Rugby: New Zealand rugby supporters turn to cricket

New Zealand rugby is in tatters as the Super 12 competition moves into the sixth round and the half way point of the round robin matches.

With no team in the top four and last years finalists (both NZ teams) taking up positions in the bottom four of the table, New Zealand rugby supporters are being told to concentrate on the cricket where the home team has beaten South Africa for the first time ever on home soil.

The top echelons of players have not reached any where near peak form whilst the many youngsters coming through the ranks are floundering due to inexperience.

Dropped ball, lost passes, scrappy lineouts and lack of cohesion in the backs are common when watching any one of the five New Zealand franchises in the competition.

The early rounds belonged to the Australian teams -- the Waratahs and the Brumbies -- but the running in the last two rounds has been done by the South African teams where the once lowly Northern Transvaal Bulls and the Western Cape Stormers have gained positions in the top four separating the lead team the ACT Brumbies and the NSW Waratahs.

The Otago Highlanders are the highest placed NZ team and seem to be the greatest hope for the "land of the long white cloud."

The Canterbury Crusaders showed a return to form last weekend by downing the Waikato Chiefs -- but with only nine competition points it will need to win all matches and pick up bonus points to have any chance.

The table reads as follows:

Brumbies 19; Bulls 18; Waratahs 16; Stormers 15; Highlanders 14; Sharks 14; Reds 10; Hurricanes 10; Crusaders 9; Chiefs 8; Blues 6; Cats 2.

Fans of the Sydney based Waratahs will be praying that this is not to be another year when the team starts well and then loses the plot towards the finals.

Few will forget the 90 point romp two years ago in Christchurch when the wheels fell right away from the team in the penultimate round against the Canterbury Crusaders.

The most likely scenario for the final at this stage is the ACT Brumbies against the Western Cape Stormers.

The Bulls may not be able to keep up the pace and so far have had all their matches on home soil.

The telling three match away games lie ahead of them and they will have to win all if they are to keep up the early competition ladder position.

The only factor in favor of the New Zealand teams is that all but the Chiefs have had the bye and a thus are a game behind the top six teams who still have to have a week off.