The other round 14 Super Rugby games

[Stargazer]

A reasonably entertaining game between the Force and Reds, with some good tries. You'd expect the Reds to win easily but the Force doesn't stick to that script. I hope they can last the full 80 minutes.

[Stargazer]

40-26 to the Force. Didn't see that coming. The Force has bounced back well after being smashed by the Highlanders last week. The Blues should be able to crush the Reds next week.

[hydro11]

Force play with quite a bit of heart. Not sure what to say about the Reds - they probably have the best Aussie team on paper but completely lack cohesion.

[NTA]

@hydro11 cohesion. Coaching. More than one brain. A decent halves pairing.

[Tim]

Australia will be absolutely diabolical this year. What distraction will Cheika come up? He can't get all fired up about "respect", no matter how much of a frenzy Rugby-Reg whips himself into.

[Tim]

Why do people keep parroting the line about "Queensland on paper"?

On paper they look like a combinations of has-beens and dog-shit. What kind of idiot looked at those players and coaches and had anything positive to say?

[Crucial]

@Tim said in The other round 14 Super Rugby games:

Australia will be absolutely diabolical this year. What distraction will Cheika come up? He can't get all fired up about "respect", no matter how much of a frenzy Rugby-Reg whips himself into.

I'm sure he is trying hard to convince himself that among this clusterfuck there is a team he can put together that will come right when not playing among their horrifically poor team mates.

At least he has a run of easy tests to try and whip them into shape before the TRC.

IF they are as bad as their component parts then he will likely blame the administration (with some reason) then quit.

[taniwharugby]

I think he does have the bones of a good team to work with, but gonna be some challenge to get their heads in the right space after the humpings they have had, the issues surrounding the chopping of the Force and Rebels, confidence and belief will be low.

[hydro11]

Cheika needs to make sure that Fijian number 8 becomes eligible for Australia, for one.

[Stargazer]

Plenty of heart and ideas in this Sunwolves v Cheetahs game, especially from the Cheetahs. The execution of those ideas isn't always good, but the Cheetahs are deservedly leading 26-7.