the relief of being back on Australian soil will be enough to banish the memories of a nightmare few weeks.  Rebels by 3.

Cheetahs v Stormers:  The Cheetahs really have been a surprise package so far this year and some of their rugby has been great to watch.  A fired up Stormers side, stung by criticism, may be too hot to handle however, and I can see the visitors grabbing the points this week.  Stormers by 7.

Super XV Big Match Review - Stormers 14 - 19 Crusaders

There seems to be a set script in rugby where, if you're winning by less than a score (say, 2 points), you can't simply maintain possession around your opponent's 22 metre line and stuff it up the jumper for a few minutes to calmly let the dying embers of the game fizzle out until the referee blows his whistle, handing you a hard-earned victory.  No, standard procedure is to hand the ball back to the opposition and allow them within 20 metres of your line whilst you frantically scramble across the pitch to keep them out by the skin of your teeth – a display which induces enhanced methane levels from supporters of both sides at the ground.

Not only do these finishes thicken the air somewhat, but they also provide brilliant entertainment – and that's exactly what we got in Cape Town on Sunday.  In a real Easter Egg of a game, we saw two sides who have been striving to get some consistency this campaign, with both the Stormers and the Crusaders having lost their first two fixtures before turning it around with consecutive victories.  I said in my preview that the symmetry between the sides was striking, and so it proved in a tight match – but the result fell a different way to which many (including myself) had predicted.

The visiting Crusaders were without 3 of their All Black lynchpins – Kieran Read, Dan Carter and Richie McCaw – with an absentee list that would comfortably form the spine of a World XV, but their set piece seemed to immune to such minor losses, with the New Zealand side's lineout snaffling no less than 3 of their opponents' in the opening 8 minutes.  Despite that, it was clear that the Stormers, roared on as ever by a vocal home support, were up for the battle.  Firstly, the pack forced a knock on which was picked up in an offside position, giving full back Joe Pietersen an early 3 points, before the hosts finally won a lineout and the continually impressive Siya Kolisi powered his way over the line.  Pietersen missed the conversion, but was on target 5 minutes later with another successful penalty attempt to give the home side a comfortable 11 – 0 lead. 

But the Crusaders' success is built on more than just talent – tenacity is at the fore of everything they do as well, and they came back with a ferocity and precision that took the Stormers by surprise.  Fullback Tom Marshall wriggled his way through the South African side's defence before the ball was recycled and a superb offload from Sam Whitelock was collected by flanker Matt Todd, who ploughed his way over for his side's opening score.  Tyler Bleyendaal converted, before knocking over 2 penalties to give the Crusaders a 13 – 11 halftime lead.

After the break, the game's pivotal moment came on 54 minutes after a scoreless opening to the second half, with a further example of the ridiculous mentality of classifying any tackle that involves the momentary lifting of a player as 'dangerous'.  Stormers' number 8 Duane Vermeulen picked up winger Zac Guilford about an inch off the ground, didn't tip him beyond 90 degrees, and yet not only was he penalised, he was shown a yellow card.  Bleyendaal wasn't overly concerned though – and why should he be – and the young fly half continued his composed performance with another penalty strike, before Pietersen responded with one for the hosts.  But it was the set piece that was to be the bane of the home side, with the scrum this time imploding under pressure from the Crusaders, yielding another 3 points to the boot of Bleyendaal.

Cue the standard frantic finish, with the Stormers throwing wave after wave of runners hard into the Crusaders defence which, led by captain George Whitelock, was utterly magnificent.  The Stormers' move broke down in the corner after fantastic scramble defence, and the New Zealand side could celebrate a famous victory.  For the home fans, however, this was a story which they won't be too keen to retell anytime soon.
 

What else happened across the Southern Hemisphere over the Easter weekend?

Highlanders 33 – 34 Reds:  The Reds picked up their first ever win in Otago and a bonus point on the way to condemning the Highlanders to their 5th straight defeat.  The home side scored tries through Elliot Dixon, Hosea Gear and Ma'a Nonu, but the Queensland side edged it thanks to scores from James Hanson, Liam Gill, Jake Schatz and Will Genia.

Cheetahs 34 – 16 Rebels:  The Cheetahs continued the Rebels' miserable tour of South Africa with a dominant second half performance to deliver a thumping 5 try victory.  The hosts had Hennie Daniller, Raymond Rhule, Willie Le Roux, Johann Sadie and Rayno Benjamin to thank for their scores, whilst the Rebels could only respond through a solitary try from replacement prop Caderyn Neville.

