A look back at round 17 of the Super 15 and which teams and players stood out.
THE FAB FOUR
Each week the Armchair Coach looks at the four most impressive teams in the Super 15, with a view to their title chances.
1 SHARKS
won 32 - 10 v Bulls 3rd
SAC, 6th overall
More storming than the Stormers. The Sharks have to be taken seriously on this form, and could be among three South African teams in the playoffs. Led by their fantastic front row, the Sharks - with a couple of top players missing - demolished the Bulls, whose own title credentials were severely tarnished. The Stormers head the South African challenge but are incapable of this quality. The Sharks would have to win the title the hard way but are good enough to do so judging by what we saw over the weekend.
2 CRUSADERS
won 28 - 21 v Chiefs 2nd NZC, 4th overall
The Crusaders are not entirely convincing given the quality of their lineup, although others would kill for what they do. All that history and experience is impossible to ignore in the title calculations and yet Lady Luck had a hand in the win over an underperforming Chiefs. The more Israel Dagg contributes the better though, and he needs a higher involvement. Dagg can be a playmaker at speed, veering across defensive lines and delivering beautifully aimed and timed passes. The braveheart Kieran Read is just the man to run on to them as he did in Hamilton.
3 CHIEFS
lost 21 - 28 v Crusaders 1st NZC, 1st overall
Dave Rennie should be happy on one hand and despairing on the other. Despite bungling the setpieces, they stayed very close to a high-quality side and nabbed what could be a vital bonus point in the race for top seeding. However a draw was there for the taking but for an SBW bungle and the Chiefs also dipped out in the video ref luck department. The big question: are the lineout and scrum gremlins-slash-disasters repairable for the big encounters ahead?