Yeah, congrats to both the Bulls and Sharks for making the S14 final, and guaranteeing us a S14 ***le. Very chuffed indeed. Going by the way the 2 sides played their semi`s, I`ll just have to pick the Bulls for the win- even though I`m a mountain goat. They definately played the better, controlled rugby of the 2 sides.
Right, now onto where this puts us wrt the RWC. What I`m really stoked about, is the fact that the SA boys really fronted up on our overseas legs. Playing away from home has never been a SA strong point, but for all our teams(except the Cheetahs) to have stepped up and gotten 40% plus wins in Australasia has been magnificent. This has been a pshycological Rubicon crossed by the SA teams.
But will having 2 SA sides in the S14 final make us the favourites? Heck, if that`s the criteria, I suppose that England will now be joint favourites for producing the 2 HC finalists. You see, IF the Sharks beat the 1st-choice AB`s, and the Bulls the 2nd-choice AB`s, yeah then we could make sweeping statements like that. But neither the Boks, AB`s or Wallabies played as a unit in the S14, so to judge RWC form on S14 form, is just a bit premature.
Write off the AB`s, the pace-setters in world rugby for the last 3 years, at your peril. Write off the Aussies, who always seem to bring it on come RWC time, especially in the NH, at your peril. And write off the Boks, who will be brimful of confidence at a S14 ***le, and good away wins this year, at your peril. Write of the Froggies, at home and able to really turn it on in the big games(1999 semi-fial anyone?) at your peril. Heck, even England, under their new coach(yes, the one who picks Ian Balshaw!) and their status as defending champions can`t be chucked away yet either. Even the Irish, the most consistent team in the NH over the last 3 years, can pull off a big win or 2 at the RWC. So can the Argies. There`s still a lot of rugger to be played before November.
But I`m really stoked by the performances of both the Sharks and the Bulls, and I`ll rather be in the position of having 2 sides in the S14 final than not.