With the first two games of Super Rugby giving all Super fans a taste of what is to come, the coming weekend will get everyone involved and we will truly see who has gotten their preparations spot on. However, if the past is anything to go by the first week of games are not always a good measure for the season to come as many Crusaders fans will tell you.
So, we have had a look at the South African Conference and the first two games in this conference has pretty much gone according to our predictions, this time around we will have a look at probably last year’s weakest conference. With the Wallabies struggling in last year’s Super tournament having only one team qualify for the knockout phase. The Australian teams would be hoping to see a change in this year’s tournament.
Australian Conference:
Waratahs, Rebels, Reds, Brumbies, Sunwolves.
Sunwolves 
The team from Japan seems like a charity case from SANZAR as they have finished in 18th and 17th in their first two attempts at Super Rugby. The Sunwolves only managed 2 wins in 2017 only the Rebels winning less. The Sunwolves also conceded a whopping 671 points the worst in the tournament by more than 80 points averaging 44.7 points conceded per game and only scoring 315 at an average of 21 points per game. The Sunwolves have had a remodel with 33 squad players from 2017 leaving the Japanese team and 24 players coming in through the turnstile. New Head coach Jamie Joseph has added some more international faces and will be hoping to at least see his new team be more competitive than they were in the past.
Squad:
With changes in every position Riaan Viljoen, Derek Carpenter and Liaki Moli will probably be their biggest losses. The addition of Gerhard van den Heever, Michael Leitch and Lappies Labuschagne will add some experience and promise to the Sunwolves team.
In the backline van den Heever and ex Highlanders Hayden Parker and Jason Emery will be the ones to watch along with Grant Hatting, Michael Leitch and Willie Britz upfront.
Conclusion:
It hasn’t been easy for the Sunwolves up to this point in Super Rugby and I see no reason why this will change. The Sunwolves simply do not have the squad to compete in Rugby’s premier club competition. My prediction is that the Sunwolves will finish last in the Australian conference and last on the overall log as well.
Reds 
After finishing 2017 in 14th position and following up on 13th in 2013 and 2014 and 15th in 2016 the Reds have certainly seen better times. The Queensland based franchise is one of three Aussie franchises to make a change at the helm. Brad Thorn has stepped in and has already made the big call to tell Quade Cooper that his services will not be required anymore. A Brave call and only time will tell if it was the correct one.
Squad:
The Reds have seen Stephan Moore retire, and the departures of Rob Simmons, Hendrik Tui, Nick Frisby and Sam Talakai will all compile the misery for the Queensland based franchise.
Looking at the Reds forwards SA Rugby magazine picks called Timu as their forward to watch and to be honest there is not a lot to get excited about in the reds first 8. At the back there is reason to be slightly more optimistic with the likes of Karmichael Hunt, Aiden Toua and Samu Kerevi providing some excitement.
Conclusion:
The Reds seem to be lacking when it comes to squad depth and game breakers and I personally think they will struggle this season. Brad Thorne needs to make some big changes and I do not think that he has made enough up to this point. I think the Reds will struggle and finish in 4th position in the Australian conference and just stay off the bottom in 14th position overall.
Brumbies 
The team from Canberra was probably the only team to show glimpses of what is expected from Australian rugby franchises. However, the Brumbies can be very thankful for the tournament structure otherwise they might have missed out on a play-off spot all together, instead they had a home quarter final.
The Brumbies will see a change at the helm with last year’s assistant coach Dan McKellar replacing Stephan Larkham who has been pulled up into the International ranks.
Squad:
The Brumbies will welcome back one of Australia’s best in David Pocock who is returning from a sabbatical and they will be hoping that he can return to his best and terrorize opposing teams at the breakdown. On the opposite side of the spectrum the Brumbies will miss the influential Scott Fardy, Aiden Toua, Nigel Au Wong and Tomas Cubelli, who all are seeking greener pastures elsewhere.
When looking at the Squad the two men that stand out in the backline are Christiaan Lealilifano and Henry Speight these two experienced individuals will be crucial to the success of the Brumbies this season and hopefully they hit their straps. When looking at their forward it is hard to look past Pocock, but new singing Isi Naisarani will add more options to the Brumbies lineout as well as give them another great ball carrier.
