SUPER 14,  2008

ADDED TUESDAY 12/02/2008

OK,  not much going on that really excites me rugby wise,  in fact Aussie rugby looks to be dead in the water.  The best thing I can see in Aussie rugby at the moment is Timana Tahu,  true story.  Look for him to redefine the role of a rugby outside back if someone will give him the ball in this code that has become just so boring,  and definitely in defence,  this boy can hit,  and takes no prisoners.

In fact NSW are the only Aussie side I will tip to win in the first round,  but in a very close one in Sydney town.  NSW would be the only side from Aus that I would pay to watch in round one.

Expect Qld to get outmuscled at Suncorp,  John Roe said it all,  "we are only playing for 30 minutes",  that never has been good enough,  and never will be.  I was going to grab our corporate tickets and head down to the game,  but decided at this stage that it isn't even worth going with free tickets,  the Reds have some ticker to display before I will make the trip in 2008.  I am however looking forward to taking in the Melbourne Storm playing in Bris,  but that is another story.

The Force against the Sharks in Durban,  should be a cake walk for even the traditionally slow starting Sharks,  against a Force side again fighting misbehavior issues,  well in fact Henjak has allegedly punched a team mate in the face and broken his jaw,  pretty fair punch for a little bantam rooster,  love to know how that happened.  Just way too much up front muscle in the Sharks outfit for the Force as I see it.

A new look Brumbies should not trouble the Crusaders over there in NZ,  I see only a world of pain for the Brumbies.

In essence we (Aussie sides) are sending too many boys out to do the jobs of men,  boys that need to learn that failure is simply not an option and there is more glory in death on the battlefield than returning a loser.  Also to know the satisfaction of fighting to the death in the trenches beside your mates until the final blow is struck.

Do gooders,  court cases,  lawyers and parents have turned a game that is about a combination of skill,  violence and intimidation into a game that is about skill.  Unfortunately for Aus rugby,  other nations still employ a degree of violence and intimidation in what they do,  and they win.

Yep sure I hear everyone say,  the game has changed,  the world is different,  maybe it is and maybe it has.  I agree with John O'Neill,  except I don't believe the code will recover,  it is in terminal decline,  through a narrow development base,  and poor depth.

The tough guys are playing league,  and by the dozen,  expect the soft and weak underbelly of Aussie rugby to be exposed as early as week one of this Super 14.

In other games I will go with the Blues in a close one,  the Bulls in another display of sheer power,  and in a who cares fixture,  probably the Lions.

To finish with,  can I quote Matt Bubba Ryan on his definition of the perfect game of rugby.  It goes like this:

" A 30 man battle royale to the death,  no referees,  no touch judges,  last man standing wins."

Bring on the guts,  the blood and the glory people,  woops sorry,  we are playing rugby aren't we,  there will be none of that!

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