24/02/2008 11:45

Johannesburg - Diverse opinions of the new laws - and also diverse applications thereof by referees - again marked, if not dominated, the second round of the Super 14 played over the weekend.

The Super 14 race is, obviously at this early stage, still wide open.

There are a few dark horses amongst the teams who will show their true colours in the next week or two, a few grey areas pertaining to the laws, and two sides who stand out head and shoulders above the rest.

Of the 35 tries scored this weekend, the five South African sides scored only five. Whether that was because of an inability to adapt to the new laws, will have to be gauged in a week or two.

The five South African sides in their four matches also conceded 16 of the 35 tries scored this weekend - an average of four tries per side per match.

On Friday, Bulls captain Fourie du Preez wouldn't comment on the laws and how he felt it may have affected the Bulls in their huge 54-17 defeat of to Crusaders. It seems he had been gagged after his comment a week earlier that the new laws could not be pleasant for spectators or players alike.

On the new laws, coach Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske was a little perplexed at the final penalty that - again - sunk his team by a single point (16-15) in the last minute and felt there was little consistency at the breakdown. What is a fact, though, is that the Cheetahs will have to start taking their opportunities and also limit their missed tackles to less than the 20 on Friday.

Drotske's opposite number in the clash between the Cheetahs and the Western Force, John Mitchell, felt the possession from the rucks/mauls wasn't allowed to be quick enough. "That, after all, is the reason for the ELV's," was his view.

Robbie Deans of Crusaders, who trounced the Bulls at Loftus, says the laws have not changed the essence of the game. His side played as they always have and were near-unstoppable when they took it wide. It didn't look as if they needed any adapting to the laws against an outplayed Bulls side.

What the weekend also proved, was that six-time winners Crusaders and co-favourites for the Super 14 title this year, the Blues, were going to be there at the run-in. They comprehensively outplayed the Bulls (54-17) and the Lions (55-10) respectively, and each scored seven tries to one in handing down two noteworthy lessons of good handling, excellent support, playing at pace and running the angles to the South African sides.

For the Bulls, it was back to the drawing board. admitted captain Du Preez. A lack of discipline, he conceded, cost them against what he described as the best counter-attacking side in the world.

The Sharks were the better side in disposing of the Stormers (12-10), although Sharks coach Dick Muir will admit his side played at the top of their potential for only about 15-20 minutes towards the end of the match. There was still too much kicking from both sides, but then it could be blamed on a wet ball in the Durban humidity.

The running was not always much more than just moving the ball across-field, although it must be said that the defence was outstanding on both sides.

The Sharks' French flyhalf Frederic Michalak, one feels, could be the catalyst for the Sharks in Saturday's match against the Bulls at Loftus.

The Reds, for all their effort and a noticeable improvement from last year, will again be there as the punch bag for most sides, and were beaten 23-18 by a hesitant-looking Hurricanes side in Wellington, while the Waratahs, despite losing 20-17 to the Chiefs in Waikato, will be a handful - especially in Sydney.

The Brumbies had to pull out all the stops in Canberra to beat the Highlanders 22-20 - and both sides will take some beating in the toughest competition in the world.