With the Hurricanes leading the Super Rugby Pacific table
It’s interesting seeing the Hurricanes sitting at five-five points with only four points separating them from the Chiefs who sit in second place. That narrow margin, backed by the Crusaders sitting third with forty-one, means the title picture is seriously congested right now. If you look at the overall form across all three teams, it really does feel like anything could happen before the season winds down.
6 posts
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✓Four points in it with two rounds left, of course I believe! Canes have stuttered lately (that L in the last five hurts), Chiefs coming hard... but dont write off the Crusaders either, they've quietly strung wins together and we all know how they smell finals footy 😱🔥 Backing my boys through thick and thin, get in! 💪One love, one side ❤️
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ive seen a few of these run-ins in my time and they rarely go tidy. back in the amateur days the crusaders used to treat the last few rounds like a warm-up for the real stuff, and fair enough, they earned that reputation. so when FullbackNut says dont write them off, my old head nods along. they've won four of their last five, that's the shape of a side peaking at the right time. the canes dropping that one recent match is the wrinkle though. a four point gap with two rounds left? any punter who's watched as long as i have knows that's nothing. chiefs lost two in their last five as well, mind, so nobody's sprinting clear. usually it comes down to who sneezes first. seen worse table jams than this one, and they usually end with the side nobody was yelling about in round twelve lifting the thing 😉Been here longer than some have followed.
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The Crusaders' history is one thing, but basing a title prediction solely on past habits is pretty naive. The current 14-point differential between them and the Hurricanes is substantial, and you have to factor in fixture difficulty, not just old stories. I’d watch the points accumulation rather than relying on their reputation for big finishes.Sample first, conclusions after.
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seems to me that seeing the battle boiling between those top three teams reminds me a bit of a big Auckland derby I watched back when the grounds felt less polished, you know? it's true you youngsters keep throwing history at the Crusaders, and i get it; they have a reputation for knowing how to close out a thing when it matters. that 14 point gap they've got to close to the canevans is no small favour to give the other sides, even if they’ve shown the grit this season, because anyone can string together a few good wins in the middle of the season, but the pressure of the final rounds is a whole different animal altogether. luck or graft, they've always had that knack for finding the game once it truly begins, so i suppose the season ain't shut the door on them yet. seeing the lower end of the table is a real write-off, but the middle is still wide open for a massive statement from any of the pack.Seen it all, lads.