Here are my predictions for this week’s round of Super Rugby published on pinkrugby.com http://pinkrugby.com/2013/super-rugby-predictions-2013-rd-10
Can not wait for the Reds v Brumbies on Saturday night at Lang Park. Go the mighty Reds!
Monthly Archives: April 2013
Black Caviar: thank’s for the memories
Black Caviar, probably the greatest thoroughbred of my generation, has been retired by its owners today. Whilst this is a sad day for many sports fans, to me this is an opportunity to celebrate the career of this colossus of the track and to reflect on what many of us have been privileged to see either on track or on the television.
Some statistics: Black Caviar was unbeaten in 25 races including 15 group one races. The horse won just short of $8 Million in prize money having raced exclusively in Australia and England. She is considered to be the best sprinter in the world, having been named WTRR World Champion Sprinter in 2010 and having been rated one of the top thoroughbred racehorses in the world by Timeform.
However statistics only tell part of the story: like no other horse in my lifetime Black Caviar drew hordes of racing novices including children of all ages to the race tracks of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland so much so I am certain that the racing clubs of each of the states threw mountains of cash and benefits to the owners and trainer to get the horse to their race track. Water Cooler talk on the Monday following a Black Caviar race was all about this brilliant race horse. Sales of salmon coloured fabric have sky rocketed by those trying to match her silks.
I have been a racing fan since I was about 10 years old when my grandfather Colin introduced me to this noble sport and it a great regret to me that he is no longer with us and was not around to watch this wonderful horse. I have confess I have seen horses win one race as well as Black Caviar but I have never seen a horse as consistently just decimate fields they way this horse did.
Much like P Moody did in the press conference today, I now await the publication of the DVD of all of Black Caviar’s wins so I can just watch them over and over again because I am fairly certain we will wait a long time to see a horse as good as her. The best way to celebrate this wonder of the turf is to remember her achievements and protect her legacy. I am certain fans from the racing world and those novices introduced to the track by her will do just that.
Thanks for the memories Black Caviar: it has been an absolute honour!
Robbie Deans: are you serious? You must be and that is a travesty!
Here is the 30 man squad chosen by Robbie Deans for the upcoming “team planning” session ahead of the Lions Tour:
Mogg, Folau, Ioane, Tomane, Ashley-Cooper, Tapuai, McCabe, Leali’ifano, Barnes, O’Connor, White, Genia, Palu, Auelua, Hooper, Gill, Dennis, Higginbotham, Mowen, Simmons, Horwill, Douglas, Timani, Palmber, Slipper, Alexander, Robinson, Sio, Moore, Polota Nau.
Are you kidding me Robbie Deans? They are the best 30 players in Australia right now? I assume that you must be serious otherwise you would not have selected these 30 players instead of significantly more qualified and in form players.
Some numbers to consider:
10: This is the number Waratahs in this squad. This from a team that has won 3 of 7 games this season with a net points differential of -38 points. Enough said!
7: This is the number of professional rugby union games played by Israel Folau. Somehow he is in the fullback / wing frame for the Wallabies. You can not tell me he is a better player AND is in better form than D Shipperley, M Inman or A Mafi.
25: This is the number of tackle busts for the season from Alfie Mafi. In a team struggling desperately in attack he has just been a standout. For some reason he is outside the top 30 players in the country.
Those numbers aside one of the most glaring travesties in this 30 man squad is the omission of James Hanson. Robbie Deans has gone with his old favourites in Stephen Moore, who has been playing off the bench, and Tatafu Polota Nau who is injured instead of a player in the form of his career who has stepped up to lead the Reds forward pack in the absence of much more storied and injured compatriots. What more did he need to do Mr Deans? Move to NSW seems to be the only thing he has not done!
Back row staples Dennis, Douglas and Timani get their customary call up again without any semblance of form and despite being in a forward pack that has been under-performed, outmuscled and out-enthused for the basically the whole season.
The positives in this team come from the selections of Brumbies Jesse Mogg, Christian Leali’ifano and Ben Mowen who wholeheartedly deserve their selections. However that is where the positives end.
On that note, I have one last number for you: 0. This is the number of test matches Australia will win against the Lions if Deans sticks with his plan of picking out of form players from under performing teams and rookies with little experience in top flight rugby.
The positive in that is the ripping up of Deans’ contract that must necessarily follow such a pasting. The obvious negative is the undervaluing of the Wallabies jersey with the selection of a sub par and out of form team.
Shumpty’s Punt: the Weekend Multi
Another weekend and another loss of a multi in the first leg has not lowered by enthusiasm for this weekend’s multi which is as follows:
Leg 1: Los Angeles Angels to defeat the Houston Astros covering the line (-1.5 runs) in the MLB on Saturday morning ($2.10).
Leg 2: Auckland Blues to defeat the Hurricanes covering the line (-2.5 points) in the Super 15 on Saturday evening ($1.92).
Leg 3: Canberra Raiders to defeat the NZ Warriors covering the line (-6.0 points) in the NRL on Saturday evening ($1.92).
Leg 4: Cheetahs to cover the line against the Bulls (+5.5 points) in the Super 15 on Sunday morning ($1.92).
This multi will pay just under $15. In the interests of full disclosure I have invested $25.
Good luck, good punting and as always gamble responsibly.
Super 15 Round 9 Predictions
Here is this weeks Super 15 Rugby preview first published on pinkrugby.com http://pinkrugby.com/2013/super-rugby-predictions-2013-rd-9
Another great round of rugby awaits!
Shumpty’s Punt: the weekend sports multi
It is has been a little while since I posted a weekend multi. The fact is I was getting a little sick of being out of running on the multi bet after its first leg so banished myself to the wood shed for a couple of weeks to have long think about my betting strategy. Getting the Mark Webber bet up two weekends ago made me start thinking about a multi again and a busy week of work got in the way of posting a multi last weekend.
If you are still reading after that self indulgent preamble, here is my sports multi for this week:
Leg 1: Melbourne Victory to defeat the Perth Glory in round one of the finals of the A League at home ($1.73)
Leg 2: Cronulla Sharks to cover the line (-5.5 points) against the Parramatta Eels at Parramatta Stadium in the NRL ($1.92)
Leg 3: Hurricanes to cover the line (-6.5 points) against the Waratahs at Westpac Stadium in the Super 15 ($1.92)
Leg 4: Pune Warriors to defeat the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL ($1.70)
Leg 5: Stormers to defeat the Cheetahs at Free State Stadium in the Super 15 ($1.45)
All up this multi should pay over the $15 mark for every dollar invested (odds taken from sportsbet.com.au) and in the interests of full disclosure I have confess I have wagered $50 this week on this bet.
As always, please gamble within your means and responsibly.
Shumpty Speaks 