Alright, it’s 2.12pm, five coffees, a chicken korma and a bottle of V (there is another bottle of V and a Moro bar waiting as well). I think I can continue with some posting about rugby. (Have a scroll down to see my earlier post about the weekend’s activities too).

In terms of predictions, I obviously didn’t get things as correct as I did last week.

Crusaders V Hurricanes
Crusaders by more than 12. It pains me to say it but that’s how the stats stack it up.
ACTUAL RESULT: Crusaders 40, Hurricanes 20

Waratahs V Blues
The Blues can still (in theory) make the semis. But they won’t, Waratahs by 12+.
ACTUAL RESULT: Waratahs 25, Blues 20

Chiefs V Highlanders
The Chiefs are on a role and the Highlanders are not, having said that, I pick the Highlanders by less than 12. Crazy prediction of the week: both teams will come away with 4-try bonus points.
ACTUAL RESULT: Chiefs 31, Highlanders 8 (Crazy prediction was half right, which doesn’t count)

Reds V Brumbies
If the Brumbies win and get two bonus points in the process (which is impossible) they still have no hope in hell of reaching the semis Hahahahahahahaaaaa. Brumbies by 12+ (not that it will matter! Hahahahahaha). NOTE: This has been revised (with much less laughter) above.
ACTUAL RESULT:Brumbies 38, Reds 21

Bulls V Stormers
The Bulls will be keen as beans to win this one with maximum points. Given that I have predicted the Hurricanes losing, the Bulls can leapfrog them on the table with a win. The Bulls have scored more points and the Stormers have given up more. So I will say the Bulls by less than 12.
ACTUAL RESULT: Bulls 75, Stormers 14 I smell a rat here.

Cats V Sharks
The fight for the Wooden Spoon. I give victory to the Cats, considering the Sharks -179 points-differential. Wooden Spoon goes to the Sharks.
ACTUAL RESULT: 20 all draw

So who is in the finals?

The Waratahs have a big sigh of relief as they play the Bulls (they lost to both the Hurricanes and the Crusaders). The ‘Canes have to stay in Christchurch to play the Crusaders again.

Wait a minute (I hear you ask) how did the Bulls get ahead of the Hurricanes on the points table? Well (I explain) they have the same competition points and the Bulls beat the Hurricanes 21-12 in week four (the Bulls also have a better points-diff). But (you continue) the Hurricanes have won seven games? Silly, silly, silly (I reply) haven’t you learned yet? The super 12 isn’t about winning games, it’s about scoring tries. You can lose a game by six points and still come away with the same amount of points that you would with a draw.

This year (and maybe this has happened before, but I wasn’t taking any notice) the Super 12 has become a farce! The Super 12 is in a crisis but I have seen no one talking about it anywhere!

Of the top six teams four make it through to the finals. The other two teams in the top six this year have LOSING RECORDS. I don’t write things in capital letters for nothing. The Brumbies and Chiefs hold the 5th and 6th spots respectively. They both have five wins and six loses. In the 7th and 8th spots are the Blues and Highlanders who each have six wins (the Highlanders also have a draw under their belt).

Both of these teams should demand that the rules of the Super 12 change. Considering that we are going to the (already ludicrous) Super 14 next year I think this would be the best time to do it.

Ok. The next post will be what SANZAR should have done. Until then read this little article about EA Sports Rugby 2005. I bought this game second-hand the other day for $50. It is slow, hard to see what you are doing and you are constantly off-side (why the game doesn’t default you to the ruck after a tackle I’ll never know).