ROUND TWO MIDWEEK

ROUND TWO FOR ME AND FOR YOU

Okay, so we’re midweek into round two and the action is hotting up.  This weekend the Chiefs run up against the so called ‘hapless’ Cats.  With rain lashing Joburg, it looks like the advantages of having a massive forward pack are starting to be come apparent to the Chiefs.  It’ll be interesting if the weather keeps up and the Chiefs play the Cats on a wet track.  Could be another tight loss for the Chiefs coming up…or will the Cats continue with their woeful form of recent seasons?  Read here for more.

Perhaps this could be a luckless season for the Blues too.  Poor old Ben Atiga has been in the wars injuring himself at the gym and being out for three weeks because of it.  An injury to the face what is more, and in that franchise, that seems to be the most important factor for the players at the moment.  Seems that he will be back in three weeks, but when heading off to the so called ‘House of Pain’ to take on the Highlanders this weekend, Auckland could’ve done with his services.  Read here for more on that.

Straight out of the history books, Leon McDonald reveals that he is something of a fan of former US President, Richard Nixon.  ‘I am not a crook’ declared Nixon just before resigning in the face of impeachment, and Leon’s rejoinder to that about his actions at the weekend sound equally plausible.  It was clearly a ‘cynical’ foul as the Australians are so found of dubbing this kind of behaviour, but let’s face it, a penalty try it should’ve been.  But, on this blog we don’t cry over spilt milk. Leon got away with it, and good on him.  But don’t blame anyone except the officials when we get this type of play in the game we love.  If you want an open flowing game, you have to reprimand teams that positively prevent players from scoring by breaking the rules.  Read more on that here.

The Hurricanes fresh from their ‘upset’ win against the Blues are nursing a few injuries.  One of the most up and down teams from New Zealand in the history if the Super 12, this franchise is hoping, no must have, a better season this year with all the effort they have put in to getting a decent forward pack in front of their awesome back line.  It is crucial for them to win this weekend against the newcomers, the Force in New Plymouth this weekend.  An injury to skipper Tana Umaga must cause concern amongst supporters of that team.  Read here for more.

However, Hurricanes supporters need not worry.  The Force have clearly reaped the benefits of John Mitchell’s experience with the All Blacks.  Fava, the best player by far for the Force in their opening match (and Australian representative in the Commonwelath Games sevens team) has been suspended for being pissed at training, or at least showing the signs of a hard night or weekend before he turned up by failing a breath test.  All the public relations jargon is being used on this with Fava ‘copping it on the chin’ and being very accepting of the decision.  Be that as it may, it still seems that his commitment is questionable, not to mention the discipline within the team as a whole.  This seems pretty foolish behaviour when they are headed to New Zealand to take on the Hurricanes and need every good player they can muster.  I’d say that the Hurricanes should be favourites for this game.  Read here for more on that.

The Brumbies are gearing up for their game against the Bulls this weekend and the coach is planning, yet again, to give Gregan’s understudy game time against what appears to be the best South African team this year.  This game should be a beauty with strong players in each team, and the promise of some stars in action on both sides.  Gregan must be wondering what more he has to do, and apparently some in Australia think the answer is ‘more running’.  Well, in response to that, the main job of a half back is to serve the back line, occasionally providing the opposition with cause to hesitate to guard against the quick dart.  True, that is lacking in his game, but his service is second to none.  I think it would be a mistake to take him off against the Bulls this weekend, blood the new guy on some weaker teams at home I say.  Read more about that here.

And last but not least, it appears that the South Africans again are focusing on the right issues to help them get back to competitiveness on the international scene.  I’ll be the first to admit that a kiss on the Rugby field is pretty unusual, well, during the game anyways, but really, questioning the sexuality of the players seem a little misdirected.  Read here for more.

Until next time, have a good week and I for one am looking forward to this weekend’s games.  Bring it on!