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14. Is it time to get rid of bonus points?
Okay can someone tell me how a team belted by over 30 points is worthy of a bonus point.
The Blues record hammering in South Africa was worthy of absolutely nothing but their (consolation) four tries meant they got the same result as the Crusaders who of course were beaten on the siren by a clutch Stirling Mortlock conversion.
But while we're at it, it could be argued also that being beaten by seven points or less and gaining a comfort point is even shoddier.
It's like getting a bronze medal at the Olympics!
No other sport employs loser points and it's high time SANZA booted them to the kerb.
13. Do the Sharks and Lions deserve an apology?
Last week in this column it was suggested that you would be crazy to get up to watch the Lions and Sharks at 6:15 on Sunday morning.
While at times it was a scrappy affair, the 95 metre special started by Rory Kockott and finished by a flying JP Pietersen was the try of the round and will feature in highlight reels for years to come.
So do they deserve an apology? Well maybe. But who really needs an apology are the thousands that tuned in last Friday night to a Sydney clash so ugly it made American Idol seem like a more viable option.
12. Is Warriors pre-season support really greater than the Hurricanes actual season support?
There was only one Super 14 game in New Zealand last weekend where 10,136 turned out at Westpac Stadium to watch the Hurricanes play the Highlanders last Friday.
Meanwhile, 18,000 fans watched the Warriors in a PRE-SEASON match against the Cowboys at North Harbour Stadium.
Without even discussing the pre-season factor, the biggest irony from this comparison is that the (supposed) sport-loving Wellington fans were dwarfed by the apathetic Aucklanders.
11. What is the quote of the week?
This little beauty comes from Blues coach Pat Lam after his side had been beaten by the Bulls by the rather large margin of 33 points.
"I'm pretty proud of the boys today," Lam said after the match. Hmmm imagine if they had won?
10. Were the Brumbies guilty of hyperbole?
Wow! Imagine if the Brumbies win the Super 14 championship!
Sure the Crusaders are the current champions and sure it was one hell of a finish but really, the over-the-top man-love after THAT Mortlock conversion gave hyperbole new meaning.
While not as pathetic as the England team's infamous lap of honour after drawing with the All Blacks at Twickenham it was still not even nearly worthy of high-five action with the crowd. Come on Canberra: it was only round two!
9. What position would Benji play?
While Benji Marshall's proposed move to Japanese rugby has fizzled out this week like a Michael Campbell comeback, it's still fun to pose what position the league standoff would be most successful at in rugby union.
While first five-eight (Dan's backup anyone?) seems like the obvious choice and the cynics would say chuck the no-tackler on the wing, from this desk, I would give him a crack at fullback.
He appeals as a broken-field runner and his injection into a backline would offer considerable spark. Maybe all fantasy for now but don't forget he's still a free agent at the end of the season.
8. Did the Blues raise the white flag?
The paternity leave of three keys players may be an unfortunate coincidence but the resting of your number one prop when you're playing one of the toughest forward packs in their own cauldron smacks of concession.
While he may not have made a difference, be under no illusions, Tony Woodcock should have been playing against the Bulls.
7. Who caught the eye in round two?
Toss up between two South African number eights: The Bulls
Pierre Spies and the Sharks Ryan Kankowski.
These two guys had blinders and it's amazing that they're not even guaranteed starters for the Springboks.
Both of them possess pace, power and presence. Spies especially is a freak, apparently this rangy bugle of muscle can run 100 metres in 11.0 seconds flat. To put that into perspective, that's as fast as Jonah Lomu was in his heyday!
Honourable mention must also go to the Highlanders young first five-eight Daniel Bowden.
In a losing side, he was one of the best players on the paddock and showed some real ability as a playmaker when taking the ball to the line. Nice coup for the Blues.
6. Who's Dan's back-up? (Part three)
This saga took a new enlightening twist this week with news that former All Black Luke McAlister is coming off his contract with his English club Sale.
No doubt Graham Henry and the NZRU will pushing hard to reclaim the services of the talented inside back but will they change the qualification rules without Luke playing any Super rugby beforehand?
Or before they are even posed with this potential problem, will Tana Umaga and his Toulon bigwigs steal McAlister from under their noses? Stay tuned.
5. What is the match of the round?
While most fans and pundits would trump for the Crusaders against the Hurricanes on Friday night, the Sharks visit to Hamilton on Saturday night is likely to confirm some early season suspicions.
If the Chiefs fail to fire again, their season is all but gone and if the Sharks start their road trip with a convincing win, their competition favouritism will be validated.
4. What is the real reason the South Africans won't play the Maori?
Okay while this isn't strictly Super 14 speak, one can still sniff a conspiracy in the air.
While the South African Rugby Union is cough, claming that they don't support the New Zealand Maori playing the Springboks on racial grounds, a little look through the history books has bought up a startling revelation.
The New Zealand Maori have a proud record and have beaten every nation they have played except for; you guessed it, South Africa.
Could it be that South Africa forever wants to be the only nation to keep a clean sheet against the Maori? The plot thickens.
3. What's the Super 14 greatest soap opera?
Well one hell of a week at rugby's final frontier. Matt Giteau has announced his departure back to Canberra town and he has inadvertently (or not) got half of his team-mates keen to follow suit.
And now the Australian newspaper has reported that World Cup winning coach Jake White is being hunted to replace poor Mitch.
Oh dear. Just another week in WA.
2. What's the burning rumour of the week?
It could be fact, it could be fiction but there have been murmurs that Warriors reject Michael Witt is being chased by the North Harbour Rugby Union.
But Luke McAlister's possible re-emergence in the New Zealand game may have redirected the Shore boys' interests, leaving Witt in no-mans land.
Ha how about Witt as Dan's back-up?
1. Are the Crusaders victims of grey-power?
The Crusaders brand spanking new away uniform is playing with grey-power and there is only ever one winner here.
The All Blacks of course infamously wore their grey number on that dark-grey Cardiff night and suffered the consequences while Sir Alex Ferguson once ordered his Manchester United players to change out of their grey strip at halftime after going down 3-0 to Southampton by the half.
Interestingly enough, the actual Christian flag used during the Crusade wars (1096-1271) was predominantly white, with a blue square and a red cross. No grey in sight.
Now that's a thought: a Crusaders uniform with a stroke of blue!
I can hear the sacrilege cries from here.
What are your burning questions? Feel free to comment
below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentHJM said on 2009-02-27 @ 15:51 NZDT: Report abusive post
If you want more punters to turn up, make the games more special and have less of them. Its an old cry, but a goody. The Warriors only play once a week. Makes watching them a once a week affair. S14 is on all weekend and can take up a fair bit of time, that and the endless amount of support shows around it. Maybe a little over the top and maybe people get over it. less games and maybe bigger crowds...that and winning. Just a suggestion.