Rugby: Super 14 Power Rankings

Welcome to the Herald on Sunday's final Power Rankings of the season, the rankings which ignore the table and offer a true reflection of where the strengths of the franchises lie. In a display of self-flagellation, Rankings offers you its original, February 9 rankings, plus the table position* going into this penultimate round.
(* Does not take into account overnight games.)

1. Chiefs (up 2)
A pop at Sione Lauaki doing an impression of hotel-wrecking Keith Moon masked the fact we thought the Chiefs would a have a season like every other - promising yet unfulfilling.
Original ranking: 7. Table position: 1.

2. Sharks (no change)
The "Herald's summer obsession with Sharks was an omen" perhaps? Started off playing like tiger sharks but have looked more like basking sharks lately - big but essentially harmless.
Original ranking: 1. Table position: 5.

3. Hurricanes (down 2)
Not bad, not bad at all. "The most talented roster in the comp," we wrote back then and that is not far from the truth.
Original ranking: 2. Table position: 2.

4. Bulls (no change)
After finishing 10th in 2008, we thought "the return of Victor Matfield would see them jump at least four spots". Might have underestimated his presence.
Original ranking: 6. Table position: 3.

5. Crusaders (no change)
Could the "return of prodigal son Todd Blackadder" keep the Crusade rolling on? Not really, you'd have to say, but they have guts and they've suddenly learnt how to score tries again.
Original ranking: 3. Table position: 4.

6. Brumbies (up 3)
"Not enough talent to force themselves out of mid-table." We might end up being right but they've put up a hell of a fight, especially after losing a teammate in horrific circumstances.
Original ranking: 10. Table position: 7.

7. Waratahs (down 1)
An "unlikeable team" in a mid-table traffic jam. Right and right again. The thought of having to watch the 'Tahs makes Rankings cringe like men discussing unanaesthetised vasectomies.
Original ranking: 8. Table position: 6.

8. Force (no change)
A "difficult off-season" that would likely carry a big hangover into the competition. The Force were actually better than expected... but still not particularly good.
Original ranking: 11. Table position: 9.

9. Lions (up 2)
A team that "defied serious analysis" at the start of the season now warrants some. We're picking the Lions to be a decent team in 2010 and who knows where they'll be playing in '11?
Original ranking: 14. Table position: 10.

10. Blues (down 3)
They "would respond to Pat Lam", whatever that means, but would "struggle at No 10". In fact, they were simply awful, a swag of cheap bonus points preventing further Lam-pooning.
Original ranking: 5. Table position: 8.

11. Stormers (down 1)
Dear, dear. Would earmark themselves as "genuine contenders if they beat the Sharks at home in round one". They lost... a sensation they would get very used to.
Original ranking: 4. Table position: 12.

12. Highlanders (up 1)
An "ordinary team playing out of a wretched stadium". So we didn't think much of them, then. Four out of five wins midway through the season offered playoff hope... to the terminally stupid.
Original ranking: 12. Table position: 11.

13. Reds (down 1)

They have "developed a little elan". Still, fancy French words will only take you so far. From the high of their victory at Albany over the Blues, their season reverted to the usual merde.
Original ranking: 9. Table position: 13.

14. Cheetahs (no change)
"An idiotic draw would cripple the perennial strugglers." Lookie here, an idiotic draw crippled these perennial strugglers. Quite good to watch, for all that.
Original ranking: 13. Table position: 14.