Underestimate them at your peril.

There was a common thread running through the three games I watched this weekend. Never underestimate your opponent.


Only the Blues managed to finish with a win after allowing the shambolic rebels to get within striking distance.


The Crusaders started an understrength side against a resurgent Highlanders team, a few key players were out through injury, but many were rested or came off the bench - too little too late, and they paid the ultimate price.


The Warratahs would have known they would have a contest on their hands against the form Australian side, the Reds, but may have relied on a 7 year winning streak to get them through, as they looked shocked when the final whistle blew with the Reds 4 points up.


Head clashes were again a feature this week, emphasising that players are going in too high, although with more and more players attempting to offload rather than take the ball to ground I reckon this will get worse before it gets better as defending sides try to shut this down, especially as Sonny Bill keeps breaking the advantage line and making headlines.


Owen Franks featured again this week, the head on the receiving end this time belonging to Tony Brown, but he got up and walked away - blood free. The same cannot be said for the 2 Highlanders who simultaneously went high on Sean Maitland. He broke through while the would-be tacklers headed off to the blood bin with claret streaming down their faces.


The Rebels v Blues game was the Danny Cipriani show, and not in a good way.


I've never heard a commentator repeatedly lay into a player as Justin Marshall did to the Melbounre first five. But he was right. They tried hiding him on the wing in defense - a great idea when the likes of Rene Ranger can, and did, run straight through him.


That was the first a a few costly defensive blunders by the former English international. Marshall said it best, "That's too easy Rebels, there's no question they're trying to hide him on the wing ... The next place is the changing room."


And again late in the game, with Cipriani lining up a tricky shot at goal  "He has not missed though, and hasn't looked like missing tonight," said fellow commentatorTony Johnson,  "Except tackles," quipped Justin Marshall.


The Blues didn't have it all their own way though. Steven Brett had an absolute clanger with the boot - Cipriani's goal kicking was at least on target, but he was scoring in 3s and giving away 5s.


The Blues took a page out of the soccer playbook and tried to set up a set piece using a wall - looked like a nice idea but they couldn't quiet pull it off.


Rebels prop Rodney Blake had some issues at scrum time, conceding multiple penalties which had Rod McQueen ringing the changes and switching Somerville to the other side of the scrum - handy having that versatility - which meant that he packed down against both All Black props, Tony Woodcock and Joe Afoa, in this 80 minute spell.


Things looked close in the last 10 minutes, but tries to Jarred Payne and the 'other' Braid (that would be Luke), wrapped it up.


The Crusaders took a big risk with the side they fielded against the highlanders. No Mcaw, Carter or Reid, and Williams, Maitland and Flynn on the bench. The issue was compounded by early injuries to Ellis and Thorn.


Things didn't go the highlanders way early on, Tony Brown pushed the kick off too far, captain Jamie Mcintosh conceded a penalty at the resulting scrum and Birquist slotted the first three points for the Crusaders.


Zac Guilford once again showed he has pace to burn, but Fruean had a quiet game without his usual partner in crime, SBW, in the midfield. The two never played together as, when Williams was injected off the bench, it was to replace Freuan.


The Highlanders did some fantastic, and - for a change - legal, work at the breakdown and push the Crusaders forwards off a number of mails securing great turn over ball. And Whitlock, George I think, it is a damn mission to keep track of all three on the field at once, conceded two very kickable penalties at breakdowns in the dying minutes to secure the Highlanders win.

The Reds v Warratahs was definitely a game of 2 halves.

All the Queenslanders points were courtesy of Quade Cooper, who had a good game with the boot and also scored their only try.

(He also ecided that anything Digby Ioane could do, he could do better with a showboating try celebraion which uincluded 2 backflips and must have made the conversion a little more challenging when taken on such shaky legs.)

The medicos were kept busy with Drew Mitchell stretchered off, an injury change to the ref, and Reds Ben daley meeting the pointy end of Warratah Ben Mowan's elbow - the stubborn prop actually tried to retake the field three times, but was told to sit back down.

The Reds scrum was in all sorts of trouble all night, but Genia somehow managed to consistently get good ball away from the back of the carnage.

The game was won in the 20 or so minutes late in the second half where the Warratahs practically set up camp in the Reds 22 but were unable to score.

Brilliant defence, brilliant discipline, brilliant result for the Reds.

Uninspired

Ok ok ok, I admit it .... I'm a bit late this week, mea culpa. 

The problem is I was left fairly uninspired by the three games I watched this weekend - Chiefs v Crusaders, Rebels v Highlanders and Brumbies v Force.

(Things might have been different if I'd seen the Blues v Warratahs - 31:17, or the Cheetahs v Hurricanes - 47:50, but I didn't .... So they aren't)

I should have guessed things weren't going to go my way. 

I was invited to go along to the Chiefs game by a couple of mates who'd bought their tickets weeks ago. "Just go to the Warehouse and get a ticket," she said.

Well, 4 store visits later (5 if you count the trip to the first shop where the ticket machine wasn't even connected ....) I still had no ticket. The bloody machine was continually out of order. "Oh that's strange," says helpful Warehouse staff member, "It was working a moment ago!" Grrrrrrrrr.

