I hate that I have to admit this about the Sharks ...

After last year, the drama within the teams, players moving to other countries in search of greener pastures and the retirements.

I had a discussion with my friends and I cannot believe it but I had to admit that the Sharks, compared to last year’s best-performing South African  team the Stormers, represent South Africa’s best chance of success in the 2012 Super Rugby season.

According to the latest edition of Sports Illustrated magazine and the artlicles I have read about the upcoming Super Rugby season.

They have theSharks finishing second on the overall log behind the Crusaders, last season’s runners-up and the top side in the Super Rugby history, and thus winning the SA conference.

It tips the Stormers, last year’s domestic conference winners and eventually beaten semi-finalists, to end fifth overall and as conference runners-up, thus qualifying again for the playoffs as the only other South African team to do so.

According to the magazine, the rebuilding Bulls will end seventh, just outside the playoffs, cash-strapped Currie Cup champions the Lions 11th and the Cheetahs 12th.

“The Sharks have all the personnel, skills and smarts a team could wish for. Now they just need the belief,” SI said.

It cited favourable aspects for the Sharks like the fact that they don’t meet the Crusaders on the pre-playoff calendar this season, and will play defending champions the Reds at home.

In slightly downgrading the Stormers this year, the magazine said: “They have the goods to take top (conference) spot if they fire on all cylinders, but when they backfire, they do so spectacularly.”

On a broader level, as the tournament faces a record-length year marked by a three-week break for Test rugby, it quoted SARU chief executive Jurie Roux as admitting that the schedule was “challenging not only from a player point of view but also because we have the incoming English tour in the middle of the Super Rugby competition which makes selling both quite tricky”.

He added: “It’s certainly easier to handle the promotion of one tournament at a time. The Test window will put added pressure on the new Bok coach because he’ll have hardly any time to work with the players before the first England Test.”

Rugby players partying like Rockstars, Part 2

The Kiwis also like to party. Shocked onlookers at a bar watched as a naked, drunk and bleeding Zac Guildford staggered into a beachside Rarotonga bar and assaulted two holidaymakers.

Witnesses said the All Black winger suddenly appeared dripping wet and without clothes in Trader Jacks, a popular bar and restaurant, about 10pm on Friday (NZ time).

He was bleeding from a gash to his forehead and wounds on his chest and knees, thought to have happened when he fell off a scooter earlier in the day.

The 22 year old Guildford first punched one man in the bar who asked him if he needed help. The All Black then staggered to the bar and hit Australian Nick Cox across the back of the head.

In September, Guildford admitted to a drinking problem and met with All Blacks coaches to promise he would take steps to control his drinking.(Umm,... Yeah)

But the Kiwis watching him on Friday night say his behaviour was appalling.


Luckily  Zac Guildford has kept his lucrative New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) contract but been banned for four games and ordered to undergo alcohol counselling

2012 Super Rugby chops and changes

It looks like they made changes for the 2012 Super Rugby tournament and not every team will play against each other. This, obviously, creates a bit of inequality with some teams coming off with better draws than others.

Here’s a quick look at who doesn’t play whom – we’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions!

Bulls don’t play the Hurricanes or Western Force
Cheetahs don’t play the Blues or Reds
Lions don’t play the Highlanders or Waratahs
Sharks don’t play the Crusaders or Rebels
Stormers don’t play the Chiefs or Brumbies

Blues don’t play the Cheetahs or Waratahs
Chiefs don’t play the Stormers or Rebels
Crusaders don’t play the Sharks or Brumbies
Highlanders don’t play the Lions or Western Force
Hurricanes don’t play the Bulls or Reds

Brumbies don’t play the Stormers or Crusaders
Rebels don’t play the Sharks or Chiefs
Reds don’t play the Cheetahs or Hurricanes
Waratahs don’t play the Lions or Blues
Western Force don’t play the Bulls or Highlanders

I dont know hey, I dont think this is a good idea but who am I to say, im not running this.

Rugby players partying like Rock stars

What is up with these rugby players partying like Rock stars these days?

A month ago England scrumhalf Danny Care was arrested and fined by police for being drunk and disorderly on a night out with his team-mates from English club Harlequins.

He was later released after being arrested, shortly after Harlequins' 21-10 defeat to Toulouse in the Heineken Cup. He was fined £80. (really,... hmmm ok)

Care, who has won 24 caps for England, says "I should have remembered that as a professional player, I am on duty throughout the season and need to set a better example to fans." (written by the publicist i suppose)

After all that drama the Rugby Football Union announced that Danny Care will play no part in the team's Six Nations campaign after the off-field controversy. This is sad especially after he tweeted  "2012 is hopefully going to be a massive year". Shame