RugbyRebels

canta_brian wrote:I thought for a few years it would be negative. Bad weather and cold etc. But then I thought if you can play in that you can play in anything, so good. But I guess we can't really know.

It's a big deterrent for fans. But -- as you allude to -- for players it fits into the Don Bradman philosophy of learning to bat with a cricket stump. After all, learning to play total rugby in a middle-of-the-night sleet storm, driven by a biting south-westerly whipping up air straight from the Antarctic, makes playing on mild British November with a spot of drizzle and tea something of an afternoon a jolly jaunt.

Whew, that was hard work. Highlanders hold on to win in Canberra 9-15. Bad conditions, lots of errors. Brumbies had nothing but a scrum, a maul and some resolute defence, but it was nearly enough as they laid seige to the Otago line in the last 10 minutes. Highlanders played rugby, but had a hard time breaking through. Didn't help themselves with some ropey handling, but it was pissing down and blowing a fair breeze, so to be expected I suppose.

Elliot Dixon had a stormer. No more Australian sides left.

Likely a re-match of last year's final in store for the semis then. I wouldn't be surprised if the outcome were the same either. So a dismal year in Super Rugby for the Aussies, with only one team in the quarters and none in the semis. Can one of the Saffa teams squeeze through? That's the million dollar question right now . . .

rowan wrote:Canterbury has won more titles than all of the non-NZ sides combined!!

Anyway, I'm tipping 3 out of 4 Kiwi victories this weekend. Somewhat absurdly, three of them will have to play away, with only the Canes getting home advantage. I think it'll be one of the South Island teams who slips up, possibly the Saders themselves.

Lions running riot. Looks like I'm a Chiefs win away from getting this right - though I'd prefer the Stormers

Canes v Chiefs, Lions v Landers for the semis then. I picked the right teams, just got confused over the draw