Finally after a phone call to Ticket Direct (very friendly staff by the way), I had my ticket - problem - it's allocated seating. 

So, faced with the prospect of having to get there about an hour early to get a park, then sit alone to watch matchstick men run around a strip of grass in the middle of a racetrack ... Oh yes, for the Baypark uninitiated I'll explain in a moment .... Where I couldn't see a thing, coupled with the remotest chance I might be anywhere near Hory BOP, I flagged and went out to watch it with mum and dad at a mate's place. 

Now, Baypark, I promised to elaborate.

In New Zealand, most of the grounds where rugby is played at Super 15 level are also cricket ovals, so you get kinda used to not being particularly close to the action (incidentally that's one of the things I love about Melbourne's AAMI Park).


But Baypark is in a league of it's own. When the Chiefs aren't playing their one game a season, or the Steamers aren't at home for the NPC, Baypark gets to do what it was built for - speedway.

Yip, it's actually a stock car race track. 

The strip of turf used as a rugby field is more commonly seen covered in the bashed up frames of demolition derby contestants and crashed out stock cars.

For big games, they cover part of the clay track with astro turf - anyone else see Sivivateu slip on it trying to tack a quick throw? But there's no disguising the safety fence, and while Football fans in Europe might have become accustomed to watching their team through wire mesh - it's not a evil usually endured by rugby fans.

Basically, it's a s#*£¥ place to watch rugby - even if it's a great game. This one wasn't.

Much anticipated head-to-heads, Ellis v Lenard and SBW v Tana, were delayed as Ellis and Tana started off the bench, but Flynn v Elliot played out - although I'm not sure there was a clear winner, and even the Chiefs faithful cheered the return of veteran Crusader and All Black captain Richie Mcaw (according to intensive media coverage last week he would have accepted his invite to the royal wedding if he'd still been on the injured list - his 'will not attend' made national headlines and was talkbacked to death - and yes I believe that qualifies as a word).

There were some big hits, Richard Kahui. Big rumbles, Cory Flynn and Liam Mesam and Owen Franks's head continued to do double duty as a wrecking ball, this time Tanireau Latimer on the receiving end. Big celebrations, Masanga and too many big names to mention. But I was left underwhelmed. I suppose it's not that surprising really - the Crusaders were back in their (slightly improved) grey strip.

The same could probably be said for the Rebels, I picked 'em, for the first time ever and .... in their first real game without Mortlock, it looked a bit like the rest of team forgot to come back after the bye.

Perhaps Kurtley Beale will be able to do something about the lackluster back line next season. 

The Force eeked out their first win on Australian soil, and that's about all there is to say about their game against the Brumbies.

Next week is my last week without IQ, and I'll try not to be late again.

Just not Cricket

I'm going to start things off this week with a bit of a rant - does anyone else think it's just a little bit wrong that the Highlanders take the field to 'Flower of Scotland'?

I couldn't quiet believe my ears when I twigged to what the pipers were playing in Invercargill last week, and since I missed the opening minutes of the match against the Brumbies, I watched the replay just to make sure I wasn't imagining things.

I wasn't.

The Cheetahs ran onto the park, the bag pipes fired up ... and out rang Scotland's national song as the southern men took the field.

Now I do get it, the folks from the deep south come from Scottish stock, and are justifiably proud of their kilted heritage ... the team's name and emblem say it all.

But I just can't say that the wholesale importation of a National team's identity is ok in super rugby. It's what the Scots sing at the world cup for Pete's sake.

God Save the Queen may be their national anthem, but Flower of Scotland and Land of our Fathers are synonymous with the Scottish and Welsh sides respectively and, although I am 100% sure that no offence is meant, I, personally, find it disrespectful for the Highlanders to have appropriated this particular song.

But, after the pipes, there was rugby .....

The Cheetahs gave the Blues a bit of a scare last week, when they looked dangerous with the ball in hand, but for the most part this week they seemed content to kick away whatever possession they managed to find themselves with. And they did it poorly. By the time they reverted to the game plan that worked - it was too late and they fell short by 3 points.

Now the Highlanders appear to be on a bit of a roll this season, and it's all on the back of some quality work at the breakdown ..... however .... the Highlander's forwards aren't as lilly white as their pasty arms and legs might suggest. Oh no my friends. There is something rotten in [the state of] Dunedin. There is a lot of dirty work going in the bottom of those rucks and it's starting to look a wee bit cynical.

The Highlanders aren't the only ones playing dirty, oh no siree.

The commentators claimed the 16 penalties conceded by the Hurricanes this round was the most in a super rugby match this season. It wasn't.  (see previous post: Last week, against the Bulls, the 'Canes gave away a whopping 22 penalties  - and the Bulls 19).

I'll admit I struggled with my pick for this round 8 clash with the Brumbies ...  I mean you had to chose a winner, between 2 sides which have been doleful. In the end, I jumped the wrong way - hey, no body's perfect, although when I saw them run on in the much maligned grey strip I think I knew it wasn't going to go my way.

