The Road Home; Season 2009

[Burgs]

The Road Home:

1. Sharks

8 Sharks Hurricanes Durban
9 Cheetahs Sharks Bloemfontein
10 Sharks Crusaders Durban
11 Bye
12 Sharks Highlanders Durban
13 Sharks Waratahs Durban
14 Sharks Bulls Durban

2. Waratahs

8 Waratahs Stormers Sydney
9 Waratahs Bulls Sydney
10 Waratahs Force Sydney
11 Bye
12 Cheetahs Waratahs Bloemfontein
13 Sharks Waratahs Durban
14 Lions Waratahs Johannesburg

3. Chiefs

8 Chiefs Lions Hamilton
9 Bye
10 Cheetahs Chiefs Kimberley
11 Bulls Chiefs Pretoria
12 Stormers Chiefs Cape Town
13 Chiefs Hurricanes Hamilton
14 Chiefs Brumbies Hamilton

4. Bulls

8 Crusaders Bulls Christchurch
9 Waratahs Bulls Sydney
10 Brumbies Bulls Canberra
11 Bulls Chiefs Pretoria
12 Bulls Force Pretoria
13 Bulls Cheetahs Pretoria
14 Sharks Bulls Durban

5. Hurricanes

8 Sharks Hurricanes Durban
9 Force Hurricanes Perth
10 Hurricanes Stormers Wellington
11 Hurricanes Brumbies Wellington
12 Hurricanes Blues Wellington
13 Chiefs Hurricanes Hamilton
14 Reds Hurricanes Brisbane

6. Highlanders

8 Bye
9 Highlanders Reds Invercargill
10 Blues Highlanders Auckland
11 Highlanders Stormers Dunedin
12 Sharks Highlanders Durban
13 Lions Highlanders Johannesburg
14 Force Highlanders Perth

7. Crusaders

8 Crusaders Bulls Christchurch
9 Bye
10 Sharks Crusaders Durban
11 Cheetahs Crusaders Bloemfontein
12 Lions Crusaders Johannesburg
13 Crusaders Reds Christchurch
14 Blues Crusaders Auckland

8. Blues

8 Bye
9 Blues Lions Auckland
10 Blues Highlanders Auckland
11 Blues Reds North Harbour
12 Hurricanes Blues Wellington
13 Brumbies Blues Canberra
14 Blues Crusaders Auckland

9. Stormers

8 Waratahs Stormers Sydney
9 Brumbies Stormers Canberra
10 Hurricanes Stormers Wellington
11 Highlanders Stormers Dunedin
12 Stormers Chiefs Cape Town
13 Stormers Force Cape Town
14 Cheetahs Stormers Bloemfontein

10. Brumbies

8 Cheetahs Brumbies Bloemfontein
9 Brumbies Stormers Canberra
10 Brumbies Bulls Canberra
11 Hurricanes Brumbies Wellington
12 Reds Brumbies Brisbane
13 Brumbies Blues Canberra
14 Chiefs Brumbies Hamilton

11. Reds

8 Force Reds Perth
9 Highlanders Reds Invercargill
10 Reds Lions Brisbane
11 Blues Reds North Harbour
12 Reds Brumbies Brisbane
13 Crusaders Reds Christchurch
14 Reds Hurricanes Brisbane

12. Force

8 Force Reds Perth
9 Force Hurricanes Perth
10 Waratahs Force Sydney
11 Force Lions Perth
12 Bulls Force Pretoria
13 Stormers Force Cape Town
14 Force Highlanders Perth

13. Lions

8 Chiefs Lions Hamilton
9 Blues Lions Auckland
10 Reds Lions Brisbane
11 Force Lions Perth
12 Lions Crusaders Johannesburg
13 Lions Highlanders Johannesburg
14 Lions Waratahs Johannesburg

14. Cheetahs

8 Cheetahs Brumbies Bloemfontein
9 Cheetahs Sharks Bloemfontein
10 Cheetahs Chiefs Kimberley
11 Cheetahs Crusaders Bloemfontein
12 Cheetahs Waratahs Bloemfontein
13 Bulls Cheetahs Pretoria
14 Cheetahs Stormers Bloemfontein

[pieter blackie]

12. Force

8 Force Reds Perth
9 Force Hurricanes Perth
10 Waratahs Force Sydney
11 Force Lions Perth
12 Bulls Force Pretoria
13 Stormers Force Cape Town
14 Force Highlanders Perth

OK so can we say the following

8 Force win
9 Force win
10 Force win
11 Force win
12 I cannot see the Force beating the Bulls
13 It will be hard but not imposible to beat the Stormers
14 Force win their last home game

[robyn <3]

12 I cannot see the Force beating the Bulls

I'm stuggling with it too, but GOD that would be fantastic if we did!

