Super Rugby: 5 Things We Learnt From Round 5

1     The Blues and Reds each go into a bye week and the decision-makers in charge of these franchises need to decide within the next few days whether they are going to back head coaches Sir John Kirwan (Blues) and Richard Graham (Reds) and their ability to turn their dismal seasons around, or whether they are going to replace them with coaches they deem better equipped to facilitate a revival of fortunes. Again in Round 5, the performance of both of these teams was inadequate, with few redeeming features.

2     Scrums remain a blight on the game. While other sports are on a mission to quicken the tempo of games in an endeavour to retain and increase their number of  spectators and TV viewers, and to dissuade them from seeking other forms of entertainment, rugby continues to offer a series of pedestrian, delayed, drawn out, tedious scrums where little happens other than front rows collapsing repeatedly.

3      After five of the 18 Rounds, we have a likely top, competitive group of teams and a bottom section of also-ran teams. Much can happen before the June play-offs, but right now four New Zealand teams (Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders), three South African teams (Stormers, Bulls, Sharks), and two Australian teams (Brumbies, Waratahs), appear to be on track, or to have come back on track. The Blues, Cheetahs, Lions, Rebels, Force, and Reds have some way to go to be top six qualifiers.

4     For ball-in-hand skills, variation in attack, numbers in support, quick hands, and skilful offloading, no team matches the Chiefs right now.

5     Of the established players, it is probably Julian Savea (Hurricanes) who is the standout in Super Rugby at present for consistently brilliant performances. Of those who began their Test careers in November, is there anyone playing more effectively than 20 year old Sean McMahon (Rebels)? And among the new-kid-on-the-block rookies, 19 year old Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) has been the class act – at flyhalf/first five-eighth as well as at fullback.