S14 Predictions

[steiner]

Some interesting opinions there RugbyRat. I didn't see the match and am definitely appreciative of your input. Geez I hope we're not at the point where people get accused of trolling, or even fishing, just because their opinions are a bit controversial!

This is the most interesting match of the round for me, a sharp contrast in playing styles, hard to pick a winner. Force will have jetlag to contend with but have a number of small, quick-stepping players who can worry the bigger Blues players in defence. At altitude a lot will depend on how the Giteau kicking game goes as well.

 

[Rugby Rat]

Pressure on now with the Tahs winning.

 

[Rugby Rat]

Ok, ok, enough of the fun. RR is a massive troller. His team isn't the Reds. Or the Highlanders. Or the Force. He's just after a reaction...

My team is the Reds and no I wasn't fishing. I hope the Bulls get rolled and the Tahs make the 4.
Also I would ask anyone to watch the whole Chiefs/ Bulls game and tell me if I was wrong. Lots of blatent indiscretions by the Bulls. Watch them pull back as the scrum is about to pack. lol
Watch the forward pass. Watch the lineout "interferance" call. and many other viewing pleasures. Watch the bullet line out( unpenalised) throw a 1/2 metre off the middle to the Bull's advantage. Not that the Bulls were not kicking the Chief's lineout. That is what is so funny. Particularly the Chief's winning one against the throw ( Poor throw) only have the Bulls and Bull's ref have a cry and penalise Messum for winning the ball.
Pffttt...

Can someone please translate.

The Bulls lineout is very good.

 

[Lindommer]

So we now have one team in the semis, the Canes, with eight others scrapping for three spots. The pressure's on the Force tonight: if they slip, they're stuffed. If they win, together with the Chiefs and Sharks, the table could be:

39 Canes
36 Tribe
35 Guppies
33 Brutes
32 Tahs
32 Saders
32 Ponies
32 Farce
31 Blues

How important are bonus points? And points differential?

Carn the Farce!

 

[barbarian]

Just looking back over this thread. Makes for interesting reading, no-one got close. My favourite is this effort from whisperer, picking his top 9 before the season began, and managing to miss the teams that came 1st and 2nd. Top effort.

Stormers
Hurricanes
Crusaders - I think will find life difficult without Carter there every game
Brumbies
Blues
Waratahs
Sharks
Force - I want them to be in the top 6 but I can't see it
Reds - to look good but struggle to go better than 9

The rest is a lottery

The most accurate post probably belongs to Ash with this effort:

Hmmm, I see a slightly different order to Scarfy, but I think any Aus side will struggle to make the semis. Total to give my asshole - er, opinion...

1. Tahs (5th) - weak tight 5 depth as has been said many times, and bit lacking of height at the lineout. No replacement of talent. That backrow for the first game really does not inspire any confidence. Despite all that they should have an improvement in the backs. To finish just outside the 4 but just ahead of the...

2. Brumbies (6th) - Friend made a lot of the right noises, but then picks such a curious looking first team and Hoiles as captain. Hope he proves that he knows more than us. Big problem for the Brumbies is still inexperience in key areas, especially the halves.

3. Force (8th/9th) - to finish a few positions below the Brumbies, languishing in mid-table mediocrity. Brilliant backline and back row let down by a pussycat tight 5 and woeful set peices, and constant struggle to overcome controversy. But they still finish above the...

4. Reds (11th/12th) - ah, the poor Reds. No more Latham, Moore and Croft, the three losses that really hurt. At least they replaced Croft, the others were practically irreplacable. Plus Horwill being out for half the season, plus the usual big injury toll - just earlier this year. They will finish higher than the Lions and Cheetahs, and will fight it out for 11th with the Highlanders.

But then he pulls out this absolute gem of a paragraph:

Chiefs (weak tight 5) and Bulls (watch for a Morne Steyn brain dead kicking game) will languish towards the bottom of the table, just above the Highlanders and Reds.

So with that he loses his "TYS Nostradamus" tag. So close.

 

[Biffo]

1. Brumbies
2. Sharks
3. Blues
4. Waratahs

Not much of a performance.

My brag is that I did get 3 of my 4 in the top 6.

My excuse (for the Blues) is that effing Nucifora :lmao:

 

[Ash]

So with that he loses his "TYS Nostradamus" tag. So close.

But better than everyone else still, right?

I can feel those straws slipping through my fingers...