Now we are into the business part of the Super Rugby season! Before the TEST Window break each South African team has 2 games left (Sharks have only 1).

Almost all the games left in the South African Conference are between local derby sides. The same derby war will happen in the New Zealand Conference, the Australian Conference could also turn out quite surprising with the Lions Tour dividing attention.

Bulls:

They have 2 tough away games against the Sharks who will go flat out to get their supporters behind them again before their month long break. The Bulls might have more than 10 players in Heyneke Meyer’s Springbok squad. That will bring in the fatigue factor as well as continuity disrupted. A few of their experienced Springboks fought back and are in great form.

They return to the Super Rugby competition with 2 home games against the Kings and the Sharks. They end their Super fixtures with an away game at Newlands against the Stormers.

Although they look hot favorites to top the South African Conference, they can easily find themselves scrapping for points against the Stormers in their last game. If they manage to get at least 2 points in their first 2 games away they might even take the top spot overall.

Cheetahs:

They have a much easier passage into the top 6. They have another BYE at the end of their campaign, which gives them a guaranteed 4 log points. They play the Kings away and the Bulls at home before the TEST break. If they can get 5 points from these 2 games they will be well on their way to reach the knock out stages.

The Cheetahs might also have a few players in Heyneke Meyer’s Springbok squad. I expect that Adriaan Strauss will lead a group of 4 Cheetahs forwards in the Springbok squad. I also think that Piet van Zyl, Robert Ebersohn, Willie le Roux and possibly Sarel Pretorius will be amongst the backs used. Pieter Labuschagne, Heinrich Brüssow, Adriaan Strauss and Coenie Oosthuizen might all be in the Springbok squad.

The Sharks:

They have left themselves with a mountain to climb, but one must only go back one season to remember how they can fight till the end. With Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen, Lwazi Mvovo and Patrick Lambie left in their backline and still certainties in the Springbok squad, one can only blame their game plan for the position they are in. Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Franco van der Merwe and Jannie du Plessis gives them experienced Springboks who are complemented by Anton Bresler, Kyle Cooper and upcoming star Pieter-Steph du Toit. They will have at least 5 players in The Springbok squad.

They go into a 4 week break and it will be anyone’s guess which Shark team will come out of that. The disruption factor when their injured players come back might be nullified by this long break. Note: Kyle Cooper was brilliant in Bismarck du Plessis’ absence.

Stormers:

What went wrong there? Has all the good work Rassie Erasmus did, worn off? Has Allister Coetzee been found out to be a mediocre coach? The game they played this year made them deserved 11^th place holders. All the players in the backline were contenders for a Springbok Test team. Joe Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (Captain), Bryan Habana and Elton Jantjies all had a chance to play in a Test this year. Maybe only Jean de Villiers will be picked now.

Amongst their forwards only Andries Bekker and Eben Etzebeth might make the Springbok squad as things stand now.

They have by far the easiest end of season schedule. 4 Out of their last 5 games are home games and their only away game is against a tired Southern Kings team in Port Elizabeth. If they get the full complement of 20 points in the 4 games before the final match against the Bulls, it will move them to 50 log points. Currently the Bulls have 46 and the Cheetahs effectively 44 (because of their Bye in the last round). The Stormers certainly have a much bigger mountain to climb than Table Mountain! They cannot even pin their hopes on the whim that the Bulls might fall apart, because that would only mean the Cheetahs and Sharks get out of reach. Sorry Allister, your team can only play the role of party poopers.

Southern Kings:

They did much better than most rugby pundits ever imagined they would. But this last part of the season will be a nightmare. They could turn it into a nightmare for their opponents too. Imagine they beat one of the front runners! Or imagine they swap last spot in the SA Conference with the Stormers! One thing the Kings did is they broadened South Africa’s player pool, with a few players who grabbed the chances to show their goods in the Super Rugby competition. Jacques Engelbreght was a totally unknown player before this season. Bandise Maku also reminded us of his presence.

Demetri Catrakilis, Sergeal Petersen, Shaun Venter and Andries Strauss all used their chance and were noted by most for their stand-out performances.

It will be a shock to South African rugby supporters from other franchises if they don’t score the expected easy 5 pointers in every game against the Kings. It will be a disaster if one of them lose. The Cheetahs must be careful, they will have the most difficult task ahead. They cannot afford a lacklustre game against the Southern Kings.