With just five rounds left before the playoffs of this year’s Super Rugby its time to take a look at who are still contenders and who are the also rans.
At Sport 360 we’ve summed up all 15 teams prospects for the finals and given our prediction on where they will finish, starting with the Australian Conference.
AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE
Current position: 14th
Prediction: 15th
Grade: D
Already the big disappointment of 2018, the Brumbies have not improved and if anything have gotten worse. Dan McKellar’s team is in a straight shoot out for the wooden spoon with the improving Sunwolves and it may come down to who wins when the Brumbies host the Wolves on June 3.
Current position: 9th
Prediction: 9th
Grade: B+
The Rebels started the season superbly winning four of the first five games to make them shock leaders – but since then the wheels have come off. They loss their next five before notching up a crucial come from behind win against the Brumbies in week 13. Will just miss out on the playoffs.
Marcos Kremer of the red-hot Jaguares (L) faces off Adam Coleman of the up-and-down Rebels
Reds
Current position: 12th
Prediction: 13th
Grade: C
Another up and down season with superb results against the Bulls (at home) and the Jaguares (away) followed by shellackings against the Sunwolves and Brumbies. The Reds are a work in progress and are short on depth and experience but Brad Thorn may have them buzzing by next season.
Sunwolves
Current position: 15th
Prediction: 14th
Grade: C+
History making back to back wins over the last fortnight with the second coming after the siren against the Stormers via a superb Hayden Parker drop goal. Jamie Joseph has finally got the Wolves growling and they may yet cause a few more upsets before the playoffs.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, beats Australian teams 41 times in a row.
— Jamie Pandaram (@JamiePandaram) May 19, 2018
Waratahs 41 Highlanders 12#streakbroken
Waratahs
Current position: 6th (1st in Australian conference)
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Grade: B
Finally started to show some form over the last few weeks. The Tahs should have beaten the Crusaders two weeks ago in Christchurch and they finally broke the Kiwi-Ozzie hoodoo against the Highlanders on Saturday. Definitely playoff bound and may even reach the final four with home advantage in the quarter finals.
