Category: Super 15

News and discussion about the Super 15

Tough one to call! Even though the Waratahs have a 0/11 win record against the Crusaders, they are at home and currently the form team.

02/08 11:40 Final Waratahs v Crusaders (Sydney)

Predictions
Rob (Ou Grote): Waratahs by 1
James (Ou Grote): Crusaders by 3
Sportingbet: Waratahs
Bet.coza: Waratahs
Sportsbet: Waratahs
Simon Borchardt: Crusaders by 8
Mark Salter: Crusaders by 10
Jon Cardinelli: Crusaders by 5
Mark Keohane: Waratahs by 8
Brenton Chelin: Waratahs by 7

The teams progressing to the playoffs are the Waratahs, Crusaders, Sharks, Brumbies, Chiefs and Highlanders.

Blues 08 – 11 Chiefs
Brumbies 47 – 25 Force
Bulls 40 – 07 Rebels
Crusaders 34 – 08 Highlanders
Reds 03 – 34 Waratahs
Lions 60 – 25 Cheetahs
Stormers 10 – 34 Sharks

Next week’s games (Saturday 19 July)

11:40 Brumbies vs Chiefs (Canberra)
17:05 Sharks vs Highlanders (Durban)

Going into the final round of the 2014 Super 15, the table looks like this:

Probable finalists:

01. Waratahs 53
02. Crusaders 46
03. Sharks 46

Possible finalists:

04. Highlanders 42
05. Hurricanes (Season finished) 41
06. Brumbies 40

Potential finalists:

07. Force 40
08. Chiefs 40
09. Blues 36

No-hopers:

10. Bulls 33
11. Stormers 32
12. Reds 28
13. Lions 26
14. Cheetahs 24
15. Rebels 21

The only South African team in the finals will be the Sharks. This season has been one of the worst showings by the South African teams, with all the rest of the sides finishing lower than tenth.

The Waratahs will finish top of the overall table. The Sharks lost their chance at the top spot with their loss to the Cheetahs on Saturday – a big blow to their title aspirations.

The result of the Crusaders vs Highlanders match will decide the winner of the New Zealand conference. This will give the Sharks an indication of what they need to do to hopefully finish second overall (they are currently third).

If the Crusaders lose, the Sharks will simply have to beat the Stormers at Newlands to secure a home semi-final.

If the Crusaders win with a bonus-point, the Sharks will have to beat the Stormers with a bonus-point, plus win by a bigger margin than the Crusaders over the Highlanders (by at least 9 points more to be exact).

It looks like an uphill battle for the Sharks to secure a home semi-final given the recent form of the Stormers and the predicted wet conditions at Newlands on Saturday. Plus the Crusaders should beat the Highlanders well, especially since Dan Carter and Kieran Reid are back for Canterbury.

Predictions for Round 19