Last week’s results and current log positions:

Hurricanes        12 – 17             Chiefs

Rebels              30 – 21             Stormers

Force                13 – 23             Sharks

Crusaders         23 – 3               Blues

Waratahs          28 – 22             Brumbies

Bulls                 35 – 18             Highlanders

Cheetahs          27 – 13             Reds

South African Conference

New Zealand Conference

Australian Conference

Combined Log

Weekend Fixtures

24 May             Chiefs v Crusaders                    09:35    Hamilton

24 May             Rebels v Waratahs                    11:40    Melbourne

25 May             Blues v Brumbies                      09:35    Auckland

25 May             Force v Highlanders                   11:40    Perth

25 May             Kings v Cheetahs                      15:00    Port Elizabeth

25 May             Stormers v Reds                       17:05    Cape Town

25 May             Sharks v Bulls                           19:10    Durban

Bye: Hurricanes (accumulating 4 log points)

Preview

24 May             Chiefs v Crusaders                    09:35    Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

The Crusaders are a magnificent team. Why? Not only have they won Super Rugby the most times, they also seem to be peaking at the right time of the season and are always near the top of the log, no matter the composition of the squad. This year seems to be no different. The return of Captain Kieran Read has come just at the right time as well and his team’s performance against the Blues should heed as a warning to their future opponents. The Saders’ injury problems also look to be in the past, so not much is wrong in Christchurch at the moment. The Chiefs, on the other hand, don’t look the force they were at the beginning of the season and although they are playing home in this fixture, it’s not a good time to be facing the Saders…

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Crusaders to sneak an away win.

24 May             Rebels v Waratahs                    11:40    AAMI Park, Melbourne

The Rebels deserved their win against the struggling Stormers last weekend, but the Cape side was so woeful that it made life just a tad easier for the Melbourne outfit. This weekend they are facing a Waratahs side which is much more confident than the Stormers at present, so a similar result will be more difficult. The Rebels have become difficult to beat at home and if they play this game with the same kind of intensity they showed the last couple of weeks, they should be rewarded with a victory against their Aussie rivals. The Tahs beat the more fancied Brumbies last week and are looking dangerous, but one feels that they need to be more consistent away from home to become a regular threat.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Rebels to win a tight contest.

25 May             Blues v Brumbies                      09:35    Eden Park, Auckland

In terms of entertaining, running rugby, this game could provide the best viewing for rugby fans on the weekend. The Blues showed promise against the Crusaders last week, but were ultimately outclassed and will want to hit back with a win to regain their surge for a playoff spot. The Brumbies have become a bit inconsistent, but are too good a team not to start winning again soon. If they can win at Eden Park on the weekend, Jake White’s team is a sure bet for the playoffs and it wouldn’t be surprising if they play in the final this year. There is no doubt that this game will have more than a few tries before the final whistle blows, so it could come down to a few missed tackles or a misplaced kick at a crucial time.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Brumbies to win a nail-biter.

25 May             Force v Highlanders                   11:40    NIB Stadium, Perth

The saying “How the mighty have fallen” is a perfect description of the Highlanders at present. Having been one of the standout teams in last year’s competition, the Landers are currently battling it out for the wooden spoon and return to the Antipodes without a win on their South African tour. They showed glimpses of excellence against the Bulls last week, but they are making so many errors and have a woeful defensive record. They could easily win against the Force, but it would be a brave pundit to back them at this stage. The Force is also having an average season, but looks the more confident of the two sides. At home, they play well and more importantly, defend better when they play at NIB Stadium. Taking all into account, home advantage should win it for the Force.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Force to keep the Highlanders in last place.

25 May             Kings v Cheetahs                      15:00    Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, PE

Whenever it looks like the Kings are falling off the pace, they silence their critics with a clinical performance. This was again the case against the Highlanders and the Kings continue to make history in their first season at this level. One of the big reasons for the Kings’ success is the brilliant play of fly half Demetri Catrakilis and they will again look to him for a solid performance against a very strong and confident Cheetahs side. The men from Bloemfontein are on the heels of the Bulls for first place in the SA conference and will be confident of staying on the winning path when the dust settles on Saturday night. The Kings will be fired up for this game, but the Cheetahs surely have too much class. Surely…

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Comfortable win for the Cheetahs.

