The year in review (2019 edition, part 2)

Well, this is part 2 of my year in review so here's another of those best blogs with the most views of the month from the March - April period beginning with Super Rugby round 6 wrap but this topic is about Round 6 of the 2019 Super Rugby season:

Well, in Super Rugby news, round 6 got underway as the Blues (Who were without star second five Sonny Bill Williams who has gone to Christchurch to help out with the Muslim community after the tragic events unfolded in Christchurch on the 15th of March) end a 3 year drought against New Zealand opposition, beating the Highlanders in the process by 7 points at Eden Park in Auckland before the Hurricanes got back on track after a disappointing draw against the Chiefs 10 days ago, winning the match against the Stormers in a close quarters affair at Westpac Stadium in Wellington then the Crusaders (Well, they were thinking of a name change in wake of the Christchurch terror attacks (They could've been known as the Plainsmen in 1995 before the 1996 Super 12 season but they replaced it with Crusaders) due to its links to the medieval crusades that included wars between Christians & Muslims in the Mediterranean that cost somewhere between one & two million lives) suffer their 1st defeat against the Waratahs at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney (Well, the Crusaders were disappointing & inconsistent by losing the match (They had to rest star first five Richie Mo'unga due to the All Blacks rest requirements policy so Brett Cameron took Mo'unga's place) because they were regrouping after the tragedy had struck because they originally going to play against the Highlanders in a great southern derby game in Dunedin 9 days ago but it was eventually cancelled & both sides shared both points each) then finally on the other hand, the winless Chiefs finally get their 1st victory of the 2019 season, beating the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria (Effectively ending an 18 year drought when the Chiefs last beat the Bulls in Pretoria way back in 2001).

And finally here are the rest of the results from round 6 of the 2019 Super Rugby season:

Lions 37 - 24 Sunwolves
Sharks 28 - 14 Rebels
Reds 36 - 14 Brumbies

So that is my 277th blog of the year 2019 (MMXIX) & my 17th of this year.

And finally the 2nd & final one is taken from Super Rugby round 8 wrap (+ Black Caps 2019 Cricket World Cup squad & my AB's 2019 Rugby World Cup squad predictions):

Well, in Super Rugby news, round 7 got started as the Hurricanes go 2 in a row this year against the Highlanders by 3 (Including that double from Hurricanes open side flanker Ardie Savea who had to shine) at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin while at Orangetheory Stadium, the Crusaders (Although they were without Israel Dagg (Who had to retire due ongoing issues with a chronic but serious & severe knee injury that made him quit playing rugby) took to the field against the Brumbies for their 1st home game since the shootings have happened in Christchurch last month & they won it by thumping them on the back of an electrifying 2nd half performance (It was 0 - 0 after 33 minutes when the Brumbies first-five Christian Leali'ifano dived over for the try after the Brumbies took advantage of the extra man & were on the power play mode after that yellow card by Crusaders tight head prop Owen Franks in the 27th minute (Well, he did not make an attempt to wrap his arms because that is the letter of the law) before the Blues have won 4 consecutive games by sealing the Waratahs off by 3 points at Eden Park in Auckland including that runaway try by Blues second five Ma'a Nonu (I thought he was going to make the All Blacks squad at 36 or 37 years of age but he is too old nonetheless unless an All Black call up beckons if someone gets injured) as well as a popular try by Blues blindside flanker known as 'Big Red' or 'Sauce', Tom Robinson (Son of All Black tourist Alastair who picked up his 1st try of the 2019 season).

And finally here are the rest of the results from round 8 of the 2019 Super Rugby season:

Reds 24 - 12  Stormers
Lions 5 - 40 Sharks
Rebels 45 - 15 Sunwolves
& Bulls 20 - 22 Jaguares

And finally the Black Caps (Who will try to follow up their success 4 years ago by reaching the final (It was the semifinal against South Africa at Eden Park when our South African born hero playing for New Zealand, Grant Elliott...Who hit the match winning six with only 2 balls remaining under the Duckworth-Lewis system) squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup in England (Well they are favourites because they are ranked the best one day international team in the world) had been named so here is the full 15 man squad:

Kane Williamson (Captain)
Tom Blundell (Wicket-keeper)
Trent Boult
Colin de Grandhomme
Lockie Ferguson
Martin Guptill
Matt Henry
Tom Latham (Wicket-keeper)
Colin Munro
Jimmy Neesham
Henry Nicholls
Mitchell Santner
Ish Sodhi
Tim Southee
& Ross Taylor

And here is my squad predictions for the All Blacks 31 man squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan:

Forwards

Hookers
Dane Coles
Liam Coltman
Codie Taylor

Props
Nepo Laulala
Atu Moli
Joe Moody
Angus Ta'avao
Ofa Tu'ungafasi

Locks
Scott Barrett
Brodie Retallick
Patrick Tuipulotu
Sam Whitelock

Back rowers
Sam Cane
Luke Jacobson
Kieran Read (Captain)
Ardie Savea
Matt Todd

Backs

Halfbacks
TJ Perenara
Aaron Smith
Brad Weber

First-fives
Beauden Barrett
Richie Mo'unga

Midfielders
Ryan Crotty
Jack Goodhue
Anton Lienert-Brown
Sonny Bill Williams

Outside Backs
Jordie Barrett
George Bridge
Rieko Ioane
Sevu Reece
Ben Smith

So that is my 336th blog of the year 2019 (MMXIX) & my 76th of this year (And it is only a fortnight away until the real thing which is Christmas (My favourite time of the year along with my birthday on the 7th of June).