Ahh, that Canterbury vs Auckland was magic, let's hope it isn't the highlight of this NPC season for the boys.
Never underestimate a wounded Crusader!
Will Otago choke?
Are the scarfies up to
the task? Will they beat Taranaki to meet either Waikato or Canterbury in the
final?
Or will they do the normal
Otago thing....do all the hard work then crumble & fall over at the last hurdle!
Taranaki are a damn good
side, make no mistake. But I think Otago's biggest challenge this Saturday night
is overcoming their own internal demons. "Can we go all the way & win something?".
One only has to think back
to the Auckland game earlier in the season. The Dorks had just been ABSOLUTELY
THRASHED by the Cantabs a week earlier. People where expecting Otago to go out
& clincally destroy a woeful Dorkland team.
But what happened? THEY
CHOKED! Dorkland running out easy winners.
The same thing happened
in the S12 semi earlier in the year. Otago totally outclassed the Blues that
day in a must win game.....& they STILL lost!
Otago have to win on Saturday
for their own piece of mind.
Taranaki on the other hand
can go out there & give it hell! No one is expecting them to win, so they've
got nothing to lose. I'm sure they're realishing the opportunity....while Otagoites
will be quietly shitting themselves!
Canterbury & Waikato is
alot harder to call. On their day, both teams are capable of beating each other.
On form Waikato are favourites, mainly because of Canterbury's poor form! BUT
the Cantabs will also be realishing this position.
Expectations are low here
in Christchurch. A totally different atmosphere to the shield challenge a couple
of weeks back. To a certain degree the pressure is off the players. The Canterbury
pride is such that, you just know the Cantab players will have a point to prove,
and will give it 110%. If I was a Mooloo supporter I'd be slightly nervous about
Saturday afternoon's game.
This weekend could be one
for the underdogs!.....
......BUT back in the REAL
world I'm still predicting an Otago - Waikato final.
DH
|
Ahh, that Canterbury vs Auckland was magic, let's hope it isn't the highlight of this NPC season for the boys. Never underestimate a wounded Crusader!
|
|