Super 14 Predictions: Draw complicates final round

Who could have thought a draw would complicate the scenario this way? Well it did. The Stormers and The Warratahs played out a draw on a wet rainy Saturday night at Newlands.

This brings focus on the last matches of Super 14 2008.  There are so many scenarios that could happen this coming weekend.  I have analyzed some of these here.

1.Hurricanes beat the Blues, Waratahs beat the Reds, Stormers beat the Lions, Sharks beat Chiefs– then Crusaders, Hurricanes, Waratahs and Sharks go through.( If Sharks get a bonus point)

2.Blues beat Hurricanes, Reds beat Waratahs, Stormers beat Lions, Sharks beat Chiefs — then it will be Crusaders, Stormers, Sharks and whichever of Waratahs, Hurricanes and Blues end up with best points differential.

3.Hurricanes beat the Blues, Waratahs beat the Reds, Stormers beat the Lions, Sharks lose to the Chiefs — then the semifinalists will be the Crusaders, Hurricanes, Waratahs and Stormers.

4.Hurricanes beat the Blues, Waratahs beat the Reds, Stormers lose to the Lions, Sharks beat the Chiefs — semifinalists will be Crusaders, Hurricanes, Waratahs and Sharks.

5. Hurricanes beat the Blues, Waratahs beat the Reds, Stormers beat the Lions with bonus point, Sharks beat the Chiefs with bonus point — then Crusaders, Hurricanes and Waratahs will advance, with the fourth team being determined by points differential

I am predicting this last Scenario and since am a Shark supporter, I hope they beat the Chiefs with more than 19 points and take the fourth position.

Whatever happens, this weekend will be great for rugby.

Locally, Impala humbled Quins to maintain their lead on the table and KCB beat Nakuru. However, the surprise results of Strathmore beating Mwamba and Mombasa beating Mean Machine brings a twist to the league.  It will be interesting how teams cope with the loss of national team players.