The Rugby Pod’s Super Rugby Review

The cream is starting to rise to the top of Super Rugby and we’re now seeing which teams will realistically be challenging at the business end of the season. Here are 5 talking points from the week just gone.

1) Liam Gill, take a bow. Forty meters out, a lazy swing of the right boot and a drop goal that Zinzan Brooke himself would have been proud of. In a game that had no shortage of skill, with Semu Kerevi’s tries were also stand out moments, Gill’s moment of brilliance will live long in the memory and get plenty of Youtube hits

2) The Brumbies showed that they are the best team in Australia. The Waratahs had more line breaks than the men from Canberra, but they lacked the composure and maybe a little bit of class out wide to finish the moves. In Joe Tomane, the Brumbies have an International class finisher, and that proved to be the difference. This result leaves the Waratahs adrift in the Australasian conference, and it will take an almighty swing for them to make the finals.

3) What a comeback from the forgotten man of New Zealand rugby, Israel Dagg. Two tries and an assist for the full back in his first game of Super Rugby this season. With the emergence of Nehe Milner-Skudder at the World Cup, and Ben Smith seemingly having a tight hold on the All Black 15 jersey, Dagg needs to hit his best form ASAP to get back into the minds of the selectors, and this would certainly have helped. With the emergence of Damian McKenzie at the Chiefs, Steve Hansen must be licking his lips at the depth of talent at his disposal.

4) Another stand out performer on the weekend was Beauden Barrett. He scored 2 and made 1, and his all round game against the Rebels was key to the Hurricanes victory. His kicking out of hand was clever and his goal kicking (which is not always his strength) is getting better. With the retirement of the mercurial Dan Carter, New Zealanders were nervously looking at who can step into such big shoes. Well, they can rest easy if Barrett continues this form.

5) The blow-out that we all feared has happened. The Sunwolves were totally humiliated in Bloemfontein against the Cheetahs. It wasn’t just the size of the 92-17 defeat, it was the manner as well. Tackling seemed very much to be optional as the Cheetahs ran in 14 tries. Their pack again struggled to gain any sort of foothold in the game, and the Cheetahs outside backs literally did whatever they wanted. It is a big test of character now to see what they produce in their next outing against fellow newcomers the Jaguares in Tokyo.

By Rob Seltzer - Writing for The Rugby Pod - www.TheRugbyPod.com