Super Rugby R8 review: Western Force make it four in a row; Waratahs, Brumbies also win
HOLY tomorrow. Not even Nick Cummins could have predicted a fourth straight win for the Force. Waratahs beware, the Force are flying.
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Can anyone stop the rampaging Western Force? Written off after two early-season hammerings, the men from Perth have now won four matches on the trot for the first time in their history.
A thrilling 32-29 victory over the Reds in Brisbane follows wins over the Rebels, Highlanders and Chiefs, and has set up a mouth-watering local derby against the Waratahs in round nine.
Michael Cheika’s side were also among the winners in round eight, as were the Brumbies, Highlanders, Hurricanes and Crusaders.
Read on for a full review of round eight!
THEY REALLY ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH
Holy tomorrow. With apologies to the Honey Badger, Nick Cummins, for stealing one of his famous lines, it just seems so appropriate to describe the events at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Eight lead changes, a brilliant late solo try, and a desperate last-gasp field goal attempt to try and tie it up - the Reds’ clash with the Force had it all.
In the end it was the Force who took it all, courtesy of fullback Jayden Hayward’s brilliant run to the tryline in the 79th minute that sealed a record fourth-straight win on the trot for the visitors, who were well worth their win.
Hayward was just one of a number of heroes for the men from the west, who were again led superbly by skipper Matt Hodgson, while Ben McCalman returned from suspension to continue the rampaging form that has stamped him as probably the number one No. 8 in Super Rugby this season.
Michael Foley’s men have now shown they will be more than just nuisance value for opposing sides, and they have the chance to prove they are a real contender for the Australian conference when they host their round one conquerors NSW this weekend.
The Reds lost the match but as Andrew Slack pointed out in his Sunday column they would have won more than a few fans for the way they played, with skipper James Horwill, Will Genia and Ben Tapuai leading the way for the hosts.
That doesn’t help their position on the ladder however – they are 11th, although just two points out of the top six – and the result just about makes Friday night’s clash with the Brumbies a must-win.
REBELS SHOOT THEMSELVES IN THE FOOT
It was another case of so near yet so far for Melbourne Rebels on Friday night as they missed a golden opportunity to register their first win outside Australia.
A see-sawing encounter with the Highlanders in Dunedin finished 33-30 in favour of the hosts despite a couple of brilliant second-half Rebels tries.
But it was the visitors’ inability to clear their line after scoring points at the other end that appeared to cost them the match, with the Highlanders able to respond almost every time the Rebels worked their way back into the game.
It’s rugby 101. You score points and clear your line.
The early loss of fly half Bryce Hegarty can’t have helped but the Rebels should have at least possessed a plan B; that would have prevented the utter chaos that ensued following just about every Highlanders kick-off.
The failure to repeatedly clear their line aside, this was another typically entertaining Rebels performance.
Skipper Scott Higginbotham was everywhere and provided the moment of the match with a wonderful intercept and kick for Angus Roberts’s try while a perfectly executed set-move and superb hands from Tamati Ellison resulted in a classic five-pointer to Jason Woodward.
But it won’t hide the fact the Rebels are still to win internationally. They’ll get another chance to rectify that this weekend when they face the Chiefs, who’ll be without star fly half Aaron Cruden for the next six weeks.
MCCABE CREATING BRUMBIES SELECTION HEADACHE
A favourite of former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, Pat McCabe’s continued selection during that failed era confused the masses.
Seemingly a one-trick bash-and-barge ball-runner, McCabe’s place in many of Deans’s backlines frustrated fans and journalists alike.
But after a series of injury lay-offs, McCabe has returned to the game a far more complete player with added speed, skill and belief. This is Pat McCabe Version 2.0.
The 20-Test inside centre was the standout in a classic Brumbies performance in Canberra on Friday night with the locals producing the perfect wet-weather game in a 26-9 victory over the Blues.
McCabe’s powerful running and the educated boots of fullback Jesse Mogg and halfback Nic White allowed the Brumbies to control territory and land the killer blows when the opportunities presented.
The Brumbies dominated through the forwards and certainly enjoyed the rub of the green with referee Rohan Hoffman as they built an early lead and powered on through to a comfortable victory.
McCabe’s impressive form has given Brumbies coaches Stephen Larkham and Laurie Fisher plenty to ponder at this week’s selection meeting with Christian Leali’ifano also adding plenty from the bench.
Last year’s breakout Wallaby performer would have been an automatic selection at the start of the year but with McCabe improving his skill-set and finding a little extra pace, Leali’ifano might spend some more time on the pine yet.
An intriguing battle with the struggling Queensland Reds awaits in Brisbane this Friday night.
WARATAHS GET UGLY TO END CAPE TOWN DROUGHT
It wasn’t a performance that follows the edict of the Michael Cheika mission statement, but a vital four competition points certainly gave the Waratahs coach the perfect end to an otherwise difficult week.
