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These two teams have already confused everyone with their form early in the year. The Hurricanes were held scoreless by the Stormers in a 27-0 loss and the Sharks being the most exciting South African outfit so far this season.

Both teams started with a bang and the Sharks were the first to get over the line. It was impressive to see the skills and decision making in the midfield between the two props. Sadly this was off the back of a forward pass from Aphelele Fassi.

The Sharks were a bit fortunate you would think to score the first try. It however on the back of their well organized and alert defense. Another great example of what a good defense can do… It is not just to keep opponents out.

The Hurricanes were however never going to sit back and let the Sharks bully them around. They had their number at the scrums and this set them up nicely to attack the Sharks.

Ill-discipline became a problem for the Sharks early on and the loss of both Mapimpi and Chamberlain within the first 20 minutes put the Sharks under immense pressure. The new makeshift flyhalf on the field, Sanele Nohamba, was never going to back down from the chance to get stuck into a high-pressure game again.

It was the same Nohamba who was responsible for some unconventional running lines taken in the midfield, which resulted in the Sharks scoring a 50-meter try… and then he stepped up casually to kick the extra 2 points!

The 17-17 half-time score was a relatively fair reflection of the exciting rugby played in the first half, but the Sharks were actually better value. The last 10 minutes was however full of handling errors, which prevented both teams from really finishing on their promising starts to the game.

By constantly infringing the Sharks kept the Hurricanes in the game and just after half-time the penalty count was already huge with 8 penalties conceded to 1.

This put the Sharks on the backfoot again which led to a Ben Lam try a few minutes later. For all the good work they were doing on defense and attack, the infringements were just too many and it hurt them.

This was followed by another well-executed cross-kick a few minutes later that put Lam in for his 2nd.

The monstrous Le Roux Roets (one of my new favorites) stepped onto the field and started to bring some real power and weight into the game. He showed some promising touches in the midfield as well. A skill that has become so important for a modern-day lock.

It was however Dane Coles that put the game to bed with a try from a driving mall in the 65th minute… after another penalty from the Sharks put the Hurricanes on attack.

It was really a game of relatively small margins, but they favored the Hurricanes. The Sharks were making errors that resulted in losing a lot of field position. The Hurricanes were making errors that sometimes caused turnovers, but that they recovered from quickly enough.

Hurricanes

The Hurricanes were dominating the scrums through the first half and were really looking effective on attack. Their defensive organization was however not up to scratch and they looked less organized than you would expect from a New Zealand outfit.

It took some time for the combo of Perenara, Barrett, Laumape and Aso to really wake up.

The cross-kick worked effectively to Laumape was perfect, even though for a change it could not be attributed to Beauden Barrett. The Hurricanes were not showing huge signs of missing him in their lineup.

The team’s understanding however of how to execute it and score from it was clearly evident with two amazing tries from these kicks.

Sharks

The good defense that they had in 2019 has just taken a step up. They understand the situations they are in on the field and react accordingly. With a Hurricanes backline like they were up against, you had to be on form defensively.

Aphelele Fassi is the most impressive player the Sharks has produced since Beast first put on a #1 jersey. He is definitely up there with some of the top fullbacks in the world. That in his first season!

Nahamba came on and made an instant impact in multiple facets of the game. This just raised the question again of why the hungry young talent is not given more opportunities? The same questions are being asked of Manie Libbok’s limited opportunities at the Bulls…

The Sharks are however rewriting the story of South African rugby by backing a number of youngsters. Hopefully, this becomes a trend with South African teams and we see a new wave of players taking the step up.

Outstanding players

Hurricanes: Tyrel Lomax (3), Vaea Fifita (6), Du Plessis Kirifi (7), TJ Perenara (9), Ben Lam (11), Ngani Laumape (12), Vince Aso (13), Jordie Barrett (15)

Sharks: Ruben van Heerden (4), Hyron Edwards (5), James Venter (6), Andre Esterhuizen (12), Lukhanyo Am(13), Aphelele Fassi (15), Sanele Nohamba (22)

ThysRugby player of the game: Aphelele Fassi – he is playing with a maturity that far exceeds his 22 years on this planet. If he is not wearing green and gold by the middle of 2020, there is no justice in the world.

Top plays of the game

• The Sharks’ first (almost) try with the two props combining in midfield to go 30 meters and scoring next to the poles. The build-up through Fassi was immaculate.
• Midfield break by Nahamba which lead to a 50 meter try for the Sharks. Some good patience and focus to execute in the last 5 meters.
• The cross-kick that put Laumape in for the try. He did have some work to do to beat the last defender but did so with great ease.
• The thoroughly annoying and suffocating defense of the Sharks. Brilliantly executed.
• Cross-kick that put in Lam for his second try.

