Super Rugby Power Rankings: Australian rugby has a pulse, Jaguares win good for the competition

THE Reds are the big movers having knocked off the Super Rugby leaders, the Lions, in the upset of the season. The Jaguares carved out a bit of history. And what’s wrong with the Rebels, who have now lost four straight matches?

Kane Douglas is having his best season yet for the Queensland Reds.

AUSTRALIAN rugby has a pulse, however faint.

After a winless weekend the week before, there were fears that Australian rugby could go a fortnight without a victory with three difficult matches.

But after the Rebels’ ill-disciplined performance saw them crash to their fourth straight loss, the Reds defied the odds to pull off one of their most important wins in recent memory over the Lions, Super Rugby’s runners up of the past two years.

Now’s not the time to be popping the cork off the champagne bottles though.

But the win was a helpful reminder that anything is possible.

Across the ditch, the Jaguares carved out their own piece of history becoming the first side in their three-year history to record a win over a New Zealand side.

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1. HURRICANES (N/C)

News of the Hurricanes thrashing the Sunwolves hardly comes as a surprise. After all, it was one of the competition heavyweights up against the only side in Super Rugby without a win. But the 43-15 victory, which included three tries in the final six minutes, served as another timely reminder of their potency in attack. They are the most lethal side in the competition and Nehe Milner-Skudder’s return from yet another major injury provides them an embarrassment of riches.

2. CRUSADERS (N/C)

Their opponents on Saturday, the Brumbies, huffed and they puffed, but they couldn’t do anything to get past the mighty Crusaders. Despite being reduced to 13 men, such was their will to shut-out the Brumbies that they didn’t concede a point. While the Brumbies’ game-management and attack was pathetic, it wouldn’t be fair to gloss over the Crusaders’ achievement. The period of played summed up why they’re the Kings of Super Rugby. Mark down May 25 in your diaries, when the Crusaders and Hurricanes clash next.

3. HIGHLANDERS (N/C)

Not for the first time Lima Sopoaga provided the dagger in the heart for a South African team. This time though it wasn’t the Springboks on Test debut, but the Bulls. His penalty after the full-time siren was the matchwinner. His departure from New Zealand rugby at season’s end to the UK is a blow to their overall depth as a nation. In the here and now though, the Highlanders played some beautiful rugby. Their two tries were long range efforts and Fletcher Smith, starting at fullback with Ben Smith on the wing, scored once and set up another for Aaron Smith.

4. CHIEFS (N/C)

A week to recharge their batteries.

5. LIONS (N/C)

After their historic shutout of the Waratahs a week earlier, you have to think that complacency played a role in their loss to the Reds. The Lions trailed 24-0 at half time and the deficit grew to 27 after 47 minutes, before finally the Lions woke from their slumber. It was too little, too late though and once again proved that the Lions are not quite the side they have been over the past two years.

6. WARATAHS (N/C)

They might have been kept pointless for the first time in Super Rugby history, but Nick Phipps’ wedding provided the Waratahs with a morale boost.

7. BULLS (N/C)

They lost all three of their matches on their Australasian tour, and in each case they rued missed opportunities.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the Bulls this time lost after the siren as Lima Sopoaga coolly slotted a long-range penalty. From the elation a few minutes earlier after Jesse Kriel’s try, to the despair as Sopoaga’s penalty snuck over, now the Bulls know how Australian rugby fans feel after their last minute loss to the All Blacks in Dunedin last year.

8. JAGUARES (UP 1)

The Jaguares were nothing short of an embarrassment over the past two years. But the Argentinians, now that they’ve cleaned up their discpline, are enjoying a refreshing period of success having won their past three matches. It can’t be understated how important their success is for Super Rugby. On Saturday they recorded their first over a New Zealand side. The Blues might be languishing at the bottom of the New Zealand conference, but they still have some impressive names in their roster despite their heavy injury toll. The Jaguares trailed 13-5 at half time, but showed fighting spirit to claw their way back and hold on for the win despite coming under attack towards the end of the match.

9. REBELS (DOWN 1)

Yet another match that will have left Dave Wessels shaking his head in the coaching box. Once again, the Rebels will have walked away ruing what could have been. A failure to do the fundamentals well proved to be their undoing. Their set-piece was shocking and their discipline was just as poor. Hooker Anaru Rangi has impressed Wessels with his work ethic and aggression, but his set-piece is inconsistent and it starved the Rebels’ exciting outside backs of opportunities. Adam Coleman’s leadership is a work in progress and his decision to go for goal rather than the try midway through the second half when trailing by 14 points was odd. While Lopeti Timani remains the most frustrating player in Australian rugby.

10. REDS (UP 3)

With Hamish Stewart steering the ship in the absence of Jono Lance there was a spring in the step of the Reds. Perhaps it was because they had been written off, but the Reds came out firing and didn’t stop throwing punches until they literally had nothing left to give. The Reds’ tight five were superb. Their set-piece was brilliant and JP Smith was marvellous in his debut start. The back-row, too, played their part and it can’t be a coincidence that there best performance of the season came with George Smith’s return to the side. Stewart, with the exception of a couple of kicks, showed fantastic composure in his first start and Samu Kerevi provided him a regular and destructive ball-carrier outside him. His defence was outstanding too.

11. SHARKS (DOWN 1)

The third and final side of the week to kick their feet up.

12. STORMERS (DOWN 1)

Typically strong in the set-piece, the Stormers just wore down the Rebels and attacked them at their weakest points. The tight-five flexed their muscles. Damian de Allende, too, showed his rugby smarts and physicality running over Jack Debreczeni and stretching their defence when necessary.

13. BRUMBIES (DOWN 1)

There were elements of the Brumbies’ game that were pleasing to see. They were physical and they pushed the Crusaders all the way to the death. But their inability to put the Crusaders away when they had 13 men showed their lack of leadership, game management and rugby smarts. Nor was it a one off either, as they also failed to take advantage of an extra man against the Jaguares and Highlanders in the month of April too.

14. BLUES (N/C)

Poor discipline, a dodgy set-piece and a whole lot of frustration. But I’ll bet your bottom dollar that the Blues will rise to the occasion this week, as they travel across the Tasman to take on the Waratahs.

15. SUNWOLVES (N/C)

You’ve got to hand it to the Sunwolves. They keep fighting, they keep turning up, but ultimately their skills are inferior to the vast majority of the competition. But if they play to the standard they did against the Crusaders and Hurricanes, they’ll finish the season with at least one win.

Originally published as Super Rugby Power Rankings: Australian rugby has a pulse, Jaguares win good for the competition