25 May             Stormers v Reds                       17:05    Newlands, Cape Town

All is not well in Cape Town. Having been punted as one of the favourites to win this year’s Super Rugby title, the Stormers find themselves languishing with the bottom feeders on the log – an unacceptable situation when looking at the wealth of talent available in the squad. Granted, injuries have severely hampered their season, but they are playing awful rugby and confidence levels are at an all time low. This looks like a formality for the Reds, but they lost against the Cheetahs last week and the Stormers are a different side when they play at home. Quade Cooper’s loss of form has also cast doubt on the Brisbane outfit and this has put more pressure on Will Genia, who’s playing well but not as excellently as last season. Do not expect a lot of tries in this one.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Stormers back to winning ways.

25 May             Sharks v Bulls                           19:10    Kings Park, Durban

In the last couple of seasons the Bulls have consistently struggled to win in Durban and this has caused the Sharks to be a bit of a bogey side for the men from Pretoria. This year, however, the Bulls go into this fixture in a very strong position and with momentum on their side. Couple this with the fact that the Sharks have been underperforming severely and the odds seem to be in favour of the Bulls to cement their status as SA’s best Super Rugby team. However, these SA derbies more often than not provide close and fascinating contests and it will be interesting to see which of these teams raise their game the most. The Sharks could be more desperate, because if they lose on Saturday, the playoffs can quickly turn into a pipedream. The Bulls, however, will know better than to underestimate the Durbanites.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Bulls to win.

Last week’s results and current log positions:

Chiefs               22 – 21             Force

Reds                32 – 17             Sharks

Cheetahs          34 – 39             Hurricanes

Blues                36 – 32             Rebels

Waratahs          21 – 15             Stormers

Kings                34 – 27             Highlanders

South African Conference

New Zealand Conference

Australian Conference

Combined Log

Weekend Fixtures

17 May             Hurricanes v Chiefs                   09:35    Wellington

17 May             Rebels v Stormers                     11:40    Melbourne

17 May             Force v Sharks                          13:45    Perth

18 May             Crusaders v Blues                     09:35    Christchurch

18 May             Waratahs v Brumbies                 11:40    Sydney

18 May             Bulls v Highlanders                    17:05    Pretoria

18 May             Cheetahs v Reds                       19:10    Bloemfontein

Bye: Kings (accumulating 4 log points)

Preview

17 May             Hurricanes v Chiefs                   09:35    Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Character. The Canes have plenty of it and showed it by beating the high flying Cheetahs in Bloemfontein after being on the receiving end of a proper hiding from the Bulls the previous week. Whether or not they can continue to win remains to be seen as they face the Chiefs in the first all-New Zealand derby of the weekend. The Canes were brilliant on attack against the Cheetahs, but are still iffy on defense and a long trip home could prove to be their wrong doing if they slip too many tackles on Friday. However, if they show the same character and commitment they might just upset the Chiefs’ playoff surge. Although the Hamiltonians beat the Force, they were far from convincing and will have to up their game against the Canes. Not getting a bonus point at home against the Force will be considered a failure, so expect a much better display on attack and defense from the Chiefs.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Chiefs to sneak it.

17 May             Rebels v Stormers                     11:40    AAMI Park, Melbourne

If there was any hope left in Cape Town that the Stormers could win their first Super Rugby title in 2013, it was destroyed in Sydney at the weekend in a woeful display. Yes, statistically they can still be champions, but it will be a brave soul to put money on the Cape side to be anywhere near those heights come the third of August. Besides the fact that the Stormers are looking out of it mentally, their playing style and tactics have become much too predictable. But the unpredictability of Super Rugby has made this a very tricky fixture to call. The Rebels are playing good rugby at the moment, but the score in Auckland flattered them a bit. They can score tries but are very average on defense. If the Stormers can score a few tries of their own and get the confidence levels up, their defense should be good enough to sneak a victory in Melbourne…

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Stormers to silence the critics a little.

