We are only a few weeks away from the start of the 2009 rugby season. The Super 14 kicks off February 13 and many in South Africa will be wondering who out of their 5 franchises will be capable of going all the way this year and winning the Super 14. It is no secret that ever since Super Rugby has started, South African teams have not done as well as the New Zealanders or Australians. This year could be different as the Australasia teams are not looking that great, on paper that is, and the New Zealand teams loosing a lot of players to Europe. This may just be the perfect time for South African teams to start making a mark on Super Rugby.
But then again, the South African teams themselves are not offering much for many to get excited about with exception of maybe the Sharks and MAYBE the Stormers. I have my own belief about the Stormers; they always seems to start as favourites to make the playoffs but somehow they ALWAYS disappoint. Maybe times are changing for them now with Rassie at the helm. But my money, out of the South African teams, lies with the Sharks.
For starters they have a good squad of players. If a key player gets injured they seem to be able to reshuffle their team and still be formidable or they can call upon another play who can step up to the plate. And in John Plumtree, the Sharks have a good coach, capable of leading a team to great success.
If the Sharks play to their full potential this year and the likes of Beast, Bismarck, John Smit, Ruan, Frans and JP play to their best, I see no team in South Africa stopping them and not many from Australasia doing the same.
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5 comments
Guru says:
Jan 19, 2009
While I am not a Sharks fan myself, seeing an SA team being punted for top spot this early in the season only brings a smile to this SA Supporter’s face. Especially when the great Ron himself admits to it, it’s that much sweeter.
However, I feel that the Stormers will be much better than Ron suggests and I am actually more excited about the Stormers than the Sharks. I support neither team so I am a neutral as they get, I honestly believe the Stormers might just end up being the best placed SA side come week 14. I know that’s a bold call but let’s wait and see.
Ron says:
Jan 19, 2009
Guru, my money is certainly not on the Sharks to win the Super 14, I am saying out of the South Africans teams they stand the best chance but you will always have your Crusaders, Blues, Hurricanes and Brumbies who are favourites to win.
About the Stormers, i recall going to watch them on a cold Friday night last season at Newlands when they played the Crusaders. I felt sorry for all the Stormers fans that night as they not only got beaten by the Crusaders but they had to bare the brunt of the cold!! The Stormers will always disappoint and I think Stormers fans have now gotten used to that. They will look like world beaters one week and then the next they get beaten by the Reds!
Guru says:
Jan 20, 2009
That nay have been true in years gone by, but Johan Erasmus has certainly transformed the cape franchise. Let’s revisit this posting again in 3.5 months’ time, then we would be able to assess how accurate our predictions were.
Ron says:
Jan 20, 2009
I recall reading not too long ago that Rassie wants the Stormers to play the same way the Boks played against England. Fair enough, if he gets them to play like that then he may provide a challenge to the Crusaders, Hurricanes and Blues but does he have the personnel at he disposal to play the kind of rugby he wants to introduce. Have great tactics is one thing but you need the players to execute and I feel that is where the Stormers may come short. They may have a couple of big names: your Schalk’s, de Villiers, Conrad, Mujati but that is not enough whereas the Sharks have bags of talent.
Ella says:
Jan 14, 2012
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