Super 14

[aussie1st]

We are less than 2 weeks away from the first ever Super 14. Two new teams in the Western Force and the Cheetahs come to join the other 12 teams from the super 12.

Heres hoping someone stops those Crusaders! I see potential in the Reds, the Waratahs backline looks even better this year and the Brumbies will always be there with their class wallabies.

Fixtures
Fixtures from http://www.planet-rugby.com/Tournaments/Super_12/Fixtures/index.shtml

Date Fixture KO GMT Venue Report 
[B]Week One [/B]
10 Feb  Blues v Hurricanes 19:35 06:35 Auckland - 
10 Feb  Force v Brumbies 19:05 11:05 Perth - 
10 Feb  Cheetahs v Bulls 19:10 17:10 Bloemfontein - 
11 Feb   Crusaders v Highlanders 19:35 06:35 Christchurch  - 
11 Feb  Reds v Waratahs 19:40 09:40 Brisbane  - 
11 Feb  Cats v Stormers  17:00 15:00 Jo'burg - 
11 Feb  Sharks v Chiefs 19:10 17:10 Durban - 
[B]Week Two [/B]
17 Feb  HIghlanders v Blues 19:35 06:35 Dunedin - 
17 Feb  Cats v Chiefs 18:00 16:00 Jo'burg - 
17 Feb Bulls v Brumbies 20:00 18:00 Pretoria - 
18 Feb Hurricanes v Force 19:35 06:35 New Plymouth - 
18 Feb Reds v Crusaders 19:00 09:00 Brisbane - 
18 Feb Sharks v Cheetahs 17:00 15:00 Durban - 
18 Feb Stormers v Waratahs 19:10 17:10 Cape Town - 
[B]Week Three [/B]
 24 Feb Hurricanes v Cats 19:35 06:35 Wellington - 
24 Feb  Force v Chiefs 19:05 11:05 Perth - 
24 Feb Stormers v Brumbies 19:10 17:10 Cape Town - 
25 Feb Crusaders v Sharks 17:30 04:30 Timaru - 
25 Feb Reds v Blues 19:35 09:35 Brisbane - 
25 Feb Bulls v Waratahs 17:00 15:00 Pretoria - 
25 Feb Cheetahs v Highlanders 19:10 17:10 Bloemfontein - 
[B]Week Four [/B]
 3 Mar Chiefs v Reds 19:35 06:35 Hamilton - 
3 Mar Brumbies v Cats 19:40 08:40 Canberra - 
4 Mar Waratahs v Sharks 15:30 04:30 Sydney - 
4 Mar Crusaders v Blues 19:35 06:35 Christchurch - 
4 Mar Stormers v Highlanders 17:00 15:00 Cape Town - 
4 Mar Cheetahs v Hurricanes 19:10 17:10 Bloemfontein - 
Byes - Force, Bulls 
[B]Week Five [/B]
 10 Mar Chiefs v Crusaders 19:35 06:35 Hamilton - 
10 Mar  Waratahs v Cats 19:40 08:40 Sydney - 
11 Mar  Brumbies v Sharks 19:00 08:00 Canberra - 
11 Mar Reds v Force 20:05 10:05 Brisbane - 
11 Mar Bulls v Highlanders 17:00 15:00 Pretoria - 
11 Mar Stormers v Hurricanes 19:10 17:10 Cape Town - 
Byes - Blues, Cheetahs 
[B]Week Six [/B]
17 Mar Crusaders v Cats 19:35 06:35 Christchurch - 
17 Mar  Force v Waratahs 19:00 11:00 Perth - 
17 Mar  Bulls v Hurricanes 19:10 17:10 Pretoria - 
18 Mar Blues v Brumbies 17:30 04:30 Auckland - 
18 Mar  Highlanders v Sharks 19:35 06:35 Dunedin - 
18 Mar Stormers v Cheetahs 17:00 15:00 Cape Town - 
Byes - Chiefs, Reds 
[B]Week Seven [/B]
24 Mar Hurricanes v Sharks 19:00 07:00 Wellington - 
24 Mar Waratahs v Blues 20:05 09:05 Sydney - 
24 Mar Cheetahs v Reds 19:10 17:10 Bloemfontein - 
25 Mar Brumbies v Chiefs 16:30 05:30 Canberra - 
25 Mar Highlanders v Cats 19:35 07:35 Invercargill - 
25 Mar Force v Bulls 20:05 12:05 Perth - 
Byes - Crusaders, Stormers 
[B]Week Eight [/B]
31 Mar Blues v Bulls 19:00 07:00 Auckland - 
31 Mar  Waratahs v Cheetahs 20:05 09:05 Sydney - 
31 Mar Force v Stormers 19:10 11:10 Perth - 
1 Apr Hurricanes v Crusaders 17:35 05:35 Wellington - 
1 Apr Chiefs v Highlanders 19:40 07:40 Hamilton - 
1 Apr 
 Sharks v Reds 17:00 15:00 Durban - 
Byes - Brumbies, Cats 
[B]Week Nine [/B]
7 Apr Crusaders v Waratahs 19:35 07:35 Christchurch - 
8 Apr Highlanders v Force 14:35 02:35 Dunedin - 
8 Apr Chiefs v Bulls 17:30 05:30 Hamilton - 
8 Apr Blues v Stormers 19:35 07:35 Auckland - 
8 Apr Brumbies v Cheetahs 19:40 09:40 Canberra - 
8 Apr Cats v Reds 17:00 15:00 Jo'burg - 
Byes - Hurricanes, Sharks 
[B]Week Ten [/B]
14 Apr  Blues v Force 19:35 07:35 Auckland - 
15 Apr  Crusaders v Cheetahs 17:30 05:30 Christchurch - 
15 Apr Chiefs v Stormers 19:35 07:35 Maunganui - 
15 Apr Reds v Bulls 19:40 09:40 Brisbane - 
15 Apr Cats v Sharks 17:0 15:00 Jo'burg - 
16 Apr Highlanders v Hurricanes 14:35 02:35 Dunedin - 
16 Apr Waratahs v Brumbies 19:40 09:40 Sydney - 
[B]Week Eleven [/B]
21 Apr  Chiefs v Cheetahs 19:35 07:35 Hamilton - 
21 Apr Reds v Stormers 19:40 09:40 Brisbane - 
21 Apr Force v Crusaders 19:40 11:40 Perth - 
22 Apr Brumbies v Hurricanes 19:40 09:40 Canberra - 
22 Apr Sharks v Blues 15:00 13:00 Durban - 
22 Apr Bulls v Cats 17:00 15:00 Pretoria - 
Byes - Highlanders, Waratahs 
[B]Week Twelve [/B]
28 Apr Highlanders v Waratahs 19:35 07:35 Dunedin - 
28 Apr Cats v Force 19:10 17:10 Jo'burg - 
29 Apr Hurricanes v Chiefs 19:35 07:35 Wellington - 
29 Apr Brumbies v Reds 19:40 09:40 Canberra - 
29 Apr Cheetahs v Blues 15:00 13:00 Bloemfontein - 
29 Apr Bulls v Sharks 17:00 15:00 Pretoria - 
29 Apr Stormers v Crusaders 19:10 17:10 Cape Town -

