One good thing about being in the middle of cyclonic conditions last night meant that since Footy training was off I could watch the Super 12 games - every cloud has it's silver lining? heh.

The Chiefs pulled off a massive upset (yeah I'm down one in the tipping comp from game one) beating the Auckland Blues 27-20 at Eden Park. The look on Carlos Spencer's face as he sat on the bench in the last twenty minutes or so said it all. Argh! The game was a fiercely fought tussle with the Chiefs refusing to take a step backwards throughout the match - I was tired just watching the guys :) The game sat at 17 a piecel for a while, and the Chiefs got in front with a penalty kick. Finally Ben Atiga who'd come on as Spencer's replacement finally kicked a penalty goal for the Blues to level the score at 20-20. He'd missed his first two attempts. The Full time hooter went and it was the last play of the ball. There didn't seem to be much on, but Sione Lauaki grabbed the ball, skirted behind the ruck and made a dash for the line and got there! The try converted gave the Chiefs a big scalp! Byron Kelleher is starting to look at home in his new jersey as well :)

The Tah's were in awesome form again this week flogging the Cats 46-10 in Sydney last night. Mind you, the Cats didn't play exactly well, but top marks to them for giving it their all during the match and not giving in. Mat Rogers was superb, sadly he injured his ankle in the last minute of the match and had to exit the field on a medi-cab. Luckily Rogers has not sustained any serious injury - just a bad sprain and will leave with the Waratahs on the plane to South Africa today. Here's hoping the Tahs can keep up their form in SA.

Looking forward to the Reds/Crusaders clash tonight in Brissie. And the Poms take on Ireland in the 6 nations today, reckon that will be worth a look at well.

Later!

Kind of sort of Super 12 rugby related. Fiji's rugby union body is asking for their government's financial aide in getting their facilities up to scratch so that they can have a chance in bidding for an extra super 12 team. Well yeah sure I agree with that, but I think the problems go deeper.

Think back to the rugby world cup last year. How many people belly ached that there should be a two tiered comp because the top teams were just 'so' far ahead of the others? At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious - the top teams' countries pour enormous funds into the game. Many suggested quietly that England bought the 2003 world cup. Difficult to refute when they spent a figure so astronomical I can't even recall is now.. was it 30 million pounds? or 50? or.. ? Compare the figure to what any of the minnow countries spent... I'd bet that if you added them all up and multiplied them by 3 you still be several zeros off the funds the poms put out. But I digress....

Rugby is a truly international sport - I don't know that we should be penalising players because they happen to be from a poor country. And, that is what has been happening whether we care to admit it or not. What's the answer? I don't know, but surely there can be some means through which the wealthier and more developed rugby nations can assist the others. The game will be the winner and all rugby fans will be the beneficiaries. Funds on facilities and player development will mean more competitive anmd balanced test encounters, it will mean more frequent encounters, which will in turn mean more dollars to re-invest back into the game. And so it snowballs. Can the IRB initiate or facilitate such an idea? Again - I don't know enough about what they do to be able to offer any clues on that, but it sure would be great to see some serious challengers to the rugby nation heavyweights; a great game deserves great competition.

Don't know about anyone else but this week is turning into one of those weeks that I'd rather just block out from memory! But - what's happening in the land of super 12 you ask?

Rupeni Caucaunibuca won't be playing for the Blues this weekend due to shoulder injury. Joe Rokocoko will be taking up the vacant position on the left wing.

The Waratahs also have a couple of players out for this weekend. Milton Thaiday has a tummy bug and Matt 'Fat Boy' Dunning has an injured shoulder. Matt Bourke comes off the bench to play, and Gareth Hardy and Cameron Shepherd will be making their run on debut for the Tahs in the week 3 match against the Cats.

Andrew Mehretens will no doubt be pleased to be on the Crusaders starting side in their match against the Reds this weekend. Mehrts is a legend - I'm still not sure why he wasn't chosen for the AB's last year in the RWC... don't like my Reds' chances of winning this weekend.

My tips for Round 3 are: Blues (over the Chiefs)
Waratahs over the Cats
Highlanders over the Bulls (especially if they only have to play the first half.. heh)
Brumbies over the Sharks
Crusaders over the Reds (prove me wrong guys!)
and the Stormers over the Hurricanes

Happy Tipping!

The Waratahs played a solid and confident game against the Sharks in Sydney last night belting the South Africans 48 - 14 scoring 6 tries in the process. Matt Rogers had a great game at full back, Phil Waugh was everywhere, he's like a bulldog that just won't let go! Lote Tuqiri didn't score a try but he made plenty of breaks and delights the crowd every single time he touches the ball. Milton Thaiday gets right into it as well and is an exciting player who scored a try as well. Undoubtedly, the Waratahs played a far superior game in the first half, and while Ewen McKenzie will be pleased with the win there's plenty of areas that the Waratahs can work on for next week. Nice to see the boys had found razor blades prior to the game this match as well :)

In Ballymore, the Reds beat the Chiefs last night. Steve Kefu made a triumphant return from his bells palsy and the cloud that hung over him for the last couple of weeks as a result of the drug used as his treatment being on the IRB's banned list. Cleared to play by the ARU earlier this week, Kefu was back in the centres and scored a solo effort try within the first 30 seconds of the game! Shortly afterwards, he scored again, and the Reds were up 12-3.

The game wasn't all the Reds way though, and when Keith Robinson was sin-binned in the last 5 minutes of the first half the Reds were unable to capitalize on the one man advantage. Despite that, there was some good (if not exactly brilliant) solid play by the Reds - Josh Valentine played well but could have done with a few more of his buddies help! The Reds scored 5 tries though and got up 37-25 and picking up a bonus point in the process.

I overestimated the Kiwi teams over in South Africa, or maybe I underestimated the RAS teams... either way, the Stormers were far too good for the Highlanders 46-25, and the Bulls trampled the Hurricanes 40-19. The Highlanders game certainly looked all their way in the first half, going in ahead by 11 points 25-14 at half time. Obviously the Stormers copped a lecture from coach Gert Smal during the break and they came out a different team putting on 32 points in the second half while the Highlanders remained on their half time score. Congratz to the Stormers! The Bulls game was a rough and ready affair but the Bulls were never in any real danger of not winning. So much for my tipping :) The Bulls have a very handy flyhalf Derick Hougaard - he can kick!! Anton Leonard, the bulls captain, put the fourth try down for the Bulls earning them the treasured bonus point.

I'm off to update the points ladder.