Super 14, 2010 or 'My Ode to the New South Wales Waratahs'

So, 2010 is a month and a half in and we've had little to celebrate on the sporting front (it's mainly just been dull cricket but that's an entirely different kettle of fish). However, we're beginning to find solace in the fact that the Super 14 is about to start. 3 of the greatest rugby nations will be playing off against each other in what shall be a spectacular end to the Super 14 competition as we make way for the Super 15 with the introduction of the 5th Australian team - the Melbourne Rebels.

As we wait 2 more days for the first few matches, we (being the 3 countries aforemention [actually probably just myself and a few others...]) are eagerly anticipating some fantastic rugby. Now I can't be sure on my facts, i've become lazier in my researching skills so this is mainly just guesswork, but I think we're in for a big year. I don't want to peak to early and have to eat my words but I definitely will say this, the Waratahs will win the competition, with the Stormers as runners-up. There have been whispers that it will be the ACT Brumbies who will be the most successful Australia team but to that I say "You make a fair and researched point based on statistics and player quality, but i'm a lot more biased than you so shove off, this is my blog".


Now let's not waste people's time and talk about games that no one cares about (although methinks the Blues vs Hurricanes game on Friday will be a good one). The Queensland Reds vs the NSW Waratahs. Round one will be the local derby round, or the Festival of Hate, with the Brumbies also playing the Force. New Waratahs coach, Chris Hickey, has made some surprising selections for his first round team, most notably Dean Mumm at 6 rather than in second row (not all that surprising as he's good at both but he and Will Caldwell are such a good pairing it seems silly to separate them). We see the debut game for six players - Berrick Barnes (10), Cam "Kiwi Jam" Jowitt (who? 5), Drew Mitchell (11), Sosene "I'm actually from New Zealand" Anesi (15), with Rory Sidey and Kane Douglas warming the bench. We also see the return of some familiar faces. Our fearless leader, Phil Waugh, is back with a vengeance hoping to lead his troops to glory. Kurtley Beale has been safely cleared to play after a nasty assault charge which will be heard in court in June. Our darling props, Al Baxter and Bennnnnnnn Robinson, return to hopefully be the pillars of our scrum and add some much appreciated team spirit. Will Caldwell will also be back after being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and having the best part of last year away from the game.

No matter what line up takes the field, I'd like to think that the Waratahs will win against the Reds anyway. However, let's not get complacent. Sure, the Reds former best player, Barnes, is now playing for us, but that doesn't mean they won't have a little bit of fight left in them. Yet it all just seems too hard to believe. Quade "effing" Cooper would never upstage or outclass Barnes and the youth that Queensland are putting us up against seem like no match to the depth that the NSW selectors are introducing to the team. Whatever is said before the game will be answered on Saturday evening in Suncorp Stadium.

Oh, and about the other Australian game. It's only the Force and the Brumbies so who cares?

The team that's taking on QLD is:
  1. Benn Robinson
  2. Tatafu Palota-Nau
  3. Al Baxter
  4. Will Caldwell
  5. Cam Jowitt
  6. Dean Mumm
  7. Phil Waugh
  8. Wycliff Palu
  9. Luke Burgess
  10. Berrick Barnes
  11. Drew Mitchell
  12. Kurtley Beale
  13. Tom Carter
  14. Lachlan Turner
  15. Sosene Anesi
  16. Damien Fitzpatrick
  17. Sekope Kepu
  18. Kane Douglas
  19. Ben Mowen
  20. Josh Holmes
  21. Daniel Halangahu
  22. Rory Sidey
- Splex

PS: If you like the Waratahs even half as much as I do then you should head to: GoTheTahs...DOT COM!

NB: Apologies for the somewhat ranting and biased nature of that. It's been a long time since I've had to string together some decent writing that is over 140 characters.

6 comments:

lindscm said...

Good to have Berrick B. Barnes on board this season... let the tipping begin!

The Drunken Sage said...

Very nice write up Alex. totally agreed, Force V Brumbies is the B game, which the Brumbies will storm away with anyway.

Tahs should have this one locked up by the 70th minute, but I think the Speds will be pumped for this one.

We'll see... We'll see...


P.S. You've screwed the link to gtt. :p

Aplexii said...

I fixed the link so it's all good to go now!

Mahesha said...

The Tahs will miss the Leagueies this year and will definitely struggle.
I'm tipping the Brumbies to put in a stellar year for the departing George Smith.

Nice post by the way.

Anonymous said...

i care about the force v brumbies game! hehehe

i love how one of ur players is called rory sidey. HILARIOUS

damn u Sage. FORCE WILL WIN

ACM said...

Mahesha I disagree. We definitely won't miss the leaguies, especially considering that Tahu was injured most of last season and Lote's cousin - Nemeni Nadolo - is bigger and more technically skilled than he was. So honestly, I don't think we'll have a problem. We have the players to go quite well!

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