Conclusion:
Having had big changes happen in the off season, with a new coach, 13 players leaving the franchise and 11 new players joining the squad the Brumbies could struggle slightly to find the right combinations. The Brumbies do have some experienced heads and much of the success of the Canberra based franchise this season will be dependent on how these individuals perform. Overall, I think the Brumbies will struggle and will finish 3rd in the Australian Conference and miss out on a knockout spot finishing 11th Overall
Rebels 
Finishing with the wooden spoon in the 2017 season only managing to win one game, the Melbourne side will be hoping for some vastly improved performances this season. Having some moments within their games that showed their potential, the Rebels have just lacked the composure in big moments to finish off opposition teams. Also having a new coach this season, David Wessels (former Force head coach), the Rebels will be looking to utilise their talented squad to challenge for the Australian conference.
Squad:
Rebels fans will be gutted losing influential loose forward Sean McMahon to Japan as the flanker has been lured away for a bigger pay check. McMahon is not only a loss for the Rebels but for the Wallabies as well as Michael Cheika tried to convince the 23-year-old to stay in Australia. The Rebels will however be excited by the arrivals of Wallabies lock Adam Coleman, Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia, former Waratahs and Reds front rower Sam Talakai and Brothers Ross and Dane Haylett-Petty, who will all undoubtedly add some firepower to the Rebels squad.
The Rebels backline is taking shape very nicely and should be a very dangerous prospect when they get it right. The like of Haylett-Petty, Genia, Koroibette, Reece Hodge and David Horwitz the only position they seem to be lacking an experienced or well-known player is at flyhalf. Looking at the forwards the big name to watch is without a doubt the Japanese international Amanaki Mafi, who’s explosive ball running ability should see him improve on his impressive showings last season.
Conclusion:
The Rebels seems to have made some big changes adding some experience and quality across the field. Looking like a hybrid of the Rebels and Force from last season this squad can certainly raise some eyebrows and make the bigger sides take notice. The Rebels are my bogey pick and I can see them beat the Brumbies to the 2nd place in the Australian conference and maybe sneak into a knockout position however I feel they will just miss out in 9th.
Waratahs 
Probably the team in Super Rugby that has disappointed the most in the past two seasons finishing in 10th position in 2016 and in 16th position in 2017. Daryl Gibson will be hoping to get the best out of his star-studded line-up and to get them back to where they were 3 and 4 seasons ago. When it comes to squads the Waratahs have some of the world’s best players in their line-up with backline that can leave even the best defences in world rugby dazed. The question this season will be which Waratahs squad will turn up?
Squad:
Losing some big names in David Horwitz and Rob Horne Kurtley Beale will be welcomed back to add some much-needed skills in the centre’s, so too will Rob Simmons and Tom Stanniforth after the departures of Will Skelton and the retirement of Dean Mumm at lock.
The Waratahs now host a backline with Bernard Foley, Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau and Nick Phipps. Folau must be the man to watch as the Waratahs record try scorer is a deadly attacking weapon and one of the best if not the best Fullback in world rugby. Folau is one of the best player at keeping the ball alive and provides the Waratahs with explosive line breaking abilities. Folau running into spaces created by Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley is a very exciting prospect.
The Sydney based side will hope to see influential captain Michael Hooper continuously disrupting opposing sides at the breakdown while sticking to his high work rate from past seasons. My man to watch however is Tolu Latu who showed brilliant form at stages last season being a real nuisance at the breakdown and a very physical ball carrier.
Conclusion:
The Waratahs might have had two seasons too forget, but I think this season we will see them return somewhat to win the Australian Conference and Qualify for the knockout rounds. I think the most the Sydney faithful can expect is a Semi-Final. However, with the strength of the New Zeeland teams a Quarter Final loss is probably more realistic. Predictions 1st in Australian Conference and 3rd on the Overall log.
What do you think about my predictions? Have a go and tell me your predictions? Do You think the Australian conference teams will have a better year?
##Till next time…
Sources:
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-union/dan-mckellar-named-brumbies-rugby-coach-ng-s-1732458
https://sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/teams/
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http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/
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https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/04/24/07/21/waratahs-reds-gibson-horne
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http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Christian+Lealiifano/Super+Rugby+Rd+8+Brumbies+v+Rebels/Dlj4exJad6Q
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https://www.ultimaterugby.com/news/super-rugby-round-5-team-sheets/524537