Brumbies 23 – 20 Bulls:  The Brumbies squeaked past the Bulls thanks to a last minute Christian Lealiifano kick from a controversial penalty.  The hosts had grabbed a try through Robbie Coleman before the visitors responded with efforts from Jurgen Visser and JJ Engelbrecht, but Lealiifano's boot, with the last kick of the game, secured a win for the ACT outfit.

Chiefs 23 – 16 Blues:  The Chiefs earned themselves a hard fought win over a stubborn Blues side on Saturday.  Ben Tameifuna and Richard Kahui both crossed for the conference-topping Kiwi side, with George Moala going over late on for the Blues to ensure a nervy finish for the Waikato side.

Hurricanes 46 – 30 Kings:  The Hurricanes were made to work hard for a big win against a resilient Southern Kings outfit.  The Canes got on the scoreboard through Ben May, Conrad Smith, TJ Perenara, Jeremy Thrush, Brad Shields and Alapati Leiua, with the visitors responding through Steven Sykes, Ronnie Cooke and Hannes Franklin.

Waratahs 23 – 19 Force:  The Waratahs battled their way to a hard fought win over a dogged Force side in Sydney, scoring a try through Wallaby utility back Adam Ashley Cooper (playing at 13 for the Tahs).  The Force grabbed a try of their own through the prolific Alfi Mafi, but ultimately came up just short.

Post Six Nations Lions XV - Hooker

The season is galloping towards a climax at a pace to match Gethin Jenkins in full flow, and that means that Lions selection isn't too far away.  With RuckedOver dealing with out loosehead props last week, today we turn our attention to those nuggetty aggressive sorts in the middle of the front row – the hookers.

Hooker

I still have this down as potentially a weakness for the Lions, with none of the candidates really impressing on a consistent basis.  Let's take the pre-tournament shoe-in, Rory Best, as an example – the Irishman started the tournament well against Wales but finished it with an ineffectual display against the Italians in which his lineout work demonstrated the same level of precision as a piñata-bashing-session at an 8-year-old's birthday party.  Richard Hibbard certainly impressed in the latter stages, but then again he was part of an increasingly dominant Welsh pack and, more specifically, between two titans of the front row in Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins, so it's hard to judge how effective he actually was as an individual since we didn't see any truly stand-out performances.

England's Tom Youngs looked very impressive in parts, with his carrying and defensive work particularly catching the eye, but he was part of a front row that was mauled in Cardiff and his 10 minute lineout-collapse (where he was otherwise solid) could have been very costly in Dublin against Ireland.  Dylan Hartley, the man who (six months ago) was most people's favourite to take the starting 2 shirt, barely got a look-in in a white shirt and, when he did, didn't do enough to suggest he can guarantee himself a spot on the plane.

It may sound like I'm being negative – but perhaps that's just because the two propping positions seem like areas of real strength and next to that, the hooker options feel a tad sparse.  Nevertheless, below are the gents I think should be touring come June time.

TEST STARTER:  RICHARD HIBBARD. He may look like an electrician from a low-budget 1980's adult flick, but the blonde bombshell is more than a little sparky.  He was part of a dominant front row and forward effort, and his lineout was pretty solid for the most part, but it is his aggressive mindset that really gets him the nod in my book.  His physicality in defence in particular will be a big asset to the Lions and, as long as he can stay injury free, I expect to see him start for the Lions in the number 2 shirt.

BENCHER:  TOM YOUNGS.  I said before the Six Nations that this was the easiest spot to call at hooker, and I stand by it.  Despite a couple of throwing wobbles against Ireland, he was mostly solid and his form for Leicester has been superb since, with his ball carrying being a particularly impressive aspect.  With his body shape a geometrically-perfect square and possessing explosive acceleration, Youngs is incredibly hard to put down  and he is the perfect Lions impact player should the men in red be desperate for front foot ball or just wanting to hammer home the advantage.

DIRT TRACKER:  RORY BEST.  I wasn't alone in having Best down as a starter before the 6 Nations but, along with the rest of the Irish pack, he didn't enjoy the finest couple of months.  I don't think he was awful by any means, but a couple of bad lineout wobbles showed he is just fallible as Youngs or Hibbard in this department and, in fact, his success percentage in the Heineken Cup is the lowest of the 3 at just 75%.  That said, he is still a proven first-rate player on his day, a strong performer in the scrum and around the park, and he will have opportunity to impress with Ulster in the Heineken Cup quarter final before selection time.   I can see him challenging for the starting shirt, but for now he just edges out Hartley, who has had a season plagued by injury and bans (not to mention he was taken to the cleaners by Leicester on Saturday), and Ross Ford, who put in a series of manful shifts for Scotland but lacked the real 'punch' his rivals possess.

Who would take your Lions hooker jersey?