Sharks, Stormers respective coaching staff out of their depth, Lions still have spark, Sunwolves continue to bite back, and dream Champions Cup final in store. Check out our Super Rugby and European Champions Cup review.
Sharks, Stormers respective coaching staff out of their depth
The results of Robert du Preez and Robbie Fleck’s respective matchups this weekend again served to highlight the gulf in class between them and the majority of Super Rugby’s other top gaffers. The Sharks fell 14-21 to the Reds at Kings Park while the Stormers succumbed to the Brumbies 17-19 at Newlands.
The Stormers’ result was made even more astounding considering the fact that the hosts dominated the stats across the board, making 463 meters to the Brumbies’ 172, 172 carries to their 81 and nine clean breaks to their three. Rather absurdly, Robert du Preez praised his Sharks side after their showing on Friday, applauding the “huge shift” they put in. Surely the standards need to be higher if a South African franchise is serious about ending the country’s Super Rugby drought? While the players themselves should shoulder some of the blame, it is the coaches who should be held accountable.
Lions still have spark
Despite coach Swys de Bruin having already flown home for personal reasons by the time the Lion’s match against the Chiefs had kicked-off on Friday, the men from Johannesburg put on a massive showing to lead 20-0 at halftime before going on to claim a vital 23-17 victory.
It has been a vastly underwhelming season thus far for the Lions, who have had to deal with a plethora of off-field issues over the past few weeks. Their performance, though, proved they still have some quality left in the tank – even if they did have to shield the fact that Malcolm Marx and Elton Jantjies were, in fact, set to start the game from the onset.
Sunwolves continue to bite back
In spite of their impending relegation from Super Rugby, or perhaps because of it, the Sunwolves again enjoyed a passionate outing in their 23-29 defeat to the Hurricanes in Tokyo. They may have gone down in the end, but they are certainly winning a lot of people over with their fearless style of play. Their tenacity in the face of overwhelming adversity has been a pleasure to watch and it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see them picking up a few more scalps before the season is out.
Dream Champions Cup final in store
The Champions Cup never fails to deliver, but this season is set for one of the most exciting finales in recent memory. Defending champions Leinster will take on Saracens at St James’ Park on May 11 in a game that will pit the two undisputed best teams in the competition against each other for the chance to be crowned champion of Europe.
Saracens will look to claim a third title in four seasons, while the men from Dublin can become the outright most decorated team in the tournament’s history with what would be a fifth win; one more than Toulouse have managed. However the game plays out, we can be sure it will rank among the greatest finals ever played.
