iafrica.com columnist Robbie Fleck is backing the Bulls to bounce back against the Crusaders in Super 14 action this weekend. Read his exclusive views and Super 14 predictions right here!

Last week I commented on how unpredictable the Super 14 had been up till then in 2009 and the Round Seven results once again proved that my assertion was indeed correct.

Let's take the Bulls' loss to the Highlanders as an example.

The only unbeaten team in the competition (the Bulls) went up against a side that was lurking mid-table (the Highlanders), despite having beaten the Crusaders a few weeks before — who would you have picked to win?!

What the Highlanders did do, however, was get on top of the much-vaunted Bulls pack early on and not allow them back into the match. The Bulls do not like being dictated to, if a team stands up physically to them, and they did not enjoy it out there against the Highlanders at all. They like to be the ones squeezing the life out of the opposition, not the other way round!

If I ever had to coach a team against the Bulls I would attack them up front and take away that mental edge. That is something, for instance, that the Stormers have failed to do in recent times. Sure, they have the firepower out wide to take the Bulls, but if the Bulls boss things up front it gives them a boost all over the field.

All is by no means lost for the Bulls and they are sitting fairly pretty in fourth place, and with a game in hand over all but two sides in the top eight. A win over the Crusaders this weekend — see my predictions below — will be a huge boost to their semifinal aspirations.

The Bulls' woes from last week aside, the Chiefs are without doubt the form team in the 2009 Super 14 at the moment.

They have smashed two very decent teams — the Blues and the Reds — over the past fortnight, but, like most of the New Zealand teams this year, they remain plagued by inconsistency. Anybody remember their loss to the Sharks at home?!

Still, they are a dangerous team. They have a fantastic, well-balanced back row (Sione Lauaki, Tanerau Latimer and Liam Messam) and probably the best back three in the competition (Muliaina, Masaga and Sivivatu), but a lot of their game revolves around the form and fitness of Stephen Donald and Richard Kahui.

I had a bit to say about Donald earlier in the competition, but if he keeps playing consistently brilliant rugby, then I will happily concede that I got it wrong a few weeks ago!

The key for the Chiefs though is the ability of their tight five to secure enough decent, front foot ball to allow the Lauakis in their line-up to win those all-important collisions and then for Donald and Kahui to get on the front foot and get the ball out wide to the Sivivatus in their line-up.

Some people have emailed me asking if I think the Chiefs can win the Super 14...

On current form, it would be had to write them off, but unless they get a home semifinal and avoid the Bulls and the Sharks, then I cannot see them picking up any silverware.

The Sharks and the Bulls have powerful tight fives and they just will not afford the Chiefs easy ball and thereby a free reign to the likes of Mils Muliaina, Lelia Masaga and Sitiveni Sivivatu.

CLICK HERE to see Fleckie's exclusive Super 14 predictions for this coming weekend!


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