The subject of a SANZAR investigation following an alleged altercation with a SuperSport cameraman in Durban, Cheika could afford a smile on Saturday night as the Waratahs recorded a 22-11 victory over the Stormers.
There was little of the running rugby Cheika has spruiked in his two-year tenure in Sydney but a workmanlike effort, built on a dominant forward display, was enough to get goal-kickers Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley into position.
The playmaking duo obliged with a perfect record from the kicking tee, which was enough to propel the visitors to their first win in Cape Town since 2006.
But more importantly it showed the Waratahs could win ugly, and win without star fullback Israel Folau.
While they want to win in an attractive fashion as often as possible the reality is that sometimes that’s just not going to be possible.
The conditions, referee and opposition can all prevent an expansive game plan from being successful and with an in-form Western Force waiting in a Perth stopover that could well be the case again next weekend.
Early indications are that Folau will be back for Saturday night’s showdown in the west while Wycliff Palu could also return in what would be two major additions to the Tahs’ starting XV.
Cheika might offer a few more smiles just yet.
KIWIS FLEX MUSCLE, SOUTH AFRICANS STRUGGLE
Choice bro, but not so lekker boet. It was a weekend of contrasting fortunes for the two non-Australian conferences.
All bar one New Zealand side - the Blues, who sank in soggy Canberra - enjoyed success in round eight.
And yes, that means we are giving the Chiefs a tick even though they didn’t win as they once again surged home from a seemingly impossible situation to snatch a second-straight high-scoring, thrilling draw at the death. The back-to-back champions simply reiterated that they can never, ever be written off.
The Hurricanes might have been lucky to edge the Bulls in Napier but after some similarly close defeats in recent times they will happily snap up that result, as will the Highlanders after holding out the Rebels.
Meanwhile the Crusaders showed that there might be life in their season yet, overcoming the tricky Lions to clinch a crucial third win for the season and stay in touch in the cluttered NZ conference.
On the other side of the coin not one of the four South African teams in action - the Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions and Stormers – racked up a victory.
There was the small matter of the Sharks, who sat atop the Super Rugby ladder heading into the weekend and held onto top spot despite not playing due to the bye. Jake White’s side will return to action this weekend against the Lions - an away fixture, but their seventh straight game in South Africa.
ELITE SUPER RUGBY TALENT CUT DOWN BY INJURY
Is it just us or have there been an unusually high number of injuries to top-line talent this season?
Take a look at the list of players that weren’t available heading into round eight: the Crusaders lost their skipper - and the world’s best player - Kieran Read (concussion) to add to the absence of Richie McCaw (thumb), the Stormers took the field minus their captain Jean de Villiers (knee) and fellow Springboks Schalk Burger (leg), Eben Etzebeth (ankle) and Gio Aplon (elbow), while superstar fullback Israel Folau (throat) was once again unavailable for the Waratahs.
The Reds were missing gun young No. 7 Liam Gill (hamstring), along with rising stars Chris Feauai-Sautia (hamstring) and Aidan Toua (pectoral), while Blues halfback Piri Weepu faces several weeks out following a minor stroke.
Throw in season-ending injuries to Sharks playmaker Patrick Lambie (bicep)and star Brumbies flanker David Pocock (knee) – joined on injury list in Canberra by Henry Speight (jaw) – and that’s a stack of elite talent sitting on the sidelines.
Now comes the news that star Chiefs flyhalf Aaron Cruden will miss up to eight weeks after breaking his thumb against the Cheetahs. Ouch.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
HIGHLANDERS 33 d REBELS 30 at Forsyth Barr Stadium - MATCH CENTRE
BRUMBIES 26 d BLUES 9 at GIO Stadium - MATCH CENTRE
HURRICANES 25 d BULLS 20 at McLean Park- MATCH CENTRE
FORCE 32 d REDS 29 at Suncorp Stadium - MATCH CENTRE
CHEETAHS 43 drew CHIEFS 43 at Vodacom Park - MATCH CENTRE
CRUSADERS 28 d LIONS 7 at Ellis Park - MATCH CENTRE
WARATAHS 22 d STORMERS 11 at Newlands Stadium - MATCH CENTRE
NEXT WEEK - ROUND 9
FRIDAY
Highlanders v Bulls at Forsyth Barr Stadium, 5.35pm AEST
Reds v Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium, 7.40pm AEST
SATURDAY
Chiefs v Rebels at Waikato Stadium, 5.35pm AEST
Force v Waratahs at nib Stadium, 7.40pm AEST
SUNDAY
Cheetahs v Crusaders at Vodacom Park, 1.05am
Lions v Sharks at Ellis Parak, 3.10am
BYES: Hurricanes, Stormers, Blues
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