17 May             Force v Sharks                          13:45    NIB Stadium, Perth

The Sharks are their own worst enemy at the moment. They should win more games than they currently are, but have become too impatient on attack and this has led to a sickening amount of errors. What’s worse is that these errors are happening at pivotal moments in games, which inevitably changes the momentum in favour of the opposition. In the last couple of weeks, however, the men from Durban have proven that they can score tries after a barren start in this department in 2013. They should feed off this and if their belief in themselves as a franchise can stay constant, the Sharks might yet turn their season around, starting on Friday. The Force almost upset the Chiefs last week and has become difficult to beat in Perth, but if the Sharks start well and pressure the Aussies early, they should be good enough to win their first after five losses in a row.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Sharks to upset the odds.

18 May             Crusaders v Blues                     09:35    AMI Stadium, Christchurch

South African derbies are, for the most part, the hardest games in Super Rugby. But this all New Zealand clash could be just as brutal. These teams have a long history of epic battles and both have been champions multiple times, which should add more spice to this rivalry. Both are also gunning for a playoff spot and are snapping at the heels of the Chiefs for the top spot in the NZ conference. The Saders are coming off a bye and should be a bit fresher than the Blues, but the Aucklanders didn’t break that much of a sweat in beating the Rebels last week. The return of inspirational captain Kieran Read gives the Crusaders the edge, but the Blues’ backline have been more consistent than that of the Saders. That said, the Blues will have to improve significantly on defense if they want to win in Christchurch.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Crusaders by a few.

18 May             Waratahs v Brumbies                 11:40    ANZ Stadium, Sydney

The Waratahs have suddenly announced themselves as genuine contenders for the playoffs after thrashing the Kings and beating the star-laden Stormers with a last gasp Israel Folau try. It seems that the men from Sydney have now found the right balance in team selection and their players are finally responding to the coach’s game plan after an average start to the season. Fullback Folau is in serious form and winger Cam Crawford can’t stop scoring, so the Waratahs will have no problem running the ball wide. Jake White’s Brumbies are still sitting pretty at the top of the standings, but one gets the feeling that they may have peaked to early – much the same as last season. They also had a bye last week and will be rested, but the Tahs are carrying some dangerous momentum and will be fired up in front of their home crowd.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Waratahs to prevail.

18 May             Bulls v Highlanders                    17:05    Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

The Highlanders arrived in South Africa on a high last week after registering their first win of the year against the Sharks. However, any confidence gained out of that victory were dashed by the Kings on the weekend and it doesn’t get any easier on Saturday when they face a very confident Bulls outfit. Loftus has become a fortress for the Pretoria side and teams rarely leave with a victory these days. The Bulls will want to consolidate their lead in the SA conference and the only way the bottom feeders on the log can win this match is if the Bulls have a woeful day at the office. The Highlanders remain a dangerous side, but have been so inconsistent in every facet of their game and their last place on the log is completely justified. The Bulls can run away with this if the Landers are not careful…

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Bulls by a comfortable margin.

18 May             Cheetahs v Reds                       19:10    Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

A week ago it seemed like the Cheetahs were ready to conquer all on their way to the playoffs. For some bizarre reason, however, the men from Bloem play worse at home than away and this phenomenon was again confirmed in Saturday’s surprise loss to the Hurricanes. The Cheetahs have hit a wobble but is still well on course for a playoff spot, but complacency must be thrown out the window into the crisp Free State autumn air immediately. The Reds have arrived in style on the back of a big win against the Sharks and Will Genia’s troops will be licking their lips in anticipation of the Cheetahs’ sudden slump in form. The Brisbane side will want to play a fast game and fitness could decide the outcome of this match. The Cheetahs looked tired last week and they can not afford to lose another game at home. If they are more desperate than the Australians, they should sneak this one.

Mr. Infinity’s pick: Home advantage to count for the Cheetahs this time.