I'm back - hold the presses, your tipping stats games can now once again be controlled by yours truly, as you tip the opposite to me and come out tops...

Getting to the business end of the season at last, and to be fair, it has been hard to get into this Super season, with the little sojourn to France late in the year being in the forefront of most rugby minds.  Booboo's fine series on upsets and classics from previous World Cups really whetting my appetite too.  But, I digress, the Super 14, Round 9.

The new and improved All Blacks are almost now all back on deck - barring the over improved ones with injuries and the like, and Ali Williams, who by now must regret shitting in Nucifora's lunch box on tour last season.  Big Ali's still benched, alongside Mealmau this week for the Blues.

The only other All Black yet to return to Super battle is Rokocoko, who will be playing club rugby this week, and of course Muliaina, whose new and improved extra muscle mass gave him a stress fracture in his foot...

Highlanders (10th) vs Cheetahs (8th)
Grizzly Adams is back.  Carl Hayman will pull on a Super rugby jersey in anger for the first time this season, and if he adds as much to the scrum as Grenade Face Oliver did last week, then the Highlanders should steam roll the Cheetahs eight, at scrum time at least!  This will almost be the only part of the match worth watching, as two of the more boring teams in the Super 14 clash.
Calllum Bruce comes back into the lineup for the Highlanders at second five, hopefully removing some pressure from Evans, and making the backline work a bit more smoothly.
Highlanders a comfortable win, won't be a lot of points, as they don't really know how to score, but they'll be in control once the fatties up front for the Cheetahs run out of puff.  That is usually half way through the warm up.
Margin:  Highlanders -12

Force (5th) vs Sharks (2nd)
Will the Force pick up their second win at home against the high flying Sharks.  If they do, then perhaps we could rate them as serious contenders for semi finals this season.  The Sharks can 'afford' to lose a game or two on tour, and still make the top four.  However, they will rapidly fall to the rank of pretenders (from contenders) if this happens.  Boer teams have been playing better on tour this season than in the past (quick learners these Boers, 12 seasons in Super rugby, and finally they are getting the hang of it), so a few wins here is not out of the picture.
Anyway, this game, if the Force fatties can get enough decent ball for their multi million dollar backline (and Staniforth), they should have enough fire power to win.  The Sharks though, have been pretty successful in strangling teams to a slow death, and if the game turns into one of attrition, back the Boers!!
Margin:  Sharks -12

Hurricanes (11th) vs Bulls (3rd)
The new and improved Hurricanes All Blacks will want to forget last weeks efforts in Boersville, and reward themselves, and their fans, with their first win in four hit outs.  It won't be easy though, as the Bulls have been playing bloody good rugby over the last few weeks.  Basic stuff, but winning rugby.  Quality players there too, with Matfield and Botha, the best lock pairing in the world today leading the way.
Umaga is out with an achillies injury, and to compound that injury, Nonu is replacing him.  Just kidding, but Nonu is back onboard to replace the original dreaded wonder.  The big talking point though is Piri Weepu, new and improved All Black halfback playing at first five.  Great confidence boost for Gopperth and the other no names who have been trying to play ten this season for the Canes.  Wonder what Crusaders Brett is doing next season (and I bet Cooper is wondering the same thing).  Will be something to watch anyway, as there will be plenty of pressure on the former lard assed one.
While the Bulls have a bloody good lock pairing, and a pretty decent pack, so do the Hurricanes.  Eaton and Tito are no mugs when it comes to the locking department, and the rest of the pack, well, any eight that includes six All Blacks (five new and improved) needs respect!  Hore, Tialata, Eaton, Masoe, Collins and So'oialo, and with a game under their belts, will all be much better than their last weeks performance.  They had better be.
Margin:  Hurricanes -12

Chiefs (8th) vs Blues (1st)
C'mon the Chiefs, Chiefs (as my mate Ralph used to say all night long when he was drunk, which was usually).  Win this game, and the Chiefs are in line to tease their fans by going close to a semi final spot again, but falling at the last hurdle, which is usually having to beat the last team in the competition, which has 42 first choice players out with injury, and the playing XV a little under the weather after dining at Suzie's Genuine South African Cuisine Restaurant and Bar.
The Blue will want to carry on regardless, and have started to bring back the heavyweights into the fray.  Woodcock gets his first start of the season, which closes down one avenue of attack for the Chiefs - the Blues front row.  A few other changes too for the Blues - Kaino slips to the flank to allow NickWillians back onto the field at number eight.  Williams had a huge match in his only other start of the season, and if he throws that sort of form onto the park again, perhaps this loose trio would be the one to carry through the rest of the season for the Blues.
The Chiefs have bracketed half the locks in the Waikato region for this match - Calf injury crocks Gibbes and Robinson both bracketed with Toby Lynn, who I expect will play.  The Chiefs have rolled out the best team they can field this week too, no resting props or the lies as they did last week in the close shave win over the horrible horrible Reds.  Returning to the fray for his second game of the season is NPC player of the year Richard Kahui.  His shoulder will be sorely tested against the form Blues centre Toeava.  Expect what, maybe half a game from the wonder boy...?
So should be a torrid forward battle, the loose forward battle in particular sizing up to be a beauty (Holah, Lauaki, Bates v Braid, Kaino, Williams) with the Blues backline giving them the edge on the scoreboard after 80 minutes.
Margin:  Blues 13+ (in the dry), -12 (in the wet).
 

Waratahs (13th) vs Crusaders (3rd)
The Horrortahs.  If you think the Reds have been the worst team to grace a rugby field in Super history lately, than you have obviously been missing the Tahs games!  Things only get better too for the Sydneysiders, clashing with the million times champions the Crusaders, who have their All Blacks (new and improved) back on deck for the second week running, so they should be working up to full speed now.
Link has moved wonder kid Kurtly Beale to fullback this week, and Sam Norton Knight to first five.  Expect Tuqiri to be getting lots of ball from ten this week eh!!  As link himself said, and I love it, he is just shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.  Really though, while Beale will have the fifteen jersey on, I am sure he will be playing at pivot when the Tahs have any ball.
The Crusaders have lost Dan Carter to a neck problem during the week, so the young Brett gets to start this week, and with a fleet of All Blacks (new and improved) around him, I expect he'll be even better than he has been - having Mauger outside him will help no end too, this lad is pretty handy.
Most are picking a big Crusaders win here, and rightly so, with most of the Waratahs injured or crap!!  But, that old 'gut feeling' is coming into play here, and I think it'll be closer than most pundits are tipping.
Margin:  Crusaders -12

Lions (6th) vs Brumbies (7th)
Are the Brumbies back?  They handed the first loss of the season to the hyped up Sharks, on their own patch too.  They have always travelled to Boerland pretty well too.  Or at least they did one season, and that is the one I remember, but they always seem to pick up at least one win in the republic.  Soo, they're on a roll, they are a quality team and have more experience than most 40 year old hookers, so two in a row for the Brumbies coming up.
Margin:  Brumbies -12

So there you go, week 9 as it will happen, maybe...