This was do or die for both sides, but you wouldn't have known it from watching Nonu who calmly continued the habit of a lifetime refusing to retire behind the offside line - not that he got called for it as often as he should have.

It was a messy match, with charge downs and intercepts all over the park. The Brumbies scrum dominated an all All Black front row and the Canberra side ground out a one point win to - mathematically at least - keep their season alive.

Now, I only watched 3 matches, as at the rest were after midnight, well past my bedtime, on Saturday night, but the best of 'my' bunch was by far, the Crusaders v Bulls in Timaru.

This was a much anticipated match-up (even without Dan Carter) pitting the current champions against the undisputed king's of super rugby (well that's my considered and possibly biased opinion).

The bulls started out well in in the lineout, but this didn't last long as Chris Jack played out of his skin and absolutely took Matfield to school - it was fantastic :)

The Crusaders back line was again in fine form, with, the now usual, miracle offloads and stunning line breaks. There was also some good work going on at the breakdown - the pack just walked over Zane Kirschner after he took a high ball and collected Sean Maitland.

Uncharacteristically, it took Morne Steyn 37 minutes to take a shot at goal (an unsuccessful penalty attempt) and the bulls never managed to score. Crusaders 27, Bulls 0. 

Finally, the Rebels force a win on the road

Things were a bit different this week.

For one thing, I'm across the Tasman and away from my beloved IQ, which meant I had to get up at (what I deem to be) a horrendous time on Sunday morning to do things the old fashioned way and watch replays.

For another - I do have the Rugby Channel :) which means rugby anytime I like during the week including old and European games, and for a third - the Rebels finally strung together 2 in a row and claimed their first scalp on the road.

It was one for the record books either way in Perth: the Rebels had never won on the road, and the Force hadn't won at home all season. One of these had to change, and I'm quiet happy about the way things turned out.

Now, I obviously didn't watch the game in Melbourne, but I have it on good authority (he told me himself) that my usually calm and self-possessed boyfriend was yelling at the TV - usually my job - and getting all worked up about the close finish, apparently I've introduced a new of stress ....suck it up princess ....

I can quite understand the sentiment. It was a cracking finish to what started out like any other Rebels game on the road: 12 minutes in - 9 missed tackles, 2 tries conceded and no ball. It looked like the 'good' Rebels forgot to get on the team bus and stayed behind at AAMI Park.

But wait, what happened next? The Rebels scrum dominated, Danny Cipriani slotted a couple, Mark Gerrard got sin binned for a high tackle that wasn't, and the Rebels put together 26 - that's right, count 'em, 26 phases.

The Dr Jekyll Rebels were well and truly in control and put the Mr Hyde Rebels firmly back in their box. Now, if only we can convince them to start a game that way rather than hemorrhaging points in the first quarter.

Hugh Pyle's intercept try, his first in Super Rugby ('this is my try, there are many like it but this one is mine' - I can't help it, every time the commentators mention him my brain goes Full Metal Jacket) was against the run of play and helped lift the Rebels playing away from their vocal support-base.

Gerrard was in fine form - and retains his unbeaten streak in navy (or white), and Cipriani's cheeky cross field kick to Richard Kingi - while the Force camped out under the posts expecting him to kick the penalty - sublime.

The forwards put in another strong performance; notably Somerville, Lipman and Saffy, Nick Phipps had a blinder and Mortlock was all over the park in defence. The Rebels now head into the bye with confidence.

Elsewhere in Super-land:

The Highlanders dispatched the Brumbies in the deep south, with all their tries in Invercargill scored by the front row - Hooker Jason Rutledge scored a double, one on each wing.

Poor discipline should have kept the Brumbies in touch, but Matt Giteau had a shocking night with the boot - he had to score his first points like everyone else, going over the chalk.

The Highlanders competed strongly, and not always legally, at the breakdown and came away with the win.

The Chiefs couldn't take advantage of their best playing conditions in weeks as their handling let them down again in Sydney. Rod Kafer said the Chiefs weren't hungry on defense, I'm going one further to say that in the first half they looked down-right lazy with no one committed to the breakdown.

The Blues should have put up a much more convincing total over the Cheetahs in Whangarei. Fifteen minutes in my Dad asked how the Cheetahs were going and I had to say I couldn't tell - all I'd seen them do was tackle Blues players. The Blues had all the ball in the world, just didn't seem to be able to use it effectively, running all over the park, but struggling to break the advantage line.

They only just hung on as the Cheetahs finished with a strong last quarter (and had 2 tries properly disallowed).

The Hurricanes, oh the Hurricanes. They were back in yellow this week at McLean Park, but it didn't seem to help. The big boots of Morne Steyn and Fourie du Preez kept the Bulls out in front on territory and the score board. The South Africans had 2 penalties and a drop goal before Daniel Kirkpatrick even had his first shot at goal - which fell well short.

The Bulls didn't seem interested in crossing the try line, and the Hurricanes couldn't get near it until the 45th minute when Serge Lilo crashed over.

It was a messy game, and both sides gave away too many penalties, 41 penalties in all; 22 for the Hurricanes and 19 for the Bulls.