I don't think any of those games are completely out of the question. We can beat any of those teams if every single man on the pitch has his heart on his sleeve and his brain in his head rather than floating in the clouds. GO THE FORCE

[AndyS]

Well, the last three years have required 38, 42 and 41 points to make the finals and it will be low 40s again this year. So one more loss and at least 6 bonus points would be required to have a hope of not needing other results. Two losses and it's over. Given the struggle to score bonus points so far, even dropping one game will put the backs to the wall.

[lara93]

1. Sharks

8 Sharks Hurricanes Durban
9 Cheetahs Sharks Bloemfontein
10 Sharks Crusaders Durban
11 Bye
12 Sharks Highlanders Durban
13 Sharks Waratahs Durban
14 Sharks Bulls Durban

jee what a hard last few weeks for them!
no jetlag!

[welshrugbyfan]

Yep Sharks V Bulls final but in Pretoria this time around.

I'll call it early.

[lara93]

yeah i would call that to but i would like to see it in Durban again
but Pretoria will be good to

[James]

Yep Sharks V Bulls final but in Pretoria this time around.

I'll call it early.

Still don't think the Bulls will make it through. They've got three tough road games followed by a final four that aren't exactly easybeats.

PB- I think you underestimate the Force's form in South Africa. Or you overestimate South Africans. I reckon they'll take at least 4 points out of SA. Whether we'll still be a finals chance by then or not remains to be seen.

[Burgs]

I would say the Bulls could arguably be on the point of "Epic Fail", the only fixture they could be confident of remaining would be the Cheetahs, which, as a local match, will even be hard fought.
Even the Force are a win there last start.

[shasta]

I'm sure there is not a team in any sport on the planet who would be ruling themselves out from the position in which The Force now find themselves in. There were a couple of matches there that should have been won, 'Saders & Blues for sure. But the losses to the Chiefs and the Sharks look pretty predictable with the benefit of hindsight. They are both in pretty hot form.

The Chiefs & Tahs have have shown the ability to lose form. It's pretty difficult to see the Sharks getting the yips seeing as they've already done the hard yards. The other three spots are still well and truly up for grabs. For now.

[laura]

With only 14 points between 1st and 13th on the ladder, every team *should* be playing every game as if its a must win, not just the Force. With 6 teams, including 3 of the top 4, still to have a bye there is certainly more than a fighting chance of getting back into finals contention.

[pieter blackie]

4. Bulls

8 Crusaders Bulls Christchurch
9 Waratahs Bulls Sydney
10 Brumbies Bulls Canberra
11 Bulls Chiefs Pretoria
12 Bulls Force Pretoria
13 Bulls Cheetahs Pretoria
14 Sharks Bulls Durban

8 80% chance of a Win
9 99% chance of a Win
10 Win
11 Win
12 Win
13 Win
14 Preview of the finals match and it could go any way

So let us say they get another 24 points...............

---------- Post added at 20:00 ---------- Previous post was at 19:57 ----------

Still don't think the Bulls will make it through. They've got three tough road games followed by a final four that aren't exactly easybeats.

PB- I think you underestimate the Force's form in South Africa. Or you overestimate South Africans. I reckon they'll take at least 4 points out of SA. Whether we'll still be a finals chance by then or not remains to be seen.

The only reason the Bulls lost the past weekend was because they did not have Matfield in the team He is worth 2 other players and when Habana gets back the defence will be back to strength as well.

[James]

Where do those percentages comes from Pieter? The national bureau of statistics?

Do you really think the Bulls are going to win the next three straight on the road?

The Force has beaten the Bulls with both Matfield and Habana before and are capable of doing it again. And the Chiefs- sure any Chiefs team could show up on the day but if its the in-form, strong-running Chiefs and their passes stick they could run the Bulls six ways from Sunday.

I'm with Burgs on no game being a guarantee (Cheetahs aside). I reckon they'll be lucky to get sixteen. Anyway enough of that now. We'll see when the season ends.

[GIGS20]

Force v Bulls is only a question in the brain....if they are switched on, they easily have the measure of the Bulls......unfortunately I've seen very little Switched on-ness from the boys this year....here's hoping desperation flicks the switch fo rthe rest of the season!