Final verdict

Hurricanes: The Hurricanes didn’t put in a vintage performance, but have come through a challenging first 2 weeks to really look like the class act we know they are. The chemistry of a number of the new combinations was not completely there yet but improved as the game wore on.

Sharks: The Sharks were devastating on defense and it was a delight to see. Their only real weakness on the day was some ill-discipline. They were also unlucky at times with the bounce of the ball favoring the Hurricanes.

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Another New Zealand derby and another day for promising and entertaining rugby. On past form, the Blues are not supposed to have had any chance of a victory here, but this is Super Rugby. Weirder things have happened.

One amazing fact to take into account is that the Blues forward pack on the day is an average of 21 years old! Let that sink in. 21. What was the excuse every other Super Rugby team comes up with about having a young squad?

The Blues were the first to get onto the board with a try and very few expected THAT. The rest of the first half was also a very tight affair and even though the Crusaders overtook the Blues it was still a very tight game,

There was a tight battle going on between some of the top props in New Zealand at scrum time with not much in it. The lineouts were also hotly contested with neither team overshadowing the other.

The difference for most of the first half was the positional play that was lacking from the Blues. They were not as effective as the Crusaders in getting out of their own half.

Most teams have kicking options to exit their own half and it is extremely effective when executed accurately. The difference is that the difference with the Crusaders (and the Chiefs) is that they also have options available to exit by running it.

To do it effectively they work extremely hard off the ball to set up the extra option from any plays in their own half. The overlap is usually there with the opposition back three being back for the kick, so a focused team effort then has the extra option to exit.

This resulted in a couple of brilliant runs into the Blues half from their own 22, putting the Blues under huge pressure.

At halftime, there would have been some harsh words spoken by the Blues coaches. They came out with all of the intent needed and were the first to score getting the score back to 8-11 right after halftime.

Four minutes into the 2nd half it was however the Crusaders that were in under the poles again. The difference once again was the accuracy of execution.

The one challenge that the Blues still need to overcome is the stigma around their team in terms of their losing record in recent years. The confidence levels are just not there from each player on the park. They need a couple of results to go their way to help them find their rhythm.

The Goodhue chip, Mo’unga gather, offload to Goodhue try was just sublime. It sums up the awareness and vision of a team in top form.

Blues

It looks like the Blues have finally woken up after a couple of years of average results! It was long overdue for the giants of 1990’s Super Rugby to become a contender again.

During the first half there as a lot good rugby played by the Blues both on attack and defense. The biggest problem that they made was not getting into the Crusaders half first. S0 a lot of their effort was to try and move the ball 50+ meters.

Their vision about taking the correct options and having players in place was just slightly inferior at times to the Scott Robertson Crusaders machine.

It was just lacking a little bit of the accurate execution needed at critical times.

The effort from a couple of their players, especially Karl Tu’inukuafe, is however a clear indication that they are not just in the tournament to make up the numbers. Hopefully, they can kick on and get some more numbers in that “W” column.

Crusaders

The Crusaders were the picture of composure we have gotten used to and it is just something special to see. They are as comfortable attack on the opponents 22 as they are from their own 22 when the opportunity presents itself.

The eventual first try for the Crusaders was a classic display of how they go through the gears. Minutes earlier they were pounded by the Blues defense in their own 22, but they just kept going through their highly skilled gears. It ended up with a lineout a few meters out and the inevitable try from Bridge in the corner.

Execution and hard work without the ball create more opportunities than most defenses can handle. Oppositions will be hard-pressed to unravel this attack.

Best performing players

Blues: Karl Tu’inukuafe (1), Ofa Tuungafasi (3), Patrick Tuipulotu (4), Dalton Papali’i (6), Stephen Perofeta (10), Mark Telea (11)

Crusaders: Cody Taylor (2), Cullen Grace (6), Tom Sanders (8), Richie Mo’unga (10), Jack Goodhue (12) Sevu Reese (14), David Havili (15)

ThysRugby player of the game: Jack Goodhue – there is some power in that mullet. The most impressive midfielder on the filed by some margin.

