I'm going Ulster, Leinster, and the Sprinboks need to make the Pumas look like the Little Sisters of the Assumption to beat the All Blacks

What the Boks need to make the Pumas look like

Ulster V Munster is the big match this weekend, and for once the men in red know they have a big challenge ahead of themselves in Ulster.  Ferris, Tuohy, Henry and Trimble are all in the frame, but let’s be honest, the B team have been making a good fist of it without their internationals.  For Munster DOC is back, ROG, Earls and Murray on the bench. Munster have had a good start as well, but seem to be playing quite disjointed rugby at the moment. I’m going for an Ulster win, with Anscombe starting the stronger of the two new Kiwi coaches.

Leinster have a tricky enough away trip to Treviso. Treviso beat the Ospreys and didn’t disgrace themselves against Munster, with home advantage they would have watched with interest what the Scarlets got up to two weeks ago. Leinster’s Internationals are trickling back. Actually, with a bit of work on their defense the players from the last two weeks could do the business, as I’m not expecting Treviso to play Island style running rugby. If we contain their forwards, our backs should do the damage. So I’m going for an away win.
Connacht won’t best the Scarlets I don’t think, although they didn’t do badly against the Blues last week.

In the Rugby Championship, the Springboks are going to have to put in a performance that makes the Pumas look like the Little Sisters of the Assumption if they want to beat the All Blacks. They are going to have to beat the holy crap out of them basically. The Springboks have been a declining spiral since their first 20 minutes against the Pumas in Cape Town. They surely had it in them to beat Australia, but couldn’t and I don’t fancy their chances at all against the All Blacks. New Zealand haven’t really hit their straps, and the Boks could be wandering into a perfect storm. It’s the one game the Boks will always get themselves up for though.  I’m tending on a comfortable AB win.

In Aus, the Pumas will beat the Wallabies if they play like they did last weekend. Australia are shipping injuries at a rate of knots, and when Nathan Sharpe needs protection from the ref, you know their mettle has to be in doubt. However, I see the Wallabies shambling into enough to form to just about scrape this one.

RaboDirect PRO12
Friday , September 14
Ulster vs Munster 19:05
Ospreys vs Glasgow 19:05
Edinburgh vs Zebre 19:30
Saturday , September 15
Connacht vs Scarlets 15:00
Benetton Treviso vs Leinster 18:05
Newport-Gwent D'gons vs Cardiff Blues 18:30
Rugby Championship
Saturday , September 15
New Zealand vs South Africa 19:35
Australia vs Argentina 20:05