Rupert Cox's Off Load: Fiji, Toulouse and a pair of Canterbury legends all come under scrutiny
Tuesday 12 May 2015 17:51, UK
Fiji 7s, Toulouse, Ospreys fans, McCaw and Carter all feature in Rupert Cox's Off Load.
Sevens heaven
It's official, the race to the Sevens World Series title is the closest it's ever been. With just the London leg to go Fiji, South Africa and New Zealand can still realistically take out the big prize. One team however is in pole position - the flying Fijians. After overcoming New Zealand in a wet but wonderful Glasgow Cup Final and knocking out the Blitzbokke at the quarter-final stage, the princes of the Pacific have stormed into top spot. They've also secured a place at the Olympic Games in Rio next year - as have South Africa and New Zealand. England are expected to confirm their Team GB place in Rio sometime on Saturday. But Glasgow was all about Ben Ryan's boys.
It’s surprising, given how gifted these guys are at short-form rugby, it's been a decade since Fiji last lifted the overall World Series title. New Zealand's enduring excellence winning 12 titles in 15 seasons has of course played its part but now Fiji can do what they last did way back in 2006 - when the greatest of them all Waisale Serevi still bossed the Sevens world. Their latest sensation, World Player of the Year shoe-in Semi Kunatani, has signed for Toulouse in the Top 14 next season.
Down to the wire
No team has won an away semi-final in the history of the Pro12. With the Ospreys, Glasgow and Munster level on 70 points and Ulster just a single point back - it looks like bonus point wins could be the required target. Top of the table Ospreys travel to Galway to take on Connacht - the Sports Ground will be rocking as the West Irishmen strive for a European play-off place. The Sky cameras will be back at Scotstoun on Saturday afternoon where the Warriors welcome Ulster and second placed Munster host the Dragons at Irish Independent Park. For me: book your semi-final flights to Glasgow and Cork.
Top finish
The remarkable revival of Toulouse. Nine tries against Brive including a hat-trick to France international Yoann Huget keeps the rouge et noir in touch with Clermont and Toulon in the race for an automatic Top 14 semi-final. If the top two do stumble away at any point in the post season run in - the 19-time French Champions are poised to pounce. For a team that looked in relegation trouble earlier in the season - a barrage place, let alone a guaranteed route to the last four - would be some achievement. Castres are somehow still alive. The 2013 champions host another relegation candidate Brive this weekend. Lyon are confirmed as the first team consigned to the drop. Bayonne are just above them and look like they could be next.
A fond farewell
Christchurch said goodbye to a couple of Canterbury and Crusader legends last weekend. Richie McCaw and Dan Carter played in a red and black shirt for the very last time at AMI Stadium and the seven-time Super champs, in a real battle to make the play-offs this season, paid tribute to their senior men with a crushing win over ran the Reds. But the star of the action was a relative newcomer - their massive left wing Nemani Nadolo. The Fijian leads the competition in tries scored and assists this season and once again he was unstoppable. Like a runaway bull on the streets of Pamplona - Nadolo bossed the outside channel all day long, setting up two tries and grabbing a couple of his own. Sam Whitelock also chimed in with one of the tries of the season. In a superb solo effort, the All Black lock charged up field and ran right past a quite a few red faced Queenslanders. With Colin Slade, Tom Taylor and Willie Heinz also leaving New Zealand for big European contracts - the Crusaders look like they plan on saying goodbye to the departed with late season play-off run.
Brickbat
Ospreys fans. Just 10,981 turned up to the Liberty Stadium to watch the Ospreys beat Glasgow 21-10 and fly to the top of the Pro12 table. That's a stadium half full. If the 'Spreys do clinch a home semi-final then here's a direct appeal to the Swansea public. Get out and support your team! They've earned it.
Bouquet
Super Rugby neutral fans' favourite, the Lions, have done it again. They came back from 20-3 down to beat the high-flying Highlanders in Joburg. All Blacks mid-fielder Malakai Fekitoa scored another long range special at Ellis Park - but it was a brilliant response from Warren Whiteley's men to keep the Lions' play-off dream alive.