Top plays of the game

• The Crusaders’ first try in the corner from their lineout. A set move with great execution all the way through to the top pass by Jack Goodhue to put away Bridge for the try
• Numerous Crusaders exits from their own 22 through amazing running. They worked extremely hard off the ball to continuously create options
• Jack Goodhue cutting the Blues defense to shreds with his running lines and well-timed passes
• Mark Telea stepping multiple defenders after fielding the kick in his own half
• Goodhue chip to Mo’unga, back to Goodhue try. Play of the game.
• The scrum move on halfway from the Crusaders with the switch of direction putting away a player for a beautiful (almost) try. The switch of direction completely caught the Blues off guard

Final verdict

Blues: The Blues are still good enough to beat most of the teams in the tournament this year. They are just not yet good enough to be contending for the top honors in New Zealand.

They need to work on their accuracy of execution and be patient enough to build up some rhythm.

Crusaders: Just a joy to watch. I don’t see the tournament being more than a 2 horse race between the Crusaders and the Chiefs. The Stormers have been far more impressive than recent years, but they are not as accomplished as the Crusaders in all areas of the game.

The Crusaders bring unconventional extra dimensions to the game that people don’t normally assume are plausible. Their execution throughout is however a joy to behold.

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The first week was good. The second week was better. Far from perfect, but the players are starting to show signs of belief.

In the first week a lot was down to observing them and seeing what they are capable of. It was also a great time to encourage them and build up their confidence (a long-term project).

The one challenge was that we had only 2 practices per week, the same as all of the other teams at the school. This was just too little time to work with them and expect a huge change in their on-field performance.

I also wanted them to get used to my voice and input and know that I have their backs.

So I suggested a 3rd practice session…

What they decided: taking the step up

They jumped at the opportunity! One kid actually asked if we couldn’t practice a 4th time every week.

The significance of this is that they were starting to believe in what we were trying to achieve. They are the center of the comeback story. The heroes that will go from zero wins one season into title contenders.

The first two practices of the week were shared with the under 14 group. This was so that they could rotate between skills and conditioning sessions.

The 3rd session was purely focused on skills.

Our 3rd session was nearly derailed…

It was on Thursday afternoon that we wanted to have our session and it was very nearly derailed by weather. The skies were dark… there was thunder and lightning… and there was rain.

By the time the practice session rolled around the thunder and lightning had moved away to a safe distance and we were able to practice. Despite the rain still coming down, only one of the players made up an excuse not to practice.

Players from other age groups were watching us with a bit of confusion from the stands while we practiced in the rain.

Another brick laid on our path to a great season

They thoroughly enjoyed the session and there were more and more glimpses starting to come through. The captain of the team however didn’t have the best of days and afterward was very dejected by his performance at the practice.

We talked about this quite a bit afterward and he will definitely come back stronger.

The win out of that situation is that he is starting to expect more from himself again.

There is a belief that is starting to form that he (and the team) is capable of more…

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Superhero Sunday gave everyone the impression that the Bulls would be the favourite for this game. The Stormers decided to turn everything on its head by shutting down the Hurricanes last week with a 27-0 win.

So what were we in for in this South African derby? Common respect, but the exceptionally fierce rivalry between two powerhouses of South African rugby.

Both teams started out looking exceptionally sharp and focused. It didn’t take long for the mistakes to creep in and the first 15 minutes turned into exchanges that were full of handling errors with multiple turnovers.

It took 36 minutes for there to be play that wasn’t happening between the two 22s. The highlight of the 1st half was the Stormers actually getting into the Bulls 22m and putting together a solid lineout mall and scoring.

And that was it…

The best thing about the first half actually was the half-time whistle. Hopefully, the second half would be something to watch, but the first half evidence didn’t give me much hope.

Throughout the game, Damian Willemse blew hot and cold. Some amazing runs and touches, but a flyhalf that couldn’t kick accurately most of the time.

After the 50th minute try from Senatla the game started coming alive at last!!!

…but it didn’t last.

Stormers

The Stormers did look like the better side at the start of the game. This makes perfect sense with them riding high on confidence after the win over the Hurricanes.

It was unclear where the Stormers of that famous victory disappeared to though. They did get a try at the end of the first half, but there was literally nothing else to get excited about.

Bulls

The Bulls started out with great speed in a number of areas across the field. It was however often a pass that would be lacking some accuracy that would kill all momentum.

Morne Steyn was putting on another kicking master class and would drive back the Stormers whenever he got the chance with pin-point kicking.

That was the only thing that the Bulls had to get excited about in terms of attack in the first half. The majority of their passes were a mess when things looked promising.

Their defense however kept the Stormers at bay for most of the first half and they could take some confidence from that.

