|
|
|
|
ADDED SATURDAY 26/04/2008 Friday 25/04/2008, and I better throw my tips up for the week. The last three weeks have gone to hell on the tipping front, especially last week with all the outsiders seemingly getting up. The Crusaders and the Blues this afternoon could be the first upset of Round 11, but I will stick with the Crusaders, but the Blues really need to win to get a promising season start back on the rails. I think the Brumbies will get the Lions later tonight in Canberra, I will tip the Chiefs over the Reds, but while being a very good side the Chiefs have been hot and cold in season 2008, and the Reds building some consistency and grit into their play. I am going to stick with the Waratahs over the Sharks, again the Waratahs have been building slowly, as much as I am not a Tuqiri fan, his last two weeks have been exceptional, and Kurtley Beale is starting to look comfortable for longer periods in the playmaker role. Rob Horne has been sensational at 13, and at 18 is a must keep for the code. He most certainly has the ability to be a Wallaby in season 2008, much like a couple of other young guys in 1989 did at about the same age, 18. Those guys of course Darling Downs products, Tim Horan and Jason Little. To round out the week, I will go with the Hurricanes over the Cheetahs, and the Stormers, who are finishing very strongly to give the Highlanders a bit of a touch up. Interesting on this Anzac day, a very important day in our history, I brought up in my house the thought of selecting an Anzac side, ie out of the Aussie and New Zealand sides in the Super 14. Mine went like this: 1. Woodcock, 2. Mealamu, 3. Tialata, 4. Sharpe, 5. Vickerman, 6. Collins, 7. McCaw, 8. Palu, 9. Leonard, 10. Carter, 11. Rokocoko, 12. Giteau, 13. Laulala, 14. Sivivatu, 15. Evans. After watching the Anzac day action, I would probably exclude Nick Evans from my side for Leon McDonald, Flavell would probably come in for Sharpe, and Geoerge Smitth would have to receive serious consideration after his game last night, he just is a complete package of a player. Tighthead prop is another interesting area but we will see how all the contenders play after today/tomorrow. Tuitivake too is a very special player, with some of the best feet in the business. The Blues vs Crusaders was I thought a very entertaining match up. The Blues threatened the Crusader machine on a number of occasions and could have been unlucky to lose in the end, with that Crusader try down the sideline definitely having a heel on the sideline. However, critical mistakes at critical times cost them possession and field position or both, restricting their ability to attack for long periods and build pressure. The Crusaders without a few key players are not the fully formidable outfit they once were, a few holes and a little less invincibility there now. An injury to the machine like Richie McCaw could see them in some serious trouble leading into the business end of the season. Game two of Friday night was one you hoped would end soon after about 20 minutes. It was just a fumble fest between the Lions and the Brumbies for about 60 minutes, with the Lions out pointing the Brumbies for most of that period. Enter the Brumbies reserves, Hoiles and Kimlin being the principal sparks and the Brumbies found enough gas and were able to actually hole the pill long enough to score a match winning try. Best for the Brumbies I thought were Gerrard and Smith (George) in what was a tough game to watch. I do like this Peter Kimlin, but need to see him with more game time to really assess the situation, but he seems to break the line on every carry, and have a good offload. Well more to follow later, but could this be the Waratahs year, gun front runners faltering ever so slightly, with the Waratahs (my new best friends by the way) building an ever stronger season, on the back of sacking their coach. Isn't it interesting that that has backfired on them really badly, with most top level coaches not wanting to put the knife in to Ewen and so not applying for the job, like Louden (off to Japan), Fisher (nobody knows yet), Johnson (off to America). It seems like a very difficult organization to work for. Sunday 27.04.2008. Again I thought we saw a gallant Reds side last night, last year they would have folded up and gone to water and have been beaten by 60. Last night they dug in, fought back and coupled with the Chiefs produced a great game of footy. I am extremely impressed with the maturing, seemingly overnight of James Horwill, I was really critical of his continual penalty giveaways for stupid things, last night he was magnificent at the set piece and with ball in hand, also spoke well after the match, so well done to him. The Reds are coming, make no mistake about that, there is a nice culture seemingly building and they are not too far from joining the front of the table again. Plenty of mistakes last night, for sure, but what a great game, and really quite close with so much grit and fight from the Reds. When rugby is played like that, Rugby League is unable to compete as a spectacle, even many League enthusiasts tell me that. The Tahs vs Sharks game was no doubt a little less entertaining but no less intense, and the Waratahs backed a great defensive effort with a blitz of tries in half 2 to run away from those Sharks. My new best friends are now firmly entrenched at the top end of the table, will this be their year? We did learn last night that gun rookie Robbie Horne is not only a good defender, and a glitzy ball carrier, but he can take some punishment, copped a couple of wickedly big hits and carried on. Watch the rise and rise of this kid, he is certainly going places and seemigly very quickly. Without going back and re reading what I write, I think I got 100% this week on the tips, getting my season back on track as well!!
|
|
WE DON'T STOP PLAYING BECAUSE WE GROW OLD, WE GROW OLD BECAUSE WE STOP PLAYING. |