Fantasy games

Testrugby - Pick 12 players within the salary cap and hope they do well. Prizes include money for finish top each round and at the end of the comp.
A polo shirt personalised with division name and series name goes to the three top Division winners. These competitors must win their Division, their Division must have at least 20 active competitors, and the final criteria is overall position in the world.

Fantasy rugby - Pick 6 players within the salary cap and hope they do well. Prizes usually are polo shirts.

 

[IloveGilly]

O yes! Just a couple more days
The perfect time to play Rugby 2006!

 

[Stephen Bailey]

O yes! Just a couple more days
The perfect time to play Rugby 2006!

Speaking of which, comes out on Friday in the UK. Pre-ordered it on Play and I hope that they do their usual trick of delivering a day before official release!

 

[aussie1st]

Oh thats good to hear Stevie, you must give me a full review And don't go saying its the best game in the world if it's not just to get me to waste my money

 

[James219]

Will be a good tournament, atleast the Waratahs aren't wearing their initials

 

[aussie1st]

The two teams that were named have been quite interesting.
For the Tahs - Donnelly 10, Norton-Knight 15 and Will Caldwell 4. Rest is the same from last year final.
For the Brumbies - Adam Ashley-Cooper 15, Gerrard 11, Smith 8 and Julian Salvi 7.
I feel its a good move by the brumbies as Smith is no long getting turn overs like he was in his prime. Salvi sounds promising.

 

[James219]

Good win over the Bulls on Queensland soil for the Waratahs. 16-12.

 

[aussie1st]

They are called the reds, Bulls is cricket
All the hoodoos are broken for NSW vs Qld. It was quite a phyiscal encounter, lots of blood bins, crowd booing Sailor and the Sailor giving this to the crowd.

The Brumbies killed off any hope of a fairytale for the Force and the Bulls (SA team) killed off any fairytale for the the Cheetahs. Crusaders look the goods as always while the Hurricanes showed their class.

 

[James219]

Yep sorry stupid mistake.

 

[genghis_khan]

Force have injuries to key players...Lachlan McKay our starting five-eight is our for the season with a knee, Junior Pelesasa broke his ankle and centre Josh Graham ahs serious concussion

 

[aussie1st]

That really sucks, the Force looked good last week. That Dibby is class, I can see him being in the Wallabies as early as this year. The Force depth is starting to get tested at inside center. They will have to field a no name.

 

[James219]

Yeah unlucky for the Force, they needed a good start to the season with their best 15, in order for them to achieve some consistency.

 

[genghis_khan]

big game for the Force tomorrow night.
they take on the Chiefs at home who are also struggling, so theres no bigger opportunity to get a maiden win on the board.
Josh Graham is also set for an unexpected comeback.

go force.

 

[aussie1st]

The Force will be looking for their maiden wooden spoon the way they are going. They just can't hold onto the ball. I hope they fix this up.

The Reds were again unlucky to lose. At least this time they didn't fall away in the last 20.
Brumbies got a draw which pretty much reflected the match although the Stormers could have scored some tries if their handling was better.
The Waratahs lost but I missed the game so I can't comment. Looked to be a shocker from the Tahs.

 

[genghis_khan]

i have to say...Australian Rugby Union is extremely weak atm.

they have four teams and barely enough talented players to share around. Its never easy for ARU with AFL and NRL dominating the football scene, but i think more needs to be done otherwise we aint gonna win another WC for aloooooooong time.

i think its a miracle that the Brumbies and Tahs are as good as they are considering the state of rugby in this country.