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I was initially going to post this in a response in the "Where are the SH posters thread" but decided it was better to place it here to maybe get some discussion on the SA teams and also provide some vision to the NH members of how the SA teams are shaping up:
The Stormers have gotten through the 5 out of 6 local derbies the best, 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss (but that loss is really disappointing, just shows how much things can change in 2.5 months). Two and a half months agoi, the Lions were looking like the best SA team and now are the undisputed worst SA team. I think it looks fairly even amongst the other and probably is this:
1) Stormers
2) Sharks = Bulls
4) Lions
Bulls just lost to the Sharks at home... but it was with 14 players from the 10th minute mark and it was only by 7 points, which is crazy. Sharks also had a yellow and then a much later red, but you'd expect them to put them away with the amount of talent on their books (especially going to be more interesting for them likely getting Etzebeth and getting Neil Powell from the SA Sevens as their DoR). Their coaching just seems to be the problem, given what they have in terms of player resources they should be miles ahead.
Bulls have a mix of young talent and experience and I expect them to be quite competitive for the rest of the season. At the start of the season I expected them to be the best and were probably a bit unlucky this past weekend.
Lions just aren't a finished product. They have glimpses of brilliance but can't finish their moves off or get the phases to get the points. They might click later on in the season, but just aren't there yet. Ran both the Sharks and the Bulls close though in one of their games (but got pretty smashed against the same Bulls team the week before and the Stormers this past weekend).
Stormers are definitely the surprise package and looking very exciting. There has been so much turmoil happening in the backrooms, so its pretty incredible they've been able to put such a strong team together of players that work well together, but maybe aren't the biggest names. Usually with the Stormers its a great set of forwards and some pretty one dimensional backline play... Now with our player transfers out to other teams in the last year (Etzebeth, Kolisi, Mbonambi, Notshe, PSDT) and injuries (Malherbe, Moerat, Roos), we are probably now more of an average pack (carried by Orie, Kitshoff and old timer Deon Fourie, also old timer Brok Harris doing a great job filling in for Malherbe) with the most exciting backline (Libbok, Willemse and Gelant as playmakers starting is a revelation, with a strong finisher in Senatla as well as strong performances recently from both Ruhan Nel and Dan Du Plessis).
I expect it to be a bit tough when they play their one off games in winter Europe in two weeks time, but I am anticipating three out of four wins there (Connacht v Stormers, Zebre vs Bulls, Benetton vs Sharks, Leinster vs Lions), especially with some internationals missing for Six Nations duties. Only loss I am expecting is the Lions. I can't see them being able to stand up to Leinster where they currently seem to be.
The Stormers have gotten through the 5 out of 6 local derbies the best, 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss (but that loss is really disappointing, just shows how much things can change in 2.5 months). Two and a half months agoi, the Lions were looking like the best SA team and now are the undisputed worst SA team. I think it looks fairly even amongst the other and probably is this:
1) Stormers
2) Sharks = Bulls
4) Lions
Bulls just lost to the Sharks at home... but it was with 14 players from the 10th minute mark and it was only by 7 points, which is crazy. Sharks also had a yellow and then a much later red, but you'd expect them to put them away with the amount of talent on their books (especially going to be more interesting for them likely getting Etzebeth and getting Neil Powell from the SA Sevens as their DoR). Their coaching just seems to be the problem, given what they have in terms of player resources they should be miles ahead.
Bulls have a mix of young talent and experience and I expect them to be quite competitive for the rest of the season. At the start of the season I expected them to be the best and were probably a bit unlucky this past weekend.
Lions just aren't a finished product. They have glimpses of brilliance but can't finish their moves off or get the phases to get the points. They might click later on in the season, but just aren't there yet. Ran both the Sharks and the Bulls close though in one of their games (but got pretty smashed against the same Bulls team the week before and the Stormers this past weekend).
Stormers are definitely the surprise package and looking very exciting. There has been so much turmoil happening in the backrooms, so its pretty incredible they've been able to put such a strong team together of players that work well together, but maybe aren't the biggest names. Usually with the Stormers its a great set of forwards and some pretty one dimensional backline play... Now with our player transfers out to other teams in the last year (Etzebeth, Kolisi, Mbonambi, Notshe, PSDT) and injuries (Malherbe, Moerat, Roos), we are probably now more of an average pack (carried by Orie, Kitshoff and old timer Deon Fourie, also old timer Brok Harris doing a great job filling in for Malherbe) with the most exciting backline (Libbok, Willemse and Gelant as playmakers starting is a revelation, with a strong finisher in Senatla as well as strong performances recently from both Ruhan Nel and Dan Du Plessis).
I expect it to be a bit tough when they play their one off games in winter Europe in two weeks time, but I am anticipating three out of four wins there (Connacht v Stormers, Zebre vs Bulls, Benetton vs Sharks, Leinster vs Lions), especially with some internationals missing for Six Nations duties. Only loss I am expecting is the Lions. I can't see them being able to stand up to Leinster where they currently seem to be.