Outstanding players

Stormers: Herschel Jantjies (9), Jamie Roberts (12), Ruhan Nel (13)

Bulls: Jeandre Rudolph (6), Ivan van Zyl (9), Morne Steyn (10)

ThysRugby player of the game: The final whistle

Best plays of the game

• The lineout mall resulting in the Stormers try
• The half-time whistle
• The Senatla try
• The final whistle

Final verdict

Stormers: They were a shadow of the team from a week ago. Not the same outfit as there were loads of errors.

Bulls: Never really threatened. There is sadly a lot of work that needs to happen this coming week to help change things around.

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Neither of these teams has given any indication that they will be a huge threat so far. The Lions have been one of the top teams in the competition over the past 5 years, but have looked below par thus far. The Reds had a decent 2019 with an exceptionally young squad that showed lots of promise. That had not yet turned into solid results on the field one year on.

The Reds were the first on the board from a penalty goal, but the Lions struck back almost immediately through a clever little kick by Elton Jantjies that put in Tyrone Green. Will Jantjies be able to take the confidence he has in a Lions jersey into a Springbok jersey ever… we are still hoping it will happen someday.

Another good little chip through could have led to a 2nd Lions try in the first 10 minutes, but the Reds were lucky to pick it up and run it back for a try.

The 2nd try from Tyron Green who popped on the left wing was a beautiful one with some nifty footwork in a small space.

The locks of both teams really showed some great soft touches in the midfield to put players away around them. Something that has been a staple of New Zealand teams and mastered by Brodie Retallick. This resulted in a lot of line breaks, which made for spectacular rugby.

It was shocking to see the Lions suffer in a number of scrums with skilled props in Dylan Smith and Jannie du Plessis anchoring the scrum. The Reds took full advantage of this weakness and bossed the Lions scrum around.

The lineouts however belonged to the Lions with driving malls coming from many of them… and a Reds defense that had no answers for it. This also resulted in the 3rd try for the Lions and they went into half-time with a 17-13 lead.

After a long dry spell in the 2nd half where the Lions couldn’t take advantage of a 13-man Reds team, it was the Reds who went in under the polls to lead 17-20.

In the end the Lions were able to get the win, but it was quite ugly.

Lions grind out an ugly win

It was clear from the start that Elton Jantjies was going to direct things on the field for the Lions. He played with huge confidence from the start and was able to identify the gaps all over the field.

Tyrone Green got a taste for the tryline and just kept going! He did a lot more work than you would expect from a wing.

The work from Marnus Schoeman was also evident as he filled the “Kwagga Smith” role very effectively throughout the game.

The defensive work from the Lions overall during the first half kept the stars in the Reds backline quiet.

Of all the things the Lions did, it was the most encouraging to see them moving the ball very quickly from every ruck. This was a staple of their run that took them to 3 Super Rugby finals, but was missing in 2019.

Error-prone Reds

Although the Reds went into the lead early on (albeit with some luck) they were taking on the contact situations in a strange way. It looked like their two props were given instructions to take out anyone remotely close to a ruck. Most of their attempts were dangerous and reckless and could very well result in cards as the game wore on. The first card came just before halftime.

Their scrum was utterly dominant leaving the Lions shellshocked. It was the most dominant scrum display by any team in Super Rugby so far this year.

Apart from the scrums there was little to get excited about for the Reds.

Outstanding players

Lions: Jannie du Plessis (3), Marvin Orie (5), Marnus Schoeman (6), Morne van den Berg (9), Elton Jantjies (10), Tyrone Green (14), Andries Coetzee (15)

Reds: Jean-Pierre Smith (1), Taniela Tupou (3), Tate McDermott (9), Jock Campbell (14)

ThysRugby player of the game: Tyrone Green – he popped up everywhere and worked relentlessly

Best plays of the game

• Elton Jantjies’ little grubber to put in Tyrone Green for his first ever Super Rugby try
• Tyrone Green’s 2nd try. There was very little room to work with, but he got over the line with some impressive stepping
• Morne van den Berg taking out his opposition scrumhalf behind the scrum forcing him to take it back over his own goal line and having to dot down
• Marvin Orie keeping a level head when the Reds didn’t commit to the maul at the lineout and keeping his hands on the ball until the try was scored
• The overpowering scrums from the Reds!
• 20 phases which resulted in Courtnall Skosan’s try

Final verdict

Lions: They were able to win ugly. A win is a win at the end of the season and they made sure that they picked up a win on a day when they struggled to win a single scrum

Reds: They were just too sloppy. At times there was some amazing rugby from the Reds, but just too many mistakes.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The Waratahs have blown hot and cold over the past few seasons picking up wins against teams like the Crusaders and then losing to the Sunwolves in the same season. The Blues have also been perennial New Zeeland underachievers despite fielding quality teams over many years.

