Many people have complained to me that this competition favours the Australian and New Zealand teams, and I am tempted to agree. If you look at the teams that have qualified for the play-offs, then that statement is a bit rash. There are two teams from each country in the play-offs, which suggests that it was a fair competition for all countries. All the derbies were close affairs, except in Australia where the Waratahs gave the Brumbies a good thumping. The Crusaders have the best Super Rugby record in history and they deserved to be at the top of the New Zealand conference. For a team that didn't have a home ground the whole season, they did very well to grab that first spot. It was a messy game against the Hurricanes, but the Crusaders have a cunning knack of winning those tight and messy encounters.
The big surprise this weekend was, however, the Sharks beating the Bulls at Fortress Loftus. This was a major surprise as the Sharks were dismal the week before when they played the Lions. This well and truly signals the end of an era for the Bulls, and they will need a lot of strategic planning and rebuilding in the next few years. Western Province were in a similar position after 2001 and it has taken them 10 years to build a team that can compete at the highest level. I believe that rugby revolves in five-year cycles and if you don't plan and contract properly then that five-year cycle can turn into an 11-year cycle, as it did for the Cape franchise. The Bulls will be losing Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw and Fourie du Preez. These stalwarts have made all the difference in the Bulls dominating the SA rugby scene for the last five years. It is impossible to replace these players as they have so much experience at international level. The structures are strong in the Bulls camp and I am sure they will be back within four years.
The Stormers went to Bloemfontein knowing they had to win to avoid a play-off, and that's exactly what they did. I questioned their tactics in the first quarter as they tried to run the ball from within their own half on numerous occasions. On one of these occasions I shouted "kick the bloody ball" and seconds later Gio Aplon scored a fantastic try. You have to commend the Stormers for being brave and sticking to their plan. The Cheetahs have shown that they are not an easy side to beat in Bloemfontein, and they showed that by scoring four tries against the best defence in the competition. This win didn't come cheaply as it looks as if Duane Vermeulen will be out of action for a few weeks. He has been an enforcer this season and his physical presence will be sorely missed in the next few weeks. Nic Coster brings a different set of skills to the game and he showed that by scoring a brilliant individual try in the first few minutes that he was on the field. The Stormers will play the highest qualifier in two weeks' time and this will be the biggest game Newlands has seen in a long time. Let's hope the Sharks can travel to New Zealand and pull off a great win against the Crusaders, and that somebody can beat the Reds at home. This will mean that Stormers fans will have a first-ever home final. Anything is possible, so let's support the Sharks this week.
