Super Rugby Playoff Scope

After watching Round 16 of Super Rugby it is clear that the depth of the Kiwi sides is unrivalled worldwide. In a weekend that saw all of Australia’s Super Rugby Franchises lose heavily to Kiwi sides, and the Stormers, one really wonders if more means better for the Aussies. Australia’s talent pool just isn’t deep enough to have five quality teams. Gone are the days of Super 12, when the tournament had quality sides and every game, other than Cheetah’s and Lions games were fought tooth and nail.

The Kiwi sides and the Lions, who might as well be a defacto Kiwi team, have entertained us all season long with their unstructured style. Off-loads, line breaks and intensity on defense has been their game and it is paying dividends big time. If it weren’t for the all “new and improved” format, the Kiwi sides would have all been in the playoffs.

If this past weekend is anything to go by, don’t the Australians have their work cut out for them before the rugby championship. The stats did not favour the Australians. The Brumbies lost to the Blues, the worst kiwi side, by 25 points!! The Crusaders run riot at Christchurch to register an astounding 13 tries and 85 points on the score board against the Rebels who at one point in the season were top of the Australian conference. The Waratah’s couldn’t get past the Hurricanes and the Force ensured the on again, off again Stomers flew home with maximum points from the tour to secure a home quarter final, probably against one of the Kiwi sides.

The Knockout stage is just around the corner and it is pretty clear at this point which 8 teams will be playing for glory. If it wasn’t for the strange format, we may have seen 5 Kiwi teams in the knockout stages.

The Lions, are sitting pretty atop Africa 2 conference, are unlikely to fall to the Jaguares next weekend if do not field a weakened squad. They may as well have booked themselves all playoff home games at this point, and are more than likely going to meet the Sharks in the quarters.

The Stormers sit the top of Africa 1 play the Kings in Round 17, a clash they will more likely than not bag the maximum 5 points, to book themselves a quarter berth with a one of the four Kiwi contenders.

The Brumbies and the Waratah’s will fight for the top seed of the Australian conference. Based on recent form, its unlikely the Waratah’s register a bonus point win away at Eden Park vs. the Blues, whereas the Brumbies have an easier home fixture vs. the Force who have been sub par at best all season, making the Brumbies the more likely Australian team to feature in the quarters.

The New Zealand conference is still up in arms. The Chief’s play the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr and the Crusaders clash with the Hurricanes in the last round. Should the Highlanders beat the Chiefs and Crusaders register a win in Christchurch, the Crusaders would be the top seed in the conference, and would meet the Hurricanes again in Christchurch in the Quarters. A loss for the Crusaders could see them slip all the way to 7th in the log, and would setup a quarter with the either the Chiefs, the Highlanders, or even the Hurricanes.

In the Quarters, anything goes, but my money would be on the Kiwi sides and the Lions, to setup a very interesting semi-final situation. For the finals, I don’t see how it wont be two Kiwi sides battling for the championship.