This was never going to be the game of the season, but definitely an important one for both teams. Both want to get out under the shadows of the teams dominating in their respective countries.

The game started with some good attacking play from the Waratahs, but the Blues were the first to score. The far more organized play of the Waratahs was notable and can definitely be a basis to build a promising season on.

For the 2nd week in a row young Mark Nawaqanitawase impressed on the left-wing for the Waratahs. Playing way above his age level in maturity and with intelligence. He is staking an early claim for one of those Wallaby jerseys in the winter tests…

The huge rains in Newcastle made handling a bit more difficult and although there were a number of fumbles, both teams really did well to keep possession of the ball.

The Blues were definitely trying to also rebuild after previous seasons by being more disciplined in all facets of the game. Their execution of it was just slightly better than that of the Waratahs in the first half. They also took the points on offer and eased out to their 0-8 lead after 25 minutes.

The difference between the two teams was mostly down to the work without the ball. The Waratahs were a bit more sluggish waiting to see what would unfold. The Blues worked hard to get back into good defensive lines and get into a position to be effective in attack.

The 7-8 halftime score was a fair reflection of the efforts of both teams. Neither was flawless and it was some credit for both teams, but the Blues were definitely the best in the first half.

The Blues however decided to rain on the Waratahs parade and jumped out to a 7-20 lead shortly after halftime.

Despite the Mark Nawaqanitawase try to help wake you up a bit towards the end of the 2nd half, the quick tries by Mark Telea helped flatter the Blues with a 12-32 victory.

Waratahs

The discipline of the Waratahs in their phased attack and set phases was a lot better than it had been for a few years. It is clear that they want to put their hand up and let everyone know that the Aussie conference is not just about the Brumbies.

Throughout the first half, they were decent in most areas across the park, but they allowed the Blues to bully them especially at ruck time. This made it very difficult for them to stop the attack of the Blues and to get go-forward ball themselves.

The effort just before half time to go through 17 phases to take the score to 7-8 was a good confidence boost. Their patience was rewarded and hopefully, they learn from the results of this phase of play for the rest of the season.

Despite the brilliant try from Mark Nawaqanitawase for the Waratahs, the last quarter of the game turned into a snore-fest. The Mark Talea try to seal the victory for the Blues just barely helped to wake you up

Blues

The Blues were a bit lucky to get in for their first try after a messy lineout, but it just showed that there is enough in this inexperienced team to get points on the board when needed.

The advantage line was just breached by the Blues more effectively than their opposition and more regularly. It made things difficult for the Waratahs as they constantly had to turn around.

Through dominance, at scrum time Karl Tu’inukuafe definitely put a hand up both for the Blues and for new All Blacks coach, Ian Foster, to take notice.

Work at the ruck has however been the biggest improvement by the Blues team. If they can keep their physical dominance at ruck time throughout the 2020 season, they will be able to set up their very dangerous backs to punish opposition teams.

An important thing to remember is that the Blues put up a performance like this with 10 injured players in their squad…

Outstanding players

Waratahs: Michael Hooper (7), Mark Nawaqanitawase (11) Kurtley Beale (15)

Blues: Karl Tu’inukuafe (1), Patrick Tuipulotu (4), Blake Gibson (7), Hoskins Sotutu (8), Stephen Perofeta (10), Mark Telea (11)

ThysRugby player of the game: Mark Nawaqanitawase was sensational again and will no doubt be a Wallaby in the next few months.

Best plays of the game

• Mark Nawaqanitawase’s little faked kick resulting in defenders overrunning and gaining some extra meters
• Karl Tu’inukuafe dominating his opposing tighthead and dismantling the opposition scrum
• 17 phases just before halftime by the Waratahs to get over for a try
• Blues defending their own line at the scrum earning a penalty on the Waratahs throw 5m from the Blues’ own line
• Mark Nawaqanitawase try after multiple phases in the corner. Incredible handling by the Waratahs in wet conditions

Final verdict

Waratahs: The team overall is on the up. Their physicality at breakdowns was just below average. If they keep getting dominated in the contact situation, they will struggle for the rest of the season.

Blues: A welcome return to winning ways away from home. Their first in a few years. They don’t look like a pedigree side yet, but there is some promise in the team. When they are back to full strength it would be interesting to see what they can do.