Rugby Union

I'd guess it will be Lions V Hurricanes and Crusaders V Chiefs.

 

FT, Brumbies 16-35 Hurricanes.

No big surprises there. Jordie Barrett with 20 points for a club record in a playoff game.

 

FT, Crusaders 17-0 Highlanders.

Predictions looking good thus far, 2 for 2!

 

FT, Lions 23-21 Sharks.

Very nearly a big upset there, disappointing as it would have made things much easier for the Kiwi sides.

Oh well, Joburg semi + maybe final it is!

 

FT, Stormers 11-17 Chiefs.

Happy with that win, tough flight home now.

Semi finals:

Lions V Hurricanes
Crusaders V Chiefs

If only I was a betting man!

 

Crusaders 27-13 Chiefs

Match went to form, either a Crusaders-Hurricanes or Lions-Crusaders final now.

 

FT, Lions 44-29 Hurricanes

Jo'burg final for the Crusaders then, really ought to be home and away over two legs.

 

Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Seta Tamanivalu, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock (c), 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody
Bench: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Mike Alaalatoa, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 George Bridge

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Kwagga Smith, 6 Jaco Kriel (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza

 

FT, Lions 17-25 Crusaders

 

What was the match like?

 

Decent enough but the spectacle was hampered by a red card near the end of the first half. Correct decision by the letter of the law, ref didn't really have any other choice as one of the Lions players took someone out while they were in the air.

Crusaders were up 12-3 at that point and I think they would have won anyway if it had of remained 15 v 15. Lions got a couple of tries late but didn't really have enough time to claw back the deficit, were never going to find 8 more points after scoring in the 73rd.

Big achievement for the Crusaders, first foreign team to win the final on South African soil.

 

Boys against men in Sydney.

Half time, Australia 6-40 New Zealand

 

Frustrating second half for the ABs, takes a bit of shine off their first half dominance.

FT, Australia 34-54 New Zealand

 

New Zealand: Damian McKenzie, Ben Smith, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Samuel Whitelock, Liam Squire, Sam Kane, Kieran Read

Replacements: Codie Taylor, Kane Hames, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Lima Sopoaga, Anton Lienert-Brown


Wallabies: Israel Folau, Dane Haylett-Petty, Tevita Kuridrani, Kurtley Beale, Henry Speight, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Sean McMahon, Michael Hooper (captain), Ned Hanigan, Rory Arnold, Rob Simmons, Allan Alaalatoa, Stephen Moore, Scott Sio.

Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Sekope Kepu, Izack Rodda, Lopeti Timani, Nick Phipps, Reece Hodge, Curtis Rona.

 

FT, New Zealand 35-29 Australia

What a match.

 

Caught the highlights, absolute cracker. Feel for the Aussies!

 

There was a 15 minute spell where the lead changed hands about 5 times, haven't seen a competitive match like that from Aus against NZ in ages. Real early 2000's vibe.

 

Reminded me of the first Bledisloe match I ever watched. Would have been late 90s/early 2000s and I think it ended 35-34.

 

You're likely thinking of the 35–39 in Sydney in 2000, was dubbed the greatest game ever played.

Grew up hating that Wallabies team of Gregan, Larkham, and co. Probably the only period in my life that they were consistently on par with or better than NZ.