"It's business, it's business time ...."

I know I'm supposed to be talking about the Quarter finals this week ... Is that what they're called? Can they be called Quarter finals when only 2 games were played? I'm still trying to get my head around this new format .... And I will, I just want to start with a couple of buts and pieces from my time away.

Apologies for late, and absent, blogs. Internet access in China was not as accessible as I had, perhaps foolishly, anticipated - this is a google blog after all. The Shanghai Shangrila was the first, and only time I had full access, and I think that was because they ran a VPN out of Hong Kong.

In an apparently misguided attempt to let you all know I was AWOL, AFR, I, naively, gave my password to the boyfriend and asked him to post 2 entries I'd written. I apologise for the fact that you got 3 ......

While unauthorised, I do however feel no small degree of pride in the wooden spoon post. Not bad for someone who watched his first game ever just three years ago, in a pub, to which he brought a newspaper. I feel a bit like Obi Wan, the force is strong in this one.
I have taught you well grasshopper.

Anyway, that is not to say I didn't actually manage to see the Rebels last game of 2011. I did, in an Irish pub, in Shanghai, and it turned out to be kiwi night! Very surreal. Tui, hoki poki, pav and lamb, it was all good ay.

But now, back to the games that matter. I'm proud to say I called em both, not that you'd know since I haven't been able to make my picks in three weeks .... But I did.

The Blues v Warratahs, I actually watched second. I was in the air while it was played and upon returning home opted for a nap before the Crusaders game.

So, while watching on Monday morning, I knew who won, but not the score.

Conditions weren't pretty at Eden Park which kept fans away and made for some tricky handling. The 15,000 who did show up certainly looked very small in the recently expanded 50,000 seat stadium.

It was scrappy rugby with crooked throwins, some shocking passes and abysmal kicks from both sides.

The Blues missed a lot of tackels, 11 to the Tahs 4 in the first half, and Brett missed 5 of 6 attempted during the match.

If the Blues were struggling a bit in defence, it was discipline letting down the Warratahs, who's bad luck with injury continued, including some 'friendly fire', a lock and a winger knocking heads while attempting to tackle a rampaging Joe Afoa storming down the wing in his 100th game for the Blues.

If they weren't 6 feet under already, the Ali Williams try was the nail in the Sydneysiders coffin and Phil Wagh ended his long career with the Tahs leaving the field in the 65th minute.

The Blues just never gave the Warratahs any ball in the second half. Putting on 16 unanswered points before Lachie Turner went over in the 74th minute, after Pat Lam rung in the changes and pretty much emptied the bench, including brining Daniel Braid back on the park for the first time in 14 weeks.

On to game number two.....

Before the 2 sides even ran onto the pitch, there were two things I was happy to see:
1, the Crusaders were playing in their 'proper' strip, and 2, it looked bloody cold in Nelson, the Sharks bench were sitting under duvets, not blankets, DUVETS (donnas for the Australians amongst us).

The Crusaders were first on the board, courtesy of a Willem Alberts infringement right in front of the sticks after 18 seconds. Yep, 18 seconds. The only change to the Sharks line up from the team that beat the Bulls was certainly making his presence felt. He 'redeemed' himself shortly afterwards crossing the line for the first try of the match and giving the boys from Durban the lead.

The Crusaders know how to play 'finals football' though, and the most successful team in super rugby history was always going to be tough to beat. Once Sonny Bill Williams went over, the Crusaders never lost the lead.

It wasn't all sunshine and lollipops though. The Sharks outmuscled the Cantabrians at the break down effectively cleaning out the rucks and making life difficult for Andy Ellis as the Crusaders just didn't commit the numbers in the first half.

Ok- sidebar. An ad for Hahn Super Dry that screened during half time ... Who gave a sub standard Aussie beer permission to usurp the theme tune from knight rider?

The game wasn't as pretty as the one played at Twickenham during the regular season - that one was spectacular - but the second half got a lot better for the red and blacks and the Sharks never really looked in it.

So, despite the multitude of 'extra' challenges faced by the Crusaders this season, the crew will add to their massive tally of air miles - over 80,000 this season already, travelling to Cape Town to face the Stormers. They will get Richie back for the semi final, but might have lost Kieran Reid .....