Super Rugby Round 2 Preview Part 2

The Highlanders come off a first-round bye to play against the Crusaders in Dunedin, with the Crusaders trying to recover from their first-round fiasco. The Reds, similarly dreadful last week, have a chance at redemption against the rejuvenated Force, while the Stormers will try to show their Newlands supporters that last week’s win over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld was no flash in the pan The Sharks, up against the Lions, will be keen to make it clear that they are a lot more capable than the evidence of last week’s defeat to the Cheetahs indicates.

Highlanders v Crusaders

Can the Crusaders possibly give as unhappy a performance in Dunedin this week as they did in Christchurch last week? Surely not.

The Highlanders were the unfortunate team to get the first-round bye this year, which means they come in cold as it were. They will have been both encouraged by how vulnerable the Crusaders appeared against the Rebels last week, and concerned about the probable Crusaders bounce-back to high performance this week.

The home team’s matchday 23 has a group of seven Highlanders debutants including, in the starting XV, props Josh Hohneck and Ross Geldenhuys, and Waisake Naholo on the right wing. The visitors have the more settled line-up, though with Dan Carter injured, Colin Slade moves from 15 to 10.

The Forsyth Barr Stadium could be in for a treat of a spectacle with both teams, one hopes, determined to play creatively and attack with flair.

Key players: Mitchell Drummond gets a second chance to establish himself as a scrumhalf/halfback good enough to play at this level, while Israel Dagg starts at 15 for the Crusaders after sitting out last week and Colin Slade would want to show Steve Hansen he is an All Black option as 10 back up to Dan Carter. In Aaron Smith, Ben Smith and Malakai Fekitoa, the home team have three of the most skilful attacking backs in the competition.

The big match-ups: The front row battle between Highlanders Ross Geldenhuys, Liam Coltman and Josh Hohneck and Crusaders Owen Franks, Ben Funnell and Wyatt Crockett will be fascinating, especially that between South African tighthead Geldenhuys and All Black loosehead Crockett. How will Highlanders flanks John Hardie and Elliot Dixon match up against Matt Todd and Richie McCaw? Malakai Fekitoa will test Kieron Fonotia’s defence at outside centre. Shaun Treeby is an often underrated 12.

Reds v Force

Reds head coach Richard Graham will not last very much longer in that role if there is not a massive – and rapid – improvement in the performance of his team. Last week’s 47-3 thrashing by the Brumbies was more than humbling, it was humiliating.

The Reds will be endeavouring to win collisions and to improve their set piece and defence, but the saddest part of their dismal display against the Brumbies was a simple lack of enthusiasm. They were a team playing with no obvious spirit of excitement or enjoyment.

The Force, in stark contrast, played out of their skins to beat the defending champion Waratahs, showing all of the happy enthusiasm and positive spirit of camaraderie lacking in the Reds performance.

The Reds are back in Brisbane and will surely be desperate to show their Suncorp Stadium faithful they are made of better stuff, in talent and spirit, than last week’s sad showing indicated.

James O’Connor is back in Super Rugby and will be at 10 for the Reds. While there have been doubts about his discipline, no-one doubts the intuitive genius of his skills, and he could be the catalyst to set the Reds back on the path to being a formidable contender for competition honours once again.

Key players: For the Reds, Karmichael Hunt at 15, Will Genia and James O’Connor at 9 and 10, and Reds debutant, former All Black Adam Thomson at 6. The Force need Sias Ebersohn to kick his goals and to impose himself on the pattern of play at 10, while Alby Mathewson remains key to the Force game plan and to their competitive ferocity.

The big match-ups: The two scrumhalves/halfbacks Will Genia and Alby Mathewson, the openside flanks Chris Alcock vs Liam Gill, and the two 10s, O’Connor up against Ebersohn – for the way they impose themselves on the course of the game, not least of which will be by the accuracy of their goalkicking.

Stormers v Blues

The Stormers took their opportunities at Loftus Versfeld to beat an out-of-sorts Bulls in Round One while the Blues gave a good account of themselves, up to a point, in their defeat to the Chiefs. The Stormers are back at home this week but the men from Auckland will be grateful to be playing at sea level rather than at altitude after flying from New Zealand to the south-western corner of Africa.

Blues head coach John Kirwan may not have a host of New Zealand’s biggest stars in his squad but he does have abundant talent at his disposal and to maintain the standing he holds as a much vaunted coach, he will need his players to produce better results. Wins against the Stormers in Cape Town and then against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein next week would go a long way towards maintaining his reputation.

The Stormers were rewarded for enthusiasm and skill and sticking to their game plan against the Bulls. They will offer similar acumen and spirit against the Blues. The shackles of inhibition which have plagued the Stormers appear to have been greatly loosened with the worldly-wise Gert Smal having taken over as Director of Rugby, for which the Newlands faithful will be appreciative.

Key players: For the Stormers: Demetri Catrakilis for his accurate goalkicking boot, Damian de Allende, an attacking force in midfield, the consistently outstanding Duane Vermeulen, and the underrated Michael Rhodes. For the Blues: The tight five revolves around Tony Woodcock, while Jerome Kaino and Steven Luatua are perpetually effective loose forwards. Ihaia West is rated as one of the most promising young 10s in New Zealand. Charles Piutau moves from wing to fullback, from where he is equally incisive on attack.

The big match-ups: Duane Vermeulen vs Jerome Kaino at 8 is a match-up of two exceptional players. Vincent Koch, with one Super Rugby cap, faces a tough scrummaging contest against All Black veteran Tony Woodcock, who has 110 Test caps. Nic Groom, whose substantial contribution to Western Province and Stormers successes goes largely unacclaimed, comes up against the feisty, still skilful veteran Jimmy Cowan.

Sharks v Lions

The Sharks new Director of Rugby Gary Gold arrived in Durban from Japan only a few weeks ago to take over from stand-in coaching boss Brendan Venter, who had taken over from Jake White, who had replaced stand-in Brendan Venter, who had replaced John Plumtree. The Sharks were reputed to have had a good summer’s preparation for their Round One fixture against the Cheetahs last week, but their performance was haphazard and hapless.

Skipper Bismarck du Plessis is back to try to right the Sharks ship against a Lions team which lost to the Hurricanes last week, albeit more through inexperience and inability to turn pressure of territory and possession into points than any lack of organisation or enthusiasm.

The Lions have no players who would be strong contenders for a Springbok starting XV, while, even with injuries, the Sharks still have five, but a home win for the Sharks will require a vastly improved performance from last week’s unhappy start to the season.

Key players: Halves Patrick Lambie and Cobus Reinach and key to the Sharks success, especially as they
have less attacking prowess outside them than the Sharks usually offer. Marcell Coetzee is consistently effective at flank and Pieter-Steph du Toit an exceptional young talent at lock. Jaco Kriel is injured but Warren Whiteley, Derick Minnie and Warwick Tecklenburg remain a more than useful loose forward trio for the Lions. Fullback Andries Coetzee and right wing Ruan Combrinck are no attacking slouchers.

The big match-ups: Promising young Malcolm Marx comes up against the best hooker in the world in Bismarck du Plessis. After an unhappy performance last week, Marnitz Boshoff needs to up his game if he is to match the always classy Patrick Lambie. With Frans Steyn not yet available because of Japanese commitments and Paul Jordaan injured, the Sharks midfield looks ordinary, with journeyman Waylon Murray and talented but as yet unproven Heimar Williams up against Lionel Mapoe